Showing posts with label bow hold. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bow hold. Show all posts
Thursday, September 12, 2013
VIOLIN BOW HOLD EXERCISES
WINDSHIELD WIPER BOW EXERCISE
SPIDER CRAWL BOW EXERCISE
http://www.violinstudent.com/tips/october/october20.html
BIG CIRCLES BOW EXERCISE
BOW ROCKING or THE "SEE-SAW"
BOW HOLDING DIRECTIONS
BASIC KNOWLEDGE
TO HELP UNDERSTAND WHY
THE WAY WAY WE HOLD THE BOW
IS SO IMPORTANT
01. BALANCE
a. BOW IS ACTUALLY HELD BY A BALANCE OF THE VIOLIN FROM BELOW AND THE HAND ABOVE
1) THE VIOLIN (PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR) BALANCES FROM BELOW
2) THE HAND APPLIES WEIGHT FROM ABOVE
a) WEIGHT IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE UPPER RIGHT ARM THROUGH THE MIDDLE JOINT OF
THE RIGHT POINTER FINGER ON TO THE BOW
b) THE RIGHT THUMB ON THE BOW IS USES TO KEEP THE BOW FROM WIGGLING SIDE-TO-SIDE
02. HOW THE BOW IS USED
TO PRODUCE SOUND and TONE
a. THE BOW SETS THE STRING TO ITS INITIAL VIBRATION BY STRIKING THE STRING FROM ABOVE
1) EXAMPLE: AS A MALLET MIGHT STRIKE A PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT
SUCH AS A TRIANGLE
2) A "SPRING-TYPE" ACTION OF THE BOW ON TO THE STRING PRODUCES THIS
a) PRODUCED BY THE PRESSING DOWN OF THE MIDDLE JOINT OF THE RIGHT POINTER FINGER THROUGH THE USE OF THE UPPER RIGHT ARM ON TO THE BOW FROM ABOVE
3) "ARTICULATION" SOUND IS PRODUCED BY THE BOW "SPRING" ACTION
a) ARTICULATION SOUND IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE TONGUE TOUCHING BEHIND THE TEETH IN THE PRODUCTION OF SPEECH SOUNDS
03. TONE QUALITY PRODUCTION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HOW THIS ARTICULATION IS PERFECTED
a. BOW MOVEMENT AFTER THE INITIAL ACTION
1) AFTER THE "ARTICULATION" THE BOW PRESSURE ON THE STRING
IS LESSENED (LESS PRESSURE FROM ABOVE) AND THE BOW CONTINUES IN
EITHER A DOWNWARDS or UPWARDS DIRECTION
a) DOWN BOW: PLAYER PULLS THE BOW DOWN FROM THE LEFT SHOULDER
b) UP BOW: PLAYER PUSHES THE BOW UP TOWARDS THE LEFT SHOULDER
2) BOW SPEED (DIRECTED BY THE THE RIGHT ARM) IS CONTROLLED AND STEADY
a) BOW SPEED IS DETERMINED BY MANY FACTORS
and IS A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION LATER)
3) PRESSURE ON TO THE BOW BY THE RIGHT ARM IS
DETERMINED BY THE BOW SPEED USED
====================================
LEARNING THE BOW HOLD BY STEPS:
BOW HOLD DETERMINED BY
THE MIDDLE KNUCKLES
OF THE RIGHT HAND
01. STEP 1:
PLACEMENT OF THE KNUCKLES:
a. ON THE PADDING and/or SILVER PORTION OF THE BOW NEAR THE FROG
PLACE THE MIDDLE KNUCKLES OF THE
RIGHT FINGERS:
