Mon 65 min
Looks like I took a loooong holiday weekend.
Slurps, Prelude #1
C MAJ scale, broken 3ds, arps, 3ds and 6ths.
Record slurps video for MT
More Prelude #1
It looks like I'll have more stuff to work on after orchestra rehearsal tomorrow night. This is what is on our summer concert in 2 weeks:
Suppe-Light Calvary Overture
Borodin-Polovitsian Dances
Gliere-Russian Sailor's Dance
Strauss-Wine, Women and Song
Rossini-Overture to the Barber of Seville
Porter-Begin the Beguine
Strauss-Thunder and Lightning Polka
Porter-Night and Day
Gould-American Salute
YIKES!
Here's my Introduction to Slurps, assisted by my foster kitten, Brigid.
Showing posts with label warmups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label warmups. Show all posts
Monday, July 5
Wednesday, June 30
Wed 35 min
C MAJ scale, broken 3ds, I and IV arps, inverted arps, thumb scales.
Slurps on D and G.
Prelude #1 1st 6 measures. Alternating chords with slurps. Checking intonation.
The "not a 1-legged stool" thumb position is starting to feel more comfortable. Still working on forearm initiating downward shifts, "dragging" the shifting finger along.
C MAJ scale, broken 3ds, I and IV arps, inverted arps, thumb scales.
Slurps on D and G.
Prelude #1 1st 6 measures. Alternating chords with slurps. Checking intonation.
The "not a 1-legged stool" thumb position is starting to feel more comfortable. Still working on forearm initiating downward shifts, "dragging" the shifting finger along.
Tuesday, June 29
Thursday, June 24
Thu 30 min
15 min Suzuki Bk 1 and Webster Scherzo
15 min C MAJ scale, broken thirds, ds thirds, and triad inversions. The triads are really coming along well. also seems to help to turn my thumb backward a little more so I am more on the nail really high up.
I wasn't going to practice tonight, but managed to talk myself into "just 15 min" which I managed to turn into "just a half hour." Just like I have been able to keep a daily running schedule of "just 15 min" for the past month. I'm taking the a little bit often is better than a lot occasionally message to heart.
15 min Suzuki Bk 1 and Webster Scherzo
15 min C MAJ scale, broken thirds, ds thirds, and triad inversions. The triads are really coming along well. also seems to help to turn my thumb backward a little more so I am more on the nail really high up.
I wasn't going to practice tonight, but managed to talk myself into "just 15 min" which I managed to turn into "just a half hour." Just like I have been able to keep a daily running schedule of "just 15 min" for the past month. I'm taking the a little bit often is better than a lot occasionally message to heart.
Wednesday, June 23
Wed 40 min
10 min Suzuki Bk 1 and Webster Scherzo
30 min scales, thirds, arps (C MAJ ex 1-7), then TP 1 octave scales and a bit of 10ths.
While not good, every exercise is showing progress, especially the 4 note arpeggio patterns. The key was learning the finger pattern for arps in root position and 1st and 2nd inversions. In addition to strengthening my fingers and improving my coordination, this summer is going to be a nice exercise in theory applied to a strnged instrument tuned in fifths.
10 min Suzuki Bk 1 and Webster Scherzo
30 min scales, thirds, arps (C MAJ ex 1-7), then TP 1 octave scales and a bit of 10ths.
While not good, every exercise is showing progress, especially the 4 note arpeggio patterns. The key was learning the finger pattern for arps in root position and 1st and 2nd inversions. In addition to strengthening my fingers and improving my coordination, this summer is going to be a nice exercise in theory applied to a strnged instrument tuned in fifths.
Monday, May 17
Mon 0:30 (~1700)
If I had my druthers, I'd take the day off after a concert. However, I have a cello lesson tonight, so needed to at least get my head back into lesson music, after a day of post-concert Svendsen ear worms.
10 min Suzuki Bk 1 from Perpetual Motion to the end. I think I'll ask to talk about the alternative bowings in PM and Etude (double 1/16th notes) at my lesson. It's the same bowing as in the A section of the Webster Scherzo we were talking about last week. I'll have T4- weigh in on the "petting the dog" analogy.
10 min Haydn C 1st mvmt 2nd theme to beginning of ds. I'm getting to the point that I can visualize the next chunk as I am setting on each held note. It's really conveniently written for that.
