Welcome back to another Suzuki playalong video! This week, the dartboard of destiny has spoken: we’re diving into Theme from Witches’ Dance from Suzuki Book 2. Whether you’re learning this for the first time or polishing it up, this piece is packed with lessons in bow control, articulation, and finger spacing that will level up your playing.

DOWNLOAD THE PDF HERE!

Key & Time Signature: The Setup

Theme from Witches’ Dance is in D major (two sharps: F# and C#) and uses a 2/4 time signature, which means two quarter-note beats per measure. It’s a bit different from the more common 4/4 time, so be sure your metronome is set accordingly.

Let’s talk finger placement—especially second fingers. In D major, you’ll use:

• High 2 on the G, D, and A strings (for B, F#, and C#)

• Low 2 on the E string (for G natural)

This pattern sets the foundation for accurate intonation throughout the piece.

Bowing & Articulation: Slur with Control

Here’s where things get interesting. In the very first measure, you’ll see a 16th note slurred into a dotted eighth—with a staccato dot on the 16th note. This combination requires precise bow stops within a single bow stroke.

While the notes are slurred, that dot means you must stop your bow briefly before playing the 16th note—even though you’re not changing directions.

Joel recommends this practice approach:

1. Play without the slurs first, to isolate the rhythm.

2. Then add the slurs back in while keeping the bow stops clean and intentional.

This teaches the kind of bow control that pays off big time in more advanced pieces.

Accidentals & Finger Spacing

You’ll encounter a number of accidentals, starting with D# (high 3rd finger on the A string) early in the piece. You can use the 4th finger as a reference—it should be touching your 3rd finger. If they’re not touching, your 3 is too low.

Later, you’ll hit a G# (high 2 on the E string). Since there's no adjacent finger reference here, you’ll need to rely on your ear and muscle memory.

One of the trickiest sections is in the fourth line from the bottom, where we temporarily leave D major. You’ll find:

• F natural (low 1st on the E string)

• C natural (low 2nd on the A string)

• Followed by flat 4th finger and return to D major

Be sure your low 1st finger touches the nut—many players don’t go quite low enough. Then make a whole step to your low 2, even though it might feel like a high 2. Keep that second finger down as you add the others to train your hand in correct spacing.

Triplets & Bow Placement

This piece is full of triplets, and Joel emphasizes playing them all in the middle of the bow. Start each triplet in the same part of the bow and use equal bow distribution to maintain rhythm and clarity.

This middle-of-the-bow approach will help keep your tone even and your timing tight, especially at slower tempos.

Dynamics & Final Tips

• Starts mezzo forte

• Climaxes at forte (line 3)

• Drops to piano in the expressive minimoso section (4th line from the bottom)

• Returns to forte to close

One last tip: In the final lines, make sure to stop your bow before the open E—this E acts as a pickup into the next triplet group and needs to feel connected.

Practice Tempo

Joel demonstrates the piece at a slow practice speed of 65 bpm. It’s slow enough to challenge your bow control and expose any weak spots. Don’t rush this step!

---

Why Suzuki Works
This piece is a prime example of why the Suzuki method is so effective. Each song builds on specific techniques—bowing, finger placement, dynamics—giving you a complete musical workout in just a couple pages of music.

Ready for next week? The dartboard of destiny will decide! Stay tuned for the next playalong.