Unknown (Awesome) Violin Exercise by Dounis

[@DanielKurganov]

EXERCISE OUTLINE I. BALANCE / CLARITY OF LEFT HAND FINGERS - 6 Sequences **Use my "Interval Variations" PDF to create a more robust exercise. These 6 sequences can be practiced using any of the interval patterns (You'll see 17 total in 6 groups). Not only that, but you can mix and match interval patterns. For example, you can run through all 6 sequences alternating H-W-M3 and W-H-H. The possibilities are endless, and it allows you to focus on what is most challenging for YOU in a very robust way. **Add vibrato to the long notes, **Try playing all 16ths as 32nds for an extra challenge. II. INDEPENDENCE OF FINGERS THROUGH LATERAL MOTION - 7 Sequences III. SMOOTHNESS AND EVENNESS OF TONE IN STRING-CROSSINGS - 4 Sequences - 4 Bowing variations =============== TIMESTAMPS: 01:00 Selling my bow 02:06 DOUNIS Background / Approach 05:51 Op.23 Overview 06:34 == PART 1 DEMONSTRATION == 09:56 Part 1 Practice Tips: 10:00 Finger Articulation 11:05 Relaxing thumb, wrist, fingers 11:24 Adding Vibrato 12:39 Articulation + Rhythm 13:33 Continuous sound 14:00 Double the Rhythm 14:29 Less is More 15:30 Repeating / Building a Routine 16:14 My Interval Variations (check pdf!) 21:01 == PART 2 DEMONSTRATION == 23:09 Part 2 Practice Tips: 23:22 Grouping / Reflexes 23:59 == PART 3 DEMONSTRATION == 26:36 Part 3 Practice Tips: 26:50 Role of Wrist / Forearm and Minimal Motion 27:20 Separate Stroke and String Crossing 27:31 String Crossings - Frog vs Tip 28:15 Using Double Stops 29:22 String Crossing vs Sound Production 29:44 IN ACTION - BACH D MINOR PARTITA 31:41 Wrap-up

[@margaretbinns3134]

Super excited to try this today when I practice . 1) throw the fingers like the hammer of a piano . 2) check at each scale , thumb and wrist are relax 3) incorporate Vibrato on each first note , not squeezing violin and use top of finger

[@linna3873]

I had a few problems the past few months,but After I found your channel, it helped me so much more. I've never seen anyone explain the book of fundamental technical studies so clearly nefore huge tnx

[@shy.kumquat]

I feel like my improvement with the violin in the past six months has been exponential. I went from playing in an orchestra (ending due to covid) to playing in chamber groups. Playing with chamber groups has forced me to practice more since my playing is more exposed. At the same time I discovered your channel so the combination of intense practice, and your great videos, I’ve seen more growth in my musical ability than ever before. I’m going to start incorporating some of these exercises into my practice. I wish I’d had a teacher like you when I was studying in college.

[@michellelee1178]

Hi Daniel, it surprised me to know that even the fundamental studies can be of such a great help to a professional violinist 😯

[@DanielKurganov]

my thoughts exactly when I first gave these exercises some attention!

[@margaretbinns3134]

Daniel,.as an older retired beginner who has been practicing in my spare room for over a year due to the pandemic , you've been an inspiration . Lots to tell you but mainly just wish to say how invaluable your beautiful videos are and want to say a big thank you ..I take a small potion out of what i feel i need to learn next and try my best . Some day i hope to surprise everyone in my intergenerational orchestra when we can get together in Boca Raton ,Florida ..

[@jgunther3398]

I'm glad to see somebody finally mention "Fundamental Technical Studies". One thing to remember is that Dounis wants all his exercises to be played with vibrato and as expressively as possible. I know you get that, but showing it without that so much might lead people to not recognize that crucial part. I play the lateral exercises like that, and at half your tempo. These exercises are all great for developing a fourth finger vibrato and a continuous vibrato. They also make it natural to add a touch of vibrato to the last note of the groups in the Allemand :)

[@DanielKurganov]

Yes definitely one should play with vibrato on as many notes as possible. I was playing it mostly senza vib in order to illustrate the basic underlying finger motions in the Dounis/Bach. If one tries to vibrate everything before achieving fluent finger articulation, it can lead to serious problems. But you’re right I should have just vibrated more :)

[@yukine3752]

your series are a gem. The way you explain things is remarkable. I am really looking forward to your next videos

[@DanielKurganov]

Thank you!

