Left hand pizzicato on Paganini's God save the king

September 19, 2011 at 08:19 PM ·

 i would use 4 not 3 to pluck on the G string in bar 7, 

anyways, those are tricky ones. what worked for me is to first just take all of the other notes out and just practice holding the 2 and plucking with 3rd finger (using your fingering) on 1 string, which will be easier without the bowed G. That should feel ok after a minute. If not, then maybe you should pick a less difficult piece. After that's ok, then add the held G, but dont actually bow it. just try to feel the same comfort of the plucking with the addition of the held note. Then you can try bowing it.  

with the other passage it is the same thing, single out the string where you are plucking, then retain the same feeling while gradually adding other fingers, then the bow. Throughout all of the steps, use rhythms with the plucking to work out your finger, because chances are it is not strong enough. Also pay attention to how you plant the finger on the string before you pluck, and at which angle. you have to make sure to feel the grip of the string, or it just wont sound well.  

there are a lot of other games you can play to build it up, but really its about INVENTING ways to practice. what i wrote is just a simple example for things like this. hope it helped a bit....good luck!

September 21, 2011 at 02:19 PM ·

In bar 7, the 1st and 4th fingers will be held down to play a B on the A string and a D on the E string to form a major 10th. At the same time the major 10th is sustained, there is a pizzicato on the B note on G string. It seems impossible to use the 4th finger as you mentioned. Can you further elaborate.

Thank you.

September 21, 2011 at 04:09 PM ·

 I really can't see how that part should pose a problem stretching wise. Can you post a video of you holding the grip and it might be easier to help you. 

Possible problems include elbow position, thumb position, hand angle and so on. But it is difficult to assist without the visual.

(and it is a minor tenth, octave+minor third :) )

September 22, 2011 at 08:08 AM ·

Mattias Eklund Sorry, its a minor 10th. Thanks for pointing it out. I will try to get a video or photo posted.

September 25, 2011 at 12:10 PM ·

Mattias Eklund, here are some photos. Please comment.

October 1, 2011 at 06:13 PM ·

 Sorry for the late response!

Besides that it looks like you are playing sharp ( :) ) it looks fine! Perhaps you only need to strengthen your fingers for a strong pizz? After you played the bowed chord, I find it easier to give a strong pizz if I move my second finger a bit (even so it touches the D-string lighly in this passage) so that I can stop the G-string better and that makes the pizz. sound louder. 

October 7, 2011 at 03:57 AM ·

Thanks Mattias. What about my thumb position in the first and second picture? How should the thumb be better positioned?

October 7, 2011 at 07:50 PM ·

 To play these bars and the fiendish LH Pizz variation you need complete independence

of the fingers.

There are no better preparatory exercises than Dounis op.15

available to download free from here

http://www.scribd.com/doc/17087532/Dounis-op15