Do you know how many Suzuki violin books are there in total? There are ten volumes of the Suzuki violin method. If you enjoy violin playing and would like to complete all the Suzuki books within a certain period, it is never too late to start.
You can make it your goal to finish the Suzuki violin school by the time of high school graduation, before you graduate college or just whenever you decide to take the lessons. However, before you go ahead, it's important to note that the Suzuki method is a polarizing topic in music education. This is because the opinions surrounding it differ as some do not like it while others think it is the best.
It is always advisable to research on Suzuki violin method before you determine whether or not it is good for you or your child. Because you need as much information as possible, we have gathered all you need to determine if it suits you,
Table of Contents
What is the Suzuki Violin Method?
Before we see the number of Suzuki violin books available, you must understand what this Suzuki method is all about. The Suzuki violin method is a music curriculum developed by a Japanese violinist named Shinichi Suzuki.
Suzuki was trying to make his kids happy after the second world war. So he developed a philosophy based on a few beliefs. Among them was saturation in the musical community, avoidance of musical tests and auditions and playing at a young age.
The Shinichi Suzuki method also involved training Suzuki students with well-trained instructors, learning music by ear instead of reading it first, memorizing solo repertoire, and regular playing in groups.
That is how the Suzuki violin method came to be, and now that you understand all about it, let's see the different books here.
How Many Suzuki Violin Books are There?
As we already mentioned earlier, there are ten Suzuki books with different lessons. So let's get an overview of each book to see how they differ and what each entails for a better understanding. First, we shall consider the general right and left-hand skills.
Book 1
Although book 1 contains numerous original Suzuki pieces for violin and keyboard, the first three volumes are largely graded interpretations of pieces not originally written for violin concerto.
In the first book of the Suzuki method are the right hand and the left-hand skills, and they include;
Right hand
The right-hand skills include legato string crossings, slurs, hooked owing, and staccato.
Left Hand
The let hand skills include the introduction of three basic finger patterns. These finger patterns encourage the fingers to stretch between each finger.
Book 2
Left Hand
The introduction of more finger patterns that encourage the left hand to "unfurl" and lengthen, such as the Bb scale pattern, the extended fourth finger, and the wider stretch between the first and second fingers, are all examples of left-hand skills.
Right Hand
More complex up-bow staccato (2- to 4-note staccato clusters), faster string crossings, and hooked bowing are among the right-hand talents (dotted eighth and 16th note rhythms).
Book 3
Left Hand
Some examples of left-hand skills include the Bb finger pattern and cross-the-string pattern when the fingers play combinations such as double stops and third position. It also involves cementing the yellow finger pattern, which involves sharpening the third finger and placing it net to the pinkie.
Right Hand
The skills are a little more complex on the right-hand side and include using the up-bow staccato and string crossings and string crossings on a slur.
Book 4
Left Hand
The left-hand skills are combined with finger patterns taught in the previous volumes and double stops (Seitz 3) and 6/8 meter. Furthermore, the student employs second and third positions (Vivaldi concertos) and 4th position harmonics. They also use "cross" fingerings, which enable augmented or diminished fifths across the string.
Also, the learner extends the "unfurling" of the hand to achieve the augmented fourth interval. Bach's double violin concerto, the final piece in the repertoire, combines everything learned by incorporating every possible finger pattern, upper positions (1st, 2nd, 3rd), and bowing complexities.
Right Hand
More complicated string crossings, slurs, harmonics, and double stops are possible with the right hand. The learner learns how to apply equal pressure to both up and down bows to achieve proper articulation.
Book 5
Left Hand
4th and 5th position talents and greater familiarity with second and third positions are among the left hand's abilities. Unlike previous manuals, this one teaches the fingerboard "across" the strings rather than "up and down" a string. The book allows for discussion of fingering options and the introduction of the 3/8 time signature. The learner learns how to play in the key of G minor with ease.
Right Hand
The right hand can do more complex string crossings in lower and higher places. In addition, the learner masters "off-the-string" bowing techniques like spiccato and flying staccato and the collé stroke.
Book 6
As part of the left-hand skills, Book 6 allows the student to gain ease in playing in varied locations within a phrase. However, there are numerous different bowings within each piece, and the repertoire becomes increasingly difficult in its requirements for memory and complex musical forms.
Book 7
By the middle of the book, pupils have advanced to a new level with the huge Bach A minor concerto. Dr. Suzuki began learning the concerto by inserting the Handel Sonata No. 1 in A major, which is akin to the Bach concerto in many ways on a simpler scale.