[@MaxMerrier]

You are great and very generous in offering your teaching for free on KZbin! I’m a beginner but I’m learning a lot from you. I’ve visited your website and read your CV. You will become one of the great legends of the line of violinists. Your videos will become a treasure of the future generations. Kudos! How I wish I have you as my personal teacher.

[@dsthorp]

I really enjoy that you play "exercises" so musically.

[@HadyKareem-k9x]

Thanks for your efforts ❤

[@garysimkins2179]

I find all of your content so very helpful. I took up this instrument last year. I played for a year in high school, but didn't keep it up. Now as an adult, it is infinitely more challenging however I will never give up on this. You have helped me stay focused and determined to work hard to achieve whatever stages of accomplishment lie ahead. I know that we never stop learning.

[@DanielKurganov]

Wonderful! It’s never too late. The joy of discovery is worth the work!

[@juliachetvergova5977]

Эти упражнения бесподобны! До вас я об них никогда не слышала! Я уже долго ими занимаюсь с тех пор как первый раз посмотрела. Они подействовали сразу! Столько силы в пальцах прибавилось!

[@ciccioromero7139]

Simply exquisite!

[@atlanticking2315]

best tutorial ever! looking forward to some bow arm stuffs!

[@robhersh1868]

Dan once again your absolutely incredible amazing. Your generosity is truly in a class of its own.

[@jenshoffmann2210]

"I remember when the genius of this exercise first hit me. I was practicing the D minor partita of Bach ..." I find this very important. Without a strong connection to real repertoire, pure technical exercises repeated over a long period of time become a misleading torture and may also cause damage, at least for my young but advanced student (9). Balance and connection between exercises and repertoire is real artwork and challenging. Do we start our day with playing a random 3 octave scale? For long time we did. Now we start with repertoire, lets say with the D minor Partita from Bach and let the D minor scale come afterwards. "Can you hear the Allemanda within the scale?". "Play the scale as if it was part of Allemanda!". Enlightening: David Oistrakh started his day with a random Mozart Concerto, playing it slowly, articulated and without vibrato.

[@linglingyang132]

You are such a great teacher! I have learned a lot from you, thank you!

[@songsabai3794]

The 'Daily Dozen' I have found to be very helpful. Dounis was a very insightful individual. Thanks so much for this exercise.

[@juliachetvergova5977]

Thank you so much for such amazing work you have done and your generosity to share this information with everyone! ❤️

[@DanielKurganov]

Spasibo!

[@valeryfoyniak4934]

@@DanielKurganov 😂это великолепно

[@richardbaros469]

You are totally awesome ! You sharing with the world lot of Great stuff and explaining everything in details - with great logical structures - everything is veery profesional - your playing is high quality and your knowledge is top and you giving everything what you learned in your life to us for free - thats just showing your big personality - Big Respect Maestro !!!❤

[@suzanne9581]

This is just brilliant - thank you so much!

[@stephanebelizaire3627]

BRAVO !

[@amparososa3807]

This video is a gem . Thank you!

[@retrops4261]

I was just having a conversation with my friend the other day about Dounis, and what do I see here? Very cool!

[@DanielKurganov]

He's hard to avoid :)

[@andreasviolinjourney]

Thank you so much for this, my teacher highly recommended this video to me. I'm currently working on my finger articulation, your tips really help a lot. I look forward to your future masterclasses.

[@ubecheesepandesal]

This is great & very detailed! Thank you so much!

[@DanielKurganov]

You are very welcome!

[@LeonoreHaupt]

Thank you very much useful information.

[@mickc5700]

Fantastic, feels like these exercises could help me a lot. Thanks

[@DanielKurganov]

Glad to hear it!

[@rocklandschoolofviolinnewy7588]

Thank you so much.You are an excellent teacher.God bless you.

[@DanielKurganov]

You are very welcome!

[@sukk2511]

Thank you so much for this series - it is hugely helpful, and your explanations are absolutely clear. Its so helpful too to ahve the additional resources - e.g. the Dounis exercises in their written form. Now I will head over to Patreon!

