Published: Aug. 15, 2007 at 5:44 PM
Adagio in Gm by Albinoni is awesome. Sitting here listening and learning I have to wonder if there is an unaccompanied solo version anywhere. For other adult beginners I highly recommend this piece for something meaty to chew on.
It was one of the first themes that came unexpectedly to my strings when I first started experimenting with violin some time ago. And now, learning some of the other parts is a 'peak' experience for sure. And most importantly, it is very much achievable--and God awful beautiful, especially when done 'exactly' at tempo.
Last night I was even stretching it out a little more because the place I was practicing had wonderful acoustics and it was filling the room awesomely.
Not only the main notion, but the interconnecting arpeggio like themes are just wonderful for working on musicality. And the white space required to pull it off successfully between phrases is good for one as well I think.
I find that it is also somewhat flexible and forgiving if one pushes it a little--unlike other especially largo type stuff that falls apart when pushed. But, m:52 grabs it distinctly.
Beautiful!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
let it go,and be free! Paul's response
Published: Aug. 15, 2007 at 4:46 AM
Last modified: Aug. 15, 2007 at 4:46 AM
Paul, your post generated valuable wisdom all the way 'round. I just finished my first 'fairly' serious passes of "Adagio in Gm", in Em, by Albinoni.
This letting go! Your comment that you are just doing open strings made me think. You also said paraphrased, that "when I don't focus". I wanted to suggest to you that this focus is deceptive.
For your first several years, you will be focusing I hope, on this "letting go". I was writing earlier to someone that, 'this violin is a jealous creature' that demands complete "letting go".
But there is a method to this letting go, based on your specific body-type. Though you may be a natural in posture, there are chances that as an adult beginner that you may 'not be so natural'. Especially in playing violin.
Though this wonderful flowing image seems abstract, it isn't. The image is a matter of all the elements that make up relaxed posture, and apply themselves to the sometimes quarrelsome violin.
Tuck.
Lightness of instrument placement.
yet. secureness of instrument placement. many, my experience
Level control in a balanced but parallel orientation of the instrument. many + external sources
Worth repeating: a lightness of placement,
with the instrument 'resting' on the hand and shoulder. Raphael
Comfortable stance the basics
nice breathing many, external
Especially for adults all these things in a package do not come so easily. So, as you add technique--(different bowings, ....), keep all these things in mind. For instance, good detached notes do not come from scrunching so much, unless you are a scruncher. Good detached notes come from good relaxed control. I hope that makes sense.
When I was playing Albinoni a few minutes ago, it was so awesome! My body after months and months of work was floating--months and months of work--and pain, cussin'.. Not only Albinoni but other candidates in my legato fest, were melting all over the place--if not 100% perfectly.
Though my knees began trembling, I maintained composure a little better this time 'round. And when I just instinctively started sketching the first ascending theme, it came 'too' nicely.
This letting go you see, has many layers from finesse in technique, to effective efficient composure when the spirit hits. Do not take it for granted. Nurture it, make it yours. It will make all the difference.
Last modified: Aug. 15, 2007 at 4:46 AM
Paul, your post generated valuable wisdom all the way 'round. I just finished my first 'fairly' serious passes of "Adagio in Gm", in Em, by Albinoni.
This letting go! Your comment that you are just doing open strings made me think. You also said paraphrased, that "when I don't focus". I wanted to suggest to you that this focus is deceptive.
For your first several years, you will be focusing I hope, on this "letting go". I was writing earlier to someone that, 'this violin is a jealous creature' that demands complete "letting go".
But there is a method to this letting go, based on your specific body-type. Though you may be a natural in posture, there are chances that as an adult beginner that you may 'not be so natural'. Especially in playing violin.
Though this wonderful flowing image seems abstract, it isn't. The image is a matter of all the elements that make up relaxed posture, and apply themselves to the sometimes quarrelsome violin.
Tuck.
