How To Practice and Become a Ling Ling | TwoSet Talks | EP. 8

[@MissLatuca]

"most time wasted in practice is when you try to achieve something that is either not that relevent or you're not ready for" I love this sentence. It's a good reminder and applicable to many things in life not just in music.

[@mlilac]

I feel like these two did more for bringing classical music to wider audiences than any soloist that ever lived

[@timsamong]

@@kveeeshIt's called being an inspiration

[@Nikoletakari]

@@kveeesh It's called being an amazing musician and truly an inspiration

[@mighty_dragon4809]

@@kveeesh They’re also a motivation to practice too

[@human_on_the_internet]

You said these two as if you predicted their leaving…

[@kaistinakemperdahl9667]

@@human_on_the_internet i agree, it does sound like that. I was today years old when I realised this one is still up and I haven’t watched all of it.

[@fridahandayanihasibuan1256]

When brett and eddy are talking passionately, their faces look glowing 🥰

[@rajrajmarley]

Have you guys thought of doing a beginner music theory series of videos? Just going over basic concepts a bit more in depth than you have in previous videos; scales, chords, consonance/dissonance, melody, harmony, etc. I think a casual approach to it could be very useful.

[@epicboyfive]

Comment *BOOST!*

[@umiterdemyigitoglu4074]

completely agree❤

[@danniballecter7936]

It might be something they are intending with Twoset Academy.

[@rajrajmarley]

@@danniballecter7936 That’s my thought too. We’ll just have to wait and see.

[@aflatminor-40]

10/10 suggestion

[@gimletrose1985]

I love this long form content so much

[@podoke]

finally brett and eddy violins' debut on twoset talks whooo🎉

[@sabrinai]

32:20 that's why Bretty bang is perfect pizz boi with impressive upbow staccatos thrown into the mix. It's not wasted. You have no idea how many times I've been super impressed by your flashy playing and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[@susanbryant6516]

Yes, I for one, am am delighted that Brett has put in the time to do flashy techniques for us.

[@sabrinai]

Love how Brett's shirt just blends with the chair he's sitting in like a chameleon.

[@sabrinai]

Really wise to differentiate between ages. For kids I think it's good to just play a lot and have fun whilst doing it. A good teacher guiding the kid is crucial though.

[@eiralinnea]

Gotta say though, adult beginners don't fare much better with hypermethodical basics, I know I didn't. I almost quit because my first teacher pointed out every single mistake all the time - look buddy, I can hear it, I just don't have the skillset to fix it yet! Really stressed me out.

[@M_SC]

@@eiralinneaI wish to nitpick your word, because that’s just bad teaching, not methodical at all.

[@nimnix]

I would love to see an episode where you talk about playing and practicing for a duet, like a deeper look at how you learned to play together/communicate so well in duets, what you do to learn new duets, deciding on interpretation, what you listen for when hearing other ensembles, etc.

[@prizm8530]

I love that y’all are slowly using this channel more and more consistently

[@Owldaughter]

This is amazing. It took me a couple of decades to figure some of these tips out. I had teachers, but not until the past couple of years did one say, "We're going to focus on one thing at a time. For the next three bars, just think about bow weight. Don't get hung up on intonation or shifts. Just put all your attention on bow weight." Permission to drop other areas of technique while taking in the feel of one aspect allowed me to improve so much quicker, because I wasn't trying to juggle eleventy other things at the same time. More like this, please!

[@SoundEngraver]

Thank you, Twoset! This helps us violin teachers out there. I want my students to have a good foundation for practice and performance.

[@__Sunny___1010]

I feel so called out for just playing through pieces, hoping they magically get better, instead of actually practicing the weak areas... thanks for reminding me that thats's really NOT the way

[@esteraulrich-oltean2162]

This is so me as well; I feel like my "practice" is usually just successive rounds of sight-reading 😂

[@chloewu0211]

I’m preparing for an abrsm exam for piano and I feel so unmotivated to practice, but my teacher and TwoSet have been motivating me more

[@auntjess]

Thanks for this vid! As a parent with a child learning string instrument, this also helps me know what NOT to say when he is trying to get his practice in and not sounding perfect or getting his bow angles on point, but focus on also the joy factor in his practice!