10 min Haydn C 2nd mvmt 1st statement. Not sure what bowing to use, so tried several. Checked in with the Wispelwey video to sort out the fingerings. What on earth did we do before YouTube?
You know it's going to be a good practice day when you hear the cello "lock in" with tuning. Does that mean my ear is hearing especially well today, or is the quality of the cello ringing? In any case, it's really ringing, and I love it.
If I had my druthers, I'd take the day off after a concert. However, I have a cello lesson tonight, so needed to at least get my head back into lesson music, after a day of post-concert Svendsen ear worms.
10 min Suzuki Bk 1 from Perpetual Motion to the end. I think I'll ask to talk about the alternative bowings in PM and Etude (double 1/16th notes) at my lesson. It's the same bowing as in the A section of the Webster Scherzo we were talking about last week. I'll have T4- weigh in on the "petting the dog" analogy.
10 min Haydn C 1st mvmt 2nd theme to beginning of ds. I'm getting to the point that I can visualize the next chunk as I am setting on each held note. It's really conveniently written for that.
10 min Haydn C 2nd mvmt 1st statement. Not sure what bowing to use, so tried several. Checked in with the Wispelwey video to sort out the fingerings. What on earth did we do before YouTube?
You know it's going to be a good practice day when you hear the cello "lock in" with tuning. Does that mean my ear is hearing especially well today, or is the quality of the cello ringing? In any case, it's really ringing, and I love it.
Friday, May 14
Fri 0:20 (1825-1848)
Wanted to jump right in to work on Svendsen, but everything felt too icky so did my 10 min Suzuki Bk 1 warmup, FFS to Rigadoon.
10 min Svendsen 4th mvmt, the funky pattern part then the last page.
After spending all day in a semi-dark room in front of a computer (beginning Flash class) I just don't feel like working. 2 glasses of wine with dinner probably did not help, though were quite nice. I think I'll go watch a movie, then early to bed. I do feel better for having played 20 minutes, though.
Dress rehearsal tomorrow morning. Better to be well-rested than well-prepared.
Wanted to jump right in to work on Svendsen, but everything felt too icky so did my 10 min Suzuki Bk 1 warmup, FFS to Rigadoon.
10 min Svendsen 4th mvmt, the funky pattern part then the last page.
After spending all day in a semi-dark room in front of a computer (beginning Flash class) I just don't feel like working. 2 glasses of wine with dinner probably did not help, though were quite nice. I think I'll go watch a movie, then early to bed. I do feel better for having played 20 minutes, though.
Dress rehearsal tomorrow morning. Better to be well-rested than well-prepared.
Thursday, May 13
Thu 1:30 (1100-1403)
10 min Warm up
Inspired by looking at the bowing for the Webster Scherzo in Suzuki Bk 3 yesterday, and the fact that the book is on my stand, I used it for my warmup today. I started with the Scherzo, then went back to the beginning and played through the tonalizations. Moving forward, I was just beginning the Lully Gavotte when the timer went off. I'm pretty sure I haven't played any of the Bk 3 pieces before. They're quite fun.
10 min Haydn C 1 m27-35
Still focusing on the shifts. Tone is very nice today - bodes well for later practice. I also listened to the Wispelway 2nd mvmt video again this am, but I was multitasking so am not counting it as practice today.
A rather longish break to shower, remove nail polish and shorten fingernails "down to the nub" for optimal cello playing.
30 min Cockles and Mussles and Ash Grove arr. Bissinger
This is my Vc1 part for cello quartet. We're working on a shortened schedule, with a recital planned in June but only two coached sessions remaining, and the other two practices are going to be short personnel. Today was deciding on optimal fingering to support my melodic intentions (sounds grand, doesn't it?). This always takes longer than I expect - I thought 10 minutes would be plenty of time, as it's not that complicated and it's not that high (mid-string harmonic A). But the lovely thing about the fretless 4-stringed cello is that we have so many options about how to finger each note. Lovely! I'm happy with the end result, though, and it should need minimal practice time down the road.
10 min Hanssen Valdresmarsj
Refreshed my memory about fingering for beginning pizz broken chords and thumb position at end of Trio. Wonder whatever happened to my previously marked part?
