Put ‘Hunting-Lion’ Focus In Your Practice

We’ve all seen and been held, riveted, by footage of big cats on the hunt. The focus and concentration of those magnificent animals is truly awesome at such times.

Truth is, lions have such concentration because their very survival depends on it, plain and simple. Natural selection has done its work to perfection. Only those animals able to hold their hunger in check, who wait and watch for just the right moment to spring forward, will be graced with the ultimate reward, survival.

It is difficult to imagine human beings having that level of ferocious concentration. OK, maybe in life threatening situations, but violin practice sessions, no way.

Let me tell you something. There is a way.

The lion is motivated to that level of focus through physical imperative. Humans can achieve it through the exercise of will and imagination.

To bring ‘hunting-lion’ focus to your practice you must first create tremendous hunger for results. You must convince yourself that this hunger will not be satiated until the goal you have set is achieved.

Once you fully understand that failure is not an option, that success is the only outcome, you are ready to do some serious work.

Now, you gather facts into your mind like the hungry lion gathers scent on the wind. The goal is held firm in your mind’s eye the way the lion’s gaze is locked on his prey. Now…PLAY IT!

That’s the process. Not every individual hunt is successful for a given lion. The lion does not give up. He takes what he is capable of learning from the failure to the next attempt, again, and again until he brings down a meal.

You must do the same.

When you have done what your best guess tells you is sufficient slow preparation, you make a passionate, focused attempt to do a given passage, technique, or whatever, at tempo. If you fail in that attempt, you increase your concentration while playing slowly, at all times looking for the missing ingredient that will mean success at tempo.

Some of you would be amazed to know how much ground I have to cover to get successful results, at times. I have some physical challenges that some would deem insurmountable. But I am here to tell you that there has been, and always will be, a way through them.

That is the importance of playing the violin to me. I hope it is for you, too.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. I used to think that Vince Lombardi was ‘unevolved’ for saying; ‘Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.’ Now I know better.

It’s A Trilling Experience

In ‘early music’ days – pre-baroque – trills were referred to as ‘shakes.’ I find it somewhat ironic, actually, because as a student I was always cautioned against shaking my left hand when trilling.

There is a good reason for this.

The problem with shaking your hand – in effect using vibrato – to produce a trill is that the trill tends to sound wobbly and unsettling. You know, time to take out the Pepto-bismo.

Kreutzer was obviously hip to this. He was also hip to the challenge that many fiddlers have producing clear, facile trills. Trills are made possible by ‘fast twitch’ muscle.

Problem is, we’re not all gifted with the same amount of the stuff.

Some people have too much, actually. I heard one player at the Milstein class whose trills closely resembled an electric doorbell. Imagine the effect of such a device in a Mozart slow movement. You’ve just settled back to enjoy a beautiful aria when BRRRRING…who’s there?

I make fun of that overly endowed person only because I myself suffer from the opposite affliction. You could call it ‘laconic trill syndrome’.

In any case, Kreutzer has provided us with some wonderfully crafted studies to address all levels of ‘fast twitch’ endowment. These 8 caprices, and 2 others dedicated to legato string crossing, will make up vol. II of my Kreutzer quartet.

As I review these studies I am amazed at Kreutzer’s attention to detail. Each etude covers a very specific way of approaching and executing a trill. Some are intended to be measured, some unmeasured.

The finger movements required are delicate, graceful, fleet, and subtle. You can see the experience as an opportunity to connect with your ‘butterfly nature’; quite a cool thing, really.

OK, that’s my tease for Vol. II. Now get back to work mastering ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1”. I don’t want any excuses for not being ready for the next installment, when it comes out.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Sir Thomas Beecham once remarked; ‘Great music contains, at once, the maximum of virility and the ultimate in sensitivity.’ It is remarkable that even the smallest movements of a finger can embody both these qualities.

Shift, Don’t Schlep

Those of you working with my course will perhaps know by now that a shift is a decisive move, made with the arm, from one position to another.

That being said, it is possible to be highly expressive with the movement. Obviously it is in slow tempos that a portamento – expressive slide – becomes attractive.

Now, there are portamenti and there are schleps.