[@DanielKurganov]

Thanks so much! Glad it was helpful!

[@lu0844]

Thank you so much for doing this tutorial. I love working on technique and will print these exercises to practice with.

[@DanielKurganov]

Wonderful!

[@officialtshwarotshite1886]

Amazing

[@SF-ru3lp]

Delighted to get this Daniel! Thank you very much! G Ire

[@Kitaarlesseviralmal]

Thanks for amazing video,I do also this exercises on the guitar.Greetings from South Africa

[@AlbertoRegueraviolin]

Congratulations and thanks for all your videos 👏 great performer and helfpful and effective pedagogue 👌

[@minimouse7890]

Fabulous content! Excellent explanatory technique as well. Thank you so much. I have printed the exercises and plan to start today.

[@Anna-887]

Could you provide a link for those exercises.

[@lupefer]

Wow, thank you so much for this video!

[@isamviola4528]

Thank you so mych for sharing us your great valuable experiences.....

[@quaver1239]

Wonderful. Thank you 🙏.

[@DanielKurganov]

you are welcome!

[@ceciliamoreno7221]

¡Excelente material Daniel! Muchísimas gracias por compartir tu trabajo.

[@Jackson_Blagg]

Great work on this video

[@DanielKurganov]

Thank you!

[@gorillagorilla111]

thanks Daniel, good stuff. i'm trying it out also in other positions (since it's just a 4-note sequence it seems it can be done all over the neck) also this along w most violin technique is really nice to practice using your 'scroll on the shelf' tip you shared in vibrato video cheers!

[@DanielKurganov]

Good idea!

[@cnewtonc]

THANK YOU... This is excellent.

[@mushroom4713]

I'm starting this book next lesson. I'm going to be a bit sad listening to myself after this video 😂 Hoping that sadness doesn't last too long!

[@darlenerivest148]

Thank you for another excellent video, Daniel! I used the Dounis this morning as my warm up instead of Schradieck. It's so accessible. That third part is quite a tongue twister, though :)

[@DanielKurganov]

Great! Make sure you play the 32nd VERY FAST, and the 16ths held back. Over-articulate on the 16ths and then see if the fast burst can be as articulate and controlled. Cheers :)

[@darlenerivest148]

@@DanielKurganov Thank you so much for this tip, Daniel! I'll give that a try tomorrow morning :)

[@darlenerivest148]

@@DanielKurganov I'm so grateful for the tips and the exercise. I'm finding that I'm getting a bit crampy in my hand, particularly exercise #1. Could this be a lack of release after articulating?

[@jorgeald77]

Muchas gracias, son ejercicios fantásticos.

[@DanielKurganov]

Gracias!

[@davidsongsong1513]

thanks for sharing, look interesting and effective exercises

[@stefmantokyo08]

Thank you, Daniel, for another great video!! Please, excuse my ignorance, but what's this piece you're playing at this home concert in the beginning of the video? Didn't recognize it. Also, thank you for putting Dounis back center stage. He absolutely deserves it. His trill exercises are part of my daily warm ups (that practice will change now ;-). And like in your exercises here, they go way beyond just drilling for trills. They are about hand framing, double stopping, rhythm (metronome required!), piano hammer mechanics etc. etc. And, like you recommend in these exercises here, you can vary them through all keys. Dounis must have been an impressive master of our instrument and personality. Thanks for reminding our community of him.

[@prodigy2104]

Yeah what is that piece??

[@DanielKurganov]

Thank you! Yes, I think Dounis still doesn’t have the recognition he deserves. Maybe it’s because many of his exercises are very difficult! The piece in the beginning is Chausson’s Poeme!

[@saranunes9670]

Thank you so much! 🙏

[@rebeccamouse9294]

Please make a video about tone development on the E string. There are a lot of resources that discuss sound point, weight, and bow speed, but I have not found one that applies that specifically to the E string, especially the b and above. My tone is thin and harsh, and I do not hear much progress after lots of experimentation the elements of the holy trinity of good tone. After viewing your exceptionally original and insightful vibrato series I think you could tackle tone on the E string very well.

[@DanielKurganov]

Praying is a great tactic :) In all seriousness that's a great topic. I should indeed attempt to make such a video!

