5 Dumb Mistakes Hurting Your Violin Progress

[@ioana938]

I'll just add -- I come back to this channel whenever I feel stuck in my progress. It is so down to earth yet inspiring. And so rich in covering all the pitfalls i have been running into, with humor, empathy and unforgiving honesty. Tobias Murphy would likely be a great teacher regardless what he teaches. I'm just fortunate he decided to teach the violin!

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

I’m a beginner, even so, I’m finding his advice helpful. I am fighting, trying not to develop bad habits in the first place. I have a dozen excuses why I don’t practice every day.i have to ask myself, do I ever want to be good at this?

[@ioana938]

@@nickiemcnichols5397 yes you do!!! Which is why you read this and then go practice 😀!

[@josephguida5432]

I don’t even play the violin but I like watching these Murphy Music Academy videos. I guess I’m a big fan of good advice.

[@xxbstpagexx]

I find a wealth of no nonsense information in your videos with short and direction explanations. I am an amateur cellist and sometimes violin student and find your videos dense with invaluable content. Thank you for sharing these.

[@deltafour1212]

Tip 5 did it for me. Never thought of scale practicing in that way. What a great idea

[@hosanna8433]

I am guilty on all counts 😬 I put myself down before I even start. Thank you again for your wisdom! I will catch myself now and stop being so negative and apprehensive during practice time 😊

[@baroquefiddle4790]

Me too, I was only saying today that I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to self criticism and that definitely is whats creates my stage fright!

[@thepaintedlady7653]

So Guilty of all of these ✔️ except fir the scales. I’m laughing out loud at how relatable this is. What a great topic, I think I need to watch again. As an adult learner (3years) this is the kind of stuff I need to hear more of. Thanks!

[@vionyme968]

Btw this video is great and helpful, I think the most important in violin playing is being focused and aware of everything you do while practicing . The summary is « just do it !!!»

[@ioana938]

New to violin (1 year) but lifetime amateur on piano, with an old school eastern european music school foundation, and have been instinctively gravitating to scales and their variations from as early as I could put one together. Still a favorite thing to play -- at this stage, it's the fastest way to focus on skills and see actual progress. Your tip on Starting for good was an early DON'T from my violin teacher, almost from day one, working on open strings. And while he let me "find" the tone initially, these days we are intently practicing on stopping that habit. As I progress, it is bewildering to see some of the scaffolding be taken down. For the wobbly fingers, I find that working on one string / one position / all 4 fingers at a time, and practicing open / finger down pairs, at various speeds and in various sequences, one "frame" at a time is very helpful -- and sounds like some progressive rock :-). As I'm working on establishing a firm 3rd position, I also mentally name the notes and glance at a written scale -- relying on ear is good, but finding the right note when you're reading is harder. At this point, I'm past dishonesty and badmouthing -- it is what it is, and with practice it will get better. Better find the flaw and work on it. I put that in "trusting the learning process / learn to learn category, regardless of subject, math included!". I could not relate more to this video -- some absolutely great advice! Thank you!

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

Can you tell me why it’s called “third position “?

[@ioana938]

@@nickiemcnichols5397 if "1st" position starts with the open string and your #1 finger on the first tone / semitone, "2nd" position is when you shift your hand up one spot -- so you put finger #1 where finger #2 uesed to be. As you can guess, 3rd position shifts two spots up the neck of the violin, and you place your #1 finger where your #3 finger was in 1st position. And so on with the highwe positions (4th - 7th). This is the theory behind it. It allows you to play the higher areas of your violin, and to play continusly on one string, avoiding creaky strings crossing. Advanced players use positions to elicit different colors in their playing, for instance playing a repeat phrase on a different string the second time around. All that said, you need a solid hand frame and good intonation in your 1st position before you reach out to the higher positions. It takes a while, and that's ok 🙂

[@TheTuquito6]

You Sir, are my HERO, I don't play the violin, but love it so much, you have taken away my fear of trying to learn it. GOD BLESS you!!!