The schlep is a lazy, unconscious movement that can either sound like the music is suddenly being played backwards or like an ‘unsightly bulge’ that mars the flow of the music.

Here is what you should be aware of while making a portamento slide.

Keep the bow speed constant. This is the biggest contributor to the ‘unsightly bulge’ schlep. There is a natural tendency for the right hand to mirror the left. When you make a quick move with your left hand the bow will want to speed up. Don’t make that mistake. All it takes is your awareness.

Next, keep the shape of your left hand left hand stable during the portamento. Many people start reaching with the finger they are shifting to before the shift. Not a good idea.

Also, the wrist should not flex either. The hand and forearm are one unit. If the shift will take you up into a high position then the wrist will flex during the portamento only to the extent necessary to accommodate the shape of the violin.

Portamenti can be made with any number of finger combinations. I can’t go into the permutations here, however, but I can say that all good expressive slides, whatever the fingering, display the same basic mechanics.

The last factor to consider is timing. The length of the portamento must fit the flow of the music and the effect you want to convey to the listener. Obviously this must be worked out on a case by case basis; but one should have some reason, however intuitive and personal, for the portamento. The shift speed should purposefully convey the meaning to the listener. In other words, feel, and infuse your shift with that feeling.

”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” deals with ‘clean’ shifts. It is a good idea to master those before exploring expressive shifts.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. To really hear the beauty of expressive shifts one must, of course, listen to Kreisler. But don’t neglect the other masters of the 20th century, like Milstein, Shumsky, Grumeaux, Heifetz, Thibaut…the list goes on.

The Hidden Power Of Sound

Today’s newsletter is going to be a little bit different. Usually I write about matters specifically related to the violin. Today I would like to draw your attention to the broader subject of how our bodies and minds are affected by the sounds in our environment.

Most of us just accept and try to tune out unpleasant sounds. Fact is, perhaps we should be doing more than that.

Science has shown that certain ‘negatively charged’ sound can undermine our immune system, create feelings of stress and anxiety, and adversely affect mental function.

The kicker is, this is true of music as well.

There are several studies, for instance, which have measured the physical performance of athletes while listening to hard rock on the one hand, and mellow classical music on the other.

Guess what music produced the most productive workouts? Yep, listening to classical music lowered heart rates and allowed athletes to train longer and more effectively.

Now, I could go on for quite a while on this subject, but there is someone who can do it a great deal better. I think you should pop over to her site and take a look at what she has to say. You won’t be disappointed.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Once you have all the facts concerning the hidden power of music, you will want to redouble your commitment to the positive effects of your violin playing. ”Kreutzer for Violin Master

Don’t Be Cute With Your Mute

Got a note from one of my online friends regarding ‘mute’ practice.

He writes;
‘I love (and sometimes have to) practice with a mute. I find that when I switch back to playing without a mute my ear and bow pressure have to go through some adjustments. Do you find that you go through the same process? Sometimes I have to quit altogether for a while before continuing with my practice.’

I guess the short answer to the question posed is both yes and no.

Yes, my ear does go through an adjustment when I take the mute off, but no, I do not make any adjustments in bow pressure as a result.

At one time I may have, but then my use of the mute changed. I began using it purposely before concerts to counteract the intimidating contrast between room acoustics and hall acoustics. Back then I found myself inclined to ‘force’ when I first got on stage in an attempt to compensate for the disparity in sound levels.

Since this was an unnatural reaction to a change in acoustics, I often found myself going over the top and losing some control.

Now I am much more conscious of the physical sensations I have when I play. Those are what I rely on. I really don’t pay attention to acoustics any longer. Well, that’s not entirely true. I do play off of the acoustics in performance for musical effect, just not in terms of adjustments to my volume of sound. In other words, I ‘stay within myself.’

There is one other point to be made about ‘mute practice’, however. When you practice at home with the practice mute on, make a point of playing ‘big’ music.

This is the time to push the limits of your sound.

Now, when you take the mute off let your ear adjust but use the same vigor in addressing the violin.

‘A little bit of scratch can be a good thing,’ Milstein said to me.

