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I'm working on The Hunter's Chorus and in bar 2 there's a series of 16th notes as a slur. (D3, A, B, C) Every time I play the slur I get an extra note. It sounds like I'm plucking a string with my finger, but I'm fairly certain that I'm not.
I think I'm double stopping with the upcoming open A but I can't be sure. I've recorded my fingers when playing and I can't see it happen, but I can hear it.
When I pause between the G and the open A, there's no extra note. Unfortunately the pause is very audible and not supposed to be there.
Any tips on getting rid of this problem?
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A couple suggestions, without seeing or hearing you do it.
Do it slowly.
Don't be continuous for now. Pause between each note, just to make it choppy and allow you to get each note, make sure you only do each note once. Keep doing that paying attention and gradually start playing it as written.
I know, everyone says that. I did Hunter's Chorus and I had to work the slurs as their own mini songs, so to speak.
I still can't do those sections on my cello.
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@mouse
That's what I'm doing but I can't get up to any sort of tempo that way before the extra note shows up again. It's been more than a week with no change. It's also consistent so it's obviously a bad habit I'm used to doing subconsciously. *sigh*
Speaking of tempo, the time notation on the score is 2/4 and everyone plays it like it's 4/4 and some versions I've heard are clearly faster than that. I don't understand why unless it's like piano players and Ragtime. Ragtime isn't fast but that's the way a lot of people play it. Again, I have no clue why.
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RDP said
I'm working on The Hunter's Chorus and in bar 2 there's a series of 16th notes as a slur. (D3, A, B, C) Every time I play the slur I get an extra note. It sounds like I'm plucking a string with my finger, but I'm fairly certain that I'm not.I think I'm double stopping with the upcoming open A but I can't be sure. I've recorded my fingers when playing and I can't see it happen, but I can hear it.
When I pause between the G and the open A, there's no extra note. Unfortunately the pause is very audible and not supposed to be there.
Any tips on getting rid of this problem?
@RDP
I suspect you are hitting the open G string as you start the upbow on the first of the 16th notes (the G--D3).
After the upbow 8th note D, and then the downbow quarter note G (D3), as you prepare to start the first 16th note as an upbow, you’re finishing the quarter note on a downbow, so as you go to start the 16th note G (D3) you’re in the upper part of the bow, so you might be inclined to over-extend your angle & graze the G string.
If you play the first 4 notes slowly (D, G, G, A), and then speed up, I’ll bet you’ll catch it.
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
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Well, I figured it out. My finger is sticking to the D string and when I lift it the string sounds as if I'd plucked it when it's released from my fingertip. Twang.
I cleaned the string, cleaned my fingertip, cleaned the fingerboard, multiple times!!!, and it still sticks to the tip of my finger. The only time it doesn't do that is when I pause before going to the A string in the slur and lift my finger during the pause. That's because my bow is on the D string holding it still so there's no twang.
None of my other fingers stick to the string, even when put on the string in the same position (D3). Not even if I squish the heck out of the string and fingerboard then lift. Frustrating.
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@RDP.
I had EXACTLY the same problem and also on the D string with my second and third fingers. (I still do if I'm not paying attention.) I was accidentally slightly "plucking" the string when I raised my finger. Because your hand is on the right side of the fingerboard (as you look towards the scroll) you tend to lift your fingers that direction. What worked for me was doing finger exercises with my left hand concentrating on getting more flexibility in the last joint on my fingers. I finally got to the point where I have a nice 90 degree bend at the last joint before the nail. (While you're watching TV in your easy chair, roll your fingers under your hand back and forth - it worked for me.)
Then, practice playing the notes on the fingerboard without using the bow and concentrate on lifting your fingers straight up instead of moving off to the side. I still get that little "ghost note" on occasion, but it's vastly improved.
I hope it works for you!
Grandpa
Violin ---- the most human of all instruments
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@RDP Glad you figured it out. So, on the positive side, you've just had an early start on left-hand pizzicato!
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
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Grandpafiddle said
@RDP.I had EXACTLY the same problem and also on the D string with my second and third fingers. (I still do if I'm not paying attention.) I was accidentally slightly "plucking" the string when I raised my finger. Because your hand is on the right side of the fingerboard (as you look towards the scroll) you tend to lift your fingers that direction. What worked for me was doing finger exercises with my left hand concentrating on getting more flexibility in the last joint on my fingers. I finally got to the point where I have a nice 90 degree bend at the last joint before the nail. (While you're watching TV in your easy chair, roll your fingers under your hand back and forth - it worked for me.)
Then, practice playing the notes on the fingerboard without using the bow and concentrate on lifting your fingers straight up instead of moving off to the side. I still get that little "ghost note" on occasion, but it's vastly improved.
I hope it works for you!
Grandpa
I will triple/quadriple/quintuple check to see if this might be what's causing the "sticking."
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SharonC said
@RDP Glad you figured it out. So, on the positive side, you've just had an early start on left-hand pizzicato!
Wait, you mean I'm doing something right?
Maybe I should rethink the idea of switching to the harmonica... 
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