Hi everyone, Joel Kennedy here from Kennedy Violins! Today, we're diving into Minuet No. 3 from Suzuki Book 1 in another play-along video. This beautiful piece is a great way to refine essential violin techniques, and in this lesson, I’ll guide you through its key learning points.

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Understanding the Basics of Minuet No. 3

This piece is in the key of G major, which means there’s one sharp (F#) in the key signature. When playing this piece, pay close attention to your finger placements and bowing techniques.

Finger Patterns in G Major

In this piece, your second finger placement changes depending on the string:

• High second finger on the G and D strings
• Low second finger on the A and E strings

A quick reminder:

• High second finger touches the third finger.
• Low second finger touches the first finger.

3/4 Time Signature & Rhythm

Minuet No. 3 is in ¾ time, meaning:

• Three beats per measure
• A quarter note gets the beat

Playing along with a metronome (I set mine to 95 BPM) can help you maintain a steady rhythm, especially when transitioning between quarter and eighth notes.

Key Techniques to Focus On

1. Staccato Bowing

One of the main skills Suzuki emphasizes in this piece is staccato, or short, detached notes.

💡 How to play staccato properly:
Stop your bow between each note instead of just lifting it. This creates a clear and crisp articulation without excessive bouncing.

2. Finger Placement & Note Distances

This piece helps train your hand to understand finger spacing, especially between the third and fourth fingers.

🎯 Key Tip:

• Keep your third finger down when playing the fourth finger.
• This reinforces the whole-step interval between them.

Likewise, there are moments where you keep the third finger down while reaching back for a low second finger. This improves intonation and hand stability.

3. Switching Between High and Low Second Finger

In some sections, Suzuki introduces an accidental (C#), requiring a shift from low second finger to high second finger.

🎯 Key Tip:

• High second finger touches the third finger (C#).
• Low second finger touches the first finger (C natural).
• Pay close attention to whether your second finger should be high or low—this is critical for accurate intonation!

4. Retaking the Bow and Grace Notes

There are moments in the piece where you have to retake your bow mid-phrase.

• When you encounter two consecutive down-bows, steal a bit of time from a previous note to allow for the bow reset.
• Practice this slowly to ensure a smooth transition.

Also there is there’s a grace note in the second line, last measure. This note steals a little time from the main note. Play the grace note quickly but keep your bow placement steady for the next note.

Final Tips for Practicing Minuet No. 3

✅ Focus on the distances between fingers, especially second and third.
✅ Use a metronome to keep a steady rhythm.
✅ Stop your bow for clear staccato articulation.
✅ Practice slow to get the intonation right, then build speed.
✅ Pay attention to dynamics—there are mezzo-forte (mf), forte (f) at measure 17, and piano (p) near the end.