Of course, there are limits. But his point is worth taking, particularly if you are getting ready for a performance. A certain amount of ‘scratch’ never makes it to the first row of seats. It is all a matter of control, really.

So, to explore the extremes of dynamic in the controlled space of your practice room, use the practice mute to work on your fortissimo production and your ‘senza’ practice to challenge your pianissimo range. Remember, quality and passion in both.

One final thing. To deliver the maximum energy to the string you must be relaxed and efficient. ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” is your vehicle to get there.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Be careful with heavy practice mutes. They can loosen themselves while you play and spontaneously jump off the bridge… most annoying.

Beauty ‘On The Threshold Of Sound’

It was a phrase Dan Lewis used often when he wanted members of the USC Symphony to play really quietly. And when he spoke it was in a stage whisper, barely audible but incredibly intelligible.

Those days were quite a few moons ago for me, but the phrase has remained in my memory as unforgettably as the first time I heard Nathan Milstein draw a bow across his fiddle.

Speaking of Milstein, he loved to play quietly. One day I showed up to play for him and I walked in to find his practice mute on. Naturally I asked why he needed it in the middle of the day.

He answered by putting his fiddle up and playing the Grave movement of the Bach A minor solo sonata. It was as if I were hearing it, clearly and distinctly, but from a great distance. It was absolutely magical.

But don’t just rely on a mute to play quietly.

To stretch my expressive control I will play Bach fugues pianissimo or, say, the Paganini Caprice in G minor, #16. The challenge is to impart all the passion, intensity, and drive while you remain ‘on the threshold of sound.’

Kreutzer #11 is a wonderful etude to cultivate this ability, especially as it also requires you to make quick clean shifts up and down the violin.

All the best,

The ‘Knee-Jerk’ Repetition

Is this something you do? You’re playing along, and then, oops, a mistake. Immediately you jump back to a point just before the breakdown and come at it again. Darn, same mistake. You do it again. And again…

Sound familiar? Most of us have been there.

The knee-jerk reflex to immediately repeat a passage in the hope that it will somehow be right the next time is often an expression of denial rather than an acknowledgement of truth.

I have witnessed this reaction on countless occasions. The good news is, there is a better way.

Next time, stop. Come to a complete stop. Relax. Breathe. Now recall your thinking just before the breakdown.

Were you mentally engaged? Were you breathing, imaging, and counting? Chances are that you were playing beyond your ability to think. Once you can get your mind around the passage you stand a chance of directing you hands effectively.

Those of you now working seriously with my Kreutzer course will be acquiring just such skills to deal creatively and effectively with technical challenges.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. I always have a glass of water close by when I practice – ok, sometimes it’s a little organic cabernet. Point is, taking a little nip gives me the time to relax and activate my grey cells. Come let ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” switch your grey cells on ‘big time’.

Mr. Kreutzer, Mr. Milstein, and Mr. Kreisler

Let me start by thanking those that have taking time to write in with feedback and thoughts lately. They are appreciated.

Yesterday I got a note from a new subscriber by the name of Vuc. Welcome aboard, my friend. He wrote; ‘Since you knew Milstein, could you tell me if Kreutzer was part of his daily routine. Fritz Kreisler was famous for never bothering with doing etudes.’

OK, that is an easy one. No, Milstein did not use Kreutzer as part of a daily routine. His practice mainly consisted of running through repertoire, and composing and revising cadenzas and transcriptions.

Milstein also told me that as a youth he spent a great deal of time playing piano music on the violin.

The fact is, however, that I wouldn’t advise this for most violinists.

Few of us have the time and patience it would require to become proficient at such a skill. Milstein grew up in Odessa at a time when, he said, ‘there was nothing else to do but practice.’

Kreisler, by the way, studied at the Paris Conservatory as a youth. Now, being that Rudolphe Kreutzer was a founding professor of that institution back at the end of the 18th century, you can bet that Fritz was given a good dose of him as a student.

In his mature years Kreisler did remark, ‘I have hypnotized myself into the belief that I no longer need to practice…and I don’t.’

Well, I can only say that when he made that remark his recordings will show that he was not quite the violinist of his ‘reputation building’ days. You can bet he practiced plenty then.