[@otismcfeely6401]

this is awesome, Ive had Dounis on my list of studies but the notes said - fundamentals. I'm going to have to look more into it. my current study is laoureux and Whistler's preparing for kreutzer. I'm a 30 year old self taught violinist. I'm preparing the Bach adagio and Rode #1.

[@DanielKurganov]

Great! I'm making a video right now with some etudes that would be perfect for you. Stay tuned.

[@adawdy1]

Looks great! Might have to sub this in for some of Schradieck practice

[@DanielKurganov]

Definitely -- it's a great little detour. It definitely puts the attention on some things that Schradieck doesn't address. It's a more nuanced exercise -- like a little laboratory.

[@PaulHirsh]

Many thanks!

[@oliverelectric6555]

I met you when i listen romance in Albumblatt, wwv94 Thanks for the master class.

[@martakalynchuk5723]

It’s great.

[@DanielKurganov]

Thank you

[@Kig505]

Interesting .. about physical pains induced by violin i can tell i Am 77 , started 2 years ago learning violin i do yoga since 40 years and have absoluteli NO pain Yehudi Menuhin was absolutely right

[@DanielKurganov]

Theo Josh you are amazing!! You’re probably in much better shape than me...I’m always falling apart! :)

[@Kig505]

Daniel Kurganov, Violinist hahaha. Falling apart? If you have inner ear problems that give you vertigo trere are easy exercises we were doing at school that help .. easy simples exercises 20 mts in the morning help same kind called. Exercises do heat ip muscles

[@Toksviolin]

Thank you!.. This was very helpful!

[@ViolinStimme]

Nice to see someone 'drawing' the bow across the string rather than pressing. So few players realise that you need to practise crossing the string and then relaxing to prime the arm for moving sideways before actually playing. Most try both actions at the same time and the poor arm does not know which direction it is supposed to be travelling in! Only one criticism, so far, Daniel: When you are playing on 3/4 you reach the middle of the bow at the count of 2! In music, there being no zero the mid-point of the bow in three beats is about 2.5. In 4/4 it is 3 in 6/8 it is 4 etc. Beat 1 starts at the beginning of the bow stroke not, as in a ruler, at the end of the measure. The instruction to 'save the bow' is redundant if the bow stroke is measured out clearly, naturally and, of course, beautifully without any reference to a non-existent zero! This then entails no unnecessary speeding up and slowing down of the bow thus achieving a smooth and even tone throughout - sans accents!

[@davidbaum]

Thank you for a wealth of valuable insight on your channel! I would love to see a practice tutorial on the d minor partita. Would you consider making one?

[@DanielKurganov]

Great suggestion!

[@michaelbonesmusic]

the daily dozen! used to do this daily in university, we used to call it "the dirty dozen"

[@ratman2817]

How do you practice for playing fast passages, and will you be covering that in a later best practice?

[@DanielKurganov]

Definitely...that video is coming soon!

[@ihorpetryczenko9138]

Здравствуйте Даниель!С большим интересом смотрю Ваши видео.Много очень полезных советов,лайфхаков,рекомендаций,огромное спасибо Вам! У меня вопрос :как можно приобрести эти етюды?

[@DanielKurganov]

Spasibo!! Vy mozhete skachat eti etyudy po sylke v opisanie!

[@invisbile9934]

Please discuss about wholfahrt etudes

[@ubecheesepandesal]

I agree with u man. I have the sixty studies tho

[@fierywomanpacnw7004]

@@ubecheesepandesal ("etudes" = studies.)

[@ubecheesepandesal]

@@fierywomanpacnw7004 ah yes! Thank you mate

[@fierywomanpacnw7004]

@@ubecheesepandesal You're very welcome. These vlogs are brilliant, aren't they?

[@sadhbhdelahunt]

Thanks. What is the make of the violin you are playing?

[@Iglioni]

Hi! Excellent video, as always. I assume you are using the G, D and A strings from Aquila Corde. May I ask you which E string are you playing? Greetings!!! P.S .: Is the new shoulder rest comfortable? I've heard some people find it somewhat uncomfortable over the shoulder.

[@DanielKurganov]

Thanks! Aquilla are so good! This was just when I put the set on (which you can tell by my intonation, haha). I quickly popped an E string due to a suboptimal knot, so I put my typical Pirastro Gold back on to film the video. I do recommend the entire Aquilla set though. Those strings taught me quite a bit!

