Why Your Equipment Matters

My little family and I are just settling into the tight confines of a modern day commercial airline ‘coach’ seat. On our way down to Tampa for meetings.

What better time to pound out a brief newsletter.

A few days ago my friend Jason, from out LA way, inquired about the ‘instrument factor’ in auditions. Yes, the sound of your fiddle does make a difference.

But beyond that, you’re going to play with greater confidence on a quality fiddle.

Imagine yourself showing up for an interview dressed in the latest designer clothes from Versace versus what you might wear to mow the lawn.

You’ll feel different, and you’ll act different.

And on the other side of the screen – usually auditions today are conducted behind a screen until the final round – the audition committee cannot avoid being influenced by the basic tone coming from an instrument.

They’re not going to be too inspired by a tiny, tinny, pinched sounding factory violin.

Mind you, if you’re head and shoulders above the competition in all other respects, you might get a break. But why give anybody an excuse to pass you over.

Now let’s suppose you don’t have a performance grade instrument, and you can’t beg, borrow or steal the tens to hundreds of thousands to acquire an old Italian with a good pedigree.

You do have some options. A) Borrow from a friend or teacher, or B) go to a reputable dealer and act as though you’re buying.

Usually you can an instrument on trial for a week or two without a problem. Besides, if you win the audition the dealer may get a sale out of it.

It’s very common at major auditions for players to bring instruments they don’t actually own. Once through the audition process they may even qualify to play one of the orchestra’s fiddles.

In fact there are members of major symphonies today who’ve never purchased a fine violin simply because the orchestra has supplied one to them.

Now, just because I talked about fine old Italian violin above doesn’t mean you can’t buy a very GOOD sounding violin at a surprisingly low amount. Some of the finer Chinese violins being made today are excellent, and there are many, many good domestic makers out there.

One thing that comes to mind is to go to the Violin Society’s website – do a search for it – get a list of makers in your area and go play their instruments.

The other type of fine instrument to keep an eye out for is the ‘diamond in the rough.’ That’s an old, great sounding instrument that doesn’t have a maker’s name associated with it, or is not in the best condition. You won’t do as well when comes time to sell, with a violin like this, but you’ll have a great tool in the meantime.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. In just over a week I’ll be presenting a full recital for the attendees of my upcoming master class. Will finish with the 24th Caprice of Paganini. And you can bet I’m making good use of all the practice tips found in my course Paganini for Violin Virtuosity, Vol. 1. Why not get the best practice techniques working for you?

How Steady and Calm His Eyes Were

I don’t often watch football, but I certainly wasn’t good for much else yesterday. Had one of those food-born 24 hours bugs. And boy did it ‘shiver me timbers.’ Literally.

Through the fog of body aches, chills, and intestinal ‘activity’, however, I did manage to retain a couple images from the two games. Number one, the Green Bay fans. Those folks turned out in truly sub-zero weather (wind chill made it below –20 degrees F) to support their team. What dedication.

And then there were the players. Linesmen with bare arms, quarterbacks without gloves, all playing to the top of their game.

Awesome.

But the single most impressive guy I watched yesterday played in the first game – field temp was only about 0 degrees in that one.

His name is Laurence Maroney, and he’s the running back for the New England Patriots.

Courtesy of the remarkable camera coverage, we got up close and personal with him many times in the replays of his spectacular runs with the football.

What I saw was this; a guy in top condition, absolutely prepared, secure in the vision of what he wanted to accomplish, yet utterly relaxed and in the moment.

I could see the relaxation in his eyes even when two or Three defenders seemed to have him clearly in their sights. Without fail Maroney held to his vision, allowed just the right response to inform his body, and rushed for 3, 5, or even 10 yards more than what looked humanly possible.

This is the way to approach an audition or performance. It takes discipline and it must be practiced. If you want to perform well in the most adverse of circumstances you need staying power and focus.

So, each time you ‘put it out there’, put out your maximum. Get in your maximum playing condition. Do the maximum of preparation. Spend time away from the violin visualizing your performance, breathing and smiling through each piece of music on the program.

And resolve to perform in the moment. That is, listen to the music coming out of the violin and respond generously and creatively to it.

Yesterday I received an email from a gal who, in a recent performance, started out great but then suffered from an attack of nerves mid-way through. I, myself, have had personal experience with this not uncommon occurrence.

