October 15, 2007

I didn't blog the past couple nights. Excellent--excellent progress all over the place. Hittin' around 3h/night. Articulation improving, balance,,,.

October 13, 2007

I blogged at v.com last night.

Tonight, I pushed it for a little over 2.5 hours. But, even with that, I didn't get enough time on my music/songs/Suzuki. This is the second night my tuck and supporting the instrument is the high point. I'm spending a lot of time on scales -and- arpeggios with harmonic pulls as well as straight, which takes quite a bit of time. I'm feeling a need to break things out into 1.5 hour sessions: 1.5 technical, with either scales/arps on one end or same with etudes.... We shall see.

So from here, I want to slow down with my etudes, and get the arching of the arco more stable and confident. And my tuck and support should become my standard as well--it's very close to where I need to be now. Nice vibrato.... Nice shifts... Very nice tonality!.

I'm also a hot puppy after my scales in 3 8v... I'm currently still only doing two, and thought I started/promised to start adding 1 3-8v a week, have just not gotten to it yet. Consoling myself though, my double-stops are starting to ring nicely, and the earlier program I did seems to have stuck--I still have 'lots' to do here though.
I was just gliding up the entire octave tonight on sixths.

October 11, 2007

Tonight I hit a funk after my first hour. So I watched some MTV and VH1, then went back and completed my program plus... Besides my 'program', a couple things stood out. I started grand detaches with arches, and shall continue this--soon striving for accents on each end better. I hope to further tuning my strings planes with this as well. Also, I became more aware that I have not terribly, but somewhat neglected perfecting string-crossings.

Also, I made further progress in flexing my tuck. I decided to 'try' and start marking heavy tucks in the music--for just several reasons. I also explored, 'what supporting the instrument means to me'. Also, it came to me that my previous marking of repeating themes can be retired; and, my color code replaced by more advanced things like tucks, trouble spots and so forth.

I also decided to create my violinist.com blogs here in a different blog--not for any reason, but to protect them if the worst should happen.

October 10, 2007

Where am I????? Well first tonight's picture, then the big picture.

Tonight, I finally flowed back into my tuck--I'm loving where this is going. Starting out awkward and slow a little, I completed a full program of technical and music practice. Plus a little.

The big picture, since I half-heartedly tried to blog here last since my previous 100+'way plus' day session, is really big.

I'm still very much on basics, but things are starting to click all over the place. I've been blogging over at violinist.com a lot though, so an audit trail, is, present. Anyway, just so many basics are coming together.

I'm finding my 'real' left hand articulation after 32+ months of basics, and my balance of the instrument, flow, and bowing are have all shown remarkable improvement, for me, since I last blogged.

Within my left hand articulation, is a maturing and evolving nice vibrato. But, equal progress has been made in overcoming bad injuries I've blogged about. I'm 'very' happy to say the least.

I'm starting Suzuki 4 soon, and have been diverted by months it feels of remedial work. I missed my summer's end finish Suzuki 3 goal, but it has been every bit worth it. And I've got the end of Suzuki 3 by the tail.

After my self-imposed rest blogged here about earlier, I went through a period of feeling sorry for myself and simply playing--quite a bit. I sort of leisurely eased back into my technical program which along with playing is now approaching 2.5 hours a night again. I've also revamped my technical work adding some more advanced things, related to bowing and further improving sight reading.

The end of Suzuki 3 is kicking cool! And the end of Suzuki 4 will be too, though I'm really looking forward to Suzuki 5 most. Still it's those basics, and hand recovery successes that will mean most in the long run.

I decided tonight that I want all Suzuki repertoire near perfect. I can be myself in all other music except formal if I wish. So, because I moved so slowly in material so far, it will be a lot of work, but not as much as if I had truly, rushed through it.

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Violinist dot Com

Day 1E

Ho hum, but really fairly good. I think tonight I felt my first groovin' with many actually most of the things I've been working on, meaning of course very relaxed, with fuller resonant sound present, clean vibrato and an 'ok' feeling. A little weary from the past couple days I'm sure.

And, a new layer of digging in presented itself. There in the past were a lot of moments when resonance was fairly good for my level. This new layer is just an intensification of that with more hair, more weight and gosh almighty sound. Also, I was able to do some nice little colle based martele on the fly very nicely--that was spayshul--actually it was.

These elements have been described earlier. And that left shoulder table thing. I really hammered on it, using both teacher's approaches I think as well as my own, as well as Raphael K's.. Do it again--now again, now again. I think Laurie Niles might have put me on this, though I also think I always have, and the association might be somewhat coincidence, but nonetheless was recent.

So, more of the same in Greensboro tomorrow night I suppose. Lift left arm>right shoulder shoulder, find parallel nearly elbow, practice pushing it forward where shoulder stays level. Do it again.

Anyway, just played around--basically all over the place: folk, etudes, Suzuki, uh various unexpected sounds I'm sure. The first time I just playfully did 16n/bow it was really messy, but I'm feeling those string crossings gliding now, though it's still 'arrivin'.

Day 1D

I knew this was going to happen but do not really care. After a couple days of minimal practice, or at least one, I threw down like a kid in a candy store. But most importantly is how things came together generally. I used a mirror almost the entire practice, and whala: the tuck, the table, overall lightness of hold, and more: a big cool important more.

During my posture festival I had been practicing using almost no chin pressure to help stable the instrument; and, I had been having somewhat zoned out problems finding the table because so many things have changed for me recently. So last night I realized that zero pressure does not mean no pressure with the chin and played with a well formed forward but not raised table consistently. And I played, and I played, and I played. I feel like I've been on a drunk. And I played. And my southpaw though a little tired, is quite ok.

So, I increased my chin pressure from stable to lightly throughout the night, going from an 'able to hold the violin up on the table' posture to a 'minimize considered' posture. Also, because I'm using a center mount, am finding my chin doesn't really hit the chin rest, but my jawline feels perfect on the rest. Oddly even to me, this feels less claustrophobic to me in a way I do not understand. And I can see my pretty face in the mirror as I practice (Henry Fielding pronunciation).

Once again, a new level has been achieved though I would not be the one qualified to describe it. My playing on this stable table was really really nice, full (or becoming fuller)--just wonderful.
And I also started applying two points I feel important to stamina. Playing from center better is one point, a point shared by Amelia; but, the second point has to do with visualizing the straight neckline in a truly truly relaxed interaction with the instrument--very nice indeed. I think Amelia might have inferred this if not directly mentioned it, but it was the web site from the Netherlands that drove it home to and image I could truly work with.

My first impulse on waking was to practice, but I have to rest some so I'll wait until later.

One more thing: my coach helped me with some shifting circumstances perspective building on the phone last night. (AE-shoot for 12th)(GD-get competent to 5th and don't worry about it.)



If it's the Lord's will, I'll see Hilary Hahn tomorrow night in Greensboro. I'm so excited I can't stand it. This will be a good break for me.

Day1C 7/14/07

About 30+ minutes before work... Medley.