POINTER, MIDDLE, RING, and PINKY ON THE BOW
1) PINKY NEVER TO BE ON THE SCREW OF THE BOW
02. STEP 2:
RIGHT THUMB PLACEMENT:
a. THUMB LIGHTLY TOUCHES THE FINGERTIPS INBETWEEN THE TWO MIDDLE FINGERS
1) THUMB DOES NOT SQUEEZE OR PUSH HARD AGAINST THE FINGERS
2) THUMB PLACED IN BETWEEN THE BOW STICK AND HAIR
03. STEP 3:
PINKY ADJUSTMENT
a. RIGHT PINKY FINGER ADJUSTED SO THE PAD OF THE FINGER SITS ON THE TOP OF THE BOW
1) FINGER MUST BE CURVED NATURALLY NOT PRESSED DOWN
HARD OR CAVED BACKWARDS
a) THIS FINGER IS THE "BALANCE" FINGER
04. STEP 4:
RIGHT POINTER FINGER ADJUSTMENT
a. POINTER FINGER MIDDLE KNUCKLE CAN BE ADJUSTED TO A LITTLE BELOW THE JOINT
1) THERE ARE 3 BASIC PLACEMENTS OF THE POINTER FINGER ON THE BOW AND USAGE VARIES DEPENDING ON THE PLAYER
a) FRANCO-BELGIUM: POINTER FINGER MIDDLE KNUCKLE PLACED SLIGHTLY BELOW JOINT ON THE BOW (THE MOST COMMON USAGE)
THE FRANCO-BELGIUM METHOD IS WHAT I AM TEACHING
b) FRENCH: POINTER FINGER KNUCKLE JUST ABOVE THE FINGER TIP KNUCKLE USED ON THE BOW (CREATES A LIGHTER SOUND)
c) RUSSIAN: POINTER FINGER KNUCKLE JUST BELOW THE HAND USED ON THE BOW
(CREATES A HEAVIER SOUND)
05. QUICK REVIEW
THAT I ALWAYS SAY IN CLASS:
MIDDLE JOINTS ON BOW STICK
THUMB IN BETWEEN TWO MIDDLE FINGERS
PINKY SITS UP FOR BALANCE AND A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT OF THE POINTER FINGER
BOWING ON THE VIOLIN FOR THE BEGINNER
HOLDING THE VIOLIN BOW
LEOPOLD AUER ON BOWING
and
BOW HOLD
PRE-BOWING ON THE SHOULDER
MOVING THE BOW ON THE VIOLIN
PROPORTIONS OF THE BOW
ELIPTICAL MOTIONS CREATED BY
BOW STROKES and LIFTED BOWS
Friday, September 14, 2012
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012
QUOTE:
“My masters are strange folk with very little care for music in them.”
“My masters are strange folk with very little care for music in them.”
AUTHOR: Johann Sebastian Bach
MEANING OF THE QUOTE:
“Music is used for some people as a symbol of status or a way
“Music is used for some people as a symbol of status or a way
to be popular and for them has little to do with the art itself.”
Waltz Op. 64 No. 2
C# Minor
(Tempo giusto)
Performed by Artur Rubinstein
with sheet music
ADV. STRINGS
COMPOSER
CHOPIN
Waltz Op. 64 No. 2
C# Minor
(Tempo giusto)
C# Minor
(Tempo giusto)
LISTENING WORKSHEET
Waltz Op. 64 No. 2
C# Minor
(Tempo giusto)
Performed by Artur Rubinstein
with sheet music
Waltz Op. 64 No. 2
C# Minor
(Tempo giusto)
C# Minor
(Tempo giusto)
Performed by Artur Rubinstein
with pictures of the pianist
This is a term that describes the rate of speed (tempo) that a piece is played at.
The literal meaning is "exact time."
