Customer Reviews

Art of Practicing the Violin: With Useful Hints for All String Players

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I found The Art of Practicing the Violin very helpful, with a lot of general wisdom on practicing and an interesting approach to learning violin itsself, based on patterns of whole and half steps. The book deals with all elements of practicing-- how to structure your time, finding solutions to technical problems etc. The most helpful point had to do with mind control (which is what it all comes down to, says the book) and practicing in your head.

I started studying the violin late in life when compared to 'early' starters. However, as a dedicated amateur musician I find the interesting but demanding task of understanding and practicing the violin much more managable with the help of Robert Gerle's expert practice tips and fingering methods. My understanding of the instrument's intrinsic dynamics has grown, and practicing the violin has become more productive in terms of technique improvement. Thanks Mr. Gerle!

In his "The Art of Practicing the Violin" Robert Gerle offers expert and eloquent guidance to violinist, violist, and teacher. His personal attainments as a concert artist and his long experience as master teacher become most apparent as he zeros in on the player's problems and offers the best and exact help in a clear, easily understood, and musical solution. You will be eager to try out his powerful and appealing ideas. The book is a masterpiece!

I bought this on recommendation of a friend and wish I'd had it much sooner. It is good for adults or advanced students who need something to refer to during the week while practicing. It is not really a book for beginners or for people who aren't already motivated to practice. But it can definitely help make practicing more efficient and productive.

Excellent book. This is a must read for every violinist. However, as much as I admire his discussion of finger patterns I think that his nomenclature for the patterns is problematic and there are many very useful patterns that he does not describe.

ECS in Boston distributes it. A little research will track it down, Amazon's price isn't bad all things considered.

You don't have to pay $200 to $1,100 for it. :-)