[@dany70e.59]

Can you make a video from Dounis op. 36? Change of position studies. 😅That would help me.

[@DanielKurganov]

That's a great one!

[@shobarsch]

First of all, thank you for the very helpful videos. I notice you're using gut string! They sound beautiful. Is there a particular reason why you're playing on them?

[@DanielKurganov]

Thank you! I am preparing for a big project involving gut strings... can’t wait to share it on youtube!

[@shobarsch]

@@DanielKurganov Oh, wonderful! Looking forward to hearing it

[@ashgarg3522]

Hey man I love these exercises but there really hard to follow along as a violist do you think there’s anyway for these to be converted to alto clef?

[@DanielKurganov]

The beauty of these is that you only to know 1 bar of each section, and the rest is just applying the algorithm to different string/positions. NEVER use music when practicing technique! Always memorize the section you're working on (could just be a few bars) so that all of your senses can be focused on harvesting useful information and feedback!

[@EricaKane89]

@@DanielKurganov thank you for the answer, I too am a violist. Guess I will be memorizing!

[@giuseppemengoli]

If I may say, you share a lot of good and useful insights, I can see you have an analytical mind, and to me is such a pity that you have to use such titles "secret/unknown" to catch more audience passing by. Your content is valid, you don't need anything else. Anyway I find odd that you didn't discuss in this video the point 3. of the "Directions for Practicing" of this book, which in my opinion, is the most important one: Keeping the "non-playing" finger, on the string, stable and relaxed. Quoting: "The playing finger should be placed on the string firmly, with a decided, non-quivering, independent and vigorous finger action. […] the fingers preceding the playing one should touch lightly, relaxed, the string on their respective tones. But do not forget to use the playing finger as vigorously as possible. This is an unbelievable practice for finger independence, balance and pressure awareness and it is, to me, the main point of these exercises, which I practice since several years now with great benefits.

[@DanielKurganov]

Thanks for the advice. It’s hard to cover everything, and the video was already getting very long. I also have some slight disagreements with Dounis on finger placement/retention practices.

[@giuseppemengoli]

@@DanielKurganov if you are referring to the "keep the finger knuckles parallel to the fingerboard" I also disagree.

[@juliachetvergova5977]

Может у вас есть на примете такие же по ефективности упражнения но для игры акордов?

[@DanielKurganov]

I will make a video all about chords very soon!! Spasibo :)

[@cnboy14]

Where can I buy these beginners exercise books I tried looking on Amazon but can't find anything please help

[@schtisoo]

I really like your videos! great content! May I ask what chinrest you are using? Edit: just saw your Q&A video.. the wave.

[@DanielKurganov]

Kreddle now!

[@ivaj4281]

Excelent video! What chinrest model do you use ?

[@DanielKurganov]

Currently the Kreddle

[@stephensheridan93]

Wow

[@stephensheridan93]

I guess I play like a kindergartner Mrs Sheridan

[@kennethbrush7300]

Thanks for sharing :-)

[@TheCreate78]

Hello Daniel, Are you playing on A unwounded gut?

[@DanielKurganov]

Yes I was!

[@TheCreate78]

@@DanielKurganov what was the reason behind this choice? I don't understand the mix with E steel. I have 3 wounded gut, I never thought of playing on A unwounded.

[@DanielKurganov]

@@TheCreate78 this was during the time when I was getting used to playing with gut strings. it was quite common to play with on wound gut + steel E, for example, the heifetz string set up and many other players of that era. In my case, I was easing into a full 19th century set up, which resulted in a new album that’s coming out in a month or two :-)

[@mjartwork]

What hz do you recommend a student tuning their violin 440 or 442?

[@DanielKurganov]

I personally go for 440, but for a student (let's say beginner / young student) if he or she tunes to what they use in orchestra, that's the most convenient. It minimizes the amount of adjusting back and forth.

[@sameerpadne]

Thank you 😊 Sir which violin u used to play ?

[@nanashafiqa1422]

Where to buy that book

[@DanielKurganov]

I play a violin made by Andrew Ryan!

[@cs39241]

Could you please tell me the name of the chin rest which is on your violin.

[@DanielKurganov]

I think in this video it's the Wave I Chinrest. Now I am using the Kreddle.

