Suzuki Book 1 - May Song (Violin Play Along and Tutorial)
Hi everybody, Joel Kennedy here with Kennedy Violins.
Today we’re diving into May Song from Suzuki Book 1. This is part of my Suzuki play-along series — I’ve covered every song from Book 1 through Book 4, and we’re almost at the finish line! So if you’re working through Suzuki and want a tutorial on any of those pieces, chances are I’ve already got you covered.
But for now, let’s focus on May Song. I’ll walk you through the key, rhythm, finger patterns, and a few Suzuki “secrets” that make this short little tune a surprisingly powerful teaching piece.
Step 1: Play it Through
The first thing I always do is just play the piece straight through — first normally, then again with a metronome. For May Song, I like to set the metronome at 90 bpm. That’s a good learning tempo: steady enough to build confidence, but not so fast that you get sloppy.
Remember, this is in common time (4/4) — so four quarter notes per measure. When you’re counting along, think:
“One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.”
Quarter notes are the foundation here.
Step 2: Key and Finger Patterns
May Song is in A major, which has three sharps: F♯, C♯, and G♯.
What does that mean for your fingers? The big takeaway is:
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All second fingers are “high.”
That means:
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High 2 on G → B
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High 2 on D → F♯
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High 2 on A → C♯
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High 2 on E → G♯
For this piece specifically, the important one is the C♯ on the A string (high 2). That’s the note you’ll see most often.
Step 3: Rhythm – Dotted Quarters
The rhythm is mostly straightforward, but there is one detail that trips students up: the dotted quarter note.
Here’s how it works:
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A quarter note = 1 beat.
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A dot adds half of that value = ½ beat.
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So a dotted quarter = 1 ½ beats.
That means if you’re clapping along in 4/4, the dotted quarter takes the “down” and the “up” of the beat, and then the following eighth note lands on the next upbeat.
If that feels confusing, here’s my advice:
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Clap it slowly without the violin.
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Say “down-up” out loud as you feel the beat.
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Make sure the eighth note lands cleanly on the “&” of the beat.
Once you get the feel in your body, playing it on the violin will be much easier.
Step 4: Suzuki Secrets – Finger Numbers and Lines
One of Suzuki’s teaching tricks is to put a line under certain finger numbers.
What does that mean? It’s telling you to keep that finger down while playing the notes above the line.
Why? Two reasons:
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Efficiency – If you’re going to use that finger again right away, it’s faster to leave it down. You don’t want to “re-find” the note every time.
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Spacing – It helps you feel the half-step and whole-step distances in your hand.
For example, in May Song you’ll see this with the first finger and also with the second finger in spots where you’re stretching from 2 to 4. That stretch (2–4) is really important later in your violin playing, so Suzuki sneaks it in here to start building the habit.
Step 5: Open Strings vs. Fourth Finger
Just like in Perpetual Motion, Suzuki sometimes tells you to play with the fourth finger instead of an open string. Don’t ignore it!
Here’s why:
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Your fourth finger is naturally the weakest finger. The only way to strengthen it is to actually use it.
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Later on, you’ll have to use it in harder pieces. If you’ve been skipping it in Book 1, you’ll regret it when you hit Book 3.
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Plus, you’ll eventually want to vibrato with your fourth finger. Trust me — that’s not fun if you’ve neglected it.
So even if the open string feels easier right now, stick with the fourth finger whenever Suzuki asks you to. And for extra practice, try replacing some opens with fourth finger even when the music doesn’t call for it — just for fun.
Step 6: Dynamics
May Song is also one of the first pieces where Suzuki introduces dynamics.
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Starts forte (loud).
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Then moves to mezzo-forte (medium loud).
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Later drops to piano (soft).
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And finishes forte again.
Here’s the key: make the contrast obvious. Don’t play all at one volume. Push your fortes to be truly strong, and make your pianos really gentle. That contrast is what makes the music interesting — for you and for your listeners (even if your audience is just your cat at home).
Step 7: Practice Checklist
Before moving on from May Song, make sure you:
✔ Can count the dotted quarter rhythm without hesitation.
✔ Keep your fingers down where Suzuki marks the line.
✔ Use the fourth finger whenever it’s written (and more for practice).
✔ Play the dynamics with strong contrasts.
Do that, and this short, sweet piece will do exactly what Suzuki intended — build your left-hand spacing, bow control, rhythmic accuracy, and finger strength all at once.
Final Thoughts
That’s May Song! It’s not long, but it’s packed with lessons that will carry you into the rest of Book 1 and beyond.
Next week on the “dartboard of destiny,” we’ll be finishing things off with Book 3’s Gavotte. (Though honestly, the dartboard didn’t have much of a say this time — it’s the only song left!)
Until then, keep practicing slowly, use that fourth finger, and don’t forget to actually enjoy the music.
Happy practicing,
