Hi everyone, Joel Kennedy here with Kennedy Violins. I’m excited to guide you through "O Come, Little Children" from Suzuki Book 1. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to fine-tune your skills, this piece introduces several key elements to improve your violin playing. In this post, I’ll walk you through essential finger placement, time signature tips, dynamics, and a few advanced techniques to help you really nail this song. 

Here's the PDF of this piece if you'd like to follow along.

But remember you would do yourself good by purchasing the full book of Suzuki pieces!

Understanding the Key Signature and Finger Placement

The first thing we need to talk about is the key signature for this piece. "O Come, Little Children" is written in the key of A major, which has three sharps: F#, C#, and G#. If you’re new to key signatures, this might sound a little complicated, but don't worry—I'll break it down.

When we say a piece has three sharps, that means that every time you see an F, C, or G in the music, you’ll need to play it as a sharp rather than its natural note. So instead of playing an F natural, you’ll be playing an F#. Here’s how that affects your finger placement on the violin:

• F# on the E string: The first finger on the E string will be placed higher than the natural position. Usually, the natural position for the first finger is consistent across the G, D, and A strings, but on the E string, it moves up slightly to become F#.
• C# on the A string: You’ll also need to play a high second finger on the A string. Normally, your second finger would land somewhere between the first and third fingers, but for C#, it’s placed right next to the third finger.
• G# on the D string: Even though the key signature includes G#, you won’t actually play any G# notes in this particular piece. This is a common quirk in many pieces, so it’s good to stay mindful of the notes in your key signature, even if they don’t always show up.

Getting comfortable with these finger placements can be tricky at first, but once you’ve mastered them, you’ll find that it gets easier to anticipate where your fingers should go in future pieces.

Time Signature and Counting Tips

Another critical element in mastering this piece is understanding the time signature. "O Come, Little Children" is written in 2/4 time, meaning that there are two beats per measure, and each quarter note gets one beat. If you’ve used a metronome before, you’ll know that every time it clicks, you’ll play one quarter note.

But what makes this piece interesting—and slightly more challenging—is that it starts on the upbeat rather than the downbeat. Most songs in Suzuki Book 1 start on the downbeat (like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"), but this one kicks off on the upbeat, or what we call the "offbeat." Here’s how you can think of it:

• If you’re clapping along, the downbeat is when your hands come together. The upbeat is the moment when your hands pull apart.
• In "O Come, Little Children," you’ll start on that upbeat, so your first note happens between two claps rather than on a clap.

This offbeat rhythm might feel strange if you’re not used to it, but it’s an excellent way to train your musicality and internal rhythm. A great way to practice this is to turn on a metronome and count along with the clicks. The trick is to come in just after the first beat. So if you’re counting, it will sound like this:

1 (rest), 2, da da da da da…

Notice how you start after that first click? With some practice, this will feel completely natural, and it will help you play more syncopated rhythms in the future.

Mastering the Dynamics

Now, let’s talk about dynamics, or the variations in loudness throughout the piece. One of the best ways to bring a song to life is by playing with dynamics. In "O Come, Little Children," we have a few changes that you should pay close attention to:

• Start with Mezzo Forte (Medium Loud): In the beginning, you’ll play at a moderate volume, not too loud or too soft. This is a good opportunity to focus on playing with clarity and precision while maintaining a comfortable volume.
• Piano (Soft) at the End of the First Line: After playing mezzo forte, you’ll drop down to piano, meaning you’ll play more softly. Pay attention to the transition—don’t drop the volume too suddenly. Instead, ease into the quieter dynamic.
• Crescendo to Forte (Loud): As you move through the piece, you’ll come across crescendos, which are gradual increases in volume. Watch for the "alligators" (the wedge-shaped marks) that indicate where the crescendo begins. By the time you reach the last line, you should be playing forte, or loud, which is the peak volume for the piece.

Learning to manage dynamics can really take your playing to the next level. Practice controlling the volume of your bowing to get a feel for how small changes in pressure or speed can affect the sound.

Bowing Techniques for a Strong Finish

One technique that can make a big difference in how professional your playing sounds is proper bowing. When playing "O Come, Little Children," you want to ensure you finish the piece on a down bow. This gives the last note more stability and a fuller sound.

To accomplish this, I recommend playing the last two eighth notes of the piece using up bows. By using two up bows in a row, you set yourself up to finish on a strong down bow. Here’s how the bowing should go for the final few notes:

• Up, up, down: The two up bows lead into a strong, resonant down bow to finish the piece.

If you get into the habit of paying attention to your bowing direction, it will make your playing smoother and more intentional.

Practice Tips: Open E vs. Fourth Finger

If you’re just starting out on the violin, you may find it challenging to play in tune, especially when using your fourth finger. In "O Come, Little Children," you have the option to play the E note using either the open E string or the fourth finger on the A string.

Here’s my suggestion for beginners: Start by practicing with the open E. The open string will give you a clear, clean pitch to listen to. Once you’ve memorized the sound of that E, start practicing using the fourth finger on the A string. Matching the pitch of the fourth finger to the open E is a great way to ensure your fingers are in tune.

If you’re not quite there yet with your fourth finger, don’t stress. This takes time and practice, but eventually, you’ll develop the muscle memory needed to hit the note in tune every time.

Looking Ahead: Next Week’s Playalong

At the end of each playalong session, I randomly select the next piece by throwing a dart at the board. For next week, we’ve landed on "Concerto No. 5, Third Movement" from Suzuki Book 4. This is a more advanced piece, so if you’re a beginner, feel free to watch along and get a taste of what’s to come in your violin journey.

In conclusion, "O Come, Little Children" offers a fantastic opportunity to improve your skills with its unique finger placements, offbeat rhythm, dynamic changes, and bowing challenges. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate player, these tips should help you approach the piece with confidence. Be sure to practice with the metronome, pay attention to those dynamics, and, most importantly, have fun!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Kennedy Violins YouTube channel and hit the notification bell to stay up-to-date with all our playalong videos. I look forward to seeing you next week!