How to Harness Nervous Energy

Had an interesting inquiry yesterday from a subscriber by the name of Gary. Have a look at what he had to say.

Clayton,

‘What do you recommend to calm down a shaky bow arm at the beginning of a concert. I played for some people last night and had some early ‘stage fright’ which caused my bow to shake/bounce, vibrato was a little nervous as well. By the third piece I had calmed down and things were fine, but any suggestions on how to start out? I tried using some controlled breathing to unfocus my mind from the bow, but it didn’t work very well. I also realized that instead of starting with ‘easy’ pieces with lots of piano/pianissimo, I would have benefited by starting with something allowing more bow pressure and broader arm movements and letting me get the tension out at the beginning. What do you think about that strategy for programming?’

Well, Gary, I’m sure 90% of us have experienced ‘shaky-bow syndrome’ at one time or another. There are a few, however, that claim to never experience the ‘fight or flight response’ that’s responsible for this. For me, it depends on the environment and repertoire I’m faced with.

But here are some thoughts.

Your recognition that playing some extroverted, accessible, but not too technically demanding music to begin with is very good. Milstein, and virtually all the great artists, have done this.

But in terms of actually dealing with nervous energy even before you get out on stage consider these three things.

The ‘fight or flight response’ causes a lack of physical control, a loss of mindfulness – or concentration – and a loss of feeling.

I spend my pre-concert time reversing these tendencies.

First, I arrive early to warm up. On the physical side, this means really moving the bow and fingers. I belly-breath while I play scales and arpeggios. I may walk around as I do it. I rest intermittently to stretch a little. I sip water. I play some more, gradually bringing my sound into focus, stretching my fingers, playing now with velocity and now slowly and expressively.

Secondly, I’m visualizing in my head everything I’m doing.

That is to say, I’m NOT playing on autopilot. I’m imaging the sound I want to draw and I’m listening for it. The point is I want to get my mind re-engaged, and focused.

Number three, I want to activate my feelings for the music. The ‘nerves’ will have suppressed them. So after I’m up and running physically and mentally I begin investing feeling in what I’m playing. I will play phrases and passages that get my emotional juices flowing.

Not too much, mind you. You don’t want to leave it all backstage.

As I’ve said in a previous email, I can spend as much as an hour and a half in this process before a particularly big event. Sometimes I will be up and running in 5 minutes. Usually I can gauge ahead of time how long I will need. Perhaps this takes some experience.

Now, there might be a time when you’re caught short. Maybe you’re even required to stand up and play ‘cold’. If this happens, and you find yourself being blanketed over by nervous energy, you say the following to yourself.

‘I recognize, and accept, that this situation is not ideal, but I will nevertheless do ALL I CAN to make this a success.’

Then you do it.

You breathe, your count, and you visualize. You do not allow yourself to focus on minor, or even what you may regard as major errors. You focus on telling a story of the music, on painting pictures, on communicating a gift of love.

Do these, and you will always be a success.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. One last thing, Gary. I think I would have used my breathing to focus my mind on the smooth, effortless bow strokes I wanted, rather than using the breathing to ‘unfocus’ on the the bow. In otherwords, focus on what you Want, and move toward it.

P.P.S. And if wonderful playing fundamentals are what YOU want focus on getting your copy of ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery” today.

Getting Fit as a Fiddle on Paganini

If you haven’t had anything in your mailbox from me since last Tues., don’t worry. Your spam filter isn’t working overtime.

I’ve been taking a wee break, actually. But never fear, I haven’t been idle and will be back at the keyboard soon as I finish my latest humdinger of a course.

This one’s a doozy, and it’s taking more focus than anything I’ve done yet. It’s Paganini time here in Asheville. And the first volume of ‘Paganini for Violin Virtuosity’ will be comin’ at you soon.

And as usual I’m performing them ‘live’ without the benefit of editing. You see, I want to show you just what kind of ‘stuff’ you can have by using my methods.

But you DO have to apply yourself, especially if you’ve a mind to record the likes of #24, clean, and in one pass. BANG.

Once the performances are down, I’ll begin explaining and demonstrating how I’ve made it happen.

For now, however, I will only tell you this. I’m doggone sure all the Kreutzer work I did while creating ‘Kreutzer for Violin Mastery’ is paying off big-time as I do this.

The focus, discipline, technical security, stamina – you name it – that come from working all 42 of those etudes with the insights of a Milstein at your disposal WILL transform your playing.

Good new is, there are still a few copies of that groundbreaking course in our stock room.

So, while I go about finishing my ‘Show on Nicolo’ may I suggest you get ’wiser with Kreutzer’ by ordering your copy today. And I do suggest taking advantage of the 20+% discount you receive by ordering all four volumes together.

