October 20, 2003 at 2:34 PM

I have a new best friend, the pause button on my dvd player.

A long time ago, I asked a teacher when the best time would be to move your hand during the first ten notes of Paganini Caprice 5 (a three octave arpeggio in a min requiring a really fast and long shift), they told me to get the Rosand video but I think I like my Milstein video more. I slapped in my Milstein dvd, the thing is that at normal speed you cant really tell when he moves his hand because it moves so fast. Well thats where my new best friend comes in, the pause button. I can play a fraction of the video and it will pause a partial second later. It looked to me like he played 2 notes on the low strings, than 3 notes on the a and e strings, each high note of the 3 note string sequence was played with the third finger. Even though I asked a teacher this question a long time ago, it was interesting to see Milstein's solution. (Its really unbelieveable how fast and accurate he is!)

After practicing that 3 octave a min arpeggio for 20 minutes, I started playing half of the first page of the Chaconne for three hours and it is starting to sound better, more natural and musical because I am getting to know the intervals better. As for the Paganini, it is a disaster right now but I find it useful as a shifting exercise and in time I may get it together, perhaps soon I will start working on the chromatic sequence that proceeds the first ten notes. I also have a book with the Brahms and Bruch concertos that Ill probably goof around with some tonight. Yummy!

I noticed recently that when Im learning a piece of music, it is good to practice some with the violin in guitar position and strumming the notes with your thumb. It is easier to correct your intonation that way and really learn the feel of chords before you have to hold it in standard position, you learn without straining your hand and when you go to bow the notes you are alot more perpared. It is also alot quieter and your neighbors hear less wrong notes that way and hopefully want to poision you a little less? One can only hope.

Reading the notes is only the first step. I think a piece of music is like a piece of luggage: its really heavy at first but after a while you get used to carrying it and it becomes more comfortable. The important part is how to play it with respect to rythm and above all learning the meaning of each note and how long a note or part of a chord should be played.

Just saw a great video lesson at Steve's Forum about spiccato and sautille bowing.

My new bow isnt in yet but Im excited about playing my first real bow and working on the bowing techniques in Steves Lesson.

Im so happy to be able to play in tune and know how to get a good tone from the bow. Im no great violinist but Im still greatful for what I do have.

Side note: Tracy's egg timer technique is similar to my idea of playing one page for three hours, instead of 15 minutes for eight bars.

Also wondering where tina butter went? I miss her blog ;P

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October 20, 2003 at 2:34 PM

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