When to start learning double stops on violin?

Question

I am an adult beginner on the violin and would just like to say I've absolutely loved it so far. I started at the very beginning of this year and found a teacher who I'm extremely happy with. Around three months into playing they had me start on Melodious Double Stops. Just recently, around five months in, someone commented that it seemed very early to be playing double stops. I also noticed that this sequence of violin repertoire suggests Trott around Suzuki book six, and I'm squeaking my way through two, so it does seem I started early.

This seems strange to me. The first handful of etudes all use one open string and stick to first position so they definitely seem playable to me though I'm sure they'll sound rough from a beginner. "Sounds bad" seems like a bad rationale though. It has helped me a lot with intonation to reference an open string and this seems especially important when you're just beginning.

Is there any particular reason that starting double stops later seems to be the norm? Why would you wait six suzuki books to start?

Answer 1

Double stops that don't involve open strings are essentially incorrigible. So there's a point in starting to practise them only once intonation is rather dependable. They also interfere with vibrato. Consequently they are an advanced technique in classical violin practice and practising, getting focus only once other skills are dependable. Bach's solo partitas and sonatas contain lots of very advanced examples where the violin is essentially fingered like a small guitar (actually lute), with 4-voice fugues and chord play.

On the other hand, in fiddle play which is mostly focused on first position does not use vibrato a lot and doesn't focus on lyrical qualities of the instrument, drone notes and shuffle play and other double stops are essential for the soundscape particularly with a single fiddle in an ensemble. Here one would start double stops a whole lot earlier as they are essential to the sound.

Of course, there is a middle ground too, like a lot of Bela Bartok. Which can be a lot of fun.

As to your question: I see no point in questioning your teacher while you are enjoying yourself and making progress. The order in which you are making progress is secondary as long as you don't feel you get into dead ends.

Answer 2

Actually, some isolated double and triple stops appear quite a bit earlier in the Suzuki sequence -- it's been awhile since I was a parent coach, but I think the first appearance is in Book 2 or 3.

Here are some reasons one might not want to spend much time on double stops in the early days:

1. It can be frustrating, because there's less wiggle room for something to sound in tune, and because sometimes it's confusing to try to figure out which finger needs to be adjusted, and in which direction.

2. It can get on people's nerves, and it can get on the student's nerves. I'm speaking generally -- not about you in particular.

3. Technically, it's important for a beginner to learn to use arm weight to stop the string sufficiently, in order to get a solid sound. The alternative to using arm weight is to push down on the string. When playing double stops, it's easy to lose the relaxed use of arm weight, and introduce damaging tension. It's so much harder to correct a bad technical habit than it is to accustom oneself to helpful technique from the beginning, in a consistent way. Note that the risk is much less when one of the notes is an open string.

However, as you pointed out, there are positives to practicing double stops.

Narrowing my focus to you: it sounds like you're enjoying getting started with double stops. Yay! I would just ask that you not spend a significant portion of your playing time working on them, and that you pay special attention to avoiding pressing on the string, and focusing instead on using the weight of the arm in a relaxed way.