Improve Violin Intonation: 10 Game-Changing Tips

[@MelvinYap-hd6nr]

Great advice. I think another important aspect of intonation is practising scales and arpeggios regularly.

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

Absolutely!

[@DieterLo1]

As beginner with 69 but playing lot of other musical instruments, it is most important to play in tune and work on it. And it is a must to play as slow as possible but with best tone.

[@rasheedaogburn123]

Wow, practice every song slowly. I’ve never heard that before. I’m going to try that from now on. Thank you!

[@brianmarchant4325]

A big thankyou lovely lady!!

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

You're welcome!

[@melovenour]

Thanks a lot Lura for theses precious tips ❤

[@sobrikey]

Thanks , great subject , very nice tips !

[@augustinechinnappanmuthria7042]

Super super super lovely tips Augustine violinist from Malaysia

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

Thank you very much

[@thepianoplayer416]

2:23 using a tuner to get the proper pitch definitely helps. People can generally play a scale from memory and watch the line stays in the middle and the green light on the tuner. It's only a temporary visual guide since we read music as we play instead of looking at the tuner. We're not just seeing the needle in the center, our ears are also picking up a correct pitch and recording it into memory so we know how an "A" should sound. At the same time the finger for a note is registering the exact position. As an alternative, go in front of a piano. Hit a key and play the same on the violin to hear how far off you are. Again you're reading music as you play a piece, not looking at the tuner.

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

Yes, the piano is a great way to work on intonation!

[@rogberube6422]

Thanks for sharing this tutorial. Very helpful.

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

You're very welcome!

[@rootsandstarslodge]

Thank you for this, very enlightening 🎉

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

You're welcome!

[@MrLarsenTube]

I have considered finger tapes but only to help remember where 3rd and 5th position starts. But it’s just too much hassle so I won’t

[@Skinny_Karlos]

I studied classical guitar at Sydney Conservatorium, Australia. I took up the violin as a second instrument and love it now more than i do the guitar. Go figure, eh? My ear was very good when I started on the violin and that helped me immensely. I was fortunate to have an ear, decent left hand, ability to take from a teacher as it is and do it, whatever it might be. All these things and more helped me to play at approx grade 7, 8 AMEB and that's pretty damn good. I just love the violin.

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

I had a similar pathway. I played guitar (not at your level) but somewhat advanced and then the violin found me!

[@Skinny_Karlos]

@@MeadowlarkViolin However the violin, in its current form, came to be something for we mortals to be grateful for, as without it where would we be? No doubt there'd be another 'something' to grab our musical needs/demands but it wouldn't be that beauty of beauties - the violin. I began with piano tuition at five, accordion at eight, guitar in early teens (along with the mandolin and quite a few other stringed instruments drove my parents crazy until they saw what my peers were doing - dr**s - I even played in a mandolin ensemble), then at long last I found my love - the violin. So I've had a number of instruments to compare to the violin and none, not even the guitar, to me, match it. Sorry to ramble (I know I am verbose) but without needing a reply (please don't feel a need to reply as this is just a long ramble) as you have much on your proverbial 'plate' I just Idk why, I needed to get that out but I did need to, if indeed you even did get this far. Your channel really is great and you should have more subs than you do - I really do mean that and hope it grows well for you and wish you all the best with it. Mark - Australia.

[@thepianoplayer416]

Slow practice is something every piano teacher would recommend. It's not just a violin or a flute thing thing.

[@LucaAnamaria]

Same with guitar.

[@Skinny_Karlos]

@@LucaAnamaria If you can't do something slowly you sure as **** can't do it quickly. Slow and steady... - how does that one finish?

[@davearonow65]

Right. This video is about intonation, though. Completely irrelevant when talking about piano technique.

[@hutchwd]

I have found that a few minutes scale practice with a Drone Tone (app) each day has improved my skills

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

Yes, drones are amazing!

[@dougnickerson]

I did a lot of work with my student in the key of D , now trying get her to play in G. Which requires the C natural on the a string. If she plays the C natural low enough , the D natural is pulled down too ; if the D is in tune , the C is too sharp - so , two note difficulty 😀

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

Exactly! Change one thing and it changes something else! 🤣

[@msmuruganandhan723]

I'm 50yrs old... learning violin for past 6 months..I'm confused about the size of the violin I'm using..I use 4/4 adult violin..but the problem is my fingers start hurting when I try to play G string or use pinky..should I opt for smaller violin like 7/8..or can I continue with the same 4/4 violin..my arms length is 23inches..🤔

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

23 inches and up is usually the size for 4/4. If it hurts on the G string or with pinky, it might be more of an issue with your left hand technique. When you go to the G string, make sure you are pivoting your elbow forward, this will cause your thumb to move down slightly but it will help you reach the G string. For the pinky stretch, make sure your thumb is balanced between the middle fingers.

[@msmuruganandhan723]

@@MeadowlarkViolin thankyou for your advice and concern..I will try to practice as you said.👍

[@RailGunViolin]

Right now I’m working both with a tuner and stickers and my teacher said there’s nothing wrong so I’m a bit confused

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

A tuner and stickers might be okay starting out, but I think eventually they will keep your ears from progressing to the level you need to be able to really play in tune. To each his own though. If playing is too hard and not enjoyable without the stickers, keep 'em on!

[@RailGunViolin]

@@MeadowlarkViolin I complete agree , I’ve been playing for around 3 years now so I’m not really a complete beginner and it’s not like I don’t enjoy playing without them, heck I rather take them off. I just have issues with intonation but what you’re saying here makes a lot of sense I feel as tough the more seals I have the more dependent I become on looking at the fingerboard while I’m playing which makes it hard to actually look at the sheet music. I think I’ll take them off and focus on training my ear as you said it should pay off at the long run

[@lukemanriquez5236]

@@RailGunViolin Ive been playing for eight months now and still have finger tapes on my violin. I recently finished All for Strings book 1 using finger tapes the entire time. Because all the excersises are relatively short most i memorized and found my self looking at my fingers the entire time. Now im working on suzuki bk 1 and First Etude Album. The last two months Ive been trying to focus on looking at the music and not my fingers. The transition is Slow but working. I just took my first finger tape off and plan to continue removing them gradually. As I look at the music i try to internalize the feeling in my fingers. I also have been warming up with intonation excersises each day and sometimes play to a drone.

[@MusiciansAddition]

My problem is when I'm playing violin with my piano backing track, it sounds great to me, but then when I record it on my phone, when I listen back, it sounds awful.

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

I think that's very normal for recording. It always sounds better under our ear than with the recording! 😂 But keep it up and you'll be able to use the recordings to hear what you need to fix. Just sit down with a pencil and your sheet music as you listen!

[@hamwhacker]

I think pressing too hard with the left hand would make it hard to get in tune. The fingers should only press down enough to stop the string on the fingerboard. Finger preparation is good but should not pull the existing finger out of tune. Playing slow is good, but you must put down fingers in tune not out of tune then slide them around. Good steady bow technique is essential to play in tune. That way you can play slowly and isolate the left hand which becomes the sole focus of your attention. Finger release is as important as putting them down so your left hand remains relaxed and the fingers develop a good curved shape with the tips going down to contact in a nice consistent action. Playing along referring to open strings is useful. Whether deliberate playing extra open strings or droning two strings at a time. Play along with your teacher either on the violin (duet) or with a piano accompaniment. They should be able to slow down to help you. Good luck. (I am not a teacher - just a keen amateur ❤) (Note: Forgot one thing: practice scales!)

[@MeadowlarkViolin]

All great advice! Thanks!

[@KZ-mw9th]

👍🏼