GENERAL MUSIC
01. MUSICAL ALPHABET GRAPHING SHEETS
01. MUSICAL ALPHABET GRAPHING SHEETS
02. PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
.......a. DEFINITION OF WHAT A PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT IS
.......b. INSTRUMENTS SHOWN IN CLASS (IDENTIFIED BY HOW THEY ARE PLAYED):
............1) SHAKERS
..................a) MARACAS
..................b) TAMBOURINE
..................c) SLEIGH BELLS
..................a) MARACAS
..................b) TAMBOURINE
..................c) SLEIGH BELLS
............2) SCRAPERS
..................a) BELL TREE
..................b) CABASA
..................c) GUIRO
..................d) SAND BLOCKS
..................a) BELL TREE
..................b) CABASA
..................c) GUIRO
..................d) SAND BLOCKS
............3) HITTING or STRIKING
..................a) BELL TREE
..................b) CLAVES
..................c) FINGER CYMBALS
..................d) HAND DRUM
..................e) SAND BLOCKS
..................f) SPOONS
..................g) TAMBOURINE
..................h) TRIANGLE
..................i) VIBRATONE
..................j) WOODBLOCK
..................a) BELL TREE
..................b) CLAVES
..................c) FINGER CYMBALS
..................d) HAND DRUM
..................e) SAND BLOCKS
..................f) SPOONS
..................g) TAMBOURINE
..................h) TRIANGLE
..................i) VIBRATONE
..................j) WOODBLOCK
............4) COMBINATIONS
..................a) BELL TREE
..................b) TAMBOURINE
..................a) BELL TREE
..................b) TAMBOURINE
........c. INSTRUMENTS SHOWN IN CLASS ALSO IDENTIFIED BY MATERIALS THEY ARE MADE OF:
............1) METAL:
..................a) BELL TREE
..................b) COWBELL
..................c) FINGER CYMBALS
..................d) SLEIGH BELLS
..................e) THUNDER SHEET
..................f) TRIANGLE
..................g) VIBRATONE
............2) WOOD:
..................a) CLAVES
..................b) SAND BLOCKS
..................c) SLAPSTICK
..................d) WOODBLOCK
............3) SKIN:
..................a) HAND DRUM
..................b) TAMBOURINE
............4) COMBINATIONS:
..................a) TAMBOURINE
............5) OTHERS:
..................a) CABASA (CAN BE MADE OF METAL or GOURD)
..................b) GUIRO (CAN BE MADE OF METAL
or GOURD)
..................c) MARACAS (MADE OF GOURD)
..................d) SAND BLOCKS (MADE OF WOOD and SAND PAPER)
..................e) SPOONS (CAN BE MADE OF METAL or WOOD)
........d. INSTRUMENTS CAN ALSO BE CLASSIFIED BY TIMBRE (or BY SIMILAR TONE COLOR) EXAMPLES:
............1) FINGER CYMBALS and TRIANGLES
............2) WOODBLOCKS, CLAVES, and SPOONS
........e. INSTRUMENTS CLASSIFIED IN TWO MAIN CATEGORIES:
............1) PITCHED
..................a) PRODUCES SOUNDS or PITCHES
..................b) SOUNDS or PITCHES CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY NOTES OF THE MUSICAL ALPHABET
............2) NON-PITCHED ............1) PITCHED
..................a) PRODUCES SOUNDS or PITCHES
..................b) SOUNDS or PITCHES CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY NOTES OF THE MUSICAL ALPHABET
..................a) PRODUCES SOUNDS and/or PITCHES
..................b) SOUNDS CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED BY NOTES OF THE MUSICAL ALPHABET
........f. MANY OF THESE INSTRUMENTS ARE NOW ALSO BEING MADE OF SYNTHETIC MATERIALS SUCH AS PLASTIC
01. GESU BAMBINO
.......a. PRACTICED THE 1ST PHRASE
............1) BOWING and ARTICULATION: STARTING and STOPPING TOGETHER
