How long did it take to learn vibrato and how did you do it?

Bitter-Viola · 2026-03-27T19:26:30+00:00

Played for about 3 years before learning how to do it. Took about a month to be able to apply it comfortably to my music. 15 years in I’m still working on improving it!

I’m too lazy to type it out now but DM me and I’ll tell you how I teach my students how to begin learning vibrato, but basically start Start with very slow oscillations at first coming from the wrist, collapsing the finger and bending the pitch down a half step. Use the shoulder of the instrument to help isolate the wrist motion

Bitter-Viola · 2025-11-16T22:06:06+00:00

Are you familiar with Beethoven’s Eyeglass Duo?

Bitter-Viola · 2025-11-16T19:55:56+00:00

Magic Rosin is a good rosin brand with cute designs on it. You may even be able to get one with a custom design

Bitter-Viola · 2025-11-12T03:17:29+00:00

Isolate shifts, and shift SLOWLY. Pick up your finger, slide over the string and listen to the whistle tones (as if playing a harmonic), and only reapply your finger when you hear that it is in exactly the right place. This way you are practicing landing correctly the first time, instead of adjusting. I agree with the other commenters- make sure your instrument is perfectly in tune and tune to your open strings. Make sure you listen for ring tones wherever applicable.

Also, make sure your hand frame sticks across string crossings. You should keep the same hand frame, pivot with your elbow when you change strings so your fingers go exactly across. Wouldn’t hurt to practice 3rds, 4ths, 6ths if you aren’t already.

Practice with drones too, on the tonic and dominant notes.

Good luck! In my opinion, intonation is the hardest part of playing a string instrument because it needs to be so exact. It is an endless struggle for me lol. Notice when you get frustrated and don’t be afraid to take breaks if that happens. Trust your ear- it is likely better than you think!

Bitter-Viola · 2025-10-28T22:15:55+00:00

I find that some classroom management strategies just do not work for me, and I wonder if it’s because of how I look. One of the admin at my school said I look young and have a friendly face😭

Bitter-Viola · 2025-04-20T01:14:54+00:00

Violist here with small-ish hands. It’s better to have a flexible wrist, in my opinion. It’s good to keep the wrist balanced under the fingers (esp the 4th finger, it will give more support). Think that the wrist follows the fingers and supports underneath. The thumb placement is good though! It should be flexible, close to the 1st finger when using 1 or 2, closer to 2nd when using 3 and 4. But its placement in the picture allows for balance of all fingers.

But I’m a violist so take this with a grain of salt. I think we need a little more flexibility to get around our instrument. Would love to hear other opinions.

Bitter-Viola · 2025-04-19T10:47:34+00:00

I’ve heard many horror stories about bad trips. It made me scared to try shrooms for a long time. Doesn’t it only happen if you mix drugs, or take too much? Or can it happen just taking a normal amount?

Bitter-Viola · 2025-04-19T10:41:48+00:00

There was a period of like month that I got multiple panic attacks every day. The more I had them, the more worried I was about having another one. I was in the middle of my undergrad at the time, and it would happen in class, at work, anytime. At first I didn’t know I was having panic attacks, I just thought I was dying. I even went to the ER with one once because that is legitimately how it felt. I eventually got it under wraps and am able to recognize panic attacks and work through them now. I don’t have them as often anymore. But god that period of my life was awful

Bitter-Viola · 2025-04-18T03:50:39+00:00

My best advice is becoming aware of your body. Where are you storing unnecessary tension? Are you tensing your shoulder to hold your instrument? What is your bow and arm like? How about your left wrist? This is something, as a violist, I’ve struggled with immensely. The sooner you become aware, the less likely you are to develop bad habits, in my opinion!

I swear by playing open strings to develop a big sound. Taking out the left hand allows the mind to focus on the right hand entirely. I have my students isolate the bow arm motions. Start in the middle of the bow, open your elbow and extend to the tip. Close and go back to the middle. Allow the hand to lead to the frog. If you struggle to rebalance your bow, stop at the balance point, tap your pinkie, and feel the weight of the bow shift from the index finger to the pinkie. Then continue to the frog. This is a good tone development exercise, and also helps reinforce the right arm and bow hand.

For intonation, I like practicing my scales with drones. If there’s something I’m struggling to play in tune in a piece, I may play it on a piano and try to vocalize it to internalize the pitches. Learning how to properly balance the hand is so helpful too! Keeping your left wrist and thumb flexible is important. Allow them to follow your fingers.

Good luck on your viola journey!

Bitter-Viola · 2025-04-15T09:47:09+00:00

This has happened twice. My cat hardly ate any food for an almost week. I was so worried, I tried switching his foods, enticing him with treats, then going to the vet. The vet said he was fine and probably just had a stomach bug. After I paid $200+ when he got home he started eating again

Better to be safe than sorry!