[@Nikoletakari]

This period I really lack of motivation and I have been experiencing what I call “practice crisis” This video helped me so much to think positively and back up ❤

[@lalakingo7]

This was one of the most densely packed practical and useful youtubes I have ever seen. Thank you so much.

[@davidloyd7279]

"Don't want to get too nerdy" is rare to hear on this channel, and that's why we watch 33:11

[@mathildemaijer2396]

Fantastic. So inspirational. I am going to practice 40 hours today.

[@maleamuse]

This is really helpful because lately I’ve been feeling unmotivated and this video has helped me think more positive and regain my motivation to practice more and the joy that i feel when I’m playing my instrument and why i chose to become a better musician.

[@LucjaBorowska]

Thank you so much for this very helpful video! It was particularly eye-opening for me when you said that an hour of conscious practice helps more than several hours of brainless practice, especially because in the past I have had to deal with a few injuries due to long periods of practice. Now I have the feeling that if I try to practice more consciously and for a shorter period of time, I might be able to do it without injuries and with better results.

[@tweepy123]

Yes we do want more of this type of video, hearing tips and watching you guys talk your expertise is very delightful and ofc helpful!

[@ZiaElohka]

Yes, much of what you say applies to many other skills you want to learn. I wonder if this also applies to musicians: As a dancer I used to repeat difficult passages of choreographies in my mind (without moving at all) This really helped, at the next lesson/rehearsal it somehow had gotten into my muscle memory.

[@waynekerr67]

I'd say it applies in anything, motor or non motor skill. At the end of the day when you strip it down, it's looking at for the weakness, tackling it with a planned scheme through practice so you overcome the hump, look for the next weakest link / low hanging fruit and rinse and repeat.

[@hildewong5281]

That was so educational and interesting! Thank you !

[@streyycat667]

Love this content; yes more please!

[@fenn7]

These are definitely helpful tips, a lot of these I end up telling my students! (Not sure if they actually do them though lol) Just curious if sometime you could talk about tips for practicing as a professional musician. Maybe it isn't great for a full episode, but maybe as part of an episode about playing professionally? I know for myself I've had to get way more efficient at practicing, since there's generally 1-3 different concerts each week to prepare for. But I also really miss my university days when I could spend an hour or more a day on scales and technique. I can tell that, in some ways, my technique has regressed since then. Any advice on how to maintain skills with limited time and mental bandwidth? (Not to mention avoiding injury from playing too much haha, another thing i struggle with)

[@sigismundafvolsung5526]

I always forget that our youtube violin funny boys are actually really smart. I like the educational content a lot.

[@peggysmith-p5u]

Hearing Brett & Eddy talk on this topic is very insightful, helping to educate the fanbase on HOW to achieve TwoSet's key motto: "GO PRACTICE!" I was always inspired by this phrase to just go get my instrument out, but having a focused goal will (maybe?) help me to improve (& don't keep practicing your mistakes!)

[@LingLingwannabes_]

I just done my practice section and this video is about practice , EMOTIONAL DAMAGE

[@Capriccio04]

An S tier episode honestly... So much value! 🙌🏼

[@rubengarciajr480]

Waiting for Itzhak Perlman to be in the podcast 😭 Twoset and Perlman would be legendary

[@hunterflare3577]

Thank you for the insight into practicing! It was very useful to show us how you handled your own bad habits and fixed your issues. It's inspiring to know there's a way to break them and improve. Now to do lots of slow practice and chunking. 😅

[@bethmatic]

100% agree that practicing for more than an hour at a time can begin to feel unproductive. I can feel the fatigue set in, not just in my body, but in my brain, and that I’m losing the connection with what I’m playing.

[@TheSixStringBandit]

I love that ya’ll are using this platform to do deep dives into the intricacies of the craft! Really inspiring! (And I’m not even a violinist. Member of Classical Guitar Gang over here!)

[@amandas.6500]

I'm a beginner violinist, and practicing scales with the Cello drone on Spotify improved my intonation right away!