.......b. PLAY THROUGH THE ENTIRE PIECE
02. BURGUNDIAN CAROL
BEG. STRINGS
BOW HOLDING DIRECTIONS
BASIC KNOWLEDGE TO HELP UNDERSTAND WHY THE WAY WAY WE HOLD THE BOW IS SO IMPORTANT
01. BALANCE
........a. BOW IS ACTUALLY HELD BY A BALANCE OF THE VIOLIN FROM BELOW AND THE HAND ABOVE
.............1) THE VIOLIN (PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR) BALANCES FROM BELOW
.............2) THE HAND APPLIES WEIGHT FROM ABOVE
...................a) WEIGHT IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE UPPER RIGHT ARM THROUGH THE MIDDLE JOINT OF THE RIGHT POINTER FINGER ON TO THE BOW
...................b) THE RIGHT THUMB ON THE BOW IS USES TO KEEP THE BOW FROM WIGGLING SIDE
-TO-SIDE
02. HOW THE BOW IS USED TO PRODUCE SOUND and TONE
........a. THE BOW SETS THE STRING TO ITS INITIAL VIBRATION BY STRIKING THE STRING FROM ABOVE
.............1) EXAMPLE: AS A MALLET MIGHT STRIKE A PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT SUCH AS A TRIANGLE
.............2) A "SPRING-TYPE" ACTION OF THE BOW ON TO THE STRING PRODUCES THIS
...................a) PRODUCED BY THE PRESSING DOWN OF THE MIDDLE JOINT OF THE RIGHT POINTER FINGER THROUGH THE USE OF THE UPPER RIGHT ARM ON TO THE BOW FROM ABOVE
..............3) "ARTICULATION" SOUND IS PRODUCED BY THE BOW "SPRING" ACTION
...................a) ARTICULATION SOUND IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE TONGUE TOUCHING BEHIND THE TEETH IN THE PRODUCTION OF SPEECH SOUNDS
..............4) TONE QUALITY PRODUCTION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HOW THIS ARTICULATION IS PERFECTED
........b. BOW MOVEMENT AFTER THE INITIAL ACTION
.............1) AFTER THE "ARTICULATION" THE BOW PRESSURE ON THE STRING IS LESSENED (LESS PRESSURE FROM ABOVE) AND THE BOW CONTINUES IN EITHER A DOWNWARDS or UPWARDS DIRECTION
...................a) DOWN BOW: PLAYER PULLS THE BOW DOWN FROM THE LEFT SHOULDER
...................b) UP BOW: PLAYER PUSHES THE BOW UP TOWARDS THE LEFT SHOULDER
.............2) BOW SPEED (DIRECTED BY THE THE RIGHT ARM) IS CONTROLLED AND STEADY
...................a) BOW SPEED IS DETERMINED BY MANY FACTORS and IS A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION LATER)
.............3) PRESSURE ON TO THE BOW BY THE RIGHT ARM IS DETERMINED BY THE BOW SPEED USED LEARNING THE BOW HOLD BY STEPS:
01. BOW HOLD DETERMINED BY THE MIDDLE KNUCKLES OF THE RIGHT HAND
02. STEP 1: PLACEMENT OF THE KNUCKLES:
.......a. ON THE PADDING and/or SILVER PORTION OF THE BOW NEAR THE FROG PLACE THE MIDDLE
KNUCKLES OF THE RIGHT HAND FINGERS: POINTER, MIDDLE, RING, and PINKY ON THE BOW
...........1) PINKY NEVER TO BE ON THE SCREW OF THE BOW
03. STEP 2: RIGHT THUMB PLACEMENT
........a. LIGHTLY TOUCHES THE FINGER TIPS IN BETWEEN THE TWO MIDDLE FINGERS
............1) THUMB DOES NOT SQUEEZE OR PUSH HARD AGAINST THE FINGERS
........b. THUMB PLACED IN BETWEEN THE BOW STICK AND HAIR
04. STEP 3: PINKY ADJUSTMENT
........a. RIGHT PINKY FINGER ADJUSTED SO THE PAD OF THE FINGER SITS ON THE TOP OF THE BOW
............1) FINGER MUST BE CURVED NATURALLY NOT PRESSED DOWN HARD OR CAVED BACKWARDS
........b. THIS FINGER IS THE "BALANCE" FINGER
05. STEP 4: RIGHT POINTER FINGER ADJUSTMENT
........a. POINTER FINGER MIDDLE KNUCKLE CAN BE ADJUSTED TO A LITTLE BELOW THE JOINT
............1) THERE ARE 3 BASIC PLACEMENTS OF THE POINTER FINGER ON THE BOW AND USAGE VARIES DEPENDING ON THE PLAYER
..................a) FRANCO-BELGIUM: POINTER FINGER MIDDLE KNUCKLE PLACED SLIGHTLY BELOW JOINT ON THE BOW (THE MOST COMMON USAGE)
