Great Instructional Book!
I really enjoy the Suzuki books, because the songs are fun and beautiful! This makes practicing easier and enjoyable. When the songs sound great, it is so much easier to make sure all the notes are in tune, especially when you are learning other positions.
This book works on 3rd position throughout most of the book, and it introduces 2nd position at the end of the book with shifting exercises. It also has vibrato exercises (complete with instructions), tonalization exercises, scales and arpeggios in the key
of G melodic minor, and a section with definitions of the new musical terms introduced in this book. There are also exercises throughout the book which practice string changing, practice harmonics, and help you be prepared for the main pieces. Another thing
that I like about this book is its optional mordents, trills, and double stops for the more advanced student who needs or wants more of a challenge. I also like the CD. I like to play the song on my own for a while, and I use the CD when I can play the piece
at a good speed. You can play it with the violinist to make sure all your notes are in tune. I like how the CD has piano accompaniment on it, so you practice your song with just the piano, and you can practice keeping good timing without the help of the violinist.
But the tempo on the CD is fairly fast and you will probably have to learn the song first before playing it with the CD. I have really enjoyed each of the songs in this book, and I would definitely recommend it!
