Day 102 (2/28)

Pretty good day... no elements--Suzuki review (all of it).

Day 101

Pretty good night--not stellar but still good. Started easing elements back in more again. Also, been working on feeding weight in to the bow, letting the bow do the work, and using a relaxed bowing hand and elbow.... Reviewed some Suzuki.

Day 100!!!!!

Pretty good night... Worked elements back in some, keeping Alexander type things in place. (double-stops, colle, spiccato). Used my scales for whole bow/right hand training.

Day 99

Tired tonight--but good... Played all the way through Martini the first time--the first time--uh,the first time..(makes sense to me)... Arranged a little medley(my 2nd): El Conrod Pasa, Hello Darkness, and Scarborough Fair... It's go a lot of potential, and sounds pretty good straight through, but I need to get some double-stops going so, will just diddle with it as I go along.

Messed with Humoreque some more, and peeked at Becker Gavotte. --peeked.

Day 98

Pretty good night--got a very late start--sketched Humoreque some--played all the way through Martini a few times--other Suzuki--scales--played with attention to (relaxed body parts for brevity's sake), bow hair, control, string-crossings(which I want to start doing some things to bring the anticipation and slow approach further along--it's fair, but I can do better).

Day 97

Really good day. Started using the flowing and elbow swing while doing scales to find a predictable application while shifting, to a-get it more instinctive, and b-find efficent angles.

Lots of pleasureable playing--started working with double stops again--staying relaxed.

Day 96

Pretty good day--light... (catching up my blog).

Day 95

Another fairly light but good session. Started silking out G-string, downloaded some nice accompaniment pieces. Martini and etc. Finally got rid of some leaches--now they're in Charleston saying that's my story and I'm sticking with it. Gonna let nature take it's course on that'n--now back to violin.

Day 94

Light day--pretty good--just taking it easy... Started another version of G-string---very nice.

Day 93

Good day--late start, but good. Lots of Suzuki, finally sketched all the way through Martini. Started playing Air on Gs, in D--it's nice there and easy to grab two octaves.

Day 92

Good Day--lots of review--pretty good coming together as mentioned in Day 91. Still have a few measure in Martini so I can start playing it w/o music.

Day 91

Light day--but good. Company... I feel several elements trying to come on variously in a concerted effort. Feels good, but will take several months to get them rolling. Elements in this case meaning posture and tension free playing notions.

Day 90

Pretty good day.... I'm stepping up my relaxed playing notions a little, but have to move slowly. There are several elements to consider at once now, so this will take awhile--but well worth it--I really like what I'm hearing, and want it to continue...

Martini, some Suzuki 1 , scales, free-style. I'm not sure exactlly how to proceed, but think I'll go back and do some reviewing of already learned stuff, and free style so I can focus on all the elements at once:
1. light bow hold, relaxed wrist and elbow, motions from wrist and forearm, arm below bow.
2. centered playing with zero tension: neck, shoulders.
3. holding the instrument a little higher, with efficent light arm sway under instrument that considers reach and etc.

I'm finding that though still a little sloppy when I get carried away, that these adjustments haven't been as bad as some might lead one to believe. I can tell that I'm going to have to work with them over the next few months to keep them, but that's quite alright. I was playing around with Witches Dance and having alot of fun mimicking Emil. His rendition is cool...

Day 89

Light day--had to practice with mute--company.... Pretty good...

Day 88

'bout the same as last night. Started working with higher scroll and a little to the left. Started blogging at v.com

Day 87

Had a good night--not as intense as last night, but still very good--Actually I overdid it last night--so... Anyway, some Martini, playing. Next phase: learn to get the relaxed groove, staying closer to good form.. Tonight was admirable, but a little sloppy. Don't release another monster with this--doing too good.

Elbow: pizzicato across strings--find loose range.... all four fingers on each string--sway under--and fine tune/zen your range.

Day 87

here

Day 86

good day--spread out--centering, relaxed playing--a little more Martini... My note to finger recognition improving a little.

THEN:
I found my center, and I played, and I played, and I played--and it was awesome. And I flowed, and flowed... And the vibrato---I wish people would quit telling me to not use it, knowing good and well I'm going to... Are they trying to get me to learn it on my own? Because that is the direct effect they are having--and it's starting to sound good too....

Actually, R203 I think--but may be wrong.

Anyway--if it takes Peeing contests, fine... I'll make others better too just for the heck of it--because, I can.

Day 85

Continued with light centering practice, played around with Martini a little more, a little Suzuki--spread things out....

Day 84

Began working/revising Casorti to get the hair straight. As it turned out a couple things were happening. This is a little (not really though) complicated. First, my wrist action was over accentuated causing a rocking--thus the hair was elevating on the upbows, but maybe a little on the down bow 'a tiny' bit. I corrected that, and played first simple things, then Boccherini as well as I can.

Secondly, my wrist was leaning as well causing part of the rocking--that has been corrected as well--I think Buri supplied the clue. So now, I'm working on centering, a new wrist, and finding my way in reconstituting the most basic bowing. However, the Boccerhini didn't sound bad all given, and when centered. So hopefully with focus I'll get past this ASAP and start back on just centering, then flowing and balancing; and, maybe even a little element work in a few weeks.

Then, Buri says Casorti is outdated in the imagery of pressure, so Emil jumps in and adds images. So I have to do some cross referencing.

Day 83

continued remembering first layers of muscle memory for centering--light day, spread out over several small sessions.

Day 82

JEEZUSSS! The beast has been drawn in and surrounded. I am to focus on centering for the next 4 weeks, which means 'very light' work. It's a good time however to bring the bow into the coral as well--I always have an out ;).....

Day 81 Lesson Today

see title

Day 80 Pre Charleston/Lesson Day

Light playing only--well significant...

Day 79

Good night--superbowl interruptions--still got everything done pretty well.

Day 78

Good night--everything accomplished--printed Jesu, got organized--split sessions

Day 77

Good night--finally got into Bystovesky a little.... Everything accomplished. Played with real version of Canon a little for sight reading... Did pretty good--need a new lamp.

Need to grab my 3 ring hole punch for stuff as well.

Day 76

Good evening.... A note about my approaches: When I add things, I normally first put them in my mind, before on my element schedule--sautille comes to mind, as does advancing double-stops.

Day 75

Back to the grind. Found and downloaded official Pachelbel....

Day 74 Play for Pleasure Day

See title--Got a copy of Partita 1006 in e maj, and got to watch Milstein play it as I read it--to be repeated many times. Played throughout the day, played Air on G String in 3 or 4 keys, including on G string only--it's not a myth--it can be done... ;)...

Some scale thoughts--I'll start fiddling when I get through Suzuki 10.... and hopefully not until then. The standards, 70-80's music, and R&B are distracting enought.