[@bachissimp1792]

Make more of this pleaseeeee

[@Bretto-mf2cb]

Great episode guys, I think all of us can look back and change so many things but at the time it seemed right

[@ultyhogwash]

Love the practice tips!

[@AnotherRandomChannel13]

I love these videos! As someone just starting to learn, all of your videos are really amazing at making me motivated to learn as well as showing technical aspects of playing that are useful. These Academy educational-style videos are so, so cool :)) 🎉❤

[@MsSoundscapes]

Thank you, the both of you!

[@amandas.6500]

This is sooooo timely! 41:00-42:37 I will try this with the piece I've been struggling with for months!

[@sabrinai]

Thank you twoset for sharing your secrets so we can all become Ling Lings! I was curious for the longest time how you guys tackle your practice sessions.

[@thebestalcachofaninguno3342]

I loved the episode, it'd be great to have more like this!

[@KimViolinistWannabe]

Love this so much

[@sabrinai]

I'd like to hear you guys talk about the books you read or read in the past which has influenced you, be it in professional aspects or personal, or from which you take inspiration from. Or what you read for fun.

[@kj62431]

I agree with all you've said and I'm in the piano gang. I would add that it helps to have a regular place and time to practice. If you just fit practice in, it's so easy for other things to get in the way.

[@imallears4]

This is such valuable content! Deep thanks from this serious (and light-hearted!) violinist. Please please, more!

[@Jess-mk3vs]

I love these podcast episodes-you should also post in Spotify/Apple Podcasts too so I can listen on the road/in flights

[@e2pii213]

The first 6 episodes are on Spotify, so I assume these last two are getting there too. ALL episodes are already on Apple (this one too).

[@Jess-mk3vs]

@@e2pii213 Awesome!! Thank you!!

[@sergiobernardo1280]

Very good, thanks for the insight!

[@Ny.4981]

Note to self: a lot of time wasted in practice is when you try to achieve something you’re not ready for. And still as a returning adult after 25 years hiatus I practice Mozart horn concerto almost every day. It is actually improving, but it needs a lot of work still 🦄💜📯

[@sabrinai]

4:12 Welcome back to another episode of twoset toes.

[@aredesuyo]

I've always been tempted to blame my short pinky, but (14:55) I guess I really have nothing to complain about.

[@Miguel_I_guess]

Watching this while playing video games, telling myself I’m being productive hehe

[@danniballecter7936]

Interesting that Eddy mentioned breaking things up into chunks, so you practice two fast notes, then two more fast notes, with a break in between, and so on.... reminds me I need to be practicing my tone pairs in Mandarin. 😭 I focus on grammar and vocabulary and don't focus on tones as much, and some tone pairings are more of a struggle for me (like a first tone, second tone pairing).

[@eamonnoconnor7701]

It would be great to see more videos like this!

[@Bones_andArrows]

just now watching this after I finished my english lit exam...let the spirit of lingling be with me :')

[@sabrinai]

How fitting with the practice 40 hours sign in-between them❤

[@TheOgelyng1]

My mum os on a phone call and then she is playing Vivaldi Spring in the background😂😂😂😂❤❤❤

[@eddavidson3051]

I also use open strings to check pitch, but pluck with left 4th finger - the “pinkie pluck.” Its helpful in 2 situations: 1) when you’re playing on a nonadjacent string & can’t bow both notes together (like use open G to test high G on E string), & 2) when you’re playing in a group & want to be subtle about it.

[@SharllyFu]

our baby 🎻❤❤

[@debbeb4499]

To say not to listen to the recordings of others is like telling a writer not to read books. But you are more likely to notice the details of what you don't like about another's style than the generalization of what you do.

