Practice Notes

The Zen Etude
The Zen Etude has begun. Practiced all Suzuki, first runs were excellent, got a little sloppy in 'some' of the repetitions--needs stamina!. Began what I'm calling the zen of etude one, described earlier.

I'm not certain how much I'm going to have to slow etude one down in the beginning, but this is about 'all' elements. So far, it's pretty slow, but I discovered tonality and even melody within the thing that I 'believe' will make the it bearable.


Practiced for a little over two hours. See above. I got through the etude several times, cheated on vibrato a little (shhhh!), and learned the Beatles "Yesterday" just for the heck of it. I think I'll master that'n, as it is very very melodic in F, with a bunch of potential accents existing. Also practiced "Old Man River" a little--it's very melodic as well.

I'm excited about the Gavotte--it's soooo dynamic. But then, I feel the same way about the Farmer's piece for the same reasons. I want to make those stacatto notes very crisp, but my instructor is making me smooth them out for the time being--which is probably best.

Ordered Nadine's Suzuki volume 3 cd today, and volume 4 book and cd. I'll go ahead and start collecting up through 6 for the time being, in the spirit that my unexpressed poorly understood love for violin has not diminished along the lines of the abstraction: 'after the first kiss'. Phenomonal.

I barely practiced 3rd position. I think I'm going to do that in a zen-way as well.

Practice Notes

Practice Notes
I practiced about an hour before lessons, and a half hour after. Focused on the etude and Gavotte before class, and the rifts, as well as the overall Gavotte after class.

Lesson Night

Lesson Night
Last night we talked about how intoxicating Suzuki volume two is going to be. We also focused on, where I'm at on the etude, an alternative approach to the etude that will integrate 'the elements' which will focus on the zen of my left hand in relation to relaxation, healing, changing the spirit of the thing in order to integrate curvature of bowing, posture in general, posture in terms of fluidity, staccato, detache, and an alternative set of basic variations focusing on said integration.

We finalized getting past some sticking points on the last piece in Suzuki volume 1, worked on a remaining sticking point in the minuet from the Anna Magdelena Bach notebook (a series of constructions by JS Bach later expanded according to one 'theory'), and came up with a bowing sequence to expand certain rifts in "The Happy Farmer" in lieu of vibrato.

We worked briefly on 3rd position, verifying that my pivot was ok so I could continue working on it, and discussed where I was in general in this respect.

Finally, I asked my instructor for a general assessment, and she said I was coming along very quickly. I hope so....

Practice Notes

Practice Notes
Played about an hour and a half yesterday (Sunday) before coming home. Did all standard patterns--all of Suzuki, working on final Gavotte and got some of the rifts --at least the notes, did the etude several times--unfortunately sloppy still.


If my technical ability ever approaches my enthusiasm, woh!!!.


Practiced tonight for around two hours. Changed patterns a little. I skipped directly to the Minuettes, playing with the new Nadine version of Suzuki, trying to play along. I did ok, but not great. I need to stick with this for some unforseen time as it allows me to keep in rhythm, up to speed, etc; however, it is equally important that I do solo as well because of my bad habits introduced into bowing from the onset.

I practiced the etude more slowly, and played 'a tiny' bit with the first variation. Though I'm somewhat overwhelmed considering there are around ten variations, and my anxiety now attached to bowing, it will make me or break me in some ways. For reasons already noted with my 4th finger, and more broadly the discipline to keep hammering at something basically repetitive and bland.

I have however, taken simple themes in the past (Rachmaninov's Concerto in C), and improvised them over a lifetime so who knows.

I of course cheated and practiced vibrato a little. I hope my instructor doesn't whack me. Just Kidding

I didn't get a chance to practice 3rd position, and will try and give it some priority tomorrow.

Finally for this entry, I am completely enthralled with some of Suzuki volume two. I told my brother in law this weekend, that I almost do not wish to hear volume three's CD. . This violin, this evil evil violin--it continues to take my breath away--and I love it.

Volume 2 and 3 arrive

Suzuki Vol2 and Vol3
My Suzuki Volume 2 and 3 arrived along with cds for volume 1 and 2. I'm spewing all over the place. The Brahms waltz, Beethoven's minuet in G, and others I already play, or have loved my entire adult life....Sheesh!.

Practice Notes

Practice Log
Had a fairly decent night. Practiced a little less than two hours, maybe more. Got through the etude twice without stopping, with correct notes--I think. I set a goal to play the thing 10 times a day over the next couple weeks because of the beneficial effects on both my injury, general dexterity, necessary posture, and the fact that it brings so many 'elements' together. Did the Happy Farmer a few times, all minuets the same, got as far as I could remember on the Gavotte in that I haven't leared it all.

I ordered the next two suzuki volumes yesterday. It broke me, but I want to start getting them. Geezus, I love this instrument. It's embarassing.

Practice Notes

violin

Played for another hour and a half after lessons last night and my earlier entry. The etude is going to be brutally fun, and perhaps a little painful. I've been able to get the arm in better position; and, thankfully times some exponent my left hand is getting stronger.

