In the Viola Studio with Carol Rodland: Some Left Hand Tips

Carol Rodland and her students discuss some specific principles of left hand viola technique to help violists play with more comfort, ease, accuracy and efficiency. Produced by Ching Juhl. www.juhlmedia.com

[@user-do5hd7zb4x]

Excellant. Class youve even helped me and Im a violinist. Thanks and Im looking forward to refer back to this. Im stocked! Bye for now

[@user-do5hd7zb4x]

Hey! Im honoured thank you mam! JULIARD! IM HONOURED!

[@JosephDermody]

Thank you Carol! It's so nice to observe your teachings, be able to watch them multiple times, and hand this information down to my students!

[@carolrodland909]

I am so glad that this is helpful, Joseph! Best wishes to you and your students!

[@raboin1]

the dark side.... I love it. Thanks for the tips.

[@peterboardman4651]

Very helpful and informative video.I play electric guitar and my professor at Berklee recommended l use left hand technique similar to the violin,what he should have sais was similar to the viola.

[@carolrodland909]

I am so glad this is helpful for you!

[@layoung43]

Thank you !

[@helloalto529]

Thank you Carol!

[@aMaudPowellFan]

Thank you so much, Carol, this is revelatory. I am "only" a violinist, yet I also struggle with hand frame and with the reach of the fourth finger, particularly in combination with a low second finger. Lots of ideas to explore. Thank you so much.

[@carolrodland909]

I am so glad it is helpful for you!

[@Rendavde]

Genius Carol. Reminds me a little of Kato Havas technique. You now have a big fan. Thank you very much.

[@carolrodland909]

Thank you! I am so glad it is helpful for you!

[@josemotta9560]

Grato. Muito bom

[@femisago]

¡Excelente! Muchas gracias. Ojalá vengan más vídeos. ¡Saludes!

[@hmt702]

I hope this works for me. That’s why I dropped out in high school. But I’m going to learn again!

[@TheJetstreamSurges]

The Colorado River looks small by being mighty and persistent. (Somewhere around 13:00 and 14:00.)

[@williemartinez6273]

Great video , but some questions what will happen when we play 4th finger and then the first , I mean If I follow this video,the first finger it's going to be in a different position a little higher and out of tune when I come back from the 4th finger to first finger. and what about doble stops. And fast passages for example stamitz before the octaves , all this movements(motions) , is not going to make harder to get in tune?

[@rebeccamacnamee3550]

This is very helpful, thank you for the video! How do you approach double stops, in particular octaves, since the thumb can't be in both ideal places at once?

[@carolrodland909]

So glad this is helpful for you! Difficult to answer this question in a few lines of text, but the principle of setting up/balancing the hand "frame" from the 4th finger back and opening gently to the lower fingers from within the flexibility of the hand applies for double stops as well as fast passagework. corresponding thumb placement depends upon hand size and finger length, but if you balance this way from the inside out and the thumb is relaxed, it will find its place. It is better for the stronger and longer 1st and 2nd fingers to "compromise" if necessary in a double stop, and to "support the little guy", not stressing the wrist, etc. You might find it helpful to refer to our book, The Karen Tuttle Legacy, for pictures and a more in-depth explanation of this. (published by Carl Fischer in 2020)

[@whyRUlookinatthiscrapppp]

15:00 21:00 24:55

[@douglasmiranda8982]

Hello teacher My name is Douglas, I'm from Brazil and I live in São Paulo. I love stringed instruments, I play violin in my church orchestra. And now I'm studying viola but I have no reference of methods to the study. Could you tell me viola study methods?

[@flavianascimento7490]

Oi Douglas, você conseguiu traduzir o vídeo da professora? Estou necessitando tanto, já tentei aplicativos para traduzir mas não funcionam com um video assim, somente com uma fala curta

[@davidhodgin8900]

Did you recover fully?

[@tamaraamiryan9184]

Hello,I'm a violist and I have a problem with my left hand,and no one,doctors and teachers,don't understand how to help me....I can't explain problem here,with words,I need to show while playing...I really need your help! Where I can send a video to show what is going on with my hand(more precisely with my finger) when I play? You have a messenger?,facebook? Thank you in advance!

[@carolrodland909]

Hi, I am so sorry you are having trouble with your left hand. Do you want to have a brief zoom meeting? Please email me directly: [e-mail] if you wish to communicate directly. I can also recommend teachers who do remote lessons and are trained in our methods

[@thomassicard3733]

53 years of fabulous piano playing, 1 month of beginner viola... I don't follow much of this.

[@thomassicard3733]

Too advanced for me. I will continue to pluck, find scale(s) placement, try to not drop the viola and bow, draw some tones with the bow, try to time the l.h/r.h synchronization (pianist, here... have sympathy, please), and not throw myself off a cliff because my deep desire to perform even the simplest phrase of melody in an actually beautiful and engaging manner is seemingly SO FAR AWAY THAT I CAN'T SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL... ;-) Yeah, that's where I'm at. Never fear. I was playing French horn in the Houston Symphony at age 22, so it will become a reality that I'm able to play a sweet melody on viola - my most beloved string instrument (and the only non-fretted, bowed string instrument I'm interested in pursuing) - because I have mastered, or at least learned to adequately play, so many other instruments. 🙂VIOLA IS MY SPECIAL FINAL CHALLENGE.

[@thomassicard3733]

I practiced Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto for MANY hours a day, for 4 months straight (in a DEAD practice room at the university)... Bad idea. It took me 1.5 years to overcome the left-hand wrist injury that I incurred. Please don't OVER-play,