Lightness of instrument placement.
yet. secureness of instrument placement. many, my experience
Level control in a balanced but parallel orientation of the instrument. many + external sources
Worth repeating: a lightness of placement,
with the instrument 'resting' on the hand and shoulder. Raphael
Comfortable stance the basics
nice breathing many, external
Especially for adults all these things in a package do not come so easily. So, as you add technique--(different bowings, ....), keep all these things in mind. For instance, good detached notes do not come from scrunching so much, unless you are a scruncher. Good detached notes come from good relaxed control. I hope that makes sense.
When I was playing Albinoni a few minutes ago, it was so awesome! My body after months and months of work was floating--months and months of work--and pain, cussin'.. Not only Albinoni but other candidates in my legato fest, were melting all over the place--if not 100% perfectly.
Though my knees began trembling, I maintained composure a little better this time 'round. And when I just instinctively started sketching the first ascending theme, it came 'too' nicely.
This letting go you see, has many layers from finesse in technique, to effective efficient composure when the spirit hits. Do not take it for granted. Nurture it, make it yours. It will make all the difference.
It's still the small things: Peristence and Rambling
Published: Aug. 13, 2007 at 9:17 AM
Last modified: Aug. 13, 2007 at 9:37 AM
For about eighteen months, I've had a song on my strings that I heard years ago. I asked my friend--even tried to sing it over the telephone (I sing like a bull moose in heat), and never have been able to find where it comes from. Until today.
I had heard this music back in the early eighties and apparently it stuck. And on violin it is haunting and beautiful, if a little sad and mournful. But I've always been into those grab'm by the heart even if you have to make'm cry songs.
Leisurely picking up a classical tape in this mess I've made after traveling for thirty years, I threw it in the tape deck. Whalah! Well I'll be. Barely able to read the label with my tired eyes, I'm driving around the mountain trying to squeeze the letters out.
Anyway, even if I have to do it by ear, this will be a piece I'll always tinker with. It was actually part of my legato-fest last night, before I found it--now how cool is that. So I was refreshing my spelling of the composer, and there she lives on Youtube.
It's "Adagio in Gm" by Albinoni. Some may remember I was asking about Adagio and Cantabile music awhile back. This is definitely one of the reasons I think. And she's worth the waiting, or persisting.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mz4dpbk8YBs
And finally as related to persisting, how pleasant to find that I can even bring it into a slower presentation than I'm already doing. Oh my. You would have had to been a fly on the wall at my earlier legato fest to understand. Persistence.
I s'pose I should start moving it from Em to Gm sooner rather than later, though I'll miss that open e-study it brought me through sorely. I would be interested to know other's thoughts about, if just making a piece one's own for solo purposes, whether to just leave it, or go ahead and do the transposing.
Musically, I love it more than the Sarabande I trudge along with, and it's been with me so long I know it's not because it's new. I think though that one will effect the other ultimately.
Earlier, I was rocking out Lully and jamming into the song with a sixteenth or so rest (my rests are for hopefully good drama found in white space more than perfect timing--I extend them, shorten them, have made them dramatically long). And I was working on my forte near the bridge, in that first e with focus still on legato--if that makes sense. At least for me, it was powerful.
Anyway, the combination as I get both settled down will be pretty cool. This is sort of E. European to me Mara. And now I've both persisted, and rambled.
And while I'm rambling, the tone improvement thread rocks.
http://www.violinist.com/discussion/response.cfm?ID=11903
Last modified: Aug. 13, 2007 at 9:37 AM
For about eighteen months, I've had a song on my strings that I heard years ago. I asked my friend--even tried to sing it over the telephone (I sing like a bull moose in heat), and never have been able to find where it comes from. Until today.
I had heard this music back in the early eighties and apparently it stuck. And on violin it is haunting and beautiful, if a little sad and mournful. But I've always been into those grab'm by the heart even if you have to make'm cry songs.
Leisurely picking up a classical tape in this mess I've made after traveling for thirty years, I threw it in the tape deck. Whalah! Well I'll be. Barely able to read the label with my tired eyes, I'm driving around the mountain trying to squeeze the letters out.
Anyway, even if I have to do it by ear, this will be a piece I'll always tinker with. It was actually part of my legato-fest last night, before I found it--now how cool is that. So I was refreshing my spelling of the composer, and there she lives on Youtube.