..................b) FRENCH: POINTER FINGER KNUCKLE JUST ABOVE THE FINGER TIP KNUCKLE USED ON THE BOW (CREATES A LIGHTER SOUND)
..................c) RUSSIAN: POINTER FINGER KNUCKLE JUST BELOW THE HAND USED ON THE BOW (CREATES A HEAVIER SOUND)
........b. THE FRANCO-BELGIUM METHOD IS WHAT I AM TEACHING
06. QUICK REVIEW THAT I ALWAYS SAY IN CLASS:
........a. BOW IS ACTUALLY HELD BY A BALANCE OF THE VIOLIN FROM BELOW AND THE HAND ABOVE
.............1) THE VIOLIN (PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR) BALANCES FROM BELOW
.............2) THE HAND APPLIES WEIGHT FROM ABOVE
...................a) WEIGHT IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE UPPER RIGHT ARM THROUGH THE MIDDLE JOINT OF THE RIGHT POINTER FINGER ON TO THE BOW
...................b) THE RIGHT THUMB ON THE BOW IS USES TO KEEP THE BOW FROM WIGGLING SIDE
-TO-SIDE
02. HOW THE BOW IS USED TO PRODUCE SOUND and TONE
........a. THE BOW SETS THE STRING TO ITS INITIAL VIBRATION BY STRIKING THE STRING FROM ABOVE
.............1) EXAMPLE: AS A MALLET MIGHT STRIKE A PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT SUCH AS A TRIANGLE
.............2) A "SPRING-TYPE" ACTION OF THE BOW ON TO THE STRING PRODUCES THIS
...................a) PRODUCED BY THE PRESSING DOWN OF THE MIDDLE JOINT OF THE RIGHT POINTER FINGER THROUGH THE USE OF THE UPPER RIGHT ARM ON TO THE BOW FROM ABOVE
..............3) "ARTICULATION" SOUND IS PRODUCED BY THE BOW "SPRING" ACTION
...................a) ARTICULATION SOUND IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE TONGUE TOUCHING BEHIND THE TEETH IN THE PRODUCTION OF SPEECH SOUNDS
..............4) TONE QUALITY PRODUCTION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO HOW THIS ARTICULATION IS PERFECTED
........b. BOW MOVEMENT AFTER THE INITIAL ACTION
.............1) AFTER THE "ARTICULATION" THE BOW PRESSURE ON THE STRING IS LESSENED (LESS PRESSURE FROM ABOVE) AND THE BOW CONTINUES IN EITHER A DOWNWARDS or UPWARDS DIRECTION
...................a) DOWN BOW: PLAYER PULLS THE BOW DOWN FROM THE LEFT SHOULDER
...................b) UP BOW: PLAYER PUSHES THE BOW UP TOWARDS THE LEFT SHOULDER
...................a) BOW SPEED IS DETERMINED BY MANY FACTORS and IS A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION LATER)
.............3) PRESSURE ON TO THE BOW BY THE RIGHT ARM IS DETERMINED BY THE BOW SPEED USED LEARNING THE BOW HOLD BY STEPS:
01. BOW HOLD DETERMINED BY THE MIDDLE KNUCKLES OF THE RIGHT HAND
02. STEP 1: PLACEMENT OF THE KNUCKLES:
.......a. ON THE PADDING and/or SILVER PORTION OF THE BOW NEAR THE FROG PLACE THE MIDDLE
KNUCKLES OF THE RIGHT HAND FINGERS: POINTER, MIDDLE, RING, and PINKY ON THE BOW
...........1) PINKY NEVER TO BE ON THE SCREW OF THE BOW
03. STEP 2: RIGHT THUMB PLACEMENT
........a. LIGHTLY TOUCHES THE FINGER TIPS IN BETWEEN THE TWO MIDDLE FINGERS
............1) THUMB DOES NOT SQUEEZE OR PUSH HARD AGAINST THE FINGERS
........b. THUMB PLACED IN BETWEEN THE BOW STICK AND HAIR
04. STEP 3: PINKY ADJUSTMENT
........a. RIGHT PINKY FINGER ADJUSTED SO THE PAD OF THE FINGER SITS ON THE TOP OF THE BOW
............1) FINGER MUST BE CURVED NATURALLY NOT PRESSED DOWN HARD OR CAVED BACKWARDS
........b. THIS FINGER IS THE "BALANCE" FINGER
05. STEP 4: RIGHT POINTER FINGER ADJUSTMENT
........a. POINTER FINGER MIDDLE KNUCKLE CAN BE ADJUSTED TO A LITTLE BELOW THE JOINT
............1) THERE ARE 3 BASIC PLACEMENTS OF THE POINTER FINGER ON THE BOW AND USAGE VARIES DEPENDING ON THE PLAYER
..................a) FRANCO-BELGIUM: POINTER FINGER MIDDLE KNUCKLE PLACED SLIGHTLY BELOW JOINT ON THE BOW (THE MOST COMMON USAGE)