The added benefit of doing this is you will have all the pieces of the Kreutzer ‘puzzle’ right at your fingertips. Looking at segments ahead of where you’re working will shed a great deal of additional light on what you’re doing.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. I do have some seats still available for the ”Secrets of Effortless Playing Masterclasses”. These will be tremendous events and sure to exceed any expectation you may hold of them. Come, be a part of the magic!

What Never Ceases to Amaze Me

What never ceases to amaze me is the power of breath to simultaneously relax, refresh and energize.

Problem is, a tired, pre-occupied, stressed out mind often forgets to do the very thing that will bring almost miraculous transformation.

Recently I have been doing a new kind of breathing exercise. This one is not done with the violin under your chin; but I assure you, doing it can have a very positive effect on your playing nonetheless.

Periodically during the day – 3 times is good – I pause for one minute. During the minute I breathe 3 times. You see, it’ll take no time at all.

First, however, try it in front of a mirror sans shirt to get the form right.

Inhale deeply. Watch that you keep your shoulders relaxed and down. Your tummy will extend outward as the air is drawn in. Hold it for 5 seconds and then expel the air with a purposeful contraction of the diaphragm.

Now, as your tummy tucks back in contract the girdle muscles within the pelvis, the ones down near the groin area. As you contract these muscles draw them up toward your chest. No need to bend at the waist, just contract the muscles in one smooth powerful move.

When you have expelled ALL the air in your lungs, hold yourself in a contracted state for another few seconds. Now quickly draw in another breath and hold.

I’m finding this an excellent ‘dynamic tension’ exercise for the strengthening the lower abdomen.

But what does it have to do with playing, you may ask.

Well, do it before taking the fiddle out and you will find your mind much more focused as you begin to play.

More importantly, the muscles of the abdomen and girdle area are the foundation on which your upper body rests. The stronger this base is, the more confident and poised you are likely to feel whilst playing.

And that’s a very good thing.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. For the real skinny on how to use your breath to transform and inform your playing in a heartbeat, pick up your copy of ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery” today.

Musical Balderdash

You’ve got to be careful with what you read, even from me, I suppose.

Last night I happened to pick up ‘Strings’ magazine to check out what was being written in the ‘masterclass’ pages. Boy, did it get my blood boiling. Not the kind of thing you want just before bedtime.

A guy by the name of James Reel wanted to tell us that the Mendelssohn Concerto is often played too fast. He called his article ‘Give It a Break.’ To substantiate his claim he relied on the words of another fellow by the name of Vincent Skowronski. He quoted him freely throughout the piece.

You can see the whole piece of garbage on page 30 of the March issue, if so inclined.

In any case, Skowronski basically trashed Milstein and Heifetz, two of the greatest virtuosi of the 20th century for not only playing it too fast, but for ‘slashing’ their way through it as well.

Well, this is what I think, Mr. So-Wrongski. Take a look at the upper left-hand corner of the first movement. It says, ‘Allegro, molto appassionato.’ Look at the meter. Mendelssohn indicates ‘alla breve’, or ‘in 2.’

Now, Allegro can refer to a quality – i.e. ‘cheerful’, a tempo – i.e. ‘quick’, or it can be a title of a quick-tempo movement. In this case it must be either a title or a tempo. The music just ain’t that cheerful.

Matter of fact, it’s ‘molto appassionato’ – very passionate. And it’s in TWO. Doesn’t sound like a time for lollygagging about to me.

Even more, the last movement is marked ‘Allegro, Molto Vivace.’ Again, I take allegro as a movement title. The key words, in terms of tempo instruction, are Molto Vivace – very quick.

There is one last point to be made to Mr. So-Wrongski. Mendelssohn himself is on record as having stated he wanted the piece to be virtuosic, and worthy of the finest players of the day. In fact, he sought out his good friend, the virtuoso Ferdinand David, for advice on creating virtuosic effects.

Now, there is one point on which I can agree with So-Wrongski. The Mendelssohn is often given to students who are not ready for it. He thinks it is because they play too fast and ‘brutalize’ the work.

I, on the other hand, think they more often can’t play it virtuosically enough.

So there you have it. You’ve got to be careful of what you read.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. They say ‘pictures don’t lie.’ Well, these days you can’t even be sure of them. I can tell you this, however. Everything you see on my performance DVDs is unedited. I believe that if you ‘do as I say’ you will be able to ‘do as I do.’ And I want you to know exactly what that is.

How to Condition a Vibrato

Unfortunately, you can’t condition a vibrato with your favorite hair conditioner.

Further, it’s an activity more akin to threading a needle and dribbling a basketball simultaneously, than just about anything else. That is to say, its quite an extraordinary and specialized one.

So, how do you train it.

You spend 5 minutes of dedicated time on it several days a week. That’s what you do. Now here are some things to know.

Recognize that a vibrato is not just one thing. What you put toward it, and what energy, or lack of, it conveys will vary. That is, the music will inspire you to hear a specific quality of vibrato, and you must then find the secret to produce it.

To rivet a listener, however, you must have a sound with ‘focus’.