10 min Haugen An Uncommon Hero
Part is still a bit difficult to read, with 2 cello parts notated on one staff. Watching for downward stems and bow markings underneath. Went through reviewing the tricky bowing parts. This piece was composed in 2006, and I like it more each time we rehearse it - now that I have figured out the rhythms and rapidly changing meters.
20 min Svendsen 1st and 4th Mvmts
Play through with recording. A fun way to end the practice day. The tricky bits I've been practicing are going well, but there are a couple of stretches in the 4th mvmt that still need some closer attention - working out fingerings and reviewing rhythms.
10 min Warm up
Inspired by looking at the bowing for the Webster Scherzo in Suzuki Bk 3 yesterday, and the fact that the book is on my stand, I used it for my warmup today. I started with the Scherzo, then went back to the beginning and played through the tonalizations. Moving forward, I was just beginning the Lully Gavotte when the timer went off. I'm pretty sure I haven't played any of the Bk 3 pieces before. They're quite fun.
10 min Haydn C 1 m27-35
Still focusing on the shifts. Tone is very nice today - bodes well for later practice. I also listened to the Wispelway 2nd mvmt video again this am, but I was multitasking so am not counting it as practice today.
A rather longish break to shower, remove nail polish and shorten fingernails "down to the nub" for optimal cello playing.
30 min Cockles and Mussles and Ash Grove arr. Bissinger
This is my Vc1 part for cello quartet. We're working on a shortened schedule, with a recital planned in June but only two coached sessions remaining, and the other two practices are going to be short personnel. Today was deciding on optimal fingering to support my melodic intentions (sounds grand, doesn't it?). This always takes longer than I expect - I thought 10 minutes would be plenty of time, as it's not that complicated and it's not that high (mid-string harmonic A). But the lovely thing about the fretless 4-stringed cello is that we have so many options about how to finger each note. Lovely! I'm happy with the end result, though, and it should need minimal practice time down the road.
10 min Hanssen Valdresmarsj
Refreshed my memory about fingering for beginning pizz broken chords and thumb position at end of Trio. Wonder whatever happened to my previously marked part?
10 min Haugen An Uncommon Hero
Part is still a bit difficult to read, with 2 cello parts notated on one staff. Watching for downward stems and bow markings underneath. Went through reviewing the tricky bowing parts. This piece was composed in 2006, and I like it more each time we rehearse it - now that I have figured out the rhythms and rapidly changing meters.
20 min Svendsen 1st and 4th Mvmts
Play through with recording. A fun way to end the practice day. The tricky bits I've been practicing are going well, but there are a couple of stretches in the 4th mvmt that still need some closer attention - working out fingerings and reviewing rhythms.
Wednesday, May 12
Wed 1:40 (1115-1350)
15 min Suzuki Bk 1 (all)
Break for breakfast
10 min Haydn C 1 m27-34. F drone. Shift accuracy. Soft 1st mcp in shifts.
20 min Located and watched a video of Pieter Wispelway playing the Haydn C Adagio.
35 min Svendsen
1- broken 3ds and accidentals
2- opening, marked best fingering
3- fast section mm qu=75-115
4- syncopated patterns mm ha=80, 90, 95
Short break to hug kitties.
20 min Sibelius
7 min play through with recording
13 min 16th notes. Revised fingering of 3d measure - less elegant but seems to work better fast. 1-1-1 shift at beginning of 4th measure seems to propel into 1st finger shifts on "ands" in that measure. Brief look at wiggly section as double stops - could stand to do that a couple more times. Also need to learn the cues at reh 8 as I don't trust my counting there.
15 min Suzuki Bk 1 (all)
Break for breakfast
10 min Haydn C 1 m27-34. F drone. Shift accuracy. Soft 1st mcp in shifts.
20 min Located and watched a video of Pieter Wispelway playing the Haydn C Adagio.
35 min Svendsen
1- broken 3ds and accidentals
2- opening, marked best fingering
3- fast section mm qu=75-115
4- syncopated patterns mm ha=80, 90, 95
Short break to hug kitties.
20 min Sibelius
7 min play through with recording
13 min 16th notes. Revised fingering of 3d measure - less elegant but seems to work better fast. 1-1-1 shift at beginning of 4th measure seems to propel into 1st finger shifts on "ands" in that measure. Brief look at wiggly section as double stops - could stand to do that a couple more times. Also need to learn the cues at reh 8 as I don't trust my counting there.
