The Suzuki song book has been a joy to learn. Currently I am trying to master song 12 – “Etude”. But in the meantime, I still enjoy playing song 4 – “Go Tell Aunt Rhody” very much. In the video below, I recorded the song in three different speeds: 70 BPM (Adagio), 80 BPM (Andantino), and 90 BPM (Andante moderato).
My Observations
My bowing has improved a lot since I added a bowing drill routine into my practice. My bow hold is more relaxed, my strokes are straighter and more steady.
I also observed that I still have a bit of tension somewhere. I can tell by my crunched up face and furrowed forehead when I play. It could be due to the fact that this was my first time recording without my finger board guide. I am constantly checking my pitch with my tuner as I’m playing and this probably causes some tension.
I also noticed that my left fingers do not stay close to the fingerboard when they’re not in use. They tend to point up into the air when they should remain curled and over the fingerboard.
New Action Plan
1. Continue working on my bowing skills.
2. Intonation drills (tetra drills, scales)
3. Correct left hand and finger placements.
I am going to focus on identifying my tension and try to resolve it. The more you minimize tension the better you play and the more natural/effortless it will be. That is what I strive to do now.