Be that as it may, Kreutzer remains, in my opinion, your best way to build and maintain a first class technique on the violin.

What you get in ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” are powerful tools for accelerating the learning process. It also shows you how to trim all the fat – extraneous motion – away so you become an extremely efficient violinist.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Just a reminder. My course is for mature, serious players who want to improve their violin technique and ability to absorb music quickly. It is for amateurs and professionals alike.

Send Mediocrity Packing

Recently I was sent an old film clip of none other than Jasha Heifetz doing an outrageous imitation of a mediocre violinist. Surrounding Heifetz, while he gave this little performance, was a small class of elite players, they were all shaking with laughter.

What made it funny, and also kind of sad, for me was it’s close resemblance to truth.

There are far too many players out there that play music far beyond their capabilities. They’ve fooled themselves into thinking they are really doing something special on the violin, when they are really only making ‘bapapa’ – my daughter’s word for a certain bathroom product.

In short they are doing there own kind of unfunny, hollow imitation.

Let me qualify what I just said a little bit. It is not necessarily that the music is too difficult. Sometimes it is simply that they are not playing a given piece in a way that they can play it.

It reminds me of something Nathan Milstein once said to me – something that I think of and quote often. ‘It is not what you play, but how you play it, that counts.’

What he meant by that statement harkens back to Mozart’s quote, ‘Anything can be ventured in music provided it is beautiful and inherently musical.’

Effective violin playing is a plastic art. Though you can borrow from other players, you must remember that each of us is unique. You will loose your authenticity and, chances are, your technical effectiveness by blind imitation that makes no allowance for your unique abilities and limitations.

To really become a truly effective violinist/artist you must ‘get in touch’ with and be honest about your own strengths and weaknesses.

You get in touch by being fully present while you practice. As many of you know by now, my counting method, which you will find in ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1”, will greatly assist you in getting and staying present. Actually it will do much more than that.

Nobody but you, yourself, can keep you honest.

It is your passion for truth – a.k.a. humility – that will accomplish that.

Once you are in the moment, and honest with yourself, you can begin the quest for a way of playing that is ‘beautiful, and inherently musical’.

If you truly desire reaching your ultimate potential on the violin, and I genuinely hope you do, then I strongly suggest you not only digest every thought, idea, movement, and sound on my Kreutzer course, but that you also attend my three day Masterclass/Seminar over Martin Luther King weekend in January at the breathtakingly beautiful Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC.

It may be the most inspiring weekend of your musical life. And how ironic that, given our primary, though not exclusive, focus will be Kreutzer.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

You Want More Practice Time, But…

Today I spent a good amount of time in two airports, as my wife, four your old daughter and I made our way back from a very stimulating set of meetings in Tampa, Florida.

In the airports we were bombarded with CNN’s coverage of the latest Middle East blowup. I mean, it’s like some sort of grizzly reality TV show or something.

We turned the tele off a couple years ago in our house, and we haven’t once regretted it. If I were in a position to really effect change in the Middle East, or anywhere else, I would be only too happy to lend a hand. But I’m not, and I suspect all of you reading this aren’t either.

I’m sure you all see where I’m going here but let me go one step further and really get a few of you steamed at me. What we are seeing on CNN, CBS, and all the rest is often not even the real news in the world.

Just to prove it to you let me ask you a question. Can you name the country in Africa in which four million have perished in recent years due to armed conflict?

If you don’t know it might just be because the major networks have devoted something like 12 minutes reporting on it this year. And, no, I won’t tell you, either.

Now back to my real point. If you made a gift to your violin practice of all the time you currently spend reading and watching ‘news’ which has no present and immediate bearing on your life – and I’m talking about Hollywood gossip, serial murderers, corporate criminals, gas price hysteria, sudokas (I know they are not news, but they are a big time waster, nonetheless), and all the rest – how much time would it be.

Your violin practice, whether you are a professional or not, is an opportunity to cultivate and reverence that which is sublime.

I think your life, and those close to you would be greatly enhanced by some additional time spent in such pursuit, don’t you?

I know Mozart would.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Nike at least has this much right when they say, ’just do it’.