Tuesday, May 11
Monday, May 10
Saturday, May 8
Sat 0:40 (1800-1900)
10 min Suzuki Bk1 Rigadoon to Minuet 2 then FFS to May Song.
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 3 fast part mm qu = 70-115 then back down to 90. I really only have complete control at 90.
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 1 broken 3ds. Starting to feel comfortable. Need to see how it goes with the recording.
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 4 between F and H. Worked out a better fingering involving 1-1 instead of 2-2 shifts and 2-124 patterns. The pattern is consistent throughout, which helps a lot.
Quit earlier than I had hoped due to general queasiness. Hope I didn't eat something bad at the Mother's Day family potluck.
10 min Suzuki Bk1 Rigadoon to Minuet 2 then FFS to May Song.
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 3 fast part mm qu = 70-115 then back down to 90. I really only have complete control at 90.
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 1 broken 3ds. Starting to feel comfortable. Need to see how it goes with the recording.
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 4 between F and H. Worked out a better fingering involving 1-1 instead of 2-2 shifts and 2-124 patterns. The pattern is consistent throughout, which helps a lot.
Quit earlier than I had hoped due to general queasiness. Hope I didn't eat something bad at the Mother's Day family potluck.
Thursday, May 6
Thu 0:30 (1630-1800)
10 min Suzuki Bk 1 from Rigadoon to Minuet 2
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 3 fast section mm qu = 70-110 (goal is 116, therefore I would like to be able to play 120 comfortably)
10+ min Reading through Vc1 parts of candidate songs for cello quartet. British and American folk songs. It will be nice to play something that will require minimal practice time (not necessarily effort) to make it sound good.
10 min Suzuki Bk 1 from Rigadoon to Minuet 2
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 3 fast section mm qu = 70-110 (goal is 116, therefore I would like to be able to play 120 comfortably)
10+ min Reading through Vc1 parts of candidate songs for cello quartet. British and American folk songs. It will be nice to play something that will require minimal practice time (not necessarily effort) to make it sound good.
Wednesday, May 5
Wed 0:30 (1630-1730)
Thinking that what this blog has evolved into is not really a very good way to maintain a practice log. I did practice last week, probably about 3 hours total, with 2/3 of that yesterday working on orchestra music. But nothing got recorded. Not that there was much to record.
Today I got back to my 10 minute segments.
10 min Suzuki Bk 1, enough to play through Rigadoon. Most rewarding part was spending a few extra minutes with the tonalization instructing the student to listen for the ring. Realize I'm not doing that often enough, and that on Petra I can actually hear the ring as an extra note. I'm sure that exercise helped with intonation for the rest of the session.
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 1 two tricky bits. Used drone to help with shifting accuracy, intonation.
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 3 fast section. Worked with metronome qu = 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 90, 95. Limit for today. Recognized a couple of new subtle left and right hand patterns.
Not much, but achieved a satisfying amount of progress.
Thinking that what this blog has evolved into is not really a very good way to maintain a practice log. I did practice last week, probably about 3 hours total, with 2/3 of that yesterday working on orchestra music. But nothing got recorded. Not that there was much to record.
Today I got back to my 10 minute segments.
10 min Suzuki Bk 1, enough to play through Rigadoon. Most rewarding part was spending a few extra minutes with the tonalization instructing the student to listen for the ring. Realize I'm not doing that often enough, and that on Petra I can actually hear the ring as an extra note. I'm sure that exercise helped with intonation for the rest of the session.
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 1 two tricky bits. Used drone to help with shifting accuracy, intonation.
10 min Svendsen Mvmt 3 fast section. Worked with metronome qu = 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 90, 95. Limit for today. Recognized a couple of new subtle left and right hand patterns.
Not much, but achieved a satisfying amount of progress.
Tuesday, April 27
Tue 1:05 (~1120 and 1600-1700)
Started with 10-15 min of Suzuki while waiting for the plumber. This is so exciting - whatever change "happened" at lesson last week seems to be persistent. I finally have a completely tension-free bow hand and am getting a great core cello sound by some mysterious coordination of all my body working together.
