How To Practice So You Can ACTUALLY Play Faster

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this video are solely those of the participants and do not represent those of The Juilliard School or any of its employees. The Juilliard School is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied herein.
Hi, my name is Drew A. Forde AKA ThatViolaKid!!! I'm a Juilliard Alumnus and it's my job to make your life better! Let's expand your musical diet, shall we? =)
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[@verybratsche9467]

Hell yeah viola gang is back

[@talhaselimacar5621]

TVK: Upload Me: Im here dude. I was always here

[@ThatViolaKid]

You're a REAL ONE, Miles

[@talhaselimacar5621]

@@ThatViolaKid thanks bro but I still play violin so you a tad bit more real T-T

[@ThatViolaKid]

@Miles Selim Violin I won't hold it against you 😜

[@phannybrce]

Just told my student to practice by lightly placing his finger on the string on lightly pressing until the sound is ful and then STOP applying pressure. This video makes me feel like I actually know what I'm doing. 🤣 Thanks for the good content.

[@ThatViolaKid]

Amazinggg! I'm glad that it echoed what you told your student! I can't tell you how groundbreaking this exercise has been for me!

[@LisaKozinets]

I don't even play a string instrument, but I enjoyed you video so much! Please come back to KZbin, you're awesome content creator!😍

[@ThatViolaKid]

You're so sweet! Thank you! I really miss making videos and sharing them! I'm glad you enjoyed this one!

[@songfulmusicofsongs]

Agree. I think these principles are universal.

[@jflb9567]

My teacher back at high school used to tell me that. I never paid attention , but now I see the importance of save energy when playing.

[@ThatViolaKid]

I’m so glad you’re beginning to see it!!!

[@grapesofwrath361]

I literally had this question my last practice session!

[@ThatViolaKid]

I hope this trick was helpful! lemme know if it works for you! =)

[@grapesofwrath361]

@@ThatViolaKid thanks! The analysis that you talked about is also a really great practice technique that works in other aspects of life as well.

[@grapesofwrath361]

@@ThatViolaKid it worked :) and it helped my shifts as well

[@TheSIGHTREADINGProject]

TVK! So good to see you! Playing fast - it’s like my fingers are always lagging behind my bow!Thanks so much for the video. Quarter pressure noted ☺️

[@ThatViolaKid]

I FEEL YOU. Trusttt. Try this for a couple weeks and lemme know how it goes!

[@Ch3ckm4t3]

I want to express my deep appreciation for your video. I came across this video today, and I applied it to a passage I've been struggling to play cleanly for the past 2 months. I practiced as instructed in the video for 1 hour, and the result was immediate, I was able to play it with precision and ease. I looked at my hand and could not believe those are the same fingers I had all along!

[@ThatViolaKid]

I'm so happy to hear that!!! You're totally capable of doing amazing things! Sometimes, it just takes a certain approach for things to click ;)

[@carnagecabage8323]

This was very helpful! I have an audition coming up for a higher orchestra, and I have to play symphony No.35 mvt.4 at at least 134 bpm and I am just a freshie in high school 😣I only have like 3.5 years of expirience, and 1 year was taken because of covid so it doesn't count. But I don't want to quit! So I'm going to try this practice method everyday that I can!

[@carnagecabage8323]

btw, I'm also a violist, so playing fast parts was foreign to me in middle school haha

[@s.hovland6613]

loved this! As an adult learner...I struggle so much with relaxation...letting go and avoiding making extra motions with my fingers....still learning

[@lindseysanders3656]

I know this video is old, but I played the violin from age 4-6, and then the viola in elementary school. As an adult, I’ve thought about getting back into the viola. I have congenital hearing loss, so I’ve always landed those mid-range instruments when I audition. There isn’t too much about the viola on social media, so I’m glad to find these videos.

[@ThatViolaKid]

I'm happy to provide the service! More to come!

[@SF-ru3lp]

I play violin as an adult. I have always felt like a rabbit in the headlights when the conductor performs the piece at a faster speed than ever I or we had played at! Thank you for this practice system! G Ire

[@bellascott1502]

We thank you for your service Every string player ever

[@ThatViolaKid]

Hahaha I just wanna do my part =)

[@confusedflourbeetle4734]

Does anyone else find that their right hand is thier bottleneck to playing fast? I am working on telemann viola concerto in G major and for the 2nd and 4th movements I can finger it fast enough but I can't move my bow well enough to get a clean sound at the tempi required

[@-Honeybee]

That 4th movement is decieving in its simplicity. Best of luck!

