Mini Stepping Stones

June 30, 2006 at 5:19 AM

I told my teacher I have much more time to practice the violin after switching to my new job, but I hardly see any progress. She said that the progression line looks more like a staircase than a a straightline when it comes to learning the violin. When you are advanced to a higher level and are confronted with more difficult pieces and technical works, you look back at what you were struggling and suddenly things seem easier. Things will always be difficult as you progress and play more difficult stuff. Otherwise there's no need for lesson. Also, because I progressed too quickly, I didn't have enough time to get the basics right, and the incorrect habbits started to build up. That's also why things are getting more difficult as I am only fixing the problems now.

My teacher usually give me a lift to the train station if she has no students following my lesson and that the weather is not friendly (it's Winter in Melbourne now). I guess it's her way of showing appreciation for sticking with her even if it means 4 hours of travel time to my lesson and back. In the car, she told me that violin had always been her second instrument after the piano. While at university, she reached a point where it was hurting her so much so had to quit. It was only 12 years ago before she took it up again, did her Grade 8 and AMUS (of the AMEB) with the help of her late violin teacher. My best guess is that she stopped playing for about 15-20 years.I asked her why didn't the professor help her back then at university. She said that there are people who plays the violin and get it instantly. Then there are others who have to struggle before they get it. Because she struggled a great deal, she knows how to help students that struggles... like me. Some teachers who hardly struggle when they learn the violin would probably find it difficult to teach students like her and me.

My discoveries (or re-discoveries) of the week are:

1) The shape of the left hand helps a great deal with intonation. I have been concentrating mostly to get the finger tips at the right spots for the right intonation, make the shape of my left hand auckward and subsequently struggle to play. If the shape is right and comfortable, the wrist is soft, shoulder relaxed, fingers are stood up and relaxed, elbow at the right angle, the finger tips will just fall onto the right spots (with minor adjustments). I'll have to remember this or I'll spend another 3 years struggling with intonation again!

2) If the fingers stand up more, vibrato is easier to execute, including 4th finger vibrato.

3) If I lean the shape of my left hand a bit forward, it is easier to execute thrills. I discovered this after watching on DVD the back-then-14yo Sarah Cheng playing Paganini first concerto.

Time to pen off now.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on June 30, 2006 at 7:11 AM

I like your discovery #1. It is so true. I think that I sometimes let my students progress too quickly. If they don't learn the correct techniques in the beginning, it will be much, much harder to make corrections later. You are very dedicated, traveling so far to your lessons and learning techniques the way you should have earlier. I am sure you will be more successful now.

From William Yap
Posted on July 3, 2006 at 7:39 AM

Thanks Pauline. I think I was mostly responsible for progressing too quickly because I was not being patient at the beginning. Now I regret it. Oh well, myself to blame really for learning things the hard way.

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Mini Stepping Stones

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