When It Does Happen

As I write this I’m sitting in our living room listening to the soundtrack to the film ‘Ratatouille’. Wow, the energy is just EXPLODING out from the speakers.

I must say this is one brilliantly composed, orchestrated, and performed movie score.

And it does make a good jumping off point for talking about the most important ingredient of excellence, in any endeavor.

I’m talking about vision.

One MUST create a strong mental image of the goal you are trying to achieve.

For a violinist this means a sound, a color, an effect, or a musical intention, a location to shift to, etc. You hold it in your mind, emotionalize it; you take note of your progress, making adjustments as needed with each repetition.

A few days ago I began practicing again after a two-week hiatus. Let me tell you, I was stiff indeed. And though my muscles and tendons complained loudly, I did not back down. I demanded that my vision for the session be satisfied before letting them off the hook for the night.

When I began the session I really didn’t know HOW I was going to get there. The disparity between my vision and the state of my left hand was extraordinary. I worked up quite a sweat, and I endured more than just a little discomfort.

As I’ve said previously, the violin is NOT for sissies.

But there is ALWAYS a way, a path forward. So set your sights high. Magnify the vision in your mind, heart and soul.

Then, when it comes time to put the violin under your chin, assume that exquisite state where maximum relaxation intersects with the utmost in focus…and enjoy the ride!

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Last night I decided to perform the D Minor Partita of Bach and the “Kreutzer Sonata” of Beethoven on the Biltmore recital kicking off the February Masterclass. These were favorites of my mentor, Nathan Milstein, and he played them both in his last public concert. I do have 2 seats remaining at the discounted tuition for this seminar. The bonus recital will be just the beginning of a memorable experience.

Keeping the ‘Beginner’s Mind’

I don’t know about you, but sometimes, usually during a sustained period of practice on one work or limited body of repertoire, my practice may become rather stale and predictable. I notice that progress on whatever I’m working on is stalled.

When this happens you can do one of two things. And both have their place.

You can put the violin on the shelf for a few days and take a little time to rejuvenate, or you can do some serious ‘spring cleaning of the mind’.

A spring-cleaning of the mind involves throwing out everything you think you know and making a conscious decision to start afresh with whatever it is you are studying. In Zen it is called regaining your ‘beginner’s mind.’

When Thoreau, or was it Emerson, said to ‘question authority’, I think this is what he was referring to.

It can take some courage to do this. We may have accumulated a lot of vested interest in the ideas and beliefs we hold about how to play this or that. Or what I can or cannot do.

What I have found, however, is that whenever I have made this decision, and made it decisively, I get a big return.

Now, I don’t mean for anybody to go changing horses midstream, one after another, so to speak. It takes some self-knowledge to know the difference between the need for greater discipline and the need for a fresh approach.

Acquiring this kind of knowledge is one of the great benefits of attending one of the masterclass/seminars.

Though less than a month remains before the start of the novice/intermediate seminar – somewhat more for the Intermediate/advanced seminar – there is still space available for you, should you want to gain more insight into the process of playing.

But let me leave you with this gem from Bill, one of our subscribers – he will be present in Asheville next month. He writes;

‘Finally, I am so happy that you introduced me to Nathan Milstein! Since you are teaching many of his philosophies and techniques, I have taken it upon myself to learn as much as I can about this extraordinary man. I obtained a CD called “Nathan Milstein in Portrait (Some memories of a quiet magician). It contains an extended interview, by Pinchas Zukerman, of Milstein, as well as the last concert he performed. Viewing this interview of this amazing player, one cannot help but begin to develop an affection for him, his music, as well as his philosophy of playing. He says that in order to play you must know how to invent better ways of doing things. He gives the viewer a glimpse into something that goes beyond technique that allows the performer to produce a musical effect that is derived from the spirit, for lack of a better way to explain it.’

That is great stuff. Particularly where he talks about ‘inventing new ways of doing things.’ Absolutely the result of having the ‘beginner’s mind.’

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. If you’re ready to adopt the beginner’s mind and bring it to the practice of Paganini, there isn’t a better time to reserve a copy of my latest, and most comprehensive course ”Paganini for Violin Virtuosity”.

How To Get Your Hands Together

I was asked recently how to deal with the problem of coordinating the two hands, particularly in fast passages. ‘Tis a problem most of us face, from time to time.