..................b) FRENCH: POINTER FINGER KNUCKLE JUST ABOVE THE FINGER TIP KNUCKLE USED ON THE BOW (CREATES A LIGHTER SOUND)
..................c) RUSSIAN: POINTER FINGER KNUCKLE JUST BELOW THE HAND USED ON THE BOW (CREATES A HEAVIER SOUND)
........b. THE FRANCO-BELGIUM METHOD IS WHAT I AM TEACHING
06. QUICK REVIEW THAT I ALWAYS SAY IN CLASS:
MIDDLE JOINTS ON BOW STICK
THUMB IN BETWEEN TWO MIDDLE FINGERS
PINKY SITS UP FOR BALANCE AND A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT OF THE POINTER FINGER
Thursday, September 23, 2010
THURSDAY; SEPTEMBER 23, 2010
GENERAL MUSIC PERIODS 2, 3:
COMPOSER:
The melody from this piece was borrowed, words added, and the backround rhythm changed creating a popular song in the 1940's called, "Till the End of Time"
OBJECTIVE: RECORDER BEGINNING SONGS BY NUMBER
1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Zoltan Kodaly a famous Hungarian composer who also specialized in the creation of a children's music education course of study which emphasized "solfege."
2. SOLFEGE: MI-RE-DO Review of MI-RE-DO hand signals and sounds/practice singing the MI-RE-DO pitches by teaching how to proportion air using the diaphragm muscle (a technique also used for breath control on the recorder).
.....a. Each student sings the pattern and hand signs to... teacher: "Did you finish your quote?" Student reply, "Yes I did."
2. Composer Report on Chopin:
.....a. Discussed some other famous composers who were alive at the same time as Chopin:
..........1)Felix Mendelssohn: Famous composer and conductor from Germany (wrote a famous Wedding March)
..........2)Robert Schumann: Famous pianist, composer and piano teacher. He married the daughter of his piano teacher Clara Wieck Schumann, who was also well known for her piano playing and composing in her own right. Schumann experimented with a device he invented to help strengthen and train the fingers of his students. While trying the device out himself, he harmed one of his fingers to the extent that it never healed properly. Not being to play the piano as well as he used to depressed him so much that he eventually developed a mental illness.
..........3)Franz Liszt: A famous pianist (performer) and composer who, like Chopin, was one of the most popular pianists of his time.
.....b. Discussed some other famous historical people alive during Chopin's lifetime:
..........1)US President #5 James Monroe
..........2)US President #11 James K. Polk
..........3)Queen Victoria of England (She was the queen of England for a very long time and her style was copied by people all over the world. Her influence on style and culture was so famous that the time period she lived in is often referred to as the "Victorian" era. An example of her influence is the tradition of the Christmas tree. Before she had one in her palace, the Christmas tree was only a tradition in Germany. After Victoria was introduced to this custom by her husband Albert, who was German, the Christmas tree became a tradition all over. It was also Victoria who set the tradition of getting married to a famous bridal march composed by Felix Mendelssohn. She had heard the music in his (Mendelssohn's) "A Midsummer's Night Dream" and decided to have it played at her own wedding ceremony.
3. SONG "Whacky Nutcracker"( http://www.musick8.com/store/alphadetail.php?product_group=909 )
.....a. Review term "staccato" [shortened articulated sounds (short does not mean loud however)]/and then we practiced paying the "staccato" having a student direct the class on how the staccato was to be played (articulated).
