How Karen Tuttle's "plop" transformed my left hand.

[@violineverywhere]

Thank you. Can't wait to try out some of these exercises with my students!

[@debiethredge3020]

Of all the times I attempted plop and sizzle released into vibrato >>>>>AT LAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks, Travis!

[@polw3785]

The advice given is critical for a powerful but relaxed left hand!! Just do everything he says, it works because it obeys physiological principles. I have been teaching this for many years and remember clearly when I changed my left hand technique to incorporate it. Life changing. I am ex Juilliard violinist and was not taught this back then.

[@travismaril6523]

Thanks for the comment @polw3785!

[@ericmccracken2287]

Thank you for sharing Karen Tuttle 's plops I had some interaction with her when I was a student at the Peabody Institute. I had some delightful chamber music coaching sessions with her. As a violinist Karen was not my main teacher. Kim Kakashian was studying with her then. All of Ms. Tuttle's students were so relaxed in their approach to the viola. I will never forget her hysterical demonstration of what schlepping looked like as applied to playing without tension. Anyway thank you for a very helpful session.

[@travismaril6523]

She was a special teacher! Thanks for sharing your memories of her.

[@joshroyeca]

Just what I need. Thank you! from the Philippines

[@Violinna]

Excellent exercises! Will definitely give this a go on my warmup tomorrow! Thank you, Travis!

[@oreilles2]

This is incredibly helpful, especially the tie-in with vibrato. Thanks for making this video!

[@travismaril6523]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jgunther3398]

nicola benedetti has a video up where she talks about something similar and how she was taught to play schradieck. some extreme finger movement for practice only that gives crispness

[@MishaSkripach]

She and I were taught by the same teacher, who gives the best left hand velocity!

[@SF-ru3lp]

I have small hands and use all these techniques on the violin as well as years of finger exercises. I have had great success with a 7/8 size violin (and narrower string setting). Adult student.. G Ire

[@BadViola]

Masterful delivery on the passive-fist line. 😂😂

[@travismaril6523]

Thanks @BadViola, I had to work hard for that pun!

[@MattAllenTeller]

Fascinating, because for once, it's a problem I didn't have!!! What I had trouble with was shifting (I wham-banged shifting) and getting my hand in the right place after a shift. It would have been nice to have some instruction on that back when it mattered. Even as a violinist in a regional orchestra, I was never comfortable above fifth position because I never knew exactly where I'd end up after I bumped the violin into my neck during a shift. Oh well -- that is very long gone, This was a good video.

[@sedatakkas8427]

Thanks:)

[@MrInterestingthings]

Good for the violin . I will thing and integrate this in my playing . I think bowing is really important in regards to the soundcreated never thought about finger attack like pianist's do .

[@theguitarnoobph]

Thank you for this video! And thank you for almost spewing my coffee with "paci-fist".

[@travismaril6523]

Any time!

[@kathieraymond3516]

SDSU my alma mater violin performance ‘81 studied with Howard Hill.

[@viojoe11]

Exactly what I needed to hear today! Thank you. Any advice on finding a good viola setup for especially long necks? I've tried so many chinrests and shoulder rests over the past few years, and I'm having a hard time finding a pair that fits me naturally.

[@travismaril6523]

You're welcome! I've got a fairly long neck and have been using this for a while: www.johnsonstring.com/cgi-bin/music/scripts/violin-viola-cello-music.cgi?itemno=SRVNPOLPAU2/2U It also comes in a grey version that's not as dense. I don't have one myself, but a number of colleagues have custom-built chinrests from here that they really like: www.chinrests.com/

[@viojoe11]

@@travismaril6523 Thanks! I'll give it a shot

[@aMaudPowellFan]

That is really helpful for someone who also notices a Frankenstein character to her left hand. Thank you ❣ Do you have advice for keeping the upper string free when playing the fourth finger (tunneling)?

[@travismaril6523]

Glad it was helpful! I would experiment with positioning the fingertip slightly more on the left side of the string - this may also require bringing the left elbow slightly more to the right (which may require rotating the upper arm all the way from the back!).

[@jgunther3398]

also, make sure the 4th finger side of your hand just isn't too far away from the neck. adjusting the shoulder rest to give more of a tilt can help. "whatever it takes" in the words of my last teacher. and once you've found a solution, don't forget to isolate it and practice it...

[@jenna2431]

Perhaps pay attention to where you're putting your mic.