Then this afternoon sat down to work on Svendsen. Began with the tricky bits in the 1st mvmt, including the descending broken third patterns we discussed in my lesson yesterday. Piece of cake after recognizing the pattern and reviewing the standard fingering. Thanks, T4-. After about 20 minutes of careful review and reps I played the entire symphony with the recording, marking additional bits in the other mvmts that need practice. Don't think I am going to get to them today, but the piece is coming into focus.
Started with 10-15 min of Suzuki while waiting for the plumber. This is so exciting - whatever change "happened" at lesson last week seems to be persistent. I finally have a completely tension-free bow hand and am getting a great core cello sound by some mysterious coordination of all my body working together.
Then this afternoon sat down to work on Svendsen. Began with the tricky bits in the 1st mvmt, including the descending broken third patterns we discussed in my lesson yesterday. Piece of cake after recognizing the pattern and reviewing the standard fingering. Thanks, T4-. After about 20 minutes of careful review and reps I played the entire symphony with the recording, marking additional bits in the other mvmts that need practice. Don't think I am going to get to them today, but the piece is coming into focus.
Monday, April 26
Mon 0:61 (1510-1611)
Started with Suzuki Bk 1, pieces 2-8. Still not playing from memory, just running through them trying to regain that sense that I am pulling the sound out of the cello with minimal weight, and certainly no pressing. I'm playing Emma as my practice cello, and should probably repeat this with Petra before my lesson to make sure it's transferable. ~15 min
After that nice tonalization warmup, I worked on orchestra music. Since I'm the 2nd chair for this concert I have some exposed parts to cover in the Sibelius violin concerto 3d mvmt. Worked out the rhythms and a few spots of tricky fingering, and wondered if I need to be able to play the solo chromatic runs, just in case. Not today, anyway. Did a run through with Sarah Chang. Needs more work on the alternating bowing, which we are doing because it is easier than the up down down marked. But even the easier bowing takes a lot of balance to maintain with the violin rhythms and changing notes. ~30 min
Finally, worked on tricky bits in the Svendsen symphony 1st mvmt. I think I'm going to ask T4 to go over fingering of descending broken thirds. This would be much easier if I knew the pattern, and I'm sure there must be one.
Started with Suzuki Bk 1, pieces 2-8. Still not playing from memory, just running through them trying to regain that sense that I am pulling the sound out of the cello with minimal weight, and certainly no pressing. I'm playing Emma as my practice cello, and should probably repeat this with Petra before my lesson to make sure it's transferable. ~15 min
After that nice tonalization warmup, I worked on orchestra music. Since I'm the 2nd chair for this concert I have some exposed parts to cover in the Sibelius violin concerto 3d mvmt. Worked out the rhythms and a few spots of tricky fingering, and wondered if I need to be able to play the solo chromatic runs, just in case. Not today, anyway. Did a run through with Sarah Chang. Needs more work on the alternating bowing, which we are doing because it is easier than the up down down marked. But even the easier bowing takes a lot of balance to maintain with the violin rhythms and changing notes. ~30 min
Finally, worked on tricky bits in the Svendsen symphony 1st mvmt. I think I'm going to ask T4 to go over fingering of descending broken thirds. This would be much easier if I knew the pattern, and I'm sure there must be one.
Wednesday, April 21
Wednesday, April 14
Wed 0:55 (1204-1259)
I'm finding the @EmilyCello No Tension Challenge to be both fun and rewarding. Love seeing her Dvorak practice tips, and applying a few myself. Today I am working with this recording, and the additional challenges I added today were 1) talking a bit on the video 2) moving while playing, and 3) playing with a cat in the audience.
For practice, I started by warming up with open strings and slurps. First, I made the remarkable discovery that the bow change sound was hidden much better while letting up slightly as I changed direction, allowing the string to continue to vibrate until I caught it going in the other direction. Previously I had been trying all manner of bow change speeds but stopping the string as I changed direction. Cool.
I morphed into 1 note and 2 note string crossings, ala Vivaldi, and lo and behold, I can actually play the impossible string crossing pattern today. WoOt!
