lesson 9/26/06
The first half of the lesson concerned impulse control. impulse in this sense refers to the speed of the fingers making contact with the strings (a winding of the fingers, if you will) and then a momentary/automatic recoil in the wrist/fingers. Key elements to impulse control are speed and pressure; either of these two points (if applied sloppily) can destroy allacrity. Too much pressure is detrimental because it will stiffen the wrist and impede the natural recoil.
The process used to strengthen impulse control is first, impulse exercise on each finger separately, then alternating fingers. Next is to bring the feeling of the previous excercise into the sevcik shifting exercise. The third step is to take the feeling of impulse in shifting and apply it to scales--this then leads into repertoire.
The other part of the lesson was a review of working into shifting with the bow changes. Shifts can be delayed and bowings broken in order to coordinate the two practices. The next step is to turn the shift into a glissando of sorts and to make sure that it occurs on the bow change. More work is required in this area.
Logging out.
Comments
Posted by: Sara
Posted on: September 29, 2006 02:56 AM
Hi, I'm just wondering for whom you are writing this blog. Is it for your private teacher to look at? Regardless, I enjoyed reading it. You are adequately analytical about your technique while also being in tune with what you need to do to enhance your musicality. Very eloquently written, with much understanding, it seems. Perhaps I will do the same for my voice lessons.
Posted by: Jesse
Posted on: September 29, 2006 02:38 PM
hi sara,
yes, i am blogging as an assignment for my viola lessons. i'm rather new to this, still learning how to manage my files. the idea is that this way i'll be able to internalize the lesson in a new way (by writing it down). my teacher can then read what i've written and comment on what i may have forgotten and add other notes.
Posted by: Sara
Posted on: September 29, 2006 03:31 PM
Cool. I already keep a journal of sorts about my voice studies, because I think that the writing process itself can help me to view problems/successes in a new light, as well as generally force me to deal with the facts of development. For example, sometimes it can be so easy to leave a lesson overwhelmed by the emotional impact it had, rather than owning up to a more objective analysis of where I stand in regard to my goals. It's really interesting for me to see how someone else approaches thinking about their lesson, though. It doesn't seem to be something people really share in detail with one another.
Posted by: Dan
Posted on: September 30, 2006 10:52 PM
The first half of the lesson concerned impulse control. impulse in this sense refers to the speed of the fingers making contact with the strings (a winding of the fingers, if you will) and then a momentary/automatic recoil in the wrist/fingers. Key elements to impulse control are speed and pressure; either of these two points (if applied sloppily) can destroy allacrity. Too much pressure is detrimental because it will stiffen the wrist and impede the natural recoil.
I LIKE YOUR DESCRIPTION OF THE IMPULSE, BUT I'D CAUTION AGAINST OVERUSING THE WORD "CONTROL", AS IT CAN EASILY RESULT IN TENSION. REMEMBER THAT AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE IMPULSE IS "RELEASE", AND CULTIVATING THIS PHYSICAL SENSATION IS BENEFICIAL TO LEFT HAND FACILITY, SHIFTING, VIBRATO, MUSICAL EXPRESSION, AND PARTICULARLY THE PREVENTION OF INJURY. IDEALLY IT DOES NOT EXIST ONLY IN THE VACUUM OF AN EXERCISE OR SET OF EXERCISES, BUT IT IS EVER-PRESENT.
The process used to strengthen impulse control is first, impulse exercise on each finger separately, then alternating fingers. Next is to bring the feeling of the previous excercise into the sevcik shifting exercise. The third step is to take the feeling of impulse in shifting and apply it to scales--this then leads into repertoire.
THIS PART OF THE LESSON WAS A PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT I ALREADY DESCRIBED ABOVE - IMPULSE SHOULD BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF ALL PLAYING, AND IT IS THEREFORE AN EXCELLENT WARM-UP, REMINDER, EXERCISE, ETC.
The other part of the lesson was a review of working into shifting with the bow changes. Shifts can be delayed and bowings broken in order to coordinate the two practices. The next step is to turn the shift into a glissando of sorts and to make sure that it occurs on the bow change. More work is required in this area.
"TIMING IS EVERYTHING." I TEACH SHIFTING (ESPECIALLY FOR TECHNICAL PASSAGES, SUCH AS SCALES) SO THAT PASSAGES CAN BECOME LUCID AND THE SHIFTS CAN BE HIDDEN. IF YOUR SHIFT TAKES SOUND AWAY FROM A NOTE, I.E., IF IT HAPPENS TOO EARLY, THEN YOU WILL HAVE UNNECESSARY NOISE IN PASSAGEWORK. IF, HOWEVER, YOU CAN SHIFT AT THE START OF A NEW NOTE, YOU WILL MORE LIKELY BE ABLE TO HIDE THE SHIFT AND CREATE MORE FLUID LINES WITHOUT NOISE. THAT SAID, I'M HAVING YOU MAKE THE GLISS. SO THAT YOU KNOW WHEN YOU ARE SHIFTING - WE CAN MAKE IT DISAPPEAR WHEN YOU CAN TIME YOUR SHIFTS WITH THE BOW/NOTE CHANGES.