[@eddavidson3051]

I’ve been playing ~47 years. This video was great! Starting in 2004, I have had 3 shoulder surgeries, 2 carpal tunnel releases, a ganglion cyst removed from LH 3rd finger, and RH thumb CMC surgery. That’s a lot of time off & a lot of PT! I’m back playing again, but not professionally anymore. Luckily the Albuquerque Philharmonic Orchestra still loves me! I started with them in 1983. But I digress…. In learning to play again (unfortunately without a teacher or coach) after months of PT, I’ve developed some very bad habits that interfere with my bow control, despite wearing a thumb splint made just for the occasion. Still, like he says in this video, the mental hiccups may be causing just as many problems. I’m so glad this popped up in my feed. I will be watching it again, and have just subscribed so I can check out his other videos also. I’ll be watching anything to do with bowing technique. Looking forward to it! Any other twosetters watching this channel? I’m only up to 30 hours a day after all this medical stuff. Wasn’t Brett’s concerto great?!?!? And Eddy’s encore was supberb!

[@juliejules7780]

Did violin cause the injuries?

[@M_SC]

My great grandmother started that orchestra

[@eddavidson3051]

@@M_SC Jo? I knew her, was on APO Board with her for years.

[@PrismYuuzuki]

I currently have rheumatoid arthritis and carpal tunnel. I have a ganglion, but I doesn’t bother me atm. I wish I could practice more. I’m a Twosetter.

[@susancurran5124]

Most effective video that I've watched EVer, on the barriers, challenges and pitfalls in learning the violin. Thank you for making and posting this.

[@erynfish]

This is one of the single best videos of improvement advice. I'm a chronic over-thinker and I make every single mistake discussed here, every single one! I know that I need to change my mindset but I don't know what I don't know, obviously, so I'm not aware of what I'm doing to sabotage myself before I even approach my violin. Therefore, I cannot express my gratitude and appreciation enough for this invaluable advice! This down-to-earth explanation, given with knowledge, experience and heart, is something I will always refer back to. This advice has helped me heal from my internal mediocrity! 😅

[@manuel7522]

One year ago, I stopped using a shoulder rest because I randomly ran into your video on that topic... Thank you!!! Now it feels unnatural to use one, my tone quality is unbelievably better, and I'm so relaxed when I play! You made such a positive impact on my life and I extend my heartfelt gratitude!!

[@zhuomarykhov5485]

Most beginners especially the younger ones don’t / can’t advance or keep their interests in playing the violin is actually not having a good teacher. It’s almost shocking how many violin teachers are teaching while not doing the teaching at all. Is it because they think most kids won’t make it anyway? It’s sad. Thank you for sharing the important advice. 🙏🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@dwisupriyatno1194]

Good advice, very thank you

[@TheOwenValentine]

Can’t wait to hear from this guy🙏🏽🙏🏽 He makes so much sense 🎉🎉

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

Hello there! I assure you I have received your messages and will be getting back to you as soon as we can. I'm not personally taking new students, but my teaching assistants are, and I trust them completely to help you with whatever you are looking to improve in your violin playing. The admin has been out for a few days as well for travel, but she will be getting a hold of you shortly to get you set up.

[@technicmachine]

Does it matter whether I say the video is great before or after I watch the video? All the videos have been great.

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

So long as you watch the whole thing, I guess XD

[@dvides89]

Just started the video, and insta-liked. The quality is just consistently good at this point.😅

[@nsrayfield]

Yep all his videos are awesome! My go to videos for learning

[@DivaDeb1234]

My brain 🧠 wants to be in control so I squeeze my left chin,neck and shoulder How can I stop 🛑 ?????

[@j4km4r]

Hey Murphy! I got my first violin 5 months back, and you've been with me from day 1! Thanks to your videos I managed to play my first melody within a day, and find a teacher that really helped me learn the art and craft of violin playing for real. Still, I was doing all the dumb mistakes from this video. Especially playing the scales is something I haven't even learned yet! But with this tip, I can finally practice my spiccato and martelé in a systematic fashion, rather than trying to find songs that utilize them. Please keep up what you are doing! And best regards from Germany.