It's "Adagio in Gm" by Albinoni. Some may remember I was asking about Adagio and Cantabile music awhile back. This is definitely one of the reasons I think. And she's worth the waiting, or persisting.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mz4dpbk8YBs
And finally as related to persisting, how pleasant to find that I can even bring it into a slower presentation than I'm already doing. Oh my. You would have had to been a fly on the wall at my earlier legato fest to understand. Persistence.
I s'pose I should start moving it from Em to Gm sooner rather than later, though I'll miss that open e-study it brought me through sorely. I would be interested to know other's thoughts about, if just making a piece one's own for solo purposes, whether to just leave it, or go ahead and do the transposing.
Musically, I love it more than the Sarabande I trudge along with, and it's been with me so long I know it's not because it's new. I think though that one will effect the other ultimately.
Earlier, I was rocking out Lully and jamming into the song with a sixteenth or so rest (my rests are for hopefully good drama found in white space more than perfect timing--I extend them, shorten them, have made them dramatically long). And I was working on my forte near the bridge, in that first e with focus still on legato--if that makes sense. At least for me, it was powerful.
Anyway, the combination as I get both settled down will be pretty cool. This is sort of E. European to me Mara. And now I've both persisted, and rambled.
And while I'm rambling, the tone improvement thread rocks.
http://www.violinist.com/discussion/response.cfm?ID=11903
My Two Epiphany moments today.
Published: Aug. 1, 2007 at 5:27 PM
Doing away with my shoulder rest took guts, but I'm past that now and putting things back in place technique wise. One epiphany today involved understanding what others were doing with shoulder pads and adapting something along those lines.
I took three rubber bands and non-obtrusively but relatively securely attached my leather like pad to my instrument with no loss of sound. It works wonderfully and I'll still be able to put my instrument away with said pad attached. It's not the most secure setup I suppose, but I handle my violin with kid's gloves anyway, so I can see it doing the job for the foreseeable future.
Finally getting in the the Hahn practice spirit was my other epiphany over the past four or so days. After scanning the last three Suzuki pieces in book three, I started learning Becker's Gavotte.
Not experimenting, and containing the impulse to just play allowed me to learn the entire thing with correct bowings in just a few passes--though of course I have a long way to go to get it to really sing. I seem to have some problem remembering bowings, I think because there is no really fixed pattern as in running scales on piano.
But it was beyond the bowings that I finally got the HH spirit. I just forced myself to slow down as perfectly as I have been able to do so far. I've been working towards this for some time, and the diversion in ditching the rest, putting my bow back to the strings, and finding my centers seems to have created the luxury of space and time to allow me to just hit it note per note, phrase per phrase, detached note per detached note, and finally with continuity in getting through the entire piece.
The restless setup also served as a deterrent for me in getting the Hahn practice gig going. I respect the need for flow and relaxed posture as at no other time, and thus my focus has had to adjust to this 'do not slouch!', attitude.
I thus wonder if all people approaching particularly violin and viola go through this finding one's self body and posture wise? And does cello have it's own unique physical considerations? There is something that feels above and beyond getting my callus on guitar, compared to getting my tuck on violin--very above and beyond--at least for me.
Anyway, learning the Gavotte without that unfocused not-really knowing what was going on was somewhat a first experience for me. I won't say that other learning has been completely chaotic, but I will say this focus on slowness was especially calming and rather stress free.
I found it most notable that I found the ability to stop myself when I had lost my place; and, found the discipline to not try and memorize it without really knowing 'exactly' where each bowing was going. It was 'that' level of detail.
Epiphany is cool, even if it does sometimes only involved the smallest aspects of something.
Doing away with my shoulder rest took guts, but I'm past that now and putting things back in place technique wise. One epiphany today involved understanding what others were doing with shoulder pads and adapting something along those lines.
I took three rubber bands and non-obtrusively but relatively securely attached my leather like pad to my instrument with no loss of sound. It works wonderfully and I'll still be able to put my instrument away with said pad attached. It's not the most secure setup I suppose, but I handle my violin with kid's gloves anyway, so I can see it doing the job for the foreseeable future.