[@sampolinad]

Really good advices! 🤩 Violin playing is so haaard Meeeeh These few months I've also realized how beneficial it is to see if I am tensing up in my feet and legs. Also sort of daring to check up on this while playing. Otherwise quite a nervous, excruciatingly embarrasingly nervous, player, "what if when I break focus everything goes to hell" - "well, it might, and if it does so be it, but it also might help to improve this bit. Regardless, you'll force yourself to do the passage again, so check or you'll have to check later" hahah oooh sometimes I just want to stop playing altogether, to release myself from this endless masochistic cruel torment. At a certain moment you hit it juuust right and then all you want to do is to hit it just right all the time. And it haunts you. Forever and ever. Of course, one could possibly put down and send out a note "just right", or a passage, on a piano, but since you've got more control, creative control of it on a violin it just gives a better haha better hit. So in a way it is an addiction. There are also more chaotic elements in the violin playing, absolutely anything can go wrong, so a less predictable instrument, the sound, the bowing, rhythm, the humidity, the strings, anything, - so that tiiny but possible gambling point in my opinion also creates an opening to a lifelong obsession. The key of a good teacher, whom you most likely meet in childhood (one good acquintance put it so interestingly, she said that it is better to learn the violin while you're very young, because back then it does not bother you, you don't think so much of, that you don't physically see anything that you're doing. And it is true. I was mindblown when she said that.), key of that good teacher is to make you addicted to that emotion of hearing and making music, and respecting music-making.

[@M_SC]

But the advantage of being an adult is that you CAN think better

[@sampolinad]

@@M_SC That's true, yes!

[@MollieHamel]

ok but did anyone else notice Brett trying not to smile when Eddy says, "we only have a limited amount of time to practice. 40 hours in a day..." at 1:25

[@conradgittins4476]

Slow practice plus patience and short amounts of time on each point being learned. Reason being is the brain subconsciously works on these things while we are doing other things or while asleep. Practice then becomes more efficient and effective.

[@Oka33]

Like the content

[@KT-ud3ol]

Ich liebe dieses Format. Ihr geht so respektvoll miteinander um und es macht Freude euch zuzuhören. Eines jedoch möchte ich anmerken. Was nur soll ich tun? Practice und 40 h zeigen in unterschiedliche Richtungen 🫣😂.

[@cap2198]

Yes but if you can practice slowly, you can practice quickly

[@libertangowu-8117]

twoset academy🎉

[@Music-x4v]

This is gold

[@helenreich713]

I encourage you both to see what violinist and pedagogue Burton Kaplan has to say about practicing. He’s been quite innovative, and has helped many different instrumentalists become better practicers.

[@sabrinai]

"Have a clear goal while in the practice room." Not my young self just playing through stuff and pieces so it's played ages ago 🙈.

[@sabrinai]

2:33 never thought they would teach the viola one day.

[@therealmusen]

Today was my first day in music uni, in Paris (it's difficult 🤧🤧)

[@e2pii213]

Congratulation, and best wishes for this hard, but exciting new chapter.

[@therealmusen]

@@e2pii213 Thank you so much, I will do my best 😊

[@JorkinMyPeanitss]

I never noticed until I saw pictures of Brett without his glasses, how small they make his eyes look. Lol Brother is blind

[@pujiharyanto9996]

Really helpfull tips from two of you guys, then I realize why todays prodigy become more and more young because of you twosett😂

[@lad4694]

CHALLENGE IDEA Mozart challenge or something. You have sheet music (preferably original) without any accents or tempo or anything to give you ideas on how to phrase, etc. The challenge is to complete it in your own interpretation within a certain time and play it afterwards.

[@eddavidson3051]

31:10ish Brett “depressed tone” No?? Ohhhh! “the pressed tone”

[@saracheng9890]

my pinky is similar to Brett’s, not reaching the top knuckle … I see hopes again … and in the same , no more excuse for playing bad with the pinky 😭😭

[@laurengiordano3118]

MORE!

[@colinsmithers6961]

Another good technique for practising is to deliberately slow down towards the end of phrases, especially more challenging ones. We have a tendency to speed up at these moments due to increased tension, but forcing yourself to do the exact opposite aids overall control.

[@avi4905]

I don’t even play the violin. Still, I watched it to the end.