[@КириллЧалышев-л6э]

where to find the Russian version?

[@violiniistt]

Do you have gut strings on? Sounds good!

[@DanielKurganov]

Yes! I don't remember why. Torturous, though less for me than the poor lamb I am playing.

[@mateoalfaro8787]

Hello, it would be good if you subtitles in Spanish with letters below what you speak, since there are people from different countries that we see it! Thank you!

[@DanielKurganov]

All of my videos will have Spanish subtitles now, created by a professional violinist & native Spanish speaker! Thanks!

[@SunilKumar-ef1el]

👍👍👍👍

[@patrickgodfrey6632]

May i ask about your violin?

[@DanielKurganov]

Hi! The violin is made by Andrew Ryan in 2013. It's a copy of a Guarneri del Gesu

[@patrickgodfrey6632]

@@DanielKurganov Thank you. I've always been curious as to how great artists as yourself go about choosing an instrument. I'd love to know more about that process. Do you own other instruments?

[@DanielKurganov]

@@patrickgodfrey6632 It's sometimes very random process! The most complicated part is actually the years of training one's ear and taste leading up to an actual search. Without that foundation and confidence, the search becomes very challenging and it's hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. About 8 years ago, I was searching for a new violin because the one I was borrowing had to be returned. A friend of mine had an instrument of Andrew Ryan's which I really loved. I knew after trying it that it was superior to all of the modern violins I had been trying. I got in touch with Andrew and the rest was history. So, the search was actually lengthy, going from shop to shop and trying many things. However, the final answer came randomly and was not complicated. So, your mileage will vary. The important thing is to try many violins, and if you can, spend a bit of time playing the greatest violins ever made, so that you can have a reference. I don't own other instruments, as it would be prohibitively expensive. High-level modern instruments can be $40-50,000 or more these days.

[@patrickgodfrey6632]

Thank you for getting back to me. May I ask where you are based?

[@Abdulrahman_Arti]

Hello what is you Emil actually im interesting that bow thank you

[@stevengates4437]

This guy should teach bell...

[@franciscocamacho82]

bow price pls

[@devttt4685]

I noticed in your intro, there is some latency between video and audio, maybe around less than 100ms

[@DanielKurganov]

My production quality has come a long way since then :)

[@hudsoncampos5976]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@council.of.fluffies]

This is frustrating. I have the weakest 4th finger known to mankind. Been trying to practice this, as well as Schradieck, but it's so hard. My left arm hurts like hell, everytime.

[@DanielKurganov]

When you practice Schradieck or Sevcik or any of those dexterity exercises, make sure that you have a checklist of "points of relaxation". Shoulder, forearm, wrist, palm, etc. Always keep those loose. They are not needed for an articulate pinky. These exercises are more about awareness than they are about strength per se. I think the Dounis is better than Schradieck for building the foundation of articulation and looseness of the arm. Schradieck is more straightforward and best used once the foundation is more self-sustaining.

[@council.of.fluffies]

@@DanielKurganov 😯 Ah, I see. I'll have to brainstorm my practice routine a little more , then. Thanks for the reply btw. I was not expecting it, at all 😄 there is only 1 advanced violin teacher in my town, and he gives me nothing in the way of technique lol just the good old " go practice! 👍" so I have to figure things out as I go. Your videos have been incredibly helpful!!!

[@jindrichcernohorsky3181]

@2

[@stevengates4437]

Anybody find out how much he wants for the bow?

[@DanielKurganov]

Steven Gates gold-mounted bows by Grünke sell for ~$7000 (check Quinn violins online shop for example). I don’t need that much, so I’m accepting serious offers. Thank you!

[@retrops4261]

SMH Who would down-vote this??

[@DanielKurganov]

I might have

[@retrops4261]

@@DanielKurganov oh, ha ha

[@tomallen6117]

That's one hell of a sexy looking chinrest.

[@gensoustudio6270]

gut strings with fine tuner??? Blasphemous

[@DanielKurganov]

E is steel :)

[@gensoustudio6270]

@@DanielKurganov Oh I see it just looked as if it had been tied at the tailpiece and sticking out. What kind of strings do you use if I may ask? :)

[@AuriCx-h5f]

you have become older man

[@DanielKurganov]

Why thank you!