DVD's/Videos that help your technique

December 17, 2005 at 08:51 PM · Hi,

You could take a look at the DVD's/CD rom's by Mimi Zweig, which are quite good and cover all the basic phases of technique.

Cheers!

December 17, 2005 at 11:07 PM · There's one by Jaime Laredo as well.

December 18, 2005 at 12:39 AM · Have you seen Steve Redrobe's DVD, Violin Secrets of the Masters? He puts it out as a buy-it-now item on ebay.

His main argument (not the only thing) is that old-style players had a different approach to vibrato, which he demonstrates, and which he argues adds a lot to the character and quality of the sound. I know Steve (though this is not meant as a commercial and he did not ask me to post) and I know when he put it out he expected to be dissed for going against much current thinking. Several professionals / conservatory teachers have in fact said they found it useful.

December 18, 2005 at 02:03 AM · Thanks guys, just a reminder, im not a beginner violinist. Ive been playing for 9 years but just need some advanced help with my technique.

thanks everyone

December 18, 2005 at 02:10 AM · You can check out violinmasterclass.com. Curt Sassmanhaus has good, basic advice in short video clips which might be helpful. He was a Dorothy Delay pupil.

December 18, 2005 at 03:30 AM · Greetings,

Kevin, sicne you are an advanced violinist you might actually benift from just watching the current amazing slew of DVDs of artists like Misltein and Menuhin. Just watch themover and over keeping an open mind and absorbing stuff. It is a very powerful way to work. I also recommend those showing Zhakar Bron giving open lessons. those are fantastic!!!!!

Cheers,

Buri

December 18, 2005 at 09:26 AM · Cheers Buri, yeah I have heard a lot about Zakhar Bron and his lessons ill have a look for some of his dvd/video 'masterclasses'

May 31, 2006 at 02:04 PM · now almost six months later I was wondering if you tried out any of the recommendations, or found some others.

June 1, 2006 at 02:58 AM · I actually watched "The Art of the Violin" about two months before my auditions for my undergrad. The amazing thing about watching videos of all of the old violinists, even ones who have very different playing styles, is that you can see the effortless quality they bring to their playing. I was taken by how much bow they used and how knowledgable their left hands were (I believe it was Milstein playing the recap of the Mendelssohn that captured my attention the most). It didn't teach me anything specific about how to do what they did, but it made me rethink how I practiced and how I thought about tackling pieces. The next lesson I had, about four weeks before my CIM audition that year, was immediately better.

Now, I like to look back at that video and listen to different sounds and watch some of the more advanced techniques that you occasionally see on the video. Michael Rabin playing "Tambourin Chinois" is particularly impressive- watching his right arm helped me figure out how to do spicatto.

I think, if you are a person like me that likes to experiment with how to achieve sounds/techniques, then looking at any of the old videos is great. Even the newer ones are great- ones of Mutter, Perlman, etc., although these are often accompanied by a lot more biographical background and less full-length videos. Got to love the old black and whites!

June 1, 2006 at 04:23 AM · the szeryng dvds are a must. just watch that bow arm and how he prepares for EVERY string crossing...the secret to his perfect clenliness is right there

June 1, 2006 at 02:26 PM · I just watch the "Art of Violin" if I need a little technical pick-me-up. I somehow just "absorb" those great violinists' sound and skill, and when I go back upstairs to finish practicing, I sound pretty good. :)

June 2, 2006 at 02:59 AM · Heifetz videos of Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, and others are great to watch for learning what great intonation and bowing are all about, in addition to the incredible music making on top of all the technique. Also the masterclasses Heifetz taught on video shows a master teacher at work. Also Perlman DVDs, or the Bell Telephone Hour DVD are also worth getting.

June 7, 2006 at 05:54 PM · I find that watching Oistrakh play has been a great help to me about bowing and use of the bow as an instrument with a sound of its own.

June 8, 2006 at 03:41 AM · My teacher gave me videos of SINGERS, actually. I would highly recommend everyone to watch them. This is it: http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=3243131&title=Enrico+Caruso%2fTito+Schipa%3a+Belcanto%3aTenors+Of+The+78+Era+01

Not only is it amazing, but I found that if I try to imitate them, I sound really good. I realize this is slightly off topic but I found it really useful, especially for opera-type music like Mozart and Paganini.

June 8, 2006 at 06:17 AM · There are videos/dvds of Galamian and Gingold teaching technique.

June 8, 2006 at 06:54 AM · Greetings,

I have yet to see the Gingold but I have all the Galamian. There are some moments of interest , especially in the scale one, but on the whole I don`Pt think they are as helpful as one could wish for. Galamian was way past his prime which I suspect meant he was tending to get less than stellar students with the exception of the young Joshua Bell in a -very- brief excerpt. The one in French is useless unless you speak it. I wouldn`t recommend buying them unless you have seen one first and really think you cna get something from it.

Cheers,

Buri

July 12, 2006 at 06:36 PM · If you are an intermediate to advanced player you may be very interested in a DVD course using the Kreutzer etudes that I have just released. My site is: http://www.violinmastery.com

May 12, 2008 at 11:56 PM · Thanks to this guy I can play piano now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x88feUkK-Sc

March 28, 2009 at 07:22 AM ·

A new DVD series is now out called "The Building Blocks of Violin Virtuosity."  It was produced by a Curtis graduate, Valerie Bobbett Gardner, who studied with Jascha Brodsky, Sydney Harth, and Ivan Galamian.  There are four DVD's that could be used by a complete beginner but that I (an advanced violinist and teacher) have found very useful.  The quality of the DVD itself is really magnificent, but the content is indispensible. There are lots of excercises, illustrations, and performances that keep it interesting.  www.violinvirtuosity.com

June 7, 2009 at 03:22 PM ·

Michael,

Chiefly on the strength of your recommendation I bought the DVD series made by Valerie Gardner (she's on V.com, by the way) and I was not disappointed. One thing in particular helped me: her instructions on left hand posture (knuckles more parallel to fingerboard, as opposed to bringing the left elbow too far to the right). I have followed them for just over a week now, and they make a difference already.

On many occasions, especially when bowing is concerned, VG's ideas agree exactly with those of one of my teachers -- the one from whom I learnt most about violin playing per se.

So, yes, I second your recommendation, and I thank you for it.

Bart

June 7, 2009 at 04:48 PM ·

I completely agree. Ms. Gardner has come up with a very useful set of DVDs -  I refer back to them again and again.  Thanks to Michael for the heads up.

February 1, 2010 at 07:41 PM ·

I will soon have a DVD tutorial by Aaron Rosand sold on Amazon.com. The title will be Aaron Rosand: The Teacher.

best,

Steve Halpern

Write to me at  stevehalpern@mac.com