Resources
Beth's Video Responses to Members' Submissions
Introduction
This section features links to Beth's video answers to members' submissions. The link in the title takes you to the original community post to allow you to see the response in context. If you are not interested in the whole thread but would rather see the video directly, click on [Video only].
Video responses are listed according to the main topic(s) covered in the response. At the bottom of this section there is also a list of the repertoire addressed in the responses.
While most information in the Resource section is provided as a service to the public, this section is only available to Violin Lab subscribers.
Bow Arm / Right Hand
Following recommended bowings
Ayoub; Rieding op. 35, 1st movement - [Video only]
Bowing during slurs; slurs vs hooked bowing
Sylvia Gregg; Deeply grow the roots - [Video only]
Straight bowing during fast detache
Jane G; Bach double concerto - [Video only]
Index finger contact point in franco-belgian bow hold
Mostafa Azizi; Kreisler, Liebesleid - [Video only]
Flexible elbow during bowing
Bevin Mathew; Allegro - [Video only]
Tension in the hand, effect of straight fingers on the bow
Andrea Baroni; Suzuki 1, up to #8 - [Video only]
Bouncing bow, especially on G-string
Daniel Garner - [Video only]
Controlling the amount of bow; violin position
Chris; Simple Gifts - [Video only]
Contact of index finger with bow; elbow level
Urban Kristan; Twinkle (Suz 1) - [Video only]
Violin position for people with long arms; using consistent bow speed; avoid bounce after retake
Andreas; Go tell Aunt Rhody (Suz 1) - [Video only]
More discussion of this topic is found in this thread.
More discussion of this topic is found in this thread.
Keep a straight bow through the whole length of the bow
Jane Heinze; "It is well with my soul" - [Video only]
Correct bow tilt
Xing Gao; Beethoven, Minuet in G (Suz 2) - [Video only]
Balancing the bow, tapering
Regina Robinson; Bach, Minuet #1 (Suz 1)
- [Video only]
Bowing Techniques
Different types of staccato / spiccato
Elke Meier; Gavotte from Mignon - [Video only]
Developing consistent detache stroke
Jaime; Musette (Suz 2) - [Video only]
"Dart throw" motion - perfecting the detache bow stroke
Wohlfahrt op 45 #1 - [Video only]
Developing your own exercises for spiccato practice
Alan Barnicoat - [Video only]
Hooked bowing in dotted rhythm
Xing Gao; Witches Dance (Suz 2) - [Video only]
Tone Production
Ringing of the violin in bowed vs pizzicato tones
Owen Chimuka - [Video only]
Sounding point and dynamic
Bevin Mathew; Long, long ago (Suzuki 1) - [Video only]
Effect of elbow level and sounding point on tone
Mohammed Hajjar; Martini, Gavotte (Suz 3) - [Video only]
Bow weight for producing full tone; bow tilt
Claudio; Bach, Minuet #1 (Suz 1) - [Video only]
Sustaining tone on long notes
Patrick Coleman; Massenet, Meditation, Tha�s
- [Video only]
Phrasing / Dynamics
Phrasing, adding dynamics
Regina Robinson; Minuet 2 (Suz 1) - [Video only]
Dynamics and bow direction
Rustam Gill; Bach, Air - [Video only]
Adding dynamic contrast
Pooria; Rieding op 35 1st mov. - [Video only]
Creating contrast in the music: slurs vs. separate notes, changing tone color
David; Bach Partita No.2 D-minor, Allemande - [Video only]
Playing hymns expressively
Jane Heinze; "It is well with my soul" - [Video only]
Bow distribution and musical phrasing
Andrea Baroni; K�chler, Concertino in G major, op 11 - [Video only]
Left Hand
Thumb position on the neck
Elke Meier - [Video only]
Establishing a healthy hand position with a straight wrist
Andrea Baroni; Suzuki 1, up to #8 - [Video only]