.....b. Review other technical terms in the piece (measures, measures rest, triplets, time signature/meter)
GENERAL MUSIC PERIOD 1:
(Same as periods 2,3 but will work on composer report tomorrow)
BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5:
OBJECTIVE: Violin Bow: Beginning bow holds/Bowing on the Shoulder: Bow Levels
1. Reviwed bow hold
2. Bow: Beginning exercises
.....a. "Spider Crawl"
.....b. "Windshield Wiper"
.....c. Flexible right knuckle joints on the bow stick
3. Bowing on the shoulder:
.....a. Making squares with the bow on the shoulder vs parallelograms
..........1)Where the square is formed (depending on arm length vs bow size, etc.) is the middle of the bow for each particular player.
..........2)Using the idea of the "square" is an important concept because it keeps the violin bow from traveling into the fingerboard area (which is one of the major causes of scratchy, ugly sounds on a violin).
.....b. Bow Levels
..........1)Bow and arm stay together and move as a unit together in order to assure that the the bow will sound the string that is intended and not hit another one by accident
..........2)There are 4 basic arm/bow levels; one for each string("G," "D," "A," "E") and there are 3 more added levels used when performing double-stops (more than one note played at a time on 2 neighboring strings). Those levels find the bow placed on two strings at the same time: G+D, D+A, A+E
..........3)At the "G" string bow level the bow and arm (forming the square) are both parallel to the floor (sort-of like a table top upon which can sit a glass of water) and at the "E" string bow level, the elbow of the bow playing arm is towards the floor.
.....c. Making trapezoids with the bow on the shoulder.
..........1)The tip of the bow (the amount of bow that can comfortably be used; not the actual tip) is where the bow forms a trapezoid in proportion to the arm's length with the bow on the shoulder.
..........2)Since everyone's arm length (and its proportion to the bow size) is different, the tip of the bow is not always in the same place.
..........3)If in order to reach the actual tip of the bow the player must extend the right arm completely straight, then the amount of bow used must be lessened a bit. The idea is that the right arm must never be extented completely straight; there must always be a slight bend in the right elbow when at the tip of the bow.
..........4)Practice bow arm levels at the tip and compare with the bow arm levels at the square; bow arm levels are different when playing at different parts of the bow.
.....d. Making triangles with the bow on the shoulder.
..........1)The lowest part of the bow is called the "frog." When placing the bow on the shoulder at the frog a triangle is formed.
..........2)Compare all three bow levels: bow at the frog, bow in the middle, bow at the tip; movements of the arm are greater when the bow is placed at its tip and very minimal whenthe bow is placed at the frog.
ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4:
OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music
1. TUNE
2. ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL:
a. Worked on the 4th section (first half of the phrase is almost identical to the second half)
b. Added this section on to what we had previously learned (skipping section 3 but following the passage with our eyes) and played with the recording for continuity.
MONDAY THERE WILL BE A QUIZ ON THAT DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE!
COMPOSER:
OBJECTIVE: RECORDER BEGINNING SONGS BY NUMBER
1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Zoltan Kodaly a famous Hungarian composer who also specialized in the creation of a children's music education course of study which emphasized "solfege."
2. SOLFEGE: MI-RE-DO Review of MI-RE-DO hand signals and sounds/practice singing the MI-RE-DO pitches by teaching how to proportion air using the diaphragm muscle (a technique also used for breath control on the recorder).
.....a. Each student sings the pattern and hand signs to... teacher: "Did you finish your quote?" Student reply, "Yes I did."
2. Composer Report on Chopin:
.....a. Discussed some other famous composers who were alive at the same time as Chopin:
..........1)Felix Mendelssohn: Famous composer and conductor from Germany (wrote a famous Wedding March)
..........2)Robert Schumann: Famous pianist, composer and piano teacher. He married the daughter of his piano teacher Clara Wieck Schumann, who was also well known for her piano playing and composing in her own right. Schumann experimented with a device he invented to help strengthen and train the fingers of his students. While trying the device out himself, he harmed one of his fingers to the extent that it never healed properly. Not being to play the piano as well as he used to depressed him so much that he eventually developed a mental illness.
