Violin Studio of Dr. Dimitry Olevsky

The longer the bow is on the string for a chord, the nicer the chord sounds, especially if you emphasize the bass P5 or p4 intervals. Also, playing them more on the string allows for a smoother articulation, the chord is less abrasive to the ear.

When playing three note chords, I press with the bow into the middle string to align all three strings like on a guitar-flat. I can do this with minimal effort if I play slightly closer to fiberboard. Then a quick slice motion with the bow across all the strings: this way I can get all three strings to sound simultaneously without breaking the chord.

A straighter wrist in left hand allows for a higher arch in the fingers: providing more support and strength to the finger for a vertical drop on trills.

For a more controlled bounce, maintain the bow closer to the string. Not only will you gain a clearer pitch, but also an even bounce. Sometimes the passage moves too fast to have a lot of lift in the bow, (too much air) and that approach impacts the precision and articulation of each note: thus making the notes in the passage sound unclear.

Kreisler: Praeludium & Allegro

*thanks to everyone who commented: yes I got a new tshirt color.

Every time I have quick string crossings, I try to find the optimal position for my left hand, so that I make the least amount of movements: only the necessary adjustments-often times that means moving my elbow out of the way under the violin.

I tell students that elbow should be at the level of the string you’re currently on. This means for quick crossings, elbow needs to lead that height adjustment quickly. To maintain an even sound, I make all string crossings with the bow weight on the string.

Sarasate: Habanera Spanish Dance

Leaving a reference finger down is a convenient way to regulate stress in searching for the same note on the descend. Leaving a finger down helps me anchor my hand in that position and provides a reference for the distance for the interval if I need to stretch to reach a note. Safety first, it’s less stress.

Turning up the heat with Sarasate’s Habanera
If you want to play Spanish, you need rhythmic precision and articulation.

To avoid transition noise from the left hand, place the harmonic and stop the harmonic with 4th finger prior to moving the bow. Initially you can practice this by pausing the bow slightly longer to give your left hand time to shift from one harmonic to the next. Then, you can minimize the timing gap between harmonics for a more connected ex*****on.

For clarity in artificial harmonics: I use more bow speed and pressure to extract a clear ring from the strings. I play closer to the bridge so that I can apply pressure without causing a crunch in the sound.