The Bach concerto explores articulation clarity (movement 1), tonal colors in phrasing and bowing (movement 2), and bariolage and 9/8 bowing phrase complexity (movement 3). (movement 3). In terms of memory and organization, the concerto also requires more focus and concentration from the pupil. The rest of the book gives the learner more opportunities to explore Bach's movement 1 bowing alternatives.
Book 8
Suzuki book 8 helps pupils improve their ability to trill and ornament. However, intricate musical forms challenge the student's memory and concentration skills and an increasing number of string crossings and double stops.
This is a highly sophisticated repertoire, and by this stage in a student's musical career, they are well versed in advanced musical principles of phrasing and execution.
Book 9 and 10
Suzuki books 9 and 10 are the end of the Suzuki line. The music in these last two books is highly advanced in right and left-hand talents, phrasing, musicality, and musical forms.
We can keep studying these pieces and still come up with fresh ideas, fingerings, and expressions. These books can help you instill in your students the joy of actual professional music creation.
They exemplify the pinnacle of creativity. Every kid has their own set of learning challenges and ideas.
How Many Techniques Does the Suzuki Violin Method Entail?
Image: violinist
The Suzuki method includes five different techniques Shinichi Suzuki developed for young musicians. These techniques are discussed below;
a). Tonalization
Suzuki created this as a way for a student to notice and create a ringing, beautiful tone from the violin, a play on the word "vocalization."
b). Sound Recordings
Listening to one's own and other people's music is a tried-and-true teaching technique. However, the focus and scale where recordings are listened to in the home begin long before the child's birth.
Even after learners begin to use sheet music, memorization still continues whereas note reading and music theory are leftt to the music teachers.
c). Adapted Instruments
Instruments are modified to meet the physiological needs of a little infant. This allows youngsters to begin learning at a much younger age.
d). Suzuki Institutes
Suzuki created these as a single site for students, teachers, and parents to discuss and grow on their ideas.
e). Common Repertoire
This method allows students to participate in group classes and motivates them to study new music while maintaining the greatest possible condition of the "conventional" musical pieces they've studied.
What are the Pros and Cons of the Suzuki Method?
The Suzuki violin method has both pros and cons, like any other method of learning how to play musical instruments. So let's discuss the pros and cons.
a). Early beginning
Pros
- The early years are the best for developing kids' muscle coordination and mental processing.
- Children have a better chance of learning quickly at a younger age as they can easily learn to play music before they can read.
Cons
- Some Suzuki teachers believe that kids below age 5 are too young to learn since some may not know what is going on. They also believe that the high demand for structured practice could be detrimental to a young student.
b). Students play and practice in a group setting
Pros
- Hearing and seeing other students play the violin, especially the music and songs they are learning, is valuable to pupils.
- When students play in a group, they learn vital skills such as maintaining precise rhythm and beat, following a leader, and continuing to play or "catching up" when they make a mistake.
- Students connect and become friends with other young people who share a passion for music.
- Students gain confidence in their ability to perform in front of their peers. Performing becomes a stress-free, pleasurable experience.
Cons
- Certain tactics of a pupil, like intonation and appropriate form, may go overlooked and uncorrected by an instructor depending on the size and playing ability of the group.
- Students may develop a habit of playing robotically to the detriment of their musicality.
- Performing as a group all of the time can make a learner reliant on the abilities of others. As a result, they may not develop the skills necessary to play as a soloist.
c). It uses a common repertoire and a standardized curriculum
Pros
- Because all of the students play the same songs, allowing for group practice and performance.
- For a family with numerous Suzuki students, this can reduce the cost of books by allowing each sibling to utilize the same materials.
Cons
- Most of those Suzuki songs are from the same era and have a similar style. Students' playing styles will be limited unless a Suzuki teacher is flexible and fills with irrelevant material.
- Even though non-competitiveness and positive group interaction are encouraged, students may find it difficult not to compare themselves to others in their class who are working on the same books but are further ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is the Suzuki violin method good?
The Suzuki approach is ideal for some families, but it is extremely difficult to follow for others. If you have any additional questions, you might consider taking a session with a Suzuki violin teacher, who will provide you with reliable advice and direction.
2. What is unique about the Suzuki method?
The unusual sequencing of the repertoire is one of Suzuki's significant contributions to music education. Each carefully selected item serves as a foundation for future study. In addition, the study and repetition of these compositions help to enhance technique, musicianship, and style.
Every instrument has its own set of songs to play. This provides comfort and, as a result, excellent encouragement to continue. In addition, children form bonds with Suzuki students worldwide thanks to the shared repertoire of each instrument.