Hey everybody, Joel Kennedy here from Kennedy Violins. Today’s Suzuki playalong covers “Long, Long Ago” from Book 2, and as always, I’ll break it down with some practical bowing, rhythm, and finger placement tips—plus, I’ll throw a dart at the Dart Board of Destiny at the end to see what’s coming next.

We’re getting toward the end of the Suzuki series, working our way through Books 1–4. So if you’re learning these pieces or teaching them, now’s the time to polish the fundamentals.

Let’s dig into Long, Long Ago.

Follow along with the PDF here

 

---

Key Signature & Finger Patterns

We’re in the key of G major, so we’ve got just one sharp: F♯.

That gives us the following finger pattern:

• High 2nd finger on the G and D strings (touching 3rd finger)

• Low 2nd finger on the A and E strings (closer to 1st finger)

If you’re ever unsure about your 2nd finger placement, remember:

• High 2 should touch your 3rd finger

• Low 2 should touch your 1st finger

Simple rule, but really important for good intonation.

---

Rhythm & Time Signature

We’re in common time—that big “C” at the beginning of the piece. That means 4/4 time, or four quarter-note beats per measure.

The rhythm is mostly straightforward:

• Lots of half notes in the first section

• A section of eighth notes later on

• One or two rests that sneak in and need clean handling

Want to tighten your timing? Set your metronome to 80 bpm and practice along with short excerpts. Break it up, don’t play the whole thing at once, and focus on each rhythmic figure individually.

---

Watch Your Retakes (Back to the Frog)

There’s one spot early in the piece that deserves extra attention—last measure of the second line into the third line. You’ve got a down bow, followed by… another down bow.

Here’s the trick:
After the first down bow, you must do a bow retake—pick up your bow and bring it back to the lower part of the bow before starting the next down. Don’t let yourself creep toward the tip or your control will start slipping.

Practice that little circle bow motion so you always land right where you want to be.

---

Bow Management & Staccato

The variation section introduces short, detached staccato strokes. Here’s where you start building real bow discipline.

Pay attention to:

1. Stopping your bow cleanly after each short note

   • You want to hear a crisp stop—not just a light touch

2. Playing every stroke in the same part of the bow

   • Stay in the lower half, and use equal amounts of bow for each note

If you’re not careful, you’ll start drifting up the bow and lose consistency. So practice slowly and focus on keeping the bow strokes identical.

A great exercise: pause after each note and double-check you’re still in the same spot before continuing.

---

Dynamic Contrast: Make It Dramatic

The dynamics in this piece are simple, but they’re an opportunity to build real musicality:

• Start mezzo forte (medium loud)

• Drop to piano (soft) at the end of the second line

• Jump back up to forte (loud) at the start of the third line

• Then contrast again near the end

Don’t just kind of play softer or louder. Make the contrast big—you’re training your bow control here.

• Forte: Use more bow and press a little harder

• Piano: Use less bow and lighten your pressure

Even a simple piece becomes exciting when your dynamics are intentional and expressive.

---

TL;DR – Key Takeaways

• Key of G major = one sharp (F♯), with high 2s on G/D and low 2s on A/E

• Watch those bow retakes—always return to the frog before a new down bow

• Practice staccato with clear stops and consistent bow placement

• Dynamic contrast isn’t just about volume—it teaches real bow control