When to use fourth finger versus open strings
Ray; examples mostly from Suz 2 - [Video only]
Keeping the wrist quiet
Mohammed Hajjar; H�ndel, Bourr�e (Suz 2) - [Video only]
Adjusting the level of the base knuckles
Swaroop Vr; Bach, Bourree (Suz 3) - [Video only]
Reaching with a fourth finger without bending the wrist
Xing Gao; Bach, Minuet (Suz 3) - [Video only]
Clean playing: preparing fingers, delaying the lift
Ayoub; Bach, Double Violin Concerto - [Video only]
Intonation
Checking intonation while practicing
Fatih Kulaz; Long, long ago; also addresses spiccato and "flying" fingers - [Video only]
G-major scale in thirds
Laura - [Video only]
Finding the tonal center in a piece, establishing the finger spacing patterns
Elmer Joseph; Margaret�s waltz - [Video only]
Working on intonation with a drone
Claudio; Bach, Minuet d-moll - [Video only]
Vibrato
Implementing continous vibrato
Community discussion - [Video only]
Arm and hand working against each other
Barb Wimmer - [Video only]
Vibrato exercise: from sliding to rocking
Bryan Reed - [Video only]
Which notes would benefit from vibrato? Vibrato in high positions
Sonia Lancaster; Schindler�s List, Remembrances - [Video only]
Stages and realistic time frame in vibrato practice; shaking violin during vibrato; integrate vibrato
Christina
- [Video1 only] [Video2 only]
Keeping a good wrist angle during vibrato
Michael Schwartz - [Video only]
Fourth finger angle during vibrato
Steve Crabb - [Video only]
Appropriate vibrato for different note lengths
Ayoub; Rieding, op 35, 2nd movement - [Video only]
Developing a hybrid vibrato
Elke Meier; [Video only]
Get the vibrato "motor" going
David Rowland - [Video only]
Double Stops
Playing double stops
Elke Meier; Long, long ago (Suzuki 2) - [Video only]
Shifting
Shifting decisions in K�chler
Elke Meier; K�chler, Concertino, op 15 - [Video only]
Developing good intonation while shifting to high position
Madonna White; Meditation (Tha�s) - [Video only]
Sliding: western classical style versus indian classical style
Shashwat Singhal; Sad Romance - [Video only]
Sightreading / Rhythm / Timing
Practice Subdivisions; Bow distribution
Fatih Kulaz; Deeply grow the roots - [Video only]
Using subdivisions to improve rhythmic accuracy
Joe P; Si Bheag Si Mhor - [Video only]
Working on rhythm with a metronome
Patrick Coleman; Massenet, Meditation, Tha�s
- [Video only]
Aspects of Violin Setup
Freedom of movement for the left shoulder
Patricia Hoover - [Video only]
Also check out this community thread for more discussion on this topic.
Also check out this community thread for more discussion on this topic.
Miscellaneous Topics
Grace notes and mordents
Valeria - [Video only]
Grace notes: Appoggiatura in baroque music
Cheryl Frankfurt; Bach, Gavotte (Suz 3) - [Video only]
Repertoire
Workshop Master Classes
2017 Benslow Workshop Master Classes with Beth Blackerby
2017 Benslow Workshop Master Classes with Stephen Redfield
Simon: “Apres un Reve” (Gabriel Fauré)
Lily Mo: Schindler's List (John Williams)
jz: Concertino op. 11 (Ferdinand Küchler)
Robyn Stirling: Bouree (Johann Sebastian Bach)
Deirdre: Duetto in G Major, BWV 804 (Johann Sebastian Bach)
Janice: Allegro (Pietro Locatelli)
Katja: Gavotte from Sonata in F, op 5 No 10 (Arcangelo Corelli)
Anne aMaudPowellFan: Variations in A (Niccolò Paganini)
Lily Mo: Schindler's List (John Williams)
jz: Concertino op. 11 (Ferdinand Küchler)
Robyn Stirling: Bouree (Johann Sebastian Bach)
Deirdre: Duetto in G Major, BWV 804 (Johann Sebastian Bach)
Janice: Allegro (Pietro Locatelli)
Katja: Gavotte from Sonata in F, op 5 No 10 (Arcangelo Corelli)
Anne aMaudPowellFan: Variations in A (Niccolò Paganini)