The factors resulting in a lack of coordination can be myriad. Fortunately the solution is relatively simple and arrived at by focusing on what you want.

Your goal is to arrive at a point where the mechanics of each note you play are identical and supremely efficient.

This means the following.

1. You want your bow moving horizontally across the string in a straight line parallel to the bridge covering the minimum amount of distance necessary to produce a clear sound.

2. You want the fingers of the left hand depressing the string with the minimum amount of force necessary to produce a clear tone.

3. You want every other muscle in your body, except the one between your ears to be relaxed and at rest.

Now, this is how you practice.

1. Whether or not you intend to ‘bounce’ at tempo, you practice with it on the string.

2. You play slowly, you count, you breathe, and you image as per my practice method.

3. You use the absolute minimum of bow possible, in the middle or upper half; you use ONLY forearm and, if your arms are short, a small amount of upper arm. No wrist, No fingers. You focus, and this is important, on the small horizontal travel of each bow stroke.

4. You keep the fingers of the left hand close to the strings yet relaxed when not being used. You do not vibrate on any note. You allow the violin to rest in cleft formed between the thumb and base of the index finger, to the extent possible. You leave fingers on the string where possible.

5. As you change pitches and strings you do it precisely with the change in bow direction.

OK, there you have it. I don’t usually like to teach as much as this in an email but am making an exception today. In any case, you practice this way until you’re really in touch mentally with all I have suggested.

When you increase the tempo you MUST feel/image the horizontal movement of the bow on each note. If you have vertical movement during a note – usually as an artifact of a string crossing – you’re going to undermine the final result.

Last point, if you’re still having with a passage after doing this, look to your fingerings.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. It’s true. Watching my bow arm as I do the slow and ‘at tempo’ performances of the early Kreutzer Etudes is invaluable to achieving mastery of hand coordination. If you don’t have it, get it. Dollar for dollar it’s the best investment you can make in your playing.

What ‘Nerves’ Can Do

I was 19 years of age, concertmaster of the USC Symphony, and 1st violinist of the Vuillaume String Quartet – one of the top collegiate string quartets in the country at the time. But on the occasion I’m about to relate, I was also unusually nervous.

My quartet, along with most members of the above-mentioned orchestra, had been engaged to record the music for a student film.

We kind of chuckled to each other as we made our way to Paramount Pictures’ recording studio. ‘After all’, we joked, ‘how good could a student film be.’ The chuckling stopped very quickly when we opened the music.

What confronted us was an absolutely first rate score written by a USC composition major whose name now escapes me.

One of the first cues of the day featured an extended section for solo string quartet. Suddenly those microphones seemed incredibly close. As the butterflies swarmed I felt my control decreasing in direct proportion. And when the moment of truth arrived, I lunged for the notes like a man fleeing an avalanche.

My fellow quartet members did likewise.

Problem was, when we finished our bit we were chagrinned to find that we were many beats ahead of the ‘clicks’ that were being fed into earphones to keep us with the picture.

I’ll tell you, that was one rude awakening I shall never forget.

Ever since that time I have understood that the awareness of ‘time’ is priority numero uno for a musician.

My advice, take the counting technique in the Kreutzer course seriously. Make it a habitual part of your playing. That way you will never find yourself in the unenviable position of being the rabbit that watches ‘old tortoise time’ have his way with you.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. By the way, the film was “Fraternity Row”. It was so excellent, in fact, Paramount picked it up and released it commercially in 1976.

P.P.S. And if you want rhythmic control second to none, hop over and grab the course that is quietly revolutionalizing the way classical violinists practice.

How To Get The Milstein ‘Ring’

Milstein made the violin ring more than any other great violinist of the 20th century. For those of us who had the good fortune to listen to him live, it was magic; that ‘ring’ carried the message of the music right to the essence of our being.

Well, pay close attention now because I’m going to reveal 6 of his secrets to doing this right here.

Number 1, he knew how to match bow pressure to bow speed with perfection.

Number 2, he held the bow as if it were a living, breathing object, and he used the upper half more than the lower half.

Number 3, he sought out and used harmonics and open strings in his fingerings.

Number 4, he thought harmonically and thus played with an intonation second to none – I have written about using ‘Tartini tones’, the product of double stops, to fine your ear as well.

