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Fiddle Tips Fiddle playing ideas from my studio instruction |
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Why Don't Violinists Sound Like Fiddlers? If I had to choose
one factor to help violinists get that authentic sound, But: Dah--Duh,duh, Dah--Duh,duh,
Dah--Duh,duh, Dah--Duh,duh |
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How Can I Get a Good Vibrato? Use the big muscles in your arm: triceps and biceps. First get the feel of correct vibrato
by waving your hand back and forth in front of your shoulder. So?... it feels jerky in the beginning. Trust the process and keep on till you get that Sound! Elan's Tip of the Month for September 1999 |
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When Strength Is Needed Stuff Smith said that when he went for an important note, he pressed with his bow, his finger, and his chin. What he meant was controlling strength, not brute strength. You need to use more bow pressure to get more sound. Use controlled strength in the finger, to get any desired effect: slide, vibrato or shake. And grip the fiddle more firmly with the chin, so it doesn't get away from you in the excitement. Elan's Tip of the Month for October 1999 |
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Repertory Choices Most fiddlers will choose to learn new tunes that their fellow fiddlers are playing. This is good. Beyond choosing tunes that your friends play, consider the wider circle of fiddlers all over the North American continent. There are some tunes that are almost universally known. Fiddler Magazine did a survey a couple of years ago. Soldier's Joy came out to be the top tune. Elan's Tip of the Month for November 1999 |
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The Right Chakra You sometimes see fiddlers letting the violin rest against their chest or abdomen. It's old-timey. It's rustic. It's limiting. Keeping your violin under your chin focuses the bond between your violin and the chakra, or subtle energy center that is in the neck. This center is higher than those that are lower in the body. This chakra is said to be associated with creativity and will. There's also the consideration of left hand freedom. Grip with your chin. You will have the option of more movement with your hand and the focus of the chakra that is appropriate to the emperor of instruments. Elan's Tip of the Month for April 2000 |
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More Chakra Stuff Here's an additional thought about the under-the-chin recommendation. Caroline Myss, Ph.D., also says this chakra focuses creativity and will. She says that we make decisions to *speak our truth* here. Let your fiddle speak your truth by snugging it under your chin, touching your neck. And while we're on about grips, how about holding the bow at the leather wrapping. I see many fiddlers moving their hand toward the middle. If you do this you are sacrificing power for comfort. Elan's Tip of the Month for May 2000 |
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Irish Bow Ornament: the Shakes Doing what I call the "bow shake"
helps in getting that Irish sound. It seems to work most easily past the
middle of the bow towards the tip. On the moving downbow, just tense
your bow arm and produce a triplet motion. Down, up, down--very quickly.
At most only two of the strokes will be heard. If it is just an indistinguishable
rattle, that's even better. February 2000 |
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Shiftless Fiddler No More You can do lots of fiddling without ever leaving first position. If you do move up the neck of the violin, here is an element of technique to think about. Moving up to third position is the usual alternative to first. Your first finger will end up on the spot normally played by your third finger. Keep your hand and wrist in the same relationship and move your forearm. Don't lead with your finger. Move your hand as a 'form' up the neck. When you shift back to first position, you have to grip harder with your chin. Elan's Tip of the Month for March 2000 |