Is the Suzuki Method good for Beginner Violinists

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[@thepianoplayer416]

The approaches devised by Suzuki over a century ago is very much part of Asian traditions common to Chinese, Japanese & Korean. In the West, it is more common for kids to work independently than having parental involvement in the learning process. Suzuki has its own set of standard repertoire for students anywhere in the world so that they can learn the same pieces from each other and measure their progress against each other. Learning to play by ear before reading notations is a good thing. The Suzuki approach is learning from CD recordings that came with each Suzuki Book. Students with good ear training should be able to play just about anything by ear without relying on reading.

[@Shrinksjp]

I first learned the traditional way, by reading music, and then transferred t Suzuki. I found that this way fun and rewarding.

[@robinfox4440]

I self-teach with Suzuki and I challenge myself to read the music before listening to someone else on KZbin show me how to do it. I got stuck with some Book 1 songs but in Book 2 I can more or less figure it out. That said, I have a musical family, I study and quiz myself on the Treble Clef frequently, I say the notes out loud when I do scales and arpeggios, and I have a sense of rhythm from having played the drums.

[@JoyLeeViolin]

good work !

[@NotHereForTheFuckery]

Suzuki is the opposite of reading first :P

[@songfulmusicofsongs]

Thank you very much! I didn't know about Suzuki method, but have been trying to do something similar by myself while learning ocarina. For example learn pieces by heart without being dependent on sheet music. I think it's very important to remember that music is primarily sound and only secondarily notation. So if you first learn to play and to read later, it's not such a big problem: you still can to play. Much worse would be to be able only to read and never really learn to play.

[@brendalee8694]

Yes this was very helpful I’ve been thinking about lessons for my grandchildren thanks 🙏🏽

[@JoyLeeViolin]

You're welcome. All the best to you and your family Brenda. Happy music making!

[@brendalee8694]

@@JoyLeeViolin blessings right back to you 🥰😇🧡

[@DannyBoudreauMusic]

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your videos! I have been watching them for a while now, but I have never left a comment to thank you :) So thanks!!

[@JoyLeeViolin]

Thank you very much for your kind comments Danny!

[@DannyBoudreauMusic]

Joy Lee and thank you for the videos!

[@ankavoskuilen1725]

I am playing the violin for exactly 2 years now and I am 61. At the moment I am practising Suzuki book 4. I do read music because I have made music all my life: singing in chamber choirs, a bit of piano I taught myself and the recorder on an rather advanced level. So I don't have the problem of not learning how to read music. I was really excited to find out there was an instrument based on that circle with al the scales in 5ths ('kwintencirkel', I don't know the english name) I never knew that! I like Suzuki because I know almost every song and it is not childish, but I would like more practising material next to it, to master all the technical stuff. So I would like to do other things now. For instance: I do a piece now with half a page of double stops, which is quite difficult, and I am not very familiar with 3th position yet. So he touches all kind of techniques and moves on too quickly. I find that a con of the Suzuki method.

[@thepianoplayer416]

The ear training part is essential to learning. Some students tend to be mediocre either playing by ear or reading music that they don't get to an advanced level. The Suzuki method is not just a method on its own without the Books. Most Suzuki students go by the same repertoire in different parts of the world. When you listen to each other play the same pieces, you learn to play very well by ear without reading. The best way to learn to "read" is to introduce new pieces every week and read through them without relying on your memory. You don't want to be playing pieces out of a book everybody else is doing. Otherwise you just go by their recordings without learning to read. The good thing about playing by ear is that at least you can perform a few songs in front of family members & friends with confidence. Besides going by the same Books, some teachers are already introducing pieces outside the standard repertoire but not every Suzuki teacher does it. There are more than a million pieces online that can be downloaded. There is no reason to play only the pieces in a set of Books.

[@banjiddle]

Thank you Joy for explaining Suzuki method. I am 67 yrs old, and was an intermediate violin player before my accident. I would like to start again with Suzuki method. I did Mark O’ Connor Violin 1, and loved it, but I want classical. So, Thank you for your opinion on this.

