Minuet in G - L. van Beethoven

[WhitneyMatterfis]

@JessecaRoberts Yeah Seca!!

[MegaPenguinfan]

How do you play A# please help!

[JessecaRoberts]

@MegaPenguinfan Low B on the A string

[JessecaRoberts]

@MegaPenguinfan or a high forth finger on the d string

[MrsJellybeansrule98]

i like his use of vibrato

[MichelleSeven]

I love it, you play it so soft =)

[TMWIvan]

Can You Make A Video On How To Shift With The Viola ?

[MrsJellybeansrule98]

I had to play this for a solo in front of my school and a judge i can play it fine in my room but when i get in front of people i cant play haha but apparently i did good cuz i got a supirior rating

[o0moxyxmoron0o]

I just love listening to you play! I would kill to be able to play as good as you! :) Plus, watching your videos helps me play my pieces better! So, thank you!

[slowbravo]

i am doing it.

[slowbravo]

i am doing it

[slowbravo]

i am praticing

[ronyka123]

awesome,, gotta play it like this >.< (i suck)

[missdinosaur31]

this is my solo....

i suck!

[LeafeonandSunshine]

Why r there weird squacky noises in the backround?

[Darkbat667]

@LeafeonandSunshine it might be his bird ^_^

[czimon]

wow! very nice playing. you use every part of the bow. :D i'm going to make this video my reference. :) thanks!

[Beastlyblu]

My teacher tells me to shift to the 3rd position every time I play the Suzuki songs. What should I do?

[Bratschenmeister]

I usually have my students follow the fingerings in the Suzuki books. I use the most recent edition. The fingerings are there for good reason. Each piece introduces a new technical or musical challenge. It's better to focus on what the piece is teaching rather than to complicate matters by introducing extra shifts, at least the first time you are learning a piece. When reviewing pieces, it's appropriate to prepare an "advanced" version - artistic fingerings and articulations, where appropriate.

[Beastlyblu]

The book is written in 1st position, but she fingers them for 3rd

[Bratschenmeister]

It's nice to use the third position in m. 9-11 as well as in m. 29-30 (back to first on the C in m. 30). Since I'm playing viola I have to shift in these places (no E string). There are a few other places where 3rd position might be nice to use in order to avoid string crossings. As for fingering the entire piece in 3rd position (Is this what your teacher asks?) I wouldn't recommend it. Using 3rd pos. for the entire piece would create some awkward string crossings.

[Bratschenmeister]

Basically, if you want to include more 3rd position, find places where it would make the string crossings easier. Also, the very first time you learn this piece, I'd recommend following the fingering in the book. For review purposes, selected fingering changes might be appropriate.

[Darkbat667]

@Bratschenmeister hi, i was just wondering, u have a very beautiful sounding Viola. What year is it and where did u get it? you play very great i wish i could be as good as u. I'm 13 and i love my Viola any tips? thank you!

[Bratschenmeister]

I'm glad my advice worked. Thanks for watching.

[whitepearldrop]

thank you so much~!

[whitepearldrop]

I've only been playing the violin for about a year, and I'm struggling to play this piece. On measure 13 when you are supposed to go from a B on the A String to a B flat all on the first finger and then play the B with the second finger, I just can't seem to get the B in tune with my second finger. Any tips?

[Bratschenmeister]

1) Play the B with first finger.

2) Move the first finger back to the A#, but do not play this note - just move the finger.

3) Place the second finger a half step away from where the first finger is. This is B and should sound like the last note you played.

4) Compare the two Bs. Do they match? If they do, great. If not, repeat the process and adjust the movement of your first finger accordingly. Once you get a match, practice this 15x per day correctly. Don't count the once that don't match.

[rishimedicine]

@Bratschenmeister I was having same problem- I practised the way you suggested and it worked. Thanks.

[Bratschenmeister]

Practicing in this way without sounding the A# is useful because it's easier to compare the Bs. Once this is easy, practice the same steps, this time with sounding the A#. Good luck.

[fistymcnugget]

Dude! you good at playing violin! i play violin to but im still having a hard time with this piece...

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks. Actually, I'm playing viola in this video. This piece is hard. It requires that the player is comfortable in all parts of the bow. Players who are not comfortable in the lower half of the bow find themselves trapped at the tip very often. If this is your problem, make sure that you are comfortable in the lower half by playing scales "tip to clip". Play a scale with full bows. Every down bow should go all the way to the tip. Every up bow should go all the way to the clip.

[Bratschenmeister]

By clip I mean actually go to where the hair meets the metal clip. When practicing this exercise you will bump against the metal. When you return to the piece, use every opportunity (up bows) to return to the lower half of the bow. Most up bows in the first half of this piece are only in the last quarter note or quarter note of the measure. Make sure these bow strokes are light and quick in order to return the bow to the lower half. Good luck!

