Hey everybody, Joel Kennedy here with Kennedy Violins. Today’s Suzuki playalong covers Andantino from Suzuki Book 1—a deceptively simple piece with a lot of room to level up your technique.

As always, I’ll break it down by key signature, finger patterns, articulation, rhythm, and throw in some bowing tips. And yes, I threw the Dart of Destiny at the end to decide what we’ll be working on next week (spoiler: we’re heading into Book 2).

Let’s get into it.

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Key Signature: Welcome to D Major

Andantino is in D major, which means we have two sharps: F♯ and C♯. That affects your 2nd finger placement:

• High 2 on G

• High 2 on D

• High 2 on A

• Low 2 on E (for G natural)

Quick reminder:
Your 2nd finger should either touch the 1st finger (low) or touch the 3rd finger (high). There is no in-between. Commit to one or the other, and you’ll stay in tune.

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Time Signature: Cut Time Confusion Cleared

You’ll see a big “C” with a line through it—cut time, or alla breve. That means:

• Half note gets the beat

• Two beats per measure

Set your metronome to 60 bpm and think in half notes, not quarters. So if a measure has 4 quarter notes, you’re still counting only two beats. Here’s a sample count:

Half – Half
Quarter – Quarter – Quarter – Quarter
Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth

Don’t rush it—start slow (even at 40 or 50 bpm) until the rhythm feels natural.

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Articulation: Staccato That Actually Sounds Short

This piece is packed with staccato notes, especially early on. And the most common mistake I hear? Letting them bleed into the next note.

Here’s what to do:

• Stop the bow after each staccato

• Let silence separate the notes

• The note should sound short and detached, but still on the string

Bad staccato? It sounds sloppy or smeared. Good staccato? It sounds crisp and clean—like this:

🎯 Stop the bow after each note. Don’t let them overlap.

If it helps, say “stop” in your head after each one. It’s mechanical at first, but you’ll train your hand to do it naturally over time.

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Accents & Tone Control: Push with Purpose

Andantino introduces accents (that little sideways “V” above the note), and some are paired with tenuto markings (horizontal lines).

Example:
End of the second measure, you’ve got an accented E (first finger) with a tenuto line. What do you do?

• Play it long (legato)

• Play it loud (accented)

To get that extra weight on the note, push with your index finger. About 90% of your bow pressure comes from that finger.

Start with a bit of bite—if it sounds a little scratchy at first, that’s okay. You’ll fine-tune your pressure and speed as you practice.

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Bowing Strategy: Stay in the Middle, Go to the Frog

Most of Andantino sits in the middle of the bow, especially those short staccato passages.

But in the third line, when the dynamic jumps to forte, you’ve got longer notes that should be connected and full. This is where you:

• Start at the frog

• Use more bow

• Plan your bow direction ahead of time

That whole line should feel like a crescendo of tone—not just volume. More bow = more sound.

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Recap – What to Practice

Here’s your checklist for Andantino:

✅ Key: D major = F♯ + C♯
✅ Fingers: High 2 on G/D/A, Low 2 on E
✅ Time Signature: Cut time (half note = beat)
✅ Staccato: Stop the bow after every dotted note
✅ Accents: Use your index finger to add weight
✅ Bow Use: Middle of the bow for staccato, frog + whole bow for forte

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Dart Board of Destiny Says...

At the end of the video, I took aim (not too horribly this time) and landed on... “Judas Maccabaeus” from Suzuki Book 2. A really strong piece with a bold sound and some satisfying phrasing.

So that’s what we’ll cover next week.

Until then—if you found this helpful, don’t forget to like and subscribe. We’re on our way to 100,000 subscribers and your support makes a huge difference. And hey—if you have questions or want me to cover a specific technique or topic, drop it in the comments. I actually read them and respond!

Happy practicing, and see you in the next video.