[@JazzLoverKhurram]

I have developed my own method which is also ear playing using the voice/ears to lead the way. It involves learning scales, patterns on those scales (e.g.up and down in 3rds,4ths, 6ths..) to get those scales under the fingers, and intervals (interval training). Basic scales to learn in movable positions:- *Major, Minor, Diminished, Augmented (Whole Tone), Pentatonic and Pentatonic Minor (the last two especially for rock,pop,blues,soul and jazz), Chromatic scale.* As I am a guitarist I have successfully applied this to playing all instruments I play. *V.L.I. = VOICE LED IMPROVISATION* *Sing/hum/whistle the tune then play.. synchronising the two if you can.* It is fun and the (jazz) improvisers way to learn and play. Especially after you have got past the initial beginner's phase on your instrument of producing a nice tone and vibrato - imo most essential! Learning to read and basic music theory (following root /bass movement with your ears - tune modulation) After a while you start thinking like a composer (improviser = instant composer!) *Music = Melody🎵 + 🎼Harmony + Rhythm🎰* Reading notes is not a problem for me either, and now I can even pick out any tune and play even improvise on it including classical pieces!😊 *It works!* 🎤👄🔁🎶🎸🔁🎻🎶

[@MrPJBarney]

Cool video. God bless you.

[@JoyLeeViolin]

Thanks, you too PJ!

[@swlbarely]

Thanks. You offer excellent expert insight on this.

[@JoyLeeViolin]

thanks for your kind comment ! I am glad this helps.

[@meganmarx1279]

As well as Suzuki I also learn from essential elements 2000 for strings

[@jonplaud]

You just taught me something new. I prefer reading music vs. Suzuki Method. When you read the music, you can write it. Not saying the Suzuki method is bad, it's good if you want to get the song when you first hear it.

[@ticonde6896]

this is quite helpful, thank you for the information

[@JoyLeeViolin]

thanks

[@ja-no6fx]

Hello, thank you for the video. I know it's quite an old video, but thought I would comment anyway. I also noticed this as I started going through suzuki book number 1, I had no idea what the notes were or how to read the music. I decided to also learn the piano through simply piano, I have yet to start, but I'm hoping this will help my reading skills.

[@JoyLeeViolin]

You're most welcome and thank you also J A. Bravo to you for your plan about music reading study. Happy studying!

[@jervilopez1844]

You learn how to read music after book 2. That's why there are group lessons for each instruments, musicianship (note reading and theory). But usually you start reading notes after book 1.

[@JoyLeeViolin]

You can learn right away also.

[@jervilopez1844]

@@JoyLeeViolin but if you're a 2 yr old child?

[@mnheintzelman1373]

I'm not sure about these Suzuki students who "Never Learn to Read Music". My daughter was playing from 4 years old, but she did eventually started sight reading in lessons, had musical theory and group classes every weekend, and was reading music fairly well by the time she was eight, when her string orchestra sessions first began. Now she's playing Sarasate pieces with all it's complexity and techniques and is a member of the regions Youth Symphony Orchestra and on her fifth year of performing in a chamber group (now in her earliest teens) . . I guess it all depends on who is shaping the Suzuki program. And no, she's actually not a particularly exceptional student, but the method and emersion certainly made a big difference with what she's been able to accomplish in just ten years.

[@JoyLeeViolin]

Congratulations for the successful journey of your daughter's violin playing! I am happy for her! Happy music making!

[@Phasianidaes]

Hello Joy, could you make a video showing us how the different violins of topia sound like? Thank you and i love your videos! xx

[@JoyLeeViolin]

sure. Was there one in particular you were interested in? It may take me a little while to prepare such a video. Thank you for your patience.

[@Phasianidaes]

Yes, maybe dunov's and doestch. thank you

[@JoyLeeViolin]

I am uploading now a video with 4 different violins. I hope you like it !

[@Phasianidaes]

Joy Lee i will! thank you

[@deborah3912]

I learned by the Suzuki method and stopped playing after awhile, now I find I can't read music which is a real handicap.

[@Eyiba07]

Thank you so much for these videos. But please i would like to know which books you would recommend.

[@JoyLeeViolin]

Hi Abiye, it is difficult to name one proper specific book for all beginner violinists, because every violinist learns differently. But, I'm going to think about it and try to make a video in that regard.

[@Eyiba07]

Joy Lee Thanks a lot.

[@starkcd]

Maybe not a "THIS is the BEST book!" video, but a book that shows different book options you are familiar with and what you believe are the strength and weakness of each one. It would be especially helpful if you could include books for players of different levels. I think beginners would probably benefit the most since we don't know what to even look for at this level. A more advanced player could probably look through the book and recognize if it is going to address what they are looking for.