[@ThatViolaKid]

You might want to consider restructuring your bow hand. Have you seen my How To Hold Your Bow video? It might help you get on the right path =)

[@JuliaJacobsen]

I loved this Drew!! I’ll definitely be trying this. Great tips and also love the chill vibe!

[@ThatViolaKid]

Thank you, Julia!!! Chill vibes are where it's atttt

[@grapesofwrath361]

Awesome vid thanks TVK!

[@LOCAL_LEE]

Thank you! This helped so much!!

[@EudoraPrice]

Great!!Thanks👍❤

[@anthonywashington137]

That was so helpful!

[@conniehellinger9934]

Good tips!

[@randallfolkerts1580]

Thank you Thank you

[@heatherhawken]

Yay! He's back! Hope you're good 😀

[@JenniferOBannanViolist]

Great video! I just shared it on our SYS page. Keep it up! Your input can mean a lot to kids right now who need it.

[@viggos.n.5864]

You are the best practice motivation ever!! Great channel and content!

[@ericpapaclarinet]

Great to see you back on KZbin!!

[@ThatViolaKid]

The return?!

[@slothloverforever]

I needed this!!! I’ve been struggling a lot this summer with pain in my left hand from pressing to hard and squeezing and I think this will really help!! Thank you!!!!!!

[@kiaraeijo]

It’s great to see you!! It took me until recently to say that I was capable of learning the Ibert concerto (which in my opinion is the flutist’s Rach 3) because when I was in undergrad I didn’t have great practice technique and I played with a lot of tension (Alexander Technique helped so much). My last year of masters, I ended up learning the Reinecke Ballade for my school’s concerto competition (my sister beat me with the Chaminade Concertino) and I learned the Martinu Sonata for what was supposed to be part of my masters recital. I had learned the Borne Carmen Fantasy in my undergrad but at that time I still didn’t have the technique to play Ibert. My undergrad piano teacher use to say “It’s better to play something slow and to have it be clean than to play fast and have it be messy”

[@josephhamlet703]

Thank you thank you this is gold!!😁😁

[@randallfolkerts1580]

You are wonderful. I enjoy your videos.

[@beverly2729]

Thank you, Drew! When I was taking lessons at Eastman school of music, I learned to practice slower and faster than the original tempo, but I wish they had emphasized the relaxing, like you did.

[@pancristation229]

I was having the same struggle! Thank you a lot :) You inspire me so much!! btw we all missed you haha it's great to have you back

[@ThatViolaKid]

Hahaha I missed you guys too. I'm still working the kinks out of my schedule, but I'm definitely back

[@user-fn3jm2kp3l]

Love it TVK. Quarter pressure. My teacher Jan Baty shred the concept with me through Alexander Technique infused into my viola practice and it changed my whole outlook on my body-mind. Thanks Brother. Nice Iverson clip- Go Sixers!!!

[@gracenguyen8467]

Thank you so much for this vid, helped a lot!

[@vickyvazz]

This is great and can sort of apply to the piano as well!!! Too much pressure will not allow you to play nimbly. Great reminder, Thankyou!!

[@Ikkey73]

Welcome Drew!!! Please keep the videos coming. Thanks 😊

[@ThatViolaKid]

You've got it!

[@calvinhuang3174]

That works dude !

[@arnedebrabandere767]

This kind of videos with practice tips are really useful! Thanks! Speeding up hard passages while staying relaxed is one of the things I struggle with the most, so definitely going to try this

[@ThatViolaKid]

I'm happy to help!!!

[@elizabethedward8384]

Thanks so much. Its so nice to know Im not the only one that struggled trough my undergrad. Your vids have given me courage to play better.

[@ThatViolaKid]

Hahaha you'd be surprised how many people struggle with this! I'm happy to have figured out a way to help! Lemme know how it goes! 😄

[@violingirl5056]

Hey! I am a young violinist that just recently discovered your channel. I love your videos, and they have helped me so much. I am not only motivated to practice more and efficiently, but I have more confidence that I can achieve my dreams with hard work. Thank you!

[@ThatViolaKid]

As someone who might be a few years ahead of you in life, I can definitely say this with certainty: you might regret hard work in the short term, but you'll never regret it in the longterm.