If your hand easily cramps up when you try to vibrate there is good news. You’re going to transform yourself into a master of relaxation with those five minutes. Quite a good thing, if you ask me.

And if yours is continually on the lethargic side, you’re going to spend that five minutes acquiring the focus of a ‘laser.’ Also a good thing.

Some may get to do both!

Now, the specifics of how the hand, forearm, and fingers move is something I can’t illustrate here. I do demonstrate and explain what I consider to be the finest type of basic vibrato motion out there on Vol. 3 of ‘Kreutzer for Violin Mastery.’

So you see, even if you’re a ‘beginner’ the Kreutzer course is a tremendous resource to have in to your DVD player. All you have to do is take out your fiddle, take a few good belly breathes, calm and focus your mind, and hit ‘play’. There isn’t one frame in the entire program that can’t teach you something worthy of your time.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. My vibrato has been particularly ramped up this week playing ‘cabaret’ style solos for the film ‘Ratatouille’. Found out yesterday it with be released on June 29. That means, if you’re at the ”Secrets of Effortless Playing Masterclass/Seminar” that week you may be in for a little treat. That’s after I’ve transformed your playing of the violin.

Don’t Be Shifty When You Shift

One of the things I’ve seen a lot of over the years are shifts that are, well, shifty, for lack of a better word.

Think of a person. A shifty person is an uneasy person. They move nervously about because they aren’t comfortable in their own skin. They don’t feel supported by the ground they’re standing on.

Now, think of Kreutzer #9. Some of the shifts are tricky, are they not? Especially when you’re, say, way up high holding a G half-note knowing the next note is that hard-to-find C second position on the G string.

If you remember, I strongly urge you to hold out the G Full value. I also demand that the C be exactly on one of the next measure.

In order to accomplish this in a masterful way – and that’s what its all about, folks – you hold the G, steady as an ancient redwood, while a mental image of C takes solid form in your mind.

Meanwhile your count moves from 3 to 4. After you say ‘four’, however, suddenly vertigo grips you. Your feel yourself beginning to swoon; you feel a strong urge to drop to your knees and let your hand slither its way down four positions and over three strings.

But wait a minute, we’re only talking about a distance of 5 inches. How can we feel ‘shifty’ about 5 measly inches?

Exactly.

It is an irrational fear that was implanted in our mind the first time we took, ‘You’re C is not in tune’ to mean, ‘You’re no good.’

So that’s what we’re really dealing with. The fear of judgment.

OK, knowing that let’s pick up where we were after beat four. Instead of deforming your hand, starting the bow toward the G string, and allowing your mental image to dissipate like a desert mirage, you smile and see yourself – eight feet tall, mind you – playing the perfect C, exactly with the count of one, and with not a molecule of space separating them. You execute. You Score.

That’s mastery.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Now, I left out a few details. What moves the hand, how it moves; what accomplishes the change of string in the bow arm; these are all things you see and hear me address in the course of Vol. 1 of ”Kreutzer

Moving Toward a Goal

Last night I watched Milstein play the Mendelssohn Concerto. It was a DVD of TV broadcasts made in the early ‘60s. Naturally, the playing was riveting.

Afterwards I took out my fiddle. I wanted to ‘get into his skin’ and play with the same velocity and attack.

I must confess, my first attempts were less than encouraging.

I had two choices. Give up, or get my grey matter working, and lay out a strategy for success. Let me tell you, I’d already had a full day of playing on ‘Ratatouille’ and was tired. But what I had listened to got to me.

I wanted it.

So I took it one note at a time. I assembled passages I had difficulty reproducing note by note. I made sure each note had the attack, energy, and color I was looking for. As I warmed to the challenge I began placing notes next to each other, but only as close as I could ‘think’ them first.

Low and behold, the ‘form’ I was looking for began to emerge.

Sometimes I thought I had a passage completely mastered, but when I placed into context I ran amok once more. I backed up. I raised the bar on my consciousness and resolve.

Then I moved forward once again.

Did I attain everything I wanted last night? No, I didn’t. But I did move decisively toward the goal. I wanted All of the last movement, my body and mind gave me two-thirds. There is, after all, a time when everything you give is met with diminishing returns. That is when you put the violin aside, and rest.

One of our subscribers is moving to another kind of goal. Being on a rather tight budget – she’s in college – she is putting aside money each month so she can purchase the ‘Kreutzer for Violin Mastery’ course.

There may be others doing the same thing I don’t know about. Today I’m going to help them reach their goal much sooner.

For a limited time, I’m reducing the fee on Volumes 1 and 2, and I’m making them available separately.

In short, there’s no better time than now to get started on the program that will give you the technical tools to fulfill your highest violin aspirations.

Come get started on the course that is transforming the playing of hundreds of violinists around the world.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Watching Milstein play reaffirmed the value of all that is found in the course – the relaxed, efficient fundamental techniques that allow truly special sounds to come out of a violin.