I'm very very anxious to start work on some of the variations. Within any real limits, they are going to be awesome. The basic notes are also helping me with site reading to some extent as well--who'd ever thought I'd get off my lazy butt and accomplish this.

I've noticed that sometimes, the beauty of the music nearly hypnotizes me. I'm going to have to watch that ,as it leads to messiness. This instrument....!

Lesson Night

violin
Tonight, we worked on the etude, moving to 3rd position, general bowing, and talked about the semantics of 3rd position. I'm coming along but have reached a point with the etude for example, as well as 3rd position, that are very important because of my injury. The general bowing issues are related to my over-enthusiasm and bad habits. Basically, I need to slow down for another month and hammer home the mechanics of 'each and every' note. Even though I'm learning 3rd, vibrato, and so forth, I am at one of those points that will make a clean vibrant player versus a messy though perhaps instinctive player. The purpose in spending all this money is not, to be messy.

Directions for the Week

Play the new Wohlfhart etude over and over, and start first variation after at least trying the rest of the variations..... Begin mastering as if you mean it the Gavotte at the end of Suzuki. Begin practicing with third position shift, against the wall if necessary. Remember 3 becomes 1 and so forth--gently explore the ramifications. Begin conceptual modeling of keyboard to fret positions graphically for your own benefit.

Violin--an intoxicating poison.

My violin experience began with an impulsive purchase, an injured hand, a crashing between what can only be termed as love and lust for the instrument, and a gifted dynamic instructor.

I started playing violin around the end of March 2005. I purchased the violin one week, fell and seriously injured my left hand the next week, and in my own mind, overcame the injury up to this point. The injury caused me to over compensate in noting and holding the violin in ways that now in July I'm only beginning to attack with a little success.

I immediately fell in friend-love with my instructor, whom has one of the most intense personas I've ever encountered. She plays with the local symphony and is associated with one of the more long-term prevelant music houses in our region.

When I first began playing, I was spending literally hours and hours and hours, basically creating bad habits technically, but honestly, walking with Ptolemy's ambrosia in human terms--it really was a crashing of cultures. The truth is that the intensity with which I fell in love with this instrument is nearly embarassing as an older male. This kind of intensity is normally reserved for adolescents with a cause. I can only compare the experience to a romantic's first true adult love.

Anyway, my left hand has been a huge source of frustration; and, I'm still looking for the silver lining for having prevailed thus far; however, at a minimum feel sure the value-added focus will be one of the payoffs. I'm technically through Suzuki volume one, though I have a lot of mastery to accomplish before I'm willing to move one. I'm awestruck by vibrato in the same breath.

Having taught myself a messy over-done but somewhat effective finger vibrato several weeks ago, (today is 7/12/05) I applied it to the twenty-five or so songs I've learned by ear beyond Suzuki--the overall effect was very nice to some extent. I was waiting to apply the vibrato to the Suzuki songs when my instructor reigned in my manic moment. She teasingly threatened me that I would not create more bad habits for her to try and correct.

Disappointed is an understatment, having lost my new toy. The expressiveness that the vibrato added to the simple but beautiful songs I've learned was now gone. I felt dis-spirited to be honest, and in my own words, felt like a child looking at presents under a Christmas tree a month and a half out from Christmas--I should've added, spoiled child. I honestly think I got a little depressed.

Anyway, I'm working past that, and in that I told my instructor I was likely to cheat, have even considered hiring another instructor to work on vibrato alone on the sly. :biggrin: At least I was honest. The reason I need to learn vibrato out of sequence and very early, is that I also play piano, banjo, guitar, indian flute, etc., and at least on piano and guitar, have a developed level of expressiveness, that considering guitar, paled when compared with the way the violin makes me feel; and, the overall spirit of my efforts are not to aspire to be a Paganini but to have fun. Moreover, there is something far beyond simple newness going on underlying my enthusiasm, in ways I can't understand. Yes, I am spoiled, but also honest and know myself pretty well.

With that said, I also know how much time I wasted with trial and effort on the guitar. And in the same breath though it contradicts my comment about Paganini, I do want some intensive technical proficiency. This instrument---IS----all that. I'm embarassed as I write.

Last week I diverged from Suzuki and learning by ear, and started adding some technical etudes. I 'got through' the first one and because of my hand find it more challenging than necessary. I also find it very instructive at the same time, forcing several small advances in noting, dexterity, strengthening my 4th finger, and so forth.

Also last week, I physically explored the piano octaves expressed on a violin (about two and a half for practical purposes), went back and corrected some bowing and noting habits that while I realized were there, don't think my instructor realized I realized were there, and overall had a couple pretty good practice jam sessions thus far.

07/13/95
Tonight, we went over the Happy Farmer, the new etude, talked about pinging notes, going to third position, and escoterically the parameters that third position creates in terms of playing general music. My left hand is still growing stronger, and the next few weeks will be very important, in terms of both healing and 4th finger.
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