Now I know about the ‘delayed nerve attack’ and I steel myself against it. I simply won’t allow my self-consciousness to bushwhack me that way.

It’s all a matter of preparation, really. Take what you were shown in recent performances as a positive. See how you will manage your thoughts and awareness in the next one.

And then get back out there. It’s the only you’ll grow as an artist.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Now if sheer technical and practice know-how is what you need, I’ve got some great programs for you. First and foremost among them is my best selling Kreutzer for Violin Mastery. Your copy is waiting for you right now!

Shift No-no Numero Uno

Happy to report a predicted ice storm for our area never materialized. And today we’re enjoying as blue a sky as you’re likely to see east of the Mississippi.

I’m also pleased by the number of folks who’ve taken advantage of the ‘mini-course’ on breath control and position fundamentals. Matter of fact, there are only 7 remaining of the order placed with my engineer, and I don’t expect to make more anytime soon. If you’ve a thought to improve your lung-power and set your hand positions to right I’d jump over and place your order right now.

Yes, even before reading today’s very worthwhile newsletter. Here it is, for the Very-Berry last time. Dynamic Breath Control for Violinists

Now then, let’s say we call your left hand Paul, and your right hand Peter – just for a minute or two. Imagine, then, that Paul Is fingering along quite happily, just playing note after note in first position. No worries.

Meanwhile, Peter, a short distance away, is bowing back and forth equally peacefully and contentedly. Matter of fact he’s rolling over several of Paul’s pitches with each stroke.

Suddenly trouble appears on the horizon. It’s a nasty shift of a major 7th up the A string. Paul begins to perspire. Peter senses anxiety in the air and prepares for the worst.

The shift bears down relentlessly on the two. Paul feels his muscles coiling for a Herculean effort. Peter is uncertain what is going to happen next.

Suddenly Paul leaps through the air in a desperate bid to reach the far shore, and safety. The suddenness of his action causes Peter to lurch forward in sympathy – and the tranquil air is rent asunder by an ascending belch of tone.

Paul and Peter regain control quickly, mind you, and institute damage control measures. A veneer of composure emanates forth.

The end.

Guess I really identified two things,actually, the tensing of the left hand prior to the shift, and the sudden increase of bow speed during the shift.

It’s the latter point I really want to draw your attention to today. Many players I hear have been so long in the habit of allowing the two hands to mimic each other in this way that they no longer hear the ‘unsightly bulge’ of sound that results.

Even when one wants to hear the shift, it’s important to control the bow speed and pressure as you execute.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. There are a few more little details that go into a successful shift. For those I would check out Volume 1 of Kreutzer for Violin Mastery.

When You Matter

As a performer, I think you ‘matter’ to a listener when what you are doing is felt to be equal or greater than the value of that person’s time.

Yesterday I spent a few minutes with this month’s issue of ‘Strings’ magazine and enjoyed an interview with Yo-Yo Ma. If you have it I’d recommend taking a look at it.

His major point was that ‘content, communication, and reception are the three elements that go into a performance. And unless they are in harmony, there is no magic.’

Most of the article focused on the player side of the equation; the content provider and communicator.

But for balance I think a thought should always be given to the person being communicated to, the receptive one.

If you’re not communicating something your listener is desirous of hearing at least one of you is bound to feel time is being wasted.

Often it is not even a matter of the music selected; one might play a piece quite differently for children than you would for playing colleagues. But this is assuming your technique allows for this kind of flexibility.

And that’s the bottom line, really. How does one absorb music in such a way that it can flow effortlessly in any circumstance.

Well, I think the practice techniques you use are absolutely key. You won’t find better ones than those being used by hundreds of violinists right now.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. The aspiring virtuoso can up the stakes Paganini for Violin Virtuosity, Vol. 1.

How to Fix Broken Chords

Ugh, that awful, percussive scratch that hits the ear, the body-slamming second punch that follows, these are the sure sign of truly broken chords.

Let’s turn them into pillars of strength and beauty; harmonic powerhouses that enliven the spirit.

But beware, it does take energy, commitment, and focus. And here’s how it’s done.

For the sake of argument let’s imagine you have two consecutive four-note chords, a down bow G minor chord and an up bow A major chord. Preceding the first chord is an eighth note pick-up, let’s say it’s D, third finger on the A string.

