Michael, you can do it!

Session “A” with Mirror-Memorize

Perfect your practicing 30 minute daily maintenance with mirror
EVERY PERSON NEEDS TIME TO EXPLORE
THEIR ACTUAL PLAYING OF THE VIOLIN!
IS THERE PROGRESS WITHOUT CHANGE?
CHECK
BOX
DATE: _____/______/______
I BOW HOLD Try first with practice bow: circle between thumb and middle finger, middle finger
touches silver, inside 2nd joint first finger, ring finer next to middle, pinky on top
relaxed.

II VIOLIN HOLD stand sideways to mirror, violin parallel to shoulder, strings level (marble), button
at front of neck, watch head-neck-back relationship. Proper adjustment of music
stand. Observe good Head neck back relationship.
III WASH THE FROG –finger motion only near the frog, passive and active 10 x each
IV MIDDLE TO FROG Finger motion- active FROG TO MIDDLE
Guide with arm 10 x Go down same way as you went up
MIDDLE TO TIP Finger motion- active TIP TO MIDDLE
Guide with wrist 10 x Go down same way as you went up
◘ check for even bow speed
◘ stop every “inch” to check bow hold, bow direction and natural arm relationship
◘ completely flat hair for practicing, without lifting bow, or turning it on its side
◘ bow in one spot, at the “sounding point”, keep tone “ringing”
◘ straight bow
◘ lead mostly with the arm to the frog from the middle-not too high , not too low…. avoid arm being above shoulder…
◘ use fingers to change the bow
◘ go down the same way you came up, keep it useful and simple
◘ take side of chin off the chin rest to observe your motions in the mirror
◘ if all is well then check whole bow, then one sllloooooooooooooooowww bow a day
VII PREPARE STRING CROSSINGS across all strings slowly; one up and one down bow.
On beat two get as clos as possible to the next string 1 2 3 4
IV Left hand setup: third position (pocket)
Get this perfectly 10 out of 10 taking the hand away between each time
Setup and balance fingers in reverse - 4,3,2,1 thumb ahead of the first finger, thumb is natural place more forward

Prepare fingers in left hand with the word “and” between each note. Gently stretch fingers
back and throw relax immediately and continue for duration of note with only minimum
pressure. Do this in a very relaxed but absolutely even/rhythmical framework.
Use Tools for the Modern Violinist (Khaliq/Stuckenbruck), anything in one position: use scale in thirds slur at least two
notes, gbac..etc. Also use Müller Rusch Book2, Book 3, Essentials for Strings (pages 1-4 only) Other Etudes: Kayser ,
Wolfart, Dancla, etc. any etudes in one position (1st or 3rd) from each to greater stretches and accidentals.
Additional exercises: Efrem Zimbalist’s “One hour daily exercises”, Campoli, Sevcik
V SHIFTS, always start form the upper position in practicing shifts (3 to1, 5 to 3)
3-1/1-3, 5-3/3-5, 5-1/1-5, 7-5/5-7 position using “Same Finger”, “French”, and “Russian” shifts with all helping notes
Get copy of Tools for the Modern Violinist or for shifting: Hrimaly, Gaylord Yost, and A.H. Weisberg

VI Scales (2/3/4 octave): use 13 week cycle of the circle of fifths, arpeggios in major, minor,
 IV6 diminished 7th chord, also for double stops start with octaves, the sixths, thirds, fourths,
and sevenths End with chordal arpeggios based on a chord progression of a song.
See: Tools for the Modern Violinst (Khaliq/Stuckenbruck)
End of session “A”---- break---break---break

SESSION B:

Basic learning of musical passages for solo or orchestral excerpts:

1) whole bow each note (including helping notes, which get a separate bow)) without

any rhythm, completely connected

2) play the correct bowing, but not yet the rhythm

3) study the rhythm without the violin:

a) find smallest common denominator for the approaching measure. The fastest note

is always the beat! First tap the smaller common denominator and count the values of

each notes starting with 1. Do not use values that imply the place in the measure.

b) Then advance to saying “Da” for each notes value while tapping the common

denominator.

4) Then put bowing and rhythm together while counting.

5) Memorize the measure(s) going backwards

6) Go to the mirror and study what you do until it sounds and looks as you want it to

be.

7) You are the best teacher of yourselves. Always study how to improve to teach

yourself.

8) Sing it, sing it, sing it and study the style and character for articulations and amount

of bow, etc. Practice with the same amount of bow as you would wish to perform.

9) Review the passage once more from what you learned by singing it.
Proceed to next measure(s)

Session C: Performance:

Never perform too many times in a row. Always practice in between.

Try to practice frequently for shorter amounts of time. Only practice when you

are completely able to plan and focus. Determine your results in advance.

Work peacefully and reflectively. If you have to repeat something more than a

few times then you need to go back to session B.

Sing how you wish the character and phrase to sound.

Build your articulations to truly be characterful in what you are playing.

Create your plan and make it absolutely clear.

Don’t practice in a manner whereby tension creeps into your playing.

Be aware and always develop your preparations to what is coming ahead

thoroughly.