[@kristingarson2413]

To say you need to practice is obvious. But what I say is that NONE of my old teachers asked me about what inspires me?? Or how are you feeling? If you're depressed or stressed out, you're not going to feel like practicing. And of course, you need to be taught HOW to practice. And another really important thing I realized as I got older, is DON'T BE AN ALL OR NOTHING PRACTICER. If you have 15 minutes, practice. Pick a few measures, and work on it. I can get a lot done in 15 minutes! In addition, one can be inspired by your teacher, but I have learned that it is YOUR JOB to find ways to inspire yourself. To stay inspired. It's not easy sometimes. 😏 Another thing is to compete with yourself. If you compare yourself with others, that can be devastating for your inspiration. Every one has different life experiences. That's why it is futile yo compare yourself to others. Play to be your best. Not someone else's best.

[@daranicolenicole]

Thank you! I hope you both are doing okay

[@2nd3rd1st]

Have you seen astronaut Sarah Gillis play the Rey Skywalker theme on her violin in space on the Polaris Dawn mission? Can you make a reaction to that pleeeeeeaaaaaasssse 🥰🥰🥰

[@danniballecter7936]

They did see it (as the commented on it on Twitter).

[@2nd3rd1st]

@@danniballecter7936 what's Twitter??

[@jmp2114]

if you can practice slowly, you can practice quickly

[@haruharu4344]

"...what is wrong?" That was so personal to me😭

[@ZiaElohka]

This episode raises one question: What changed 2 years ago???

[@oxoelfoxo]

yeah, what helped them get so much better?

[@e2pii213]

Having clear goals probably was a motivating factor: the Mendelssohn, and the world tour. (They mentioned that they got private lessons before the 4 mil concert).

[@yjorte]

can ya'll do a Beginning video plz

[@Northseapirate44]

You have to love classical music. If you don’t love it why would anyone else love it.

[@Northseapirate44]

Also always listen to the orchestra or the piano

[@womiko3993]

I'm confused by twosetacademy. I registered for updates right when they mentioned it the first time, but they never sent any updates... is it going to be something soon and they promote it early or is is already up and running?

[@oxoelfoxo]

yeah, B&E are confusing guys and I guess so it their team

[@alexandrugheorghe5610]

Tip for Eddy: avoid touching the microphone. I know it's hard and that's one way you regulate your emotions, and we've to honor that, it's just that it makes it unpleasant to listen.

[@alexandrugheorghe5610]

Brett too

[@pmadldpc]

Wow lots of content lately

[@megan7656]

Who else clicked, hoping this was with James Ehnes?

[@e2pii213]

I am sure he is coming. I assume they are alternating the themes.

[@lynnstone6998]

❤

[@Eddy525_violin]

just played mendelssohn for an exam at my school, i messed up near the end because i thought my acconpanist was going at a different pace. Ive always had this problem where i let the accompanist affect me, is there a way to fix this? Because it seems rude to just go on and ignore the acconpanist's playing.

[@esteraulrich-oltean2162]

Were you able to speak to your accompanist beforehand? It's really helpful to be able to confirm tempi, especially if there's a rit. or sth in the piece or if you know that you like to pull the timing somewhere. I find it's really helpful to know how you perform the piece and if that differs from what an exact version as written would be. That way you know what to point out to your accompanist as efficiently as possible when you have limited time. It's good to play with the accompanist as much as possible but definitely just plough on if they make a mistake or don't have a page turner and they should be able to catch you. Similarly with pushing tempo if you feel you're really going too slowly or quickly. ⚠️ Just an opinion not pro advice ⚠️

[@Eddy525_violin]

@@esteraulrich-oltean2162 Thanks so much for your reply! Will take note for next time. Yeah, we only practiced together once beforehand (and they were not able to practice the accompaniment part much beforehand as they’re my classmate and also had an exam).

[@penteadovinicius]

sometimes, I don't find the interpretation I wanna hear.

[@snails9505]

Intention and attention

[@YoureSoBald]

sad this wasn't more general practice (i.e. not so violin focused) (even though it is twoset lmao)

[@susanbryant6516]

Though the techniques talked about might be violin specific, quite a few principles applies to other instruments I think. And other things that require ongoing practice.

[@konradnagy5394]

20sec fills wrong

[@hello_person_wathing_beatSaber]

20sec fills wrong

[@GamerVinsmoke]

20sec fills wrong