Finally getting in the the Hahn practice spirit was my other epiphany over the past four or so days. After scanning the last three Suzuki pieces in book three, I started learning Becker's Gavotte.
Not experimenting, and containing the impulse to just play allowed me to learn the entire thing with correct bowings in just a few passes--though of course I have a long way to go to get it to really sing. I seem to have some problem remembering bowings, I think because there is no really fixed pattern as in running scales on piano.
But it was beyond the bowings that I finally got the HH spirit. I just forced myself to slow down as perfectly as I have been able to do so far. I've been working towards this for some time, and the diversion in ditching the rest, putting my bow back to the strings, and finding my centers seems to have created the luxury of space and time to allow me to just hit it note per note, phrase per phrase, detached note per detached note, and finally with continuity in getting through the entire piece.
The restless setup also served as a deterrent for me in getting the Hahn practice gig going. I respect the need for flow and relaxed posture as at no other time, and thus my focus has had to adjust to this 'do not slouch!', attitude.
I thus wonder if all people approaching particularly violin and viola go through this finding one's self body and posture wise? And does cello have it's own unique physical considerations? There is something that feels above and beyond getting my callus on guitar, compared to getting my tuck on violin--very above and beyond--at least for me.
Anyway, learning the Gavotte without that unfocused not-really knowing what was going on was somewhat a first experience for me. I won't say that other learning has been completely chaotic, but I will say this focus on slowness was especially calming and rather stress free.
I found it most notable that I found the ability to stop myself when I had lost my place; and, found the discipline to not try and memorize it without really knowing 'exactly' where each bowing was going. It was 'that' level of detail.
Epiphany is cool, even if it does sometimes only involved the smallest aspects of something.
v.com:The Festival that Never Ends
Published: Jul. 2, 2007 at 9:34 PM
Last modified: Jul. 3, 2007 at 4:52 PM
Over the past weeks v.com has experienced The Great Balancing Act, a festival of work, thought and results. That is why this site rocks partly.
For me it began from an aside that involves balance somewhat in getting my bow dynamic to arch subtly so as to grab notes better in some respects. But more directly various discussions approached this from many angles so far as the balancing part is concerned. Basically for me, poor posture also meant poor bow approach and handling as much as anything else.
Raphael Klayman's excellent site has the nuts and bolts about holding the instrument ala no shoulder rest; and, gives the details about how to get there very clearly. For me, a new way of playing has resulted.
Then someone jumped in with research done in the Netherlands, which I have only begun to digest. This site takes Raphael's notions and truly breaks them down with photos, techniques and even philosophy. The site. I cannot find the original post, but some portions seem to be having technical difficulties. Nonetheless, the parts related to balance are quite clear in meaning.
Then Michael Schallock-How to Hold the violin. creates a wonderful streamlined but complete discussion on the entire topic hosted right here on v.com. With all this information, guess what I'll be working on the rest of the summer Buri.
Though I have found violin fairly overwhelming, mainly because of serial injuries and having to trudge along the best I can, v.com has always kept me thinking, and some days feeling like I'm making progress as a result of these discussions.
Beyond the festival though, Emily keeps me inspired with her photos of Alaska--a region nearly as beautiful as my mountains in southern West Virginia ;-) ; and, Maura keeps me close to the spirit of the Gypsy fidder--the attitude with which I began. And Emil has turned me into a crazy man who in turn has Paganini doing flips in his grave over my Witch's Dance--but God it's fun.
Sue made me feel welcome from the start, and Buri nearly worked me to death along with Kim Jee or something like that--who seems to have disappeared. And many others along the way (Jennifer, Kimberlee, Christian, .......) have patiently tolerated my sometimes repeated questions when I re-encounter an issue I really already know about, and later privately say *#&$#, I already knew that in embarrassment.
And I have to give a mention at least to my persistence in 'getting there' in trying to hammer down some solid basics. For anyone interested these basics to me means fiddling later, with a much expanded technique that allows me to at least realize my love for general classical--using Suzuki 10 as a pre-fiddler's goal.
