Violin Pedagogy and Violin Methods

For beginners to intermediate players, the De Beriots Violin School is the method of choice. Teamed with the Hrimaly book of scales that introduces 3 octave scales and arppegios. This pedagogy system gives the intermediate player enough technique to narrow the gap between beginner player and advanced player.

For more advanced players the Carl Flesch Scale System seems to be the appropriate choice. The player starts with a 1 octave scale on 1 string plus the arpeggios, intervals, chromatic scales. Flesch takes the player into each octave to practice all this. This method then takes the player through 3 octave scales and arpeggios similar to the Hrimaly book, but does not stop there. The player must master (in 3 ocatves) the intervals, chromatics, 3rds scales, 3rds with chromatics, 3rds with chromatics, 6ths scales, 6ths with intervals, 6ths with chromatics, octaves scales, octaves in arpeggios, octave-intervals, octave-chromatics, fingered-octave scales, fingered-octave arpeggios, fingered-octave intervals, fingered-octave chromatics, tenths scales, artificial harmonics and double-stop artificial harmonics. These are done in every major and minor key.

Some etude books are very helpful when trying to master both right and left hand technique. Some of the mainstream books are Rode, Kreuzter, Fiorillo, Dont and Rovelli. Again, many teachers have different approaches to pedagogy. It is good to learn from many different teachers. You will gain a more full and well-rounded education about how to play different pieces. And you may be able to overcome some difficulty with one teacher that you could not with another.

Sevcik is a good method for selecting a certain issue you might have in a piece and working on it in a more simplex way. He has just about every bowing, string crossing both smooth and separated, shifting, double-stops available to work on. I think practicing Sevcik for long periods of time can be very tiring. But it is extremely helpful for erasing issues in a less stressful environment.

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