Number 5, he supported the violin with his left hand. In other words, he didn’t ‘clamp’ the instrument with shoulder and chin.

Number 6, and most important of all, he loved, and consistently listened for, the unique ‘ring’ a violin can make

Now, there is an art to doing these things. What I teach in the Kreutzer for Violin Mastery course and what I will be able to do even more effectively at the Masterclass/Seminar will give you the guidance you need to master it.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

Banish Predictability

The other day I sat listening to a violinist of excellent technical ability play the Bach D Minor solo sonata. Everything was in time. Everything was in tune. And yet I was bored to tears.

One of the standard devices a player encounters in Bach is known as a ‘sequence’. Simply, a sequence is a gesture, or series of notes, that is repeated several times; usually beginning on a different pitch each time.

Now, if you want to lose an audience in a hurry you’ll play that gesture with exactly the same phrasing every time. If, on the other hand, you’d like to have them eating out of your hand, you’ll do the following.

Play the gesture in a given manner twice. On the third repetition, however, do something that is in strong contrast to what you have convinced them to expect. You can employ rubato, change dynamic, or change articulation; even all of the above.

The idea is to entertain the audience by keeping them guessing; but not going so far as to leave them bewildered.

If you change directions too often the audience isn’t getting time to form an expectation that you can exploit. You just come off as ‘arbitrary.’

When you practice keep an ear peeled for the ‘unexpected factor’. Even your use of the device must not become predictable. It’s just one trick in your bag.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Yes, there are musical ‘tricks’ with which to entertain and delight your audience. You must, however, have impeccable fundamentals with which to back them up. That’s where Kreutzer for Violin Mastery comes in. Pick up your copy now.

P.P.S. For the insights that will have you putting it all together in ways you never dreamed of, come join me for the three days that will change the direction of your musical experience forever.

When To Listen To CDs

Last night my little family joined up with a few other small families to observe the annual rite of Halloween. Now, our daughter, who is 4 years young, still does not ‘know’ candy. When anybody in our home wants something sweet they will get an organic medjool date, a banana with raw almond butter and agave nectar, or a piece of fruit.

She does know to say ‘trick or treat,’ and she does know that by holding out a bag she will get something put into it.

The meaning of Halloween for her is becoming our cat, ‘Jesse’. This transformation is accomplished very quickly with a pair of ears, a tail strapped on with a belt, and the application of some eye-liner to grow whiskers.

A couple looks in the mirror and for her the transformation is complete. She’s ‘Jesse’ for the rest of the night, and you better not call her by any other name.

As we traipsed around our neighbor she entertained herself, and the rest of us, with ‘cat speak’. She also stood awestruck in front of the various mechanical manikins, huge spider webs, and carved pumpkins.

In contrast, one of ‘Jesse’s’ co-conspirators seemed to be having a very different experience.

From the get-go she was on a mission; candy collection. I don’t think she noticed anything else going on around her. She certainly didn’t seem to be enjoying her extravagant store bought costume. Horrifically carved pumpkins on spider web infested decks didn’t get so much as a passing glance.

I felt a little sad observing the grip of sugar addiction taking hold.

Well, enough about Halloween. The point I really mean to make by relating last night’s events is the following.

When you begin studying a new piece of music don’t be in a hurry to purchase a recording of it. Doing so is like having your senses taken over by the desire for candy on Halloween. The glitz and polish of a commercial recording can overwhelm one’s own creative instincts in a hurry.

No, act as though the piece was written for you. Try to come to terms with the composer’s intentions on your own. Put YOUR passion into it.

Eventually, after you have a considerable amount of yourself invested in it, you may listen to some recordings. You are doing so as much to confirm what you are doing right as you are to find what is wrong.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Soon I will be issuing Violin Mastery DVDs on repertoire. I will not be giving you interpretations. I will be giving you facts. The facts on playing fundamentals that enable YOU to form consummate interpretations. Meanwhile, there’s still time to get yourself up to level of playing fitness I will assume in the coming DVDs with Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1 and 2.

P.P.S. The mountains of Appalachia won’t ever be the same after we sing to them in January, I assure you. Come get the 

Portamento Potency

The controlled slide, or portamento, is one of a violinist’s most emotionally potent expressive devices. I bet you knew that.