Point number one, get right to the frog, right under the hand with the D pick-up.

Number two, while you’re playing the D see yourself initiating the G minor chord in your mind’s eye. Don’t anticipate it physically, mind you, stay with the D eighth for its full value.

Number three, think horizontally. The up bow D is pure, horizontal motion and the down bow chord is pure, drawn-out horizontal motion.

Number four, the bow change and string crossing to catch the bottom notes of the chord happen simultaneously.

Number five, and this is important, avoid whipping the bow from the bottom two notes to the top two notes. I hear this kind of aural whiplash with regularity. If you’re playing 20th century music you can sometimes be forgiven for this. In fact a little scratch and angularity is good in Bartok, for example.

In Bach it’s dreadful.

The point is, if you want strength and fullness of tone right through the four notes you want to think of an arc that hugs the curvature of the bridge.

Number six, edge the bow hair slightly, don’t play with it flat on the string. This will allow you to really get into the string deeply and ‘bend the bow’, as I like to think of it.

These things apply to both the down bow and the up bow.

As you’re drawing down the bow on the top notes of the G minor chord visualize the motions and feelings associated with the up bow A major chord. Keep the bow edged, flex the bow with arm weight, and follow the curvature of the bridge with the upper arm.

Key to everything is the controlled yet relaxed use of the upper arm. From it comes the weight to ‘bend the bow’ as will as the smooth, arched movement from lower to upper strings.

Get control over your upper arm and you’ve gone a long way toward mastery of the bow.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

How to Fill Your Lungs, And Your Ears

Just returned from the casa de mi pianist where I got an excellent violin workout courtesy of Kreisler, Dvorak, Kroll, and Geminiani. Great stuff.

And I did some quality breathing to boot, which is what I’m a goin’ to talk to you about now.

As promised, I have the link to where you can get the best DVD on breathing and violin playing you will ever find. Not saying that to brag, just don’t think there’s anything that comes close out there.

Proper breathing is essential to your success as a violinist. It oxygenates your blood, makes you more alert, relaxes you, informs your phrasing, and helps with your timing.

You know, as we age we tend to loose lung-power. The biggest reason for this is simply that most Americans take breathing for granted and gradually loose the ability to move the diaphragm. The muscle just atrophies away.

It doesn’t need to happen.

Good news is, you can get it back. And just so you know, exercise is great, but it is only part of the picture. Even many so-called athletes have a poor understanding of how oxygen is best drawn into the body. I witness it ever day watching joggers plod by my house with no clue of the self-imposed limitation they’re struggling under.

So, you will find a few different exercises on the DVD. All of which engage the diaphragm muscle. Once you get them down without the violin, it’s a simple matter to incorporate them into an open string warm-up or even something more advanced like double stop scales.

Now, as I said yesterday, this DVD is the first DVD in my beginner’s circle. And rather than edit away everything that doesn’t relate specifically to breathing I’m going to leave it in.

What is said about the bow and violin hold, bowing mechanics, and left and finger movements is superb, in my humble opinion. I know that many of you with nagging bad habits are going to love what this information will do for you.

Well, the rest is up to you. What I am asking for this power packed DVD is a joke, really. But this way nobody’s pocket book is going to scream and holler in protest. And won’t that be nice, for a change.

Here’s the link you need.

All the Best,

Clayton Haslop

How Fire Walking Meets Violin Playing

Right off the bat I’d like you to know that I’ve never fire-walked, nor do I have any intention of doing so. In fact the whole exercise is rather silly, in my humble opinion.

This is not to say that there isn’t something to be gleaned from the practice where violin playing is concerned.

But first let’s dispel some fiction surrounding this fire walking business.

There isn’t any fire.

There is, however, a bed of ash covered embers on which to transport yourself a certain distance. And, as I understand it, the layer of ash covering the embers actually insulates the practitioner’s feet from harm – as long as you keep moving and don’t do a Frankenstein imitation along the way.

In other words, no altered state of mind required.

Now, let’s get back to violin playing. What’s true of walking across a bed of hot coals is equally true of drawing beautiful sound out of a violin. You’ve got to keep the bow moving and you can’t do a Frankenstein imitation along the way.

Well, it’s ALMOST that simple.