..........3)Franz Liszt: A famous pianist (performer) and composer who, like Chopin, was one of the most popular pianists of his time.
.....b. Discussed some other famous historical people alive during Chopin's lifetime:
..........1)US President #5 James Monroe
..........2)US President #11 James K. Polk
..........3)Queen Victoria of England (She was the queen of England for a very long time and her style was copied by people all over the world. Her influence on style and culture was so famous that the time period she lived in is often referred to as the "Victorian" era. An example of her influence is the tradition of the Christmas tree. Before she had one in her palace, the Christmas tree was only a tradition in Germany. After Victoria was introduced to this custom by her husband Albert, who was German, the Christmas tree became a tradition all over. It was also Victoria who set the tradition of getting married to a famous bridal march composed by Felix Mendelssohn. She had heard the music in his (Mendelssohn's) "A Midsummer's Night Dream" and decided to have it played at her own wedding ceremony.
3. SONG "Whacky Nutcracker"( http://www.musick8.com/store/alphadetail.php?product_group=909 )
.....a. Review term "staccato" [shortened articulated sounds (short does not mean loud however)]/and then we practiced paying the "staccato" having a student direct the class on how the staccato was to be played (articulated).
.....b. Review other technical terms in the piece (measures, measures rest, triplets, time signature/meter)
GENERAL MUSIC PERIOD 1:
(Same as periods 2,3 but will work on composer report tomorrow)
BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5:
OBJECTIVE: Violin Bow: Beginning bow holds/Bowing on the Shoulder: Bow Levels
1. Reviwed bow hold
2. Bow: Beginning exercises
.....a. "Spider Crawl"
.....b. "Windshield Wiper"
.....c. Flexible right knuckle joints on the bow stick
3. Bowing on the shoulder:
.....a. Making squares with the bow on the shoulder vs parallelograms
..........1)Where the square is formed (depending on arm length vs bow size, etc.) is the middle of the bow for each particular player.
..........2)Using the idea of the "square" is an important concept because it keeps the violin bow from traveling into the fingerboard area (which is one of the major causes of scratchy, ugly sounds on a violin).
.....b. Bow Levels
..........1)Bow and arm stay together and move as a unit together in order to assure that the the bow will sound the string that is intended and not hit another one by accident
..........2)There are 4 basic arm/bow levels; one for each string("G," "D," "A," "E") and there are 3 more added levels used when performing double-stops (more than one note played at a time on 2 neighboring strings). Those levels find the bow placed on two strings at the same time: G+D, D+A, A+E
..........3)At the "G" string bow level the bow and arm (forming the square) are both parallel to the floor (sort-of like a table top upon which can sit a glass of water) and at the "E" string bow level, the elbow of the bow playing arm is towards the floor.
.....c. Making trapezoids with the bow on the shoulder.
..........1)The tip of the bow (the amount of bow that can comfortably be used; not the actual tip) is where the bow forms a trapezoid in proportion to the arm's length with the bow on the shoulder.
..........2)Since everyone's arm length (and its proportion to the bow size) is different, the tip of the bow is not always in the same place.
..........3)If in order to reach the actual tip of the bow the player must extend the right arm completely straight, then the amount of bow used must be lessened a bit. The idea is that the right arm must never be extented completely straight; there must always be a slight bend in the right elbow when at the tip of the bow.
..........4)Practice bow arm levels at the tip and compare with the bow arm levels at the square; bow arm levels are different when playing at different parts of the bow.
.....d. Making triangles with the bow on the shoulder.
..........1)The lowest part of the bow is called the "frog." When placing the bow on the shoulder at the frog a triangle is formed.
..........2)Compare all three bow levels: bow at the frog, bow in the middle, bow at the tip; movements of the arm are greater when the bow is placed at its tip and very minimal whenthe bow is placed at the frog.
ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4:
OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music
1. TUNE
2. ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL:
a. Worked on the 4th section (first half of the phrase is almost identical to the second half)
b. Added this section on to what we had previously learned (skipping section 3 but following the passage with our eyes) and played with the recording for continuity.
MONDAY THERE WILL BE A QUIZ ON THAT DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE!
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