[@Amajor0]

Ma'am i had a question, I'm about to complete suzuki book 1, i do not have a teacher yet. I wanted to ask if i can learn other easy songs while completing the suzuki books? PLEASEEEEE ANSWER

[@rizdelphinus1686]

I have never struggled in my life wether which video to watch first

[@fatdoi003]

Suzuki is good up to book 6...... after just change over to grade 6 or 7 of your country's system

[@CaroLina-qu4ps]

Hi joy! What methods do you think are the best for a beginner other than the Suzuki method? Many thanks for your videos!!

[@JoyLeeViolin]

sure, I will make a video

[@roperezposada]

I was going to make the same question! I love your videos Joy! You're great!

[@hananhumidan7064]

i love you

[@Crazylegoman3791]

Nice.🙂

[@JoyLeeViolin]

thank you so much !

[@homann638]

My instructor had me start with Essential elements #1 and then she switched me to Suzuki and I zipped from #1 to #3. I think she will take me back to Essentials. Do you think this is a good approach? I also bought Wohlfart Op45 studies to practice myself. Do you think this is a good plan? By the way, I'm an old student ! lol

[@JoyLeeViolin]

this is so personal and so different from student to student. I am sorry I cannot give you a good answer

[@banjiddle]

I wished that I had the opportunity to learn by Suzuki violin, but there were no teachers. I started piano early, and did learn theory, note reading. Do you teach older adults Suzuki? If not, who does, or do they not Teach the elderly?

[@JoyLeeViolin]

I teach all ages by skype

[@zhuomarykhov5485]

What are good supplementary books you recommended for a young player who has done Suzuki book 5? What books to study alongside of Suzuki books to also get the traditional training ? Thank you very much!

[@JoyLeeViolin]

There are many etude books which can be studied with Suzuki book 5, such as Kreutzer, Dont, Rode just to name a few. Happy practising Zhuo!

[@Navitas2003]

Is the Suzuki method good for an adult learning violin and has basic knowledge of music and reading?

[@JoyLeeViolin]

Suzuki method can be good for some violinists. I find that Suzuki has many songs for children which may or may not be for every adult players.

[@pechesingkhing2068]

Is Eta cohen a good violin book comparing to Suzuki book?

[@JoyLeeViolin]

I am sorry, I don't know that book. Maybe somebody in the community can chime in

[@juanchochavarria1738]

How to know if a violin string is bad quality &if it is good quality

[@JoyLeeViolin]

only from sound. You have to play it and compare with others

[@robviolin1]

👍

[@samg8761]

Suzuki method is fun, but it's teaching kids to become an amateur violinist. One should start with the traditional, notes reading method. Suzuki cant teach you how to play in orchestra that plays original music. I have met a Suzuki students who can't even start from the middle of the piece, they have to start from the beginning. To be able to sit down, and sight read in a chamber music group is a joy. So, do it right from the beginning, it will pay off later.

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

As a teacher of 12 years, I can say that the Suzuki 'method' is not really a method. It's just a compilation of pieces put into a book. There are some exercises on a few pages but really nothing special.

[@midnightc1]

To say, "just a compilation" is certainly misleading! Dr. Suzuki spent 10 years or more putting together the progression of violin pieces. The series is so well graded that teachers who are not trained in teaching the method often use it for this reason. If you mean to say: "looking at/reading the books themselves cannot train anyone to use the method the way it was intended", then you have a point. The person would need to read the introduction given at the beginning closely, and then follow up by going to the source (i.e., watch Dr. Suzuki himself teach on video, attend teacher training courses, observe experienced Suzuki teachers, read other source materials) and come to understand that the "exercises" are written into the pieces themselves and a good teacher can create exercises from snippets lifted out of the pieces and by following the philosophy. They would train the student's parents to understand their role, etc. I describe Suzuki as a philosophy and an approach to teaching (to distinguish it from "method" books that lay everything out in writing and expect these to be the only steps followed).

[@channelterminatedanddead]

I think notes are poisonous to beginners, especially if it comes to starting on the violin. You have to handle so many things at one time, then the sheet takes away attention. I've heard too many who had learned the classical way, who played awfully inexpressive and heartless. They had concentrated for too long too much on notes, which prevented them from developing natural feeling. I play much nicer, if I put away the sheet. My method to teach myself was just improvisation. After 2 years I involved notes too at times. Last year I had a teacher for 7 months, who had studied classical and jazz. So she was open to my baroque improvisation.