[@stacy2point0]

Pretty new to your videos. Very useful info. Many thanks! I'm an adult starter... been learning since Sept 2020❣️

[@ellerylewark4591]

Thank you very much for this video- this is some of the advice that I wished I had heard as a kid. I have been coming back to violin more seriously in the last year and have had to do so much relearning and healing. Thank you for your clarity and great insight :)

[@christineye7157]

Interesting. False Starts and Adjusting while playing is EXACTLY what I always DO (and my teacher encouraged me to do) now. I find it helpful. My teacher always want me to start prepared and play the first few notes super in-tune. Also, when I hear I play notes slightly out of tune by ear, I adjust it immediately (I feel like it's more natural to do so, it's more uncomfortable to hear when you know you play out of tune but not adjust it). I also find it very hard to play super in-tune on the first try and there is always playing slightly out of tune when I am shifting or doing other stuff. In terms of tension, I just loosen my thumb. And there is a part to be honest to yourself, if I don't practice enough or just tired for the week, I would say I do not have time to practice this week.

[@fionabookie2781]

Absolutely brilliant and so useful - thank you

[@momoma533]

Hahaha, first point so funny! I actually know its "false" to test the note, before playing, but sometimes I cant resist and when I am in lesson I always have a bit a guilty/"uupsie"-look to my teacher. Oh oh...thanks for sharing your thoughts again with us! :) I can understand point 3, but I have a thought on that: yes, its good to practice direct motions, but I guess adjusting can maybe help to find the feeling and the spot and then in the next round you can maybe practice to hit directly. To use a 20/80% mixture of it.

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

Yes, that can be of some use, if done carefully. Typically, however, I find adjusting of any kind to make a developing student a bit more uneasy in their playing

[@momoma533]

@@MurphyMusicAcademy yes, I agree! Today I contemplated your points in my practicing and was a nice experience. Thanks for your inspiration! :)

[@JohanJohnJohnson]

What a wonderful video! 👍

[@FabiW88]

Hi, concerning mental aspects of learning and performing where is a great book out there called "The inner game of music" by Timothy Gallwey and Barry Green.

[@pol5912]

Thank you so much!!! ❤

[@corey4923]

thank you so much for your videos! they help so much!

[@hectorr.corrales221]

How fortunate I am that I found you You are now my new teacher

[@pqsnet]

The first rule "False starts" bears more weight than one can think. It tangent "false" repetitions in practicing, meaning when someone practice a pice with a part they struggle with, some tend to start all over when missing the notes rather than repeating and looping said part. This will result in cementing the process of playing an entire section including the part where they miss, since they have forgot how to correct it once there.

[@hectorr.corrales221]

Tobias this topic on the psychological aspects of playing the violin is most important Thank you this wonderful video I am so pleased with your emphasis on practicing scales

[@rodrickweir]

Great video! I always enjoy watching you share your knowledge and have learned so much from your channel. Thank you. I used to think that my "false starts" was just me revving the violin's engine, lol. I stand corrected. I do have a question for you, if I may. Do you think that playing along to those "violin tab" videos (they're like Guitar Hero for violin) creates bad habits in someone learning to play? I've been curious about this for a while now. Thanks Mr. Murphy!

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

I was not actually aware such videos existed. Could you link one?

[@rodrickweir]

@@MurphyMusicAcademy Sure. Here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boK1g5akiJKNj6s A few channels that have the violin tab videos are "Fiddling with My Whistle" (I know - funny name), "StringClub", and " Happy Scales for Duo". The videos are fun to play along with and builds confidence in new students when they realize they can actually play some of their favorite songs. I just didn't know if this was creating bad habits because the videos don't teach students how to play by reading music. Just curious 🎻

[@shipsahoy1793]

😎I❤️it.. You’re doing string students a great service Tobiah, always great advice !! 🎻🥳👨🏻

[@isabella8029]

What a great video… Thank you, Sir.

[@sunnyfrancist.l5902]

Great playing and expression

[@annakovalev1020]

This was VERY helpful. As an adult learner, I do understand this all to be true. BUT, if I can’t be adjusting as I play (even scales)- how do get better at placing the fingers correctly? Any suggestions are appreciated! Thank you for the great content!

[@josiahsadler7585]

I'm not an expert, but the best way I've found to get better at finger placement is to play scales, Replacing your finger each time it's not on pitch hope this is helpful.

