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STRING POSTINGS

IMGP0578 copyWelcome 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 Stringtwo 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.

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