Welcome to the Main Page for String Postings. These were constructed from 2004 to 2006 for the 30-Violin Club in Bangkok.
Photo credit: Jonathan Yee Photography.
Basic Posture: an exercise for students to think about how many common mistakes there are for basic violin posture.
Good Violin Posture: Now that we have looked at what not to do, we can focus on what’s good to do.
Tone Production: A compilation of different ideas and approaches to getting good sound.
Playing Off the String – two video lessons, the first recorded in my basement when studying in Indiana, and the second recorded at the Areca Center for Performing Arts in Penang.
Open Strings: Exercises the student can try with just playing on open strings
Basic Intonation: using intervals to help us play in tune and recognize good intonation.
Slurs for Beginners: trying out playing more than one note per bow, for the first time.
Practice Methods: learning to structure practice time to get the most out of it… as well as not making mistakes permanent.
A Relaxed Bow Arm: this is the basis of making good sound, as well as getting being able to try out new bow technique.
Basic Vibrato: a basic guide to starting vibrato, and more importantly, what to avoid.
Scales: different ways to look at scales, acting also as a more advanced posting on intonation.
Pizzicato: new ways to approach something that’s more difficult than it looks – or sounds.
Vibrato II: vibrato speeds, and other additional elements of vibrato.
Phrasing I: with a focus on ending a phrase and starting the next one.
The Left Thumb: experimenting with the position of the left thumb in helping vibrato and sound quality.
Playing With A Straight Bow: the advantages, practice techniques and exceptions to playing with a straight bow.
Shifting I: the first of a three-part series on the essentials of shifting.
Shifting II: the second of the series, on the fundamentals of shifting
Shifting III: the last posting on shifting, including the position of the thumb.
Moving While Playing: a discussion on how moving the instrument left, right, up and down can have productive or unproductive effects.
Tone Production II: further discussion of producing the best tone possible
Experimenting with the Bow: finding ways to make practice a productive process of discovery
Shoulder Rests: A discussion of the goals, varieties and perspectives on shoulder rests
Choosing an Instrument: The basics of picking out an instrument
Understanding Music as a Combination of Elements: Breaking down the different skills of music and seeing how they interact
The Basics of Setting a Sound Post: Andrew’s account of his first lesson on setting a sound post.
Playing Off the String: Two video lessons on playing off the string
Tomatoes and Swimming Pools: Methods of “Touch” for the Bow Hand: Conventional and unconventional methods of being more sensitive to the tactile (touch/feel) sense.
Some of the Best Things I’ve Learned About Music… So Far.: A personal account, organized in three categories: the instrument, interpretation, and the music industry.
Life as a Musician – A Very Human Music: Another personal account, on the author’s [separate] blog, on the importance of collegiality in the music industry.
I think you are about to introduce me to a new way of making music on my viola Thank you