[@feliciadawnauthor]

I'm feeling everything about this video. I'm going to like play this on repeat to internalize it then get my Viola! Also note, I was struggling with the fast, complicated twinkle twinkle from Suzuki book one, I got it with my Viola teachers help and moved on but you can like struggle at any level. Push through.

[@NonStopTravelVV]

Dude awesome advice!!! I also always struggle with playing fast and will now practice with your method…let’s see if it’s really my left hand OR my violist brain that makes me slow 😅 great video and great editing!!! I’ve subscribed ❤

[@ThatViolaKid]

Thank you for the feedback and the sub!!!

[@Violawiz]

Thanks for this video 😇🙏

[@ThatViolaKid]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching!

[@ingridayarza]

YASSSSS Thanks soo much Drew, I appreciate it.

[@ThatViolaKid]

Of course!!!

[@mozartsrosin8577]

oh wow just when i needed it! Been a few days since my left hand started feeling pain everytime i practice, as the pieces i've been tackling are a lot more demanding than before (i'm a beginner, and self-teaching right now so videos like these are my only resource). thanks for the very helpful tip, will totally incorporate this to my next practice session!

[@ThatViolaKid]

I can't even IMAGINE how difficult it must be to be learning on your own. Kudos to you! What other sorts of things are you having trouble with?

[@mozartsrosin8577]

@@ThatViolaKid oh, man, i only trust my own ears! xd so far, i'm following the suzuki method so my learning is gradual and linear - i'm on book 3 now, going to start the Bach Bourrée sooner. aside from the semiquavers and overall my articulation of fast passages, which i have the most trouble with, a steady-sounding double stop is also one of my major problems. there are A LOT of moments when the E string basically gives up and whistles xd. i'm not sure how to approach a much cleaner sound from that (lighter bow stroke is what i'm trying, but that isn't so steady as well). it's also why i'm revisiting all the past books and polishing everything there before i learn how to play the chords in the Bourrée. bow distribution also often trips me out xd. so any tips for that? anything would really be appreciated. thank you for even entertaining my comment, haha! have a nice day!

[@augustinechinnappanmuthria7042]

Super super super lovely

[@aileendlr6825]

So good to see you again ! Gonna try those tips right now !

[@ThatViolaKid]

Thanks for coming back!

[@aileendlr6825]

@@ThatViolaKid update : I tried focusing on this today and it actually worked so well thank you so much !!

[@ThatViolaKid]

@@aileendlr6825 OMG that's amazing!!! I'm so happy to hear that! I'm writing scripts today--what other technique questions do you have?

[@aileendlr6825]

@@ThatViolaKid yes that's fantastic! Maybe your favorite tips for intonation and/or vibrato ? Or how to practice scales efficiently ? Thanks for your attention 🙏

[@stevenchristophersen7673]

I'm excited to try this tomorrow in my clarinet playing... curious to see what carries over. :D

[@ThatViolaKid]

Very interested to hear how it goes! =)

[@grapesofwrath361]

I’m using this to work on my scales and arpeggios

[@hinatastrong]

Mind blown! Going to try this now 🎻

[@ThatViolaKid]

Lemme know how it goes for you! =)

[@dheyes803]

This was an extremely helpful video. As a struggling 10-year self study, ear trained, baby boomer violinist I know that "technique" can be lost if your focus is on perfection right from the start. Yes, I play the same songs repeatedly but I have noticed throughout the years that my touch has lightened and hence I can play for longer periods of time.

[@ThatViolaKid]

Repetition is the key to developing. You're doing it right! =) Lemme know if there's anything else you'd like to know!!!

[@lindablock9984]

I am a violinist but struggling with too much pressure. This is awesome information

[@ThatViolaKid]

I'm happy to hear that, Linda! I hope it turns out to be helpful in the long-run!

[@thoregulden4545]

I should definitely try that out! Pressure might be the reason why I don't really get the runs of the Romance in F by Beethoven (at least that weird one starting from the high f) cleanly mastered.

[@ThatViolaKid]

Give it a try! There could also be other factors that contribute. Just keep trying new things until you find a solution! That's half the fun =)

[@the_cat_warlord611]

im still in school and i have to learn can can and this really helped :D

[@marioalvarenga5069]

I'm really happy to see that you came back TVK 🙆‍♂️

[@ThatViolaKid]

I'm happy to be back! =)

[@marioalvarenga5069]

You're the best Drew 🙌 keep inspiring young musicians

[@Contractor815]

HE LIVES! I hope you and yours are doing okay given the crazy circumstances in the world.