[Tomhain]

3 Cheers for Lane Tech keep practicing Ben. Practice in front of a mirror.

[killerxa2]

HI im Ben and im a Junior attending Lane Tech High School and I've been playing viola for about three years now. I am required to play this piece as a solo and I was wondering if you can share any tips for playing this piece. Your performance was flawless and I plan to listen to it to improve myself.

[Bratschenmeister]

In order to play this piece well, you'll need to be comfortable in all parts of the bow. As a preparatory exersize play an open string (eventually a scale) with full bows. I mean FULL BOWS go from the tip of the bow all the way to the metal clip. Actually let the clip stop you on every up bow. In reality, you'll never really play in the last inch of the bow, but this exersize insures that you won't cheat and not use the lower half.

[Bratschenmeister]

While in the lower half of the bow, you'll need to raise your arm slightly. Very important - don't forget to lower the arm as you are returning to the upper half of the bow. The main challenge with this piece is not to get trapped in the upper half of the bow. In the first half, you'll find you will need to make light, quick up bows in order to return to the lower half of the bow. If you don't you'll always run out of bow at the tip. There are other challenges al well, but this is the main one.

[spiderman123321]

OH hi I'm Kevin and I've been playing violin for about 6 years.I'm concert master in the Treasure Coast Youth Symphony I Love the violin like tone you create using the viola. I remember when I played this back in 5th grade. I'm currently studying Czardas by monti. O and by the way the video on my channel was made 2 years ago, I'm way better than that. Just in case you thought I was a noob at violin. What's the difference between a Viola and fingernails scraping on a blackboard?

Vibrato.

lol

[ROFLFTW88]

how long have you been playing?

[Bratschenmeister]

I've been playing for 24 years.

[Suki373]

Hoh shit. You're replying to comments. Reply to mine, too, please.

I'm studying your video because I'm trying to learn to play it on the violin. What's the difference between a violin and viola?

Do you know any viola jokes?

[Bratschenmeister]

Please try not to curse in comments. Yes, I know plenty of viola jokes.

[kktammy]

its a bird?i thought it was squeaky shoes or something,XP i enjoy listening to your playing as reference when playing myself.how is your tone still good when you shift?o.o

[Bratschenmeister]

The chirping is my pet lovebird. He's in the room with me while I record videos. He likes to chime in from time to time. Thanks for watching. I'm glad my videos are a good reference for you. When shifting, you want to make sure the notes before and after the shift have good tone. If you're using vibrato, be sure to vibrate these notes. Practice the shift slowly an smoothly. Ensure that you aren't grabbing the neck. If your hand is free your tone will be better.

[furiousviolinist21]

wow its a viola and you you played as it would on violin. what can't you do :)

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks for your comment. You noticed that this piece is written in the same key as the violin version, so it requires several shifts to the third position. Thanks for watching.

[hi12345y6]

I get it now

[Bratschenmeister]

Glad I could help.

[RemixDivision]

Very nice :D. I play viola too, and I hate the viola jokes :(. But Im working on this piece for my audition in my school. You play great, keep it up :)

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks a lot. Good luck with your audition. Let me know how it goes.

[stenviolin]

That's amazing. I'm working on this piece, too :)

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks.  Good luck!

[iViolin1990]

I love the sound of your birds! <3

And your music of course! I'm currently doing this on Violin! Thanks a lot ^^

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks for your comment. Good luck with your performance. I only have one bird. Sometimes he makes so much noise that he sounds like many!

[narutofreakten]

on the 6 line can you help me get from b to a sharp and b to g sharp

[goodyones]

Hi,you play very good the viola.C you play from suzuki,volume #5,Sonata in G major by B Marcello?

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks. Yes, I do play the Marcello Sonata. It's posted on my channel already.

[mrsmops2]

Lovely rendition. I like is as much as Mr. Perlman's.

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks. I'm flattered.

[Sylfira]

I love your vibrato!

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks!

[fayagirl973]

hello,

Your are very amazing!!!!!

I'm a little little viola player (I'm playing viola for two week, but my teach say I learn quickly and i Would like your partition please?

Thanks a lot

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks for your comment. My apologies - what do you mean by partition?

[manallarache]

very good!

would you like to see my video playing this piece?

(I'm playing violin for one year)

i'm looking for your remarques!

[warning746]

yay someone else that plays the viola! XD

[Bratschenmeister]

Awesome! Viola Power!

[horsesrlife123]

i am playing this now but i kinda suck! LOL U R AMAZING lol

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks for your comment. I'm sure you don't suck. Keep working at it. Let me know if you have any questions.

[marek788]

esta muy bien

[Bratschenmeister]

Muchas Gracias!

[beakybug]

very nice! good intonation and tone.

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks a lot.

[schizuru]

nice :D

[Bratschenmeister]

Thanks!