Moving on to Faure, I focused on just the two scale patterns, one ascending and the other descending, in the 8th line. I don't think I can even remember all the practice techniques I threw at those: add-a-note, double minting, add-a-note WITH double minting, using the harmonic to check intonation by alternating ringing and stopping. OK, I guess that was all the techniques, but lots of different patterns. I also tried to talk while playing - nope, not ready yet, but I could eventually say some of the fingerings out loud. I also tried to move a lot more, but I think today the movement actually induced more tension. That's OK, it will be better tomorrow.
Here we have 2 takes of the screechy half of Apres Un Reve. You can see on my face that I go in and out of "no tension," using movement to release when needed. I would say that is definite progress.
I'm not sitting on the notes today as well, but I'm not surprised, as between the cat, the talking, and the new movement I've made the task much more complicated. Tomorrow... well, let's see if I can think of a better way to move from distraction to no tension.
I'm finding the @EmilyCello No Tension Challenge to be both fun and rewarding. Love seeing her Dvorak practice tips, and applying a few myself. Today I am working with this recording, and the additional challenges I added today were 1) talking a bit on the video 2) moving while playing, and 3) playing with a cat in the audience.
For practice, I started by warming up with open strings and slurps. First, I made the remarkable discovery that the bow change sound was hidden much better while letting up slightly as I changed direction, allowing the string to continue to vibrate until I caught it going in the other direction. Previously I had been trying all manner of bow change speeds but stopping the string as I changed direction. Cool.
I morphed into 1 note and 2 note string crossings, ala Vivaldi, and lo and behold, I can actually play the impossible string crossing pattern today. WoOt!
Moving on to Faure, I focused on just the two scale patterns, one ascending and the other descending, in the 8th line. I don't think I can even remember all the practice techniques I threw at those: add-a-note, double minting, add-a-note WITH double minting, using the harmonic to check intonation by alternating ringing and stopping. OK, I guess that was all the techniques, but lots of different patterns. I also tried to talk while playing - nope, not ready yet, but I could eventually say some of the fingerings out loud. I also tried to move a lot more, but I think today the movement actually induced more tension. That's OK, it will be better tomorrow.
Here we have 2 takes of the screechy half of Apres Un Reve. You can see on my face that I go in and out of "no tension," using movement to release when needed. I would say that is definite progress.
I'm not sitting on the notes today as well, but I'm not surprised, as between the cat, the talking, and the new movement I've made the task much more complicated. Tomorrow... well, let's see if I can think of a better way to move from distraction to no tension.
Tuesday, April 13
Tue 1:05 (1100-1215)
Warmed up with open strings and slurps, morphing into Vivaldi string crossings. Focused on right elbow motion. Found as the energy need increased with faster crossings it worked better to provide more body support forward from my chest. Funny, I'd never noticed that before.
Started the No Tension part of my practice with a run through Perpetual Motion in G. Continued to feel more relaxed with more body support.
Then Apres Un Reve. At my lesson yesterday we spent a lot of time on just the first two notes: starting the first note, and the shift to the second. Pointers included:
* Can't start with the bow sitting on the string. Must be dynamic.
* Over-supinate, even putting the frog in the hand to start. At about 1/3 bow, normal bow hold, then increase bow speed after the shift.
* The "shift happens" as the first note is played. Think dynamic again - can't sit on the note, then decide to shift.
* The arm motion is akin to the preparation needed to launch a basketball. Remember to "bend the knees."
* Remember to hummmmm. Pressing the string inhibits this.
For practice today, I did a lot of shift double minting, exploring these pointers and releasing tension. I played short phrases over and over, again attempting to release tension before beginning and to maintain relaxation through the phrase. I tried different (irrelevant) head movements and wiggles to monitor my body parts for tension. I also practiced phrases with a neighboring open string double stop to check intonation.
After working through the piece in fragments a couple of times (~45 min), I recorded a run through. What I tried to do on the recorded run through was to sit on the end of each phrase until I remembered the next fragment and released residual tension before proceeding.
There are some trouble spots still in the middle of the screechy section. I had my music to my right, so you will see me squinting at it (forgot my glasses this morning) to check when I can't remember what comes next. One takeaway is that I need to know the piece well enough to be able to think ahead, but I was surprised that what felt like lots of thinking time didn't perturb the rhythm as much as I thought it did.
Making the video at the end of my practice block turns out to be a very useful exercise. Initially I couldn't help but add the layer of nerves that a performance situation "requires." Today, I felt for the first time that I was allowed to practice in front of the camera.