[@harrynking777]

Heifetz did say that. It makes sense. Try placing the fingers before making the sound. Half the time you will have to adjust.

[@AndreaStumm]

Thank you! Nice video. But 16:40: isn't that one of those "false starts"?😉

[@stevewilliams904]

I find this humorous because I do at least three of them. I don't know about Honesty - not sure I understand. Thanks for calling these to my attention.

[@Fidi987]

Bad-mouthing myself: I really needed my teacher now and then to walk me through practice, through approaching a piece, to demonstrate to me that I did not need and COULD NOT fix everything at once. At home, I would often pressure myself so much that I was unable to go on practicing and would then try to force the practice of one week into the last day because "it has to work today, it HAS to be ready today!!" Walking me through the piece, demonstrating how to practice, showing that it would have been okay to first work only on the first measure etc. helped a lot, but I needed that about one to four times a year when I had pressured myself into a corner again. Bad-mouting myself really meant: I am so stressed out, I really WANT to master this piece but am nowhere near it and that frustrates, angers and unsettles me, makes me doubt my ability to practice at all. The teacher than had to bringt me back down to earth.

[@kathleenkeane4364]

Hi Murf.,How do you know me so well, thanks a mill for great advice💚☘

[@lunyxappocalypse7071]

Go raibh maith agat (Thank you) Keeping this in mind when I start learning how to be a Suzuki teacher. With False Starts I have found that thinking about who I am playing to in a positive light helps keep ones peace of mind, that you want to give them a good experience. ... The second mistake reminds me of programming, -figures there would be some overlap. Three I have done a lot, I have been looking into releasing less tension so that is good to know.

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

Tá failte romhat! Tá áthas orm gur maith leat é 😊

[@lunyxappocalypse7071]

​@@MurphyMusicAcademy Right then!

[@godwinogechukwu4585]

Spot on in every way. You’ll need to have years of experience, to arrive at these pointers.

[@eileenharder2473]

I haven't quite finished the video, so forgive me if it's been covered, what about using a tuner while playing? I've learned to not stop while playing ( I ve had lessons) and now play with a tuner. I can see the tuner while fluidly playing a song. If it goes into the yellow, it means I'm too high, red..too low. Next time around I can see if I've hit it correctly the second time.

[@council.of.fluffies]

Playing with a tuner has not been benefitial to me, personally. I am an adult student so I thought it would be helpful, but what it did was to distract me from focusing on training my ear to hear when a note is in tune, to training my fingers to react to a visual cue instead. And since I can't have a tuner on when playing with other people, I was out of tune all the time 😂 and kept getting frustrated because " in my room it sounded fine"... but it's cheating lol

[@АнастасияСамусенко-в1м]

I love it❤ fantastic teacher))

[@PIckledeggilkley]

Haha, okay, message recieved. Made me laugh, especially the bit about telling your teacher how bad you are before you even start. I get incredibly down when I don't get things right.

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

Do you think you place unreasonable expectations on yourself?

[@PIckledeggilkley]

@@nickiemcnichols5397 probably. I’m in my fifties - I taught myself for a long time as when my kids were small I couldn’t afford lessons. My teacher has had to unpick my bad habits. The one thing he has taught me which is only just beginning to click is the importance of bow speed and pressure. I can pick up any tune quickly - have a good ear and also play piano so sight reading fiddle is easy. For years I would learn tunes from KZbin but they never sounded right. Now I’m getting there - slow airs especially / just need to work on the faster pieces. I practise so hard which is probably why I’m hard on myself but I love your tutorials. I still can’t do vibrato though - am certain there’s just something that’s not clicking in my brain - I’ve found as an adult the physicality of the instrument has been difficult to process - not sure why.

[@abigailcrossman3373]

Excellent advice!

[@viniciusmariano9589]

Thanks ton holland

[@bonniesteinmetz4712]

This was truly a wonderful video!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@altolows7635]

How do you feel about sneaking in pitch adjustments under cover of vibrato?

[@vivalamusica2576]

Great!! Thank you! 😄👍

[@eileencornell625]

Why aren't there markings on the neck?