Problem is, many fiddlers are asleep at the wheel when making them. The most common error is something I have written about before. Namely, the two hands want to mirror each other.

When the left hand makes a decisive move to a new position, the right arm has an urge to mirror that movement by suddenly changing bow speed. This is fine if your intention is to sound like you’re about to lose dinner. But if you’d rather the audience didn’t instinctively brace for incoming projectile vomit each time you move to a new position I would take steps to rein in that reflexive movement.

The other point to be made, and I promise not to allude to another bodily function, is the movement of the left hand itself.

Just like a phase of music, each slide has some kind of shape. If you are playing, for instance, something slow and powerful, you may want to begin the portamento somewhat slow and accelerate into the new note. That kind of movement adds heft, or weight, to the new pitch.

On the other hand, doing the opposite, starting the movement fast and slowing into the new note can give a softening effect, especially if in the middle of a diminuendo.

Naturally it is difficult to discuss these subtleties without a violin present to illustrate.

When Vol. 3 of the Kreutzer Etudes comes out it will begin with Etudes #1, you see, I haven’t forgotten it. This etude will be a great departure point for a real in depth look at expressive shifts.

For now, however, be very conscious of your bow speed as you shift. That way you and your audience won’t feel as I did the last time my daughter dragged me on the ‘teacup ride’ at Disneyland.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. If you want some serious attention to the finer points of your playing, and you want if for an uproariously low price; register for the Violin artistry Masterclass/Seminar.

Bumps In The Road

Recently my wife, daughter, and I were driving on a dirt road with quite a few large ruts and potholes in it. After we had gone over a couple of them, the car rocking back and forth, our daughter started saying, ‘bump!’, after each one, and then giggling infectiously.

Pretty soon all three of us were ‘bumping!’ and giggling as we went.

Naturally we all encounter some bumps and ruts on the road of life. Those that can surrender to the turbulence, say ‘bump!’, and move forward unfazed are truly blessed.

Recently I have had some bumps in my practice. Perhaps it is the changing seasons, perhaps I over did it with some upper body exercises I was doing, but whatever the cause my hands have been unusually stiff and uncooperative.

I wish I could say that I have responded each day to this extended rut with a ‘bump!’ and a giggle. I haven’t always. But I have stayed the course.

Last night whatever was holding my hands hostage broke off it’s siege. What a relief to have unbridled velocity back in the mix.

The point of sharing this with you is merely to offer encouragement to ‘stay the course’ if you find yourself in a slump. If you can look at such times with grace and humor, make whatever adjustments need to be made – I have stopped doing the strength moves for the time being, and move forward unfazed, wonderful.

The important thing is to move forward. To stay the course.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Get started on the high road to violin mastery today.

The Power Of ‘Letting Go’

This afternoon my daughter Clara and I watched a tape of a figure skating competition. Well, I watched. She mostly ‘pretend skated’ on the white rug – aka ‘ice’ – that lies in front of our TV. Occasionally she glanced at the screen for fresh inspiration.

The commentators remarked on the terrible practices one of the Japanese skaters had had all week as she took the ice to perform. Dick Button and Peggy Fleming seemed resigned to a painful 4 minutes of viewing.

Well, it turned out otherwise. Much to their delight, and mine, the skater lit up the ice.

So you see, it doesn’t have to be.

Indeed it reminded me of a concert I gave with Jack Sanders, my guitarist partner, some time ago. I had a Horrible warm-up, just couldn’t get anything working properly. This is not a good thing when the Sarasate ‘Carmen Fantasy’ is on the bill with a lot of other difficult music as well.

As I walked to the stage door I said, very clearly to myself, ‘I have done everything I can. What happens now is out of my hands.’

When I put my violin up to play I just poured my heart into it. I had completely surrendered any expectation of success or failure as to the outcome. I just played one note, one phrase, one movement after the next.

You know what I’m going to say. It was as successful and technically polished as any concert I have given. The power of surrender in action.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Surrendering to the moment will get you nowhere in a hurry without sound preparation. It’s just that the expectations we place on ourselves often begin tying us up in knots.

Do the work. Do it every day. Find joy in the act of playing. Find it every day.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. The only good news in this is that those of you who haven’t gotten your order in for volume 2 may still do so at a great price. I will need to raise the price significantly once it has been released.