It's no wonder I feel overwhelmed at times. Little details from other's issues I grab and reference in my mind like a kid with today's hundred dollars in a candy store. Humidity's role in squeaking. Things so advanced, I'll probably have to ask not only again but many times as I encounter them. The many perspectives on when to re-hair a bow. Shoulder rest or not. And the wonderful perspective that most have their favorite greats; and, among even the greats is greatness and failings.
I asked myself how this festival could be so effective for one thoroughly engaged. I've even commented to others of note beyond here how and why it is effective. It is so effective because of Laurie's stewardship, though I wish she would have Robert put the navigation footers at the bottom of every page within a region's context(discussion, blogs...)
But it is Laurie's commitment in scanning threads, and keeping things real that makes this site what it is first and foremost, followed closely by the hundred post limits someone either ingeniously or as the result of having had to simply set limits conceptualized from the start that enables this as well.
I'm interested and qualified to do information and semantics research. Though it's beyond me for the imaginable future, the next festival day's itinerary would be to systematically parse all this information into an available work that makes FAQ seem like the front cover of a book. Look out Simon Fischer, Laurie and Robert Niles have an encyclopedia of advancing information that is on the move and up and coming.
And finally, my violin whom I consider a lovely lady with a bit of attitude, demands that I continue. Long live Laurie's festival! Great job.
Last modified: Jul. 3, 2007 at 4:52 PM
Over the past weeks v.com has experienced The Great Balancing Act, a festival of work, thought and results. That is why this site rocks partly.
For me it began from an aside that involves balance somewhat in getting my bow dynamic to arch subtly so as to grab notes better in some respects. But more directly various discussions approached this from many angles so far as the balancing part is concerned. Basically for me, poor posture also meant poor bow approach and handling as much as anything else.
Raphael Klayman's excellent site has the nuts and bolts about holding the instrument ala no shoulder rest; and, gives the details about how to get there very clearly. For me, a new way of playing has resulted.
Then someone jumped in with research done in the Netherlands, which I have only begun to digest. This site takes Raphael's notions and truly breaks them down with photos, techniques and even philosophy. The site. I cannot find the original post, but some portions seem to be having technical difficulties. Nonetheless, the parts related to balance are quite clear in meaning.
Then Michael Schallock-How to Hold the violin. creates a wonderful streamlined but complete discussion on the entire topic hosted right here on v.com. With all this information, guess what I'll be working on the rest of the summer Buri.
Though I have found violin fairly overwhelming, mainly because of serial injuries and having to trudge along the best I can, v.com has always kept me thinking, and some days feeling like I'm making progress as a result of these discussions.
Beyond the festival though, Emily keeps me inspired with her photos of Alaska--a region nearly as beautiful as my mountains in southern West Virginia ;-) ; and, Maura keeps me close to the spirit of the Gypsy fidder--the attitude with which I began. And Emil has turned me into a crazy man who in turn has Paganini doing flips in his grave over my Witch's Dance--but God it's fun.
Sue made me feel welcome from the start, and Buri nearly worked me to death along with Kim Jee or something like that--who seems to have disappeared. And many others along the way (Jennifer, Kimberlee, Christian, .......) have patiently tolerated my sometimes repeated questions when I re-encounter an issue I really already know about, and later privately say *#&$#, I already knew that in embarrassment.
And I have to give a mention at least to my persistence in 'getting there' in trying to hammer down some solid basics. For anyone interested these basics to me means fiddling later, with a much expanded technique that allows me to at least realize my love for general classical--using Suzuki 10 as a pre-fiddler's goal.
It's no wonder I feel overwhelmed at times. Little details from other's issues I grab and reference in my mind like a kid with today's hundred dollars in a candy store. Humidity's role in squeaking. Things so advanced, I'll probably have to ask not only again but many times as I encounter them. The many perspectives on when to re-hair a bow. Shoulder rest or not. And the wonderful perspective that most have their favorite greats; and, among even the greats is greatness and failings.
I asked myself how this festival could be so effective for one thoroughly engaged. I've even commented to others of note beyond here how and why it is effective. It is so effective because of Laurie's stewardship, though I wish she would have Robert put the navigation footers at the bottom of every page within a region's context(discussion, blogs...)