[@nekocafe8420]

This video makes me more anxious about playing violin, that why a quit to violin 4 months ago

[@barborajezkova8393]

how am I watching this for free?! 🥺 thank you it's extremely helpful!

[@Danje1-MX5]

16:40, Breaking your rules 😉

[@thomasdinan9667]

Sadly, all five of these apply to me. Thanks. I'll work on it.

[@jizelf633]

This was so good i practically identified with all the mistakes lol

[@carochiqui1]

This video should have a double-like button

[@DivaDeb1234]

My brain 🧠 wants to be in control so I squeeze my left chin,neck and shoulder How can I stop 🛑 ?????

[@srinitaaigaura]

Slow down. Really slow.

[@DivaDeb1234]

@@Ciaccona255 okay I will try !! It's such a strong habit.

[@clarkreed1612]

Do you recommend practicing scales with a digital tuner?

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

At first yes. The steps of practicing scales for intonation should go like this: 1. With a dial tuner 2. With a tonic drone 3. With open strings 4. With other double stops 5. With listening for overtones. Of course, there is nuance to all of this and you might be doing two steps at a time, but this is the general progression. A tuner is a good start but if you aren’t careful it can become a crutch. The most important thing is to improve the ear.

[@clarkreed1612]

Interesting. What do you say to those who recommend checking your pitch against adjacent open strings, but only when it is a perfect interval (unison, fourths, fifths, and octave), and not with thirds and sixths? For example, when I tune a B-natural on the A string against an open D, and then compare the result with a digital tuner, it’s different.

[@sasssssa6565]

For E flat you just have to practice it with the G string. So to me that's easier to find than the perfect C sharp in D major

[@carindaamy6300]

I think you’re spying on me cuz I’m guilty of all of these. 😁 Can you recommend a scale book to learn all the scales on the whole finger board and not just First Position? Thanks so much. HRIMALY?

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

From teaching I can say that most problems students have are almost universal, so I’m actually not spying on you, though it might feel that way 😅 As for scalebooks, Flesch is a great reference book, but I wouldn’t try to play through everything he writes. It’s just too much. Probably the most straightforward book I’ve seen is actually the Heifetz scale book, put together by Shipps and Granat. For 3 octave scales, however, I prefer the Flesch fingering system

[@carindaamy6300]

@@MurphyMusicAcademy Perfect! I’m going to get these 2 books! Thanks so much for your videos and for this help.

[@aaronmichelson5510]

I'd add on mistake #3 that if you are adjusting intonation, then you are detracting from articulation.

[@petercurrie3098]

Oh man, bad habit #4, bad mouthing yourself. That‘s me down to the t. Will try to change this

[@Jamieforeals]

Wow I definitely walked in complaining about how bad I was in my last lesson 😭 I will try not to

[@RayPrasad]

The false start **cries** you caught me, I plead guilty

[@MurphyMusicAcademy]

We are all guilty of that one

[@augustinechinnappanmuthria7042]

Super

[@RosaGrau2014]

These are not bad habits, just steps on the learning path. Nobody keeps them for long.

[@srinitaaigaura]

When you started talking about the violin and honesty, it sounds like exactly the way you'd approach and start talking to a girl! Don't be too forceful or too wimpy. 😂 But what's the violin if not the ideal girl? 😂😂

[@dm-jz7se]

This is such a great video. I noticed I was making a few of these mistakes.

[@alizzia04]

Guilty of all except the last！80% of my practice is scales😅

[@peterspokes4579]

I'm thinking my violin teacher's a snitch. I've been playing for about 7 months and 'all the above' apply to me. Always - but no longer - checkout my intonation on first few notes before playing a scale.

[@nickystripe3303]

I just found your videos and I like them, but if you want to change a person’s mindset, how about titling this video mindset mistakes you are making” or “mental mistakes you are making” instead of using the word dumb and then having to put a disclaimer on that.

[@kingbob1234567]

i feel attacked

[@lifewithjimmy4389]

Ishtar Pearlman said don’t continue. If you make a mistake stop n go back. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@harrynking777]

Best to do both, I think.

[@oooyee5323]

..too much talk..pls show us with violin 😮