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I don't believe there's a single Violinist, Violist, or Cellist
who doesn't want to improve their playing.
So what REALLY helps, in a big way?
"Fix your intonation in a week" - I'm a bit sceptical.
We've talked about Sevcik - so the suggestions in Daniel Kurganov's video could be very helpful, but I'm struggling with the idea I'd have to really buckle down and commit to this for a full week (or in my case, probably much longer).
Maybe it's time to get serious - anyone up for the challenge?
- Emily
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There is no way I can even attempt this.. but interesting video thank you for posting .. maybe one day …
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@Katie L -
🤔 Pretty daunting, isn't it?
My 1st impression was, "NO WAY!" 😳
But, I think it might be worth a closer look. I just need to wind down a bit after these Holidays, before I can even think of trying to tackle some of this. ...it's going to require a lot of focus & concentration for me - which I don't really have right now, not even for vibrato. 😔
...having too much fun still playing Christmas music!
- Emily
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Hmmm yes. To be honest I know didley squat about double stops ! For me half the battle is working out what I’m actually supposed to be doing ! I’d like to get to the point of just playing the first couple of bars of something ok so at least I actually have something I can play !!
I’m definitely going to keep at my Sevcik for now.
How’s the vibrato now?
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Thanks Emily. Intonation is of course one of the fiddle’s major challenges.
However, I’m not ready to to spend vast amounts of precious time & energy drilling scales and arpeggios. Maybe that would happen if I were an obedient 7 year-old student with an authoritarian teacher and rabid parents...
I do notice that, while my intonation is a little shaky in structured drills, it gets much better when I’m playing music. I gravitate toward tunes in “fiddle keys” (G, D, A, etc) so there are usually opportunities to use double stops that keep me honest.
I like to start practice sessions with a simple tune (The Crawdad Song) that is so basic that it requires almost no brainpower, but it provides plenty of opportunities for double stops to get the intonation under my fingers. Endless variations are possible so it’s enjoyable in a lightweight kind of way.
After all, this is supposed to be fun, huh?
Strabo
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@Strabo I am with you on your thoughts of drills and scales. I too, do better intonation wise when playing an actual tune. Maybe we hear, in our minds, what the next note should be and it translates to the fingerboard easier? It was interesting to read you stating that, because that is what I kept noticing between scale playing and playing songs. I think starting out at a young age is different from starting out older, in that way.
My joints are beginning to talk to me. I am not going to become as good as someone who started at a younger age, so spending the time I have to play doing scales to reach that level, is not fun. I just want to play songs as good as I can, at my age of starting. I want to have fun. No orchestras, concerts, etc. It is just me having fun, to the best of my abilities. I have stopped doing scales, and exercises for the most part now. I am not seeing any improvement when doing them, and I find it easier to play those same notes and doing that fingering, when in an actual tune.
The notes and fingering make more sense in a practical scenario (in a tune) over exercises. Maybe that is the issue. There needs to be a purpose, I am not talking a purpose as to scales helping you with intonation, I am talking the sequence of the notes in a song vs a scale. There is a purpose, of notes in a song, to me, whereas in scales it is just to get from one note to the next to do that scale, never changes. To me, a scale does not make sense, musically, whereas a tune, does, unless it is jazz, or similar to jazz. Maybe that is why scales do not help me as much as they help others. But, intonation is easier, for me, in an actual tune.
I probably did not say this right, but I tried.
🐭
The Bumblebee Flies!
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Very well stated, Mouse, my thoughts exactly.
Also, you said: Maybe we hear, in our minds, what the next note should be and it translates to the fingerboard easier? I have been looking into the notion of Audiation, a concept created a number of years ago by a famous music educator named Edwin Gordon. The idea is that we should be able to hear the music in our head and understand it, pretty much exactly what you said.
I have found that my learning process can be accelerated as follows:
1. Listen to a piece of music >> 2. Sing it >> 3. Audiate it >> 4. When everything matches, pick up the fiddle and play it!
It is astonishing to me how easily this process works, especially if I take it in small chunks.
Strabo
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I've been a pretty vocal advocate of looping a tune to play over & over - while doing other things around the house, driving, or even typing on the forum.
It's very helpful in learning where a tune goes; the rhythm, phrasing, dynamics, notes & intervals - without even looking at it.
When I started playing the fiddle (almost 3½ years ago), I also started back listening to music, almost constantly, from different genres. There's one thing I've noticed.
My perspective on how I view a tune has changed during this time.
I no longer see a 'popular song', 'hard rock', a 'classical piece', or an 'Irish jig'... I see a groove & parts, e.g., riffs, motifs & phrases - and find myself consistently drawn to some of these features, maybe even an interesting transition, or a melodic solo break! (lol)
I think there's also something in the choice of professional group or performer you listen to. Some are more interesting (personal choice) - it's what's great about music & becomes important when deciding who to learn a tune from. I don't think I'm just looking for novelty, maybe it's creativity... there's something more to this journey.
- Emily
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@Strabo -
Sorry, I got sidetracked & forgot to thank you for reviving this thread!
Thank you for getting me to watch the video, again! I can clearly see it was too much info for me to appreciate at that time. When I posted the video in the OP (a year ago), there were a few things I could relate to, but I didn't follow up on most of it - too busy just getting acquainted with my new 5-string Viola, Edgar (we're friends, now 😁).
As I am an older, adult self-learner, I recognize I may be ready to learn things in a different order than others - as they become relevant to ME. I'm sure my life would've been easier if I could stick to learning by method book order, but it's not going to happen. 🤫
So, I don't think learning has to be a matter of drilling myself crazy, causing my brain to shut-down from boredom. I think I can listen & understand the purpose of these exercises - and I, especially now, recognize their value as I search out pieces I want to learn. I'm convinced that playing through these exercises would be extremely beneficial... if I could be sure I was doing them right.
Brings me to my next point...
@Fiddlerman -
I have searched YouTube and find there's an empty hole when it comes to some play-along Sevcik exercises - especially for double stops! ...if anyone knows where there are some videos I missed - please let me know.
I know you are keenly aware of the important impact a video tutorial, showing how to do it as well as how is sounds, can have on self-taught adults (like myself) and others. LOVED your video tutorial for Sevcik 6ths Double Stops, which I also shared in the Here's Help Learning to Play Chords! Thread, but we could really use MORE - especially for VIOLA!
Would you & Gibbles please consider making play-along videos for Sevcik Book 1: 24, 25, 26 and Book 2: 10, 19, 28 - that are mentioned in the OP video (02:51)? For VIOLA?
- Emily
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@ELCBK - Yes, there is definitely a need for that and many other great etudes.
Believe me when I say that I would rather do videos. Hoping to get back to it when I don't work as many hours with Fiddlershop.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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