Lesson 9/19/06
Today's lesson can break down into three sections:
1)Technique/shifts
2)Technique/posture
3)Repertoire
In the analysis of my shifting, three applicable reasons arose to explain the over and under shooting of the shifts. They are pressure, speed, and impulse.
By having too much pressure, the fingers will drag and under shoot and conversely, if too little pressure is applied, the fingers will over shoot. Creating a mental image of "up and out" for the up shifts eleviates the problem of pulling the instrument down by using too much pressure in the main fingers.
Speed is self-explanatory in that if the speed is not consistant, then there will be drag and overshooting occurring within the shift. This directly leads to impulse.
A steady rhythm, pulse, whatever one may call it, must be mentally and physically present in order for the shifts to move smoothly. The shift up and the shift down should have identical impulse, as well as identical speed (the two concepts are interconnected). As long as the instrument remains parallel, the same can be said for a pressure constant.
A side note to this is that I should not beat myself up over messing up notes and shifting. Self-esteem and musicality improve if I tell myself that I'll get it next time, think about it, and work out my problem. Masking the problem by trying to fix it and getting upset wastes valuable time and effort, as well as creating a negative self-image.
Posture and breathing were the second part of the lesson. While there has been significant improvement in posture, my breathing has brought out a new habit to being practicing. My breathing becomes rather constricted, so what I must do is to practice a breathing technique to fill up my abdoman and not raise my shoulders (as this ultimately tightens the muscles). I might actually try some form of meditation in order to help improve my breathing technique. The piece of music that has been identified for this purpose is the sonata by Eccles.
The final part is new repertoire. Rebecca Clarke's Passacaglia has been selected as the last of the pieces to work on. Today, we briefly worked through the Vaughan Williams English Studies and marked bowings and fingerings into the first study.
The rep list is V.W. English Folk Song Studies, Hoffmeister Concerto in D Major, Rebecca Clarke's Passacaglia, and the Sonata in G minor by Eccles.
That's all for today.
-Jesse
Comments
Posted by: Dan
Posted on: September 20, 2006 05:55 PM
MY COMMENTS IN CAPS
Today's lesson can break down into three sections:
1)Technique/shifts
2)Technique/posture
3)Repertoire
In the analysis of my shifting, three applicable reasons arose to explain the over and under shooting of the shifts. They are pressure, speed, and impulse.
THESE ARE FACTORS, INDEED - IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT YOUR TENDENCY IS TO NOT TRAVEL FAR ENOUGH (W/O JUDGMENT) AND MAKE NEW HABITS.
By having too much pressure, the fingers will drag and under shoot and conversely, if too little pressure is applied, the fingers will over shoot. Creating a mental image of "up and out" for the up shifts eleviates the problem of pulling the instrument down by using too much pressure in the main fingers.
GOOD!
Speed is self-explanatory in that if the speed is not consistant, then there will be drag and overshooting occurring within the shift. This directly leads to impulse.
SPEED IS ALSO ABOUT HAVING THE RIGHT AMT OF SPEED TO "ARRIVE ON TIME" AT THE GOAL NOTE.
A steady rhythm, pulse, whatever one may call it, must be mentally and physically present in order for the shifts to move smoothly. The shift up and the shift down should have identical impulse, as well as identical speed (the two concepts are interconnected). As long as the instrument remains parallel, the same can be said for a pressure constant.
WELL SAID.
A side note to this is that I should not beat myself up over messing up notes and shifting. Self-esteem and musicality improve if I tell myself that I'll get it next time, think about it, and work out my problem. Masking the problem by trying to fix it and getting upset wastes valuable time and effort, as well as creating a negative self-image.
IS IT REALLY THAT "GOOD" OR "BAD" WHETHER WE HIT OR MISS A SHIFT? IT'S EITHER "IN TUNE" OR "OUT OF TUNE" AND WE RESPOND APPROPRIATELY IN OUR PRACTICE.
Posture and breathing were the second part of the lesson. While there has been significant improvement in posture, my breathing has brought out a new habit to being practicing. My breathing becomes rather constricted, so what I must do is to practice a breathing technique to fill up my abdoman and not raise my shoulders (as this ultimately tightens the muscles). I might actually try some form of meditation in order to help improve my breathing technique. The piece of music that has been identified for this purpose is the sonata by Eccles.
AN EXCELLENT PIECE TO LEARN HOW BREATHING IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERY PIECE OF MUSIC. BRAVO.
The final part is new repertoire. Rebecca Clarke's Passacaglia has been selected as the last of the pieces to work on. Today, we briefly worked through the Vaughan Williams English Studies and marked bowings and fingerings into the first study.
FEEL FREE TO CHOOSE SOME FINGERINGS/BOWINGS FOR ANOTHER V.W. PIECE AND WE'LL LOOK IT OVER NEXT TIME.
GOOD JOB!