[@ThatViolaKid]

I do live! Thank you for your concern! I am definitely okay, but I wanna get back to helping people!!

[@mattfangrecorderstudio8325]

even if play recorder, this was so helpful❤

[@fishmut]

Cheers buddy , I’ll try this , my playing sounds like shit so got nothing to lose lol, I’m sure this will help , thanks for the video. 👍

[@thepianoplayer416]

Can see why the video only has thumb ups. Been trying to speed up violin playing for a while. The first thing is to use shorter bow strokes which makes sense. The part about using less finger effort for pressing a string is an eye-opener. Thanks for sharing...

[@ThatViolaKid]

My pleasure homie! I'm glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching =)

[@user-yt4nx1gh5z]

About PRACTICEEEEEE

[@mandiknudsen9100]

Thanks for the video I really needed a new form of practice cause my technique wasnt working😄

[@ThatViolaKid]

It's never a bad idea to switch it up every now and again 😜

[@summerdogs1124]

You came to our schools summer camp,

[@metelync5500]

Would you consider posting a video of you playing the Elegie, by Vieuxtemps?

[@ThatViolaKid]

I could definitely be convinced ;) I haven't played it in years! Would it be okay if I did it without accompaniment?

[@metelync5500]

@@ThatViolaKid yes, definitely! ^^

[@MsPrincessofwales]

Can you make a video "how improve your intonation? Thanks

[@ThatViolaKid]

YES =)

[@jhayr6291]

i was watching any musical video content ( Davie504, twoset,.roomie, ... and manymore ) suddenly i got interested as to what does viola do, And this channel makes me wanna learn viola, After quarantine i think

[@ThatViolaKid]

I'm honored to hear that, bro! Viola is dope--I think you would love it! =)

[@alexflare5214]

Wow you are heart in the your words , is true , i would like ask you if you can play suite morricone, unce upon a time in america, debora theme, cockeyes child , and the mission gabriel's oboe, i m starting now play viola , for 35year i played guitar, piano ,Bass, ecc... Because the instrument was very very expensive for me... But now i buy cheap Gewa student 16.5" hard wood, and i hope that possible play with expressive feel, head, heart and hands, thanks very very much

[@CeruleanMuun]

Could you do a video on Spiccato? I currently cannot do it to save my life

[@demllmunizllerenas1254]

💛 1/10/21 10:00

[@waterliliesbymonet7827]

How about double stop scales or passages? Can you share tips on that? 😅

[@ThatViolaKid]

That's a great one! I'm still working on that myself!

[@waterliliesbymonet7827]

@@ThatViolaKid well, I will be waiting for it patiently. 🙏

[@unicornwizhez4115]

4:56..... the entire time I'm thinking ... you're definitely trolling us.. lmao dude I won't lie to you I was gonna do it but now I really don't want to and won't ill limit myself if it means you don't win one over on me 🤣🤣🤣

[@alexduran5704]

A bit advanced for me enjoyed it nevertheless and your humor

[@zb_fuForReal]

hola

[@sophiahillstrom3098]

dude i just wish we had tchaik rep :( like that would be lit. any good viola literature y’all like?

[@badatspeedruns]

TVK: set a timer for 25 minutes and do thiss. Me: ima just play my piece... 3 times!

[@grapesofwrath361]

This method might also work for bowing

[@BlueBlox_YT]

wheres my viola crew?

[@conniehellinger9934]

😂😂

[@sabrinachuaqui]

my audition is in 3hrs lol

[@fall456]

Where is my violin gang?

[@clarinetchamber7158]

First

[@cimourdain1279]

Don't need to practice this. If you can play it slowly, you can play it quickly

[@ThatViolaKid]

K

[@cimourdain1279]

@@ThatViolaKid It's actually a meme from TwoSetViolin. Do you know them ?

[@ThatViolaKid]

@@cimourdain1279 I don't watch them enough to have caught the meme haha. My bad

[@crystallotus5290]

OMG THE NUMBER IF LIKES

[@JenniMeer]

I just got a viola last week and my autistic son and I were laughing at my pathetic attempts to play something. I asked him if he wanted me to stop and he said, “No, Mom. You keep playing.” ❤🥹