But it is Laurie's commitment in scanning threads, and keeping things real that makes this site what it is first and foremost, followed closely by the hundred post limits someone either ingeniously or as the result of having had to simply set limits conceptualized from the start that enables this as well.
I'm interested and qualified to do information and semantics research. Though it's beyond me for the imaginable future, the next festival day's itinerary would be to systematically parse all this information into an available work that makes FAQ seem like the front cover of a book. Look out Simon Fischer, Laurie and Robert Niles have an encyclopedia of advancing information that is on the move and up and coming.
And finally, my violin whom I consider a lovely lady with a bit of attitude, demands that I continue. Long live Laurie's festival! Great job.
My Lavender Violin
Published: Jul. 4, 2007 at 7:08 AM
Playing without the shoulder rest for about a week now, I played pretty intently for about three hours tonight, working towards more etudes, scales and arpeggios, as well as continuing my sketch of the rest of Suzuki III, and contemplating Emily and Pauline throwing Lavender bras. What a world we live in.
Though my hand is 'a little tender', it is far from and nothing like before. I feel I could continue indefinitely rather than that sense of 'throbbing' as before. That, is a difference.
This lightness of hold, I achieved on and off I guess, or the tenderness would not be there; but, much more than less, I was there with and often returned to that balanced rest with light chin; and, was able to focus on much less gripping. The lightness is successively freeing my vibrato, allowing me to focus much better on a straight wrist and improving my tonality noticeably when several things come together.
Though I continue to search for my ideal placement on the shoulder, I don't think I'll need a pad; but I will cover the chin rest for my neck's sake. And I also continue to get my feet on the ground in the changes in balancing for actually bowing--though this is coming online as well.
Bowing has been not terrible, but a challenge without the shoulder rest. Several squeaks, re-finding how to glide back into the double stop and stop pinging other strings, those types of things should clear up over the next few weeks I think/hope.
Though I had messed around with no shoulder rest a few times, I never really persisted. I wish I had. 'Small stocky men should use their compactness, in creating a very efficient light violin approach that capitalizes on their low center of gravity; and, a self-contained spatial peripheral system of machines in a physiological sense has advantages as well.'
For whatever reason, at the same time I'm playing around with bow speed and pressure positively it feels. Tonight for example I was into playing a few notes with speed, then finding the pressure to try and get the same effect. I think I'll expand on this a little over the next couple days. My instinct tells me this may be really useful.
Primarily with speed/pressure, I find that either I, or my violin is, causing me to use more speed to get her singing than pressure; which in turn means I'm also using alot more energy. I don't mind the work, but if I can start using pressure more effectively I may be able to get better at other bowing(s).
Soooo this shoulder-rest(less) thing feels great--really great. I can envision a day when I might ('way' down the road) try playing with a rest again, if I can migrate the lightness just to further efficiency. But the lightness 'must' come first.
I think the best way to describe the tonal changes, is there is some sort of more resonant projection happening beyond the thing being more in direct line with my ear. And after I get at some of the issues above (string crossings etc),
I expect this projection to improve consistency over the next month as well--or so I hope.
Finally, I'm becoming more convinced that where possible, one might benefit from at least learning without a shoulder rest first, particularly old krachity stiff folk as myself. I know the newness of finding a lot less tension is compelling of itself, but it's as much about the sound, thus the music. I'm painting my violin lavender. ;)
Playing without the shoulder rest for about a week now, I played pretty intently for about three hours tonight, working towards more etudes, scales and arpeggios, as well as continuing my sketch of the rest of Suzuki III, and contemplating Emily and Pauline throwing Lavender bras. What a world we live in.
Though my hand is 'a little tender', it is far from and nothing like before. I feel I could continue indefinitely rather than that sense of 'throbbing' as before. That, is a difference.
This lightness of hold, I achieved on and off I guess, or the tenderness would not be there; but, much more than less, I was there with and often returned to that balanced rest with light chin; and, was able to focus on much less gripping. The lightness is successively freeing my vibrato, allowing me to focus much better on a straight wrist and improving my tonality noticeably when several things come together.