Note: as I was warming up, I realized that I was never going to release tension while I felt cold. Thus, the funny furry scarf and the down vest. Funny-looking, but much more comfortable!
Warmed up with open strings and slurps, morphing into Vivaldi string crossings. Focused on right elbow motion. Found as the energy need increased with faster crossings it worked better to provide more body support forward from my chest. Funny, I'd never noticed that before.
Started the No Tension part of my practice with a run through Perpetual Motion in G. Continued to feel more relaxed with more body support.
Then Apres Un Reve. At my lesson yesterday we spent a lot of time on just the first two notes: starting the first note, and the shift to the second. Pointers included:
* Can't start with the bow sitting on the string. Must be dynamic.
* Over-supinate, even putting the frog in the hand to start. At about 1/3 bow, normal bow hold, then increase bow speed after the shift.
* The "shift happens" as the first note is played. Think dynamic again - can't sit on the note, then decide to shift.
* The arm motion is akin to the preparation needed to launch a basketball. Remember to "bend the knees."
* Remember to hummmmm. Pressing the string inhibits this.
For practice today, I did a lot of shift double minting, exploring these pointers and releasing tension. I played short phrases over and over, again attempting to release tension before beginning and to maintain relaxation through the phrase. I tried different (irrelevant) head movements and wiggles to monitor my body parts for tension. I also practiced phrases with a neighboring open string double stop to check intonation.
After working through the piece in fragments a couple of times (~45 min), I recorded a run through. What I tried to do on the recorded run through was to sit on the end of each phrase until I remembered the next fragment and released residual tension before proceeding.
There are some trouble spots still in the middle of the screechy section. I had my music to my right, so you will see me squinting at it (forgot my glasses this morning) to check when I can't remember what comes next. One takeaway is that I need to know the piece well enough to be able to think ahead, but I was surprised that what felt like lots of thinking time didn't perturb the rhythm as much as I thought it did.
Making the video at the end of my practice block turns out to be a very useful exercise. Initially I couldn't help but add the layer of nerves that a performance situation "requires." Today, I felt for the first time that I was allowed to practice in front of the camera.
Note: as I was warming up, I realized that I was never going to release tension while I felt cold. Thus, the funny furry scarf and the down vest. Funny-looking, but much more comfortable!
Thursday, April 8
Thu 0:42 (1441-1523)
Warmed up with open strings G C G D A DG then slurps across D and G. Really sitting right down there on the bridge, experimenting with bow speed on the different strings. Explored the sequence bow level change then bow change motion when going to a higher string on up bow. 10 min
Then it was logical to start with the little string crossing section in the Vivaldi (Spring) 1st mvmt. Worked from double stops in correct pulse. Seemed to work "OK" with just a little elbow drop after the pulse. Would be worth discussing this bowing at a lesson.
Next, fingering for soli section in the 3d mvmt. Loving how my bow weight from open strings is still carrying over.
Ran through the Handel, which we will be performing at a little recital tonight. Just took it under tempo, polishing a few shifts, and staying loose.
15 min or so on Apres un Reve, playing it with exaggerated passion and phrasing, big vibrato while, yes, focusing on keeping the right arm relaxed and weighted. Fun.
Back for just a few more minutes of Handel, and that's all for today. Warmup for recital at 6, recital at 7.
Warmed up with open strings G C G D A DG then slurps across D and G. Really sitting right down there on the bridge, experimenting with bow speed on the different strings. Explored the sequence bow level change then bow change motion when going to a higher string on up bow. 10 min
Then it was logical to start with the little string crossing section in the Vivaldi (Spring) 1st mvmt. Worked from double stops in correct pulse. Seemed to work "OK" with just a little elbow drop after the pulse. Would be worth discussing this bowing at a lesson.
Next, fingering for soli section in the 3d mvmt. Loving how my bow weight from open strings is still carrying over.
Ran through the Handel, which we will be performing at a little recital tonight. Just took it under tempo, polishing a few shifts, and staying loose.
15 min or so on Apres un Reve, playing it with exaggerated passion and phrasing, big vibrato while, yes, focusing on keeping the right arm relaxed and weighted. Fun.
Back for just a few more minutes of Handel, and that's all for today. Warmup for recital at 6, recital at 7.
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