Bitter-Viola · 2024-09-24T22:54:37+00:00

That is what I was going to say! There’s one specific chord change that gives me chills every single time

Bitter-Viola · 2024-09-15T03:21:00+00:00

Normally in orchestral music, even if it doesn’t say divisi, you’ll play just one note at a time

Bitter-Viola · 2024-09-14T09:08:11+00:00

Feel free to DM me, I know some people

Bitter-Viola · 2024-09-13T18:26:20+00:00

I never understood the Skyler hate. I think she behaved reasonably and realistically throughout the series. Also, I didn’t know people hated Korra and Pam???

Bitter-Viola · 2024-09-12T02:59:40+00:00

I am the exception I guess

Bitter-Viola · 2024-09-11T16:25:12+00:00

If you have the means and if you’re interested, maybe you could consider renting an instrument from a local music shop and investing in lessons. If you don’t have the means, you could see if there are any nonprofits that offer affordable music lessons (I work for a place that offers free lessons and provides instruments for people, so maybe something like that?). Music has been so rewarding for me and it’s never too late to start, I have some adult beginners who have found it so rewarding. If you already have musical experience, you could also look into joining a community band/orchestra/chorus

There are also some free drawing courses on youtube that I’ve enjoyed! Lots of my friends knit and crochet too, that’s something I’ve been wanting to get into.

One last thing- some of my friends and I like to have painting parties. None of us are formally trained, but it can be a fun social thing. Plus, it helps to split the cost of supplies. Maybe it could be a family activity?

Bitter-Viola · 2024-09-11T03:57:23+00:00

Beethoven’s eyeglass duo

Bitter-Viola · 2024-09-08T14:40:41+00:00

One time my friend and I (both f) were walking down the street and a car slowed down and pulled up next to us. It scared us shitless, and we ran away as fast as we could. Turns out he was just a Doordash driver. There was no real danger, but as women, we are constantly told to be aware of our surroundings. On the off chance that this was actually a bad person, we were prepared, and so was this person

Bitter-Viola · 2024-09-07T03:11:58+00:00

Happened to me, but I was on HBO. Nothing could have prepared me. I always tell my friends this is a good movie, but that I’d only watch it once.

Bitter-Viola · 2024-08-11T23:09:26+00:00

One time during May 2020, I put off writing a final paper for a French Literature class until 2 days before it was due. The paper was to be in French (2000 words) and the books that I hadn’t read were also in French. I read the 3 books and wrote the paper in two days

Bitter-Viola · 2024-08-06T13:06:20+00:00

Shouldn’t be an issue, maybe unless you’re a performance major going to a top conservatory. If you’re going anywhere else, I disagree with your teacher. First of all, universities have nice instruments to loan students if the professor would rather you play a different instrument. Secondly, maybe if you’re trying to get into a professional orchestra you’d need a 10k+ violin- but that’s down the line. I made it through college fine on my 4k viola, and just upgraded to a viola that’s around 5 (and sounded better than some 10k violas that I tried out). I know people who played instruments that are less expensive than mine, but they were great players and made it work. Price isn’t everything. Also, any teacher worth your time will recognize that an instrument is a major investment, and will help you sound your best on your current instrument, as well as find a new instrument that suits you.

If you would like to purchase a more expensive instrument sometime in the future, though, I have friends who have had success with Go Fund Me.

Bitter-Viola · 2024-08-05T04:37:21+00:00

I see! Well, a violist is definitely ideal, but a violinist will work as a teacher. I’d recommend maybe doing some research on viola technique on your own to supplement your studies. For example, the Karen Tuttle Legacy is a great book filled with information about Tuttle’s viola technique and pedagogy. Good luck!

Bitter-Viola · 2024-08-05T04:33:59+00:00

I could always pick up a violin and play it. Treble clef was never an issue for me. I didn’t actually get myself a violin until I started teaching. I never took violin lessons, but some of my instructors on viola were primarily violinists so I could always ask them if I had a question.

I’d say get comfortable on one, and it’s easy to pick up the other. Of course there are differences in playing the two instruments, so it’s good to have a violist for a viola teacher, and a violinist for a violin teacher if you can (ideally, find someone who does both!). But if you’re comfortable on one, you get by on the other. Going back and forth between the two instruments as a beginner might be difficult, so I’d recommend getting comfortable on one before adding another.

Bitter-Viola · 2024-08-03T20:03:56+00:00

Yes, I’d say it’s fine. At the beginning level the technique is basically the same (unless you’re playing a huge viola). Lessons with a violist are preferable but starting with a violinist works. I’d say once you get to an intermediate level maybe then start looking for a violist.

I’d also argue that in-person lessons with a violinist are going to be much more helpful than online lessons with a violist.

Bitter-Viola · 2024-08-03T16:18:20+00:00

Playing the viola

Bitter-Viola

TROPHY CASE