Though I continue to search for my ideal placement on the shoulder, I don't think I'll need a pad; but I will cover the chin rest for my neck's sake. And I also continue to get my feet on the ground in the changes in balancing for actually bowing--though this is coming online as well.
Bowing has been not terrible, but a challenge without the shoulder rest. Several squeaks, re-finding how to glide back into the double stop and stop pinging other strings, those types of things should clear up over the next few weeks I think/hope.
Though I had messed around with no shoulder rest a few times, I never really persisted. I wish I had. 'Small stocky men should use their compactness, in creating a very efficient light violin approach that capitalizes on their low center of gravity; and, a self-contained spatial peripheral system of machines in a physiological sense has advantages as well.'
For whatever reason, at the same time I'm playing around with bow speed and pressure positively it feels. Tonight for example I was into playing a few notes with speed, then finding the pressure to try and get the same effect. I think I'll expand on this a little over the next couple days. My instinct tells me this may be really useful.
Primarily with speed/pressure, I find that either I, or my violin is, causing me to use more speed to get her singing than pressure; which in turn means I'm also using alot more energy. I don't mind the work, but if I can start using pressure more effectively I may be able to get better at other bowing(s).
Soooo this shoulder-rest(less) thing feels great--really great. I can envision a day when I might ('way' down the road) try playing with a rest again, if I can migrate the lightness just to further efficiency. But the lightness 'must' come first.
I think the best way to describe the tonal changes, is there is some sort of more resonant projection happening beyond the thing being more in direct line with my ear. And after I get at some of the issues above (string crossings etc),
I expect this projection to improve consistency over the next month as well--or so I hope.
Finally, I'm becoming more convinced that where possible, one might benefit from at least learning without a shoulder rest first, particularly old krachity stiff folk as myself. I know the newness of finding a lot less tension is compelling of itself, but it's as much about the sound, thus the music. I'm painting my violin lavender. ;)
I'm embarassed...
Published: Jul. 6, 2007 at 9:11 PM
Last modified: Jul. 6, 2007 at 9:15 PM
that it took over two years to be comfortable with my violin, and that it took ditching my shoulder rest to make it happen. Even more so, I'm embarrassed that all these little pieces coming together I've known forever: straight wrist, support the instrument, somewhat:play from the front center....
And other little pieces along the way, are only now making sense. (Buri: "your elbow too close to your body", others...)... Sheesh, it's been an adventure. I knew however I was getting there only recently.
After ditching the shoulder rest ala Klayman's site, I started practicing in front of a big wall size mirror a few days past that. But before the mirror thing, I had already sensed and felt many points of relaxed posture.
Then, in front of the mirror, I learned to tweak my elbow and tuck, the last but probably most important part of my posture journey. The relaxed posture had already improved projection noticeably including the very shape and sound of notes as well. But, the elbow tuck, cleaned up my left hand articulation on yet another level somehow I do not really understand. I think it must be related to effective support of the instrument.
But now f4 on other strings has started to resonate almost like an open string. I'm impressed, but still embarrassed.
Last modified: Jul. 6, 2007 at 9:15 PM
that it took over two years to be comfortable with my violin, and that it took ditching my shoulder rest to make it happen. Even more so, I'm embarrassed that all these little pieces coming together I've known forever: straight wrist, support the instrument, somewhat:play from the front center....
And other little pieces along the way, are only now making sense. (Buri: "your elbow too close to your body", others...)... Sheesh, it's been an adventure. I knew however I was getting there only recently.
After ditching the shoulder rest ala Klayman's site, I started practicing in front of a big wall size mirror a few days past that. But before the mirror thing, I had already sensed and felt many points of relaxed posture.
Then, in front of the mirror, I learned to tweak my elbow and tuck, the last but probably most important part of my posture journey. The relaxed posture had already improved projection noticeably including the very shape and sound of notes as well. But, the elbow tuck, cleaned up my left hand articulation on yet another level somehow I do not really understand. I think it must be related to effective support of the instrument.
But now f4 on other strings has started to resonate almost like an open string. I'm impressed, but still embarrassed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)