Playing is Better with Friends!
One of the most enjoyable things we do as string players is to make music together!
Whether you’re a beginning student or an advanced professional player, playing with others who are around the same level of experience can be enriching, enlightening, and just plain fun. It can also teach you things about yourself and your own playing. Do you enjoy soaring on a beautiful melody, or do you really prefer the warm sound of a supportive harmony? Playing an instrument is better when you play with friends, and one of the easiest way to have fun is with same-level duets!
How to choose the best duets for you:
- Look for a duet that’s a little below your technical level. If you’re playing for fun, you should be able to play through it reasonably well on the second or third try.
- Make sure the melody and harmony are distributed equally between the top and bottom parts.
- Try to find a duet where the top and bottom parts are well-matched in level. Some duets were written specifically for a student-teacher scenario, or were arranged so that the bottom part is an accompaniment to a solo piece. For your chamber music duets, you want something that’s more collaborative. Your music friends will thank you!
The benefits of playing easy music for fun:
There can be so many wonderful advantages to playing slightly easier music than your solo lesson music or your orchestra rep. You can concentrate on your ensemble skills, bringing out your melody line and backing off a little on your harmony line. You can work on rhythm and speed. Together with your duet partner, you can listen for tone and vibrato and try to match each other perfectly. Or you can just relax and enjoy making music with a music buddy!
Why Play Same-Level Duets?
- Same-level duets showcase the musical voice of each player in turn, making it more interesting for the audience.
- Duets that are on an equal level solve the age-old dilemma of who plays the first part, since neither player is relegated to merely a supporting role.
- Many famous composers have seen the value of duets that celebrate two equal players. Some examples for violin include the Bach Double Violin Concerto and the Mozart Mirror Duets. For viola, the Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 6 shares the solo between two equal violists. Cellists have the duets by Karl Scheonebeck!
- A duet is a musical conversation. A great conversation will give each person the chance to be heard equally.
- Develop your skills in different music roles. Focus on providing a steady beat in the harmony parts, and show off your vibrato and singing tone in the melodies!
- Playing duets with friends is more fun when the parts are similar!
Are you looking to have fun fiddling with friends?
Check out our new series, Friendly Fiddle Duets, for two same-level players. Each book includes folk and fiddle tunes, as well as a few classical pieces, designed to bring musicians together for some stress-free music making! All the books are fully compatible with each other.
Want to play some duets today? Enjoy this free easy duet!
Free Same-Level String Duet by Myanna Harvey: Forest Ramble!
I love many of your books. Nice work.