There is, for instance, the matter of the slight increases and decreases of arm weight transferred to the string as you move from frog to tip and back. There is also the placement of the bow relative to the bridge, and the angle of the hair to the string.

All these I wrote about recently, if you opened the newsletter.

What I didn’t write about is what can be going on in your brain as you draw the bow through space.

You see, as I’m drawing the bow, I’m also visualizing myself drawing the bow and producing the sound I want to hear. And this isn’t something I only do with the violin under my chin.

In fact I recommend you exercise this power of the imagination many times a day. The more you recall this ‘right hand moving through space creating sound’ image to mind, the better your tone will get.

I also wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the exercise produces alpha waves in the brain – something to remember when it’s time to perform in public.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. For much more on the art of visualization as it applies to violin playing come put the distilled knowledge of a master in your DVD player.

Play No Notes Before Their Time

It’s a curious thing about rushing. We tend to do it in the most difficult of music.

The past few days I’ve been in LA working on the film version of the children’s fantasy stories called, ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles.’ As you might imagine, the music is at times quite fast and furious as the children battle all manner of goblins, trolls and what-have-you.

The orchestra assembled is some 120 strong. They are remarkable fine, accomplished players. But they are not in all cases immune from the very human tendency to play in accordance with one’s heart rate.

In one of the cues – cues are chunks of music that fit to a given scene in the movie – we had a series of note patterns in sixteenth notes. Every few beats the patterns changed to create new harmonies.

Often times they were full of chromatic alterations, and required shifts of position, multiple string crossings and such. With predictable regularity you could feel many players surge forward at each change of harmony.

Interestingly, you will rarely find a percussionist or brass player among those rushing the tempo.

The reasons for this are two-fold. First of all, on their instruments there are considerably fewer choices that have to be made to play a given set of notes.

We string players have multiple fingering and bowing choices that must be made on the fly. A trumpet player generally will have one, maybe two ways of fingering a note.

Secondly, however, I believe percussion and brass players are trained to stay ‘in tempo’ to a much greater extent than string players.

To some extent their identity is tied up with being rhythmically solid.

String players tend to identify with ‘getting the notes.’

It’s easy to understand where the mistake in priorities arises. After all, getting the notes is often the most difficult thing.

But that does not make it the most important in an orchestral environment.

In the list of priorities I have when sight-reading music, getting the notes is down the list. Numero uno is time, staying within the tempo. Number three is playing the dynamic indicated. Number three is playing the rhythms – assuming the notes are not all of the same value. Number four is articulation.

Not until getting down to number five do I deal with the actual notes.

If you’re surprised to hear me say this, listen to this. By making ‘time’ my first priority I must control my emotions, and therefore my tendency to react in concert with my heart rate.

By putting the expressive elements of music forward, like dynamics and articulation, I am listening with an expanded consciousness. My mind is taking in a wider field of vision.

The bottom line is I’m more alert and relaxed. And guess what, I often get my hands on the notes as quickly or quicker than anyone else around me.

Now, when I’m learning a new piece of music in the privacy of my home I will often not use the approach I just outlined. The difference is somewhat akin to the difference between ‘cramming’ for a test and the deeper, more retentive learning that comes from slowing things down and taking time to give greater consideration to each detail.

But that’s another story.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Oddly enough, the counting technique I advocate in my instructional courses, which is not based on keeping a constant beat, is the best training possible for developing rhythmic discipline in your playing. Come get the secret of rock solid time working for you.

How to Bend a Bow

There is a famous story about Jascha Heifetz that every violinist should know.

After one of his concerts a matronly woman came backstage and said to him, ‘Mr. Heifetz, I just love the sound your violin makes.’

Heifetz walked over to his opened case, picked up the violin, held it to his ear, and replied, ‘Funny, I don’t hear a thing.’

Yea, to get a real tone out of the violin you have to do something. Obviously brute force is not the answer. Nor can one be wimpy or indifferent.

Reminds me of Sir Thomas Beacham’s line, ‘Great music making combines the utmost in sensitivity with the maximum of virility.’

So there you have it. Smooth, silky, nuanced strength. DO get in there and bend the bow. But at the same time breathe and stay relaxed in your arm and shoulder as you roll on the arm weight.

And keep that bow speed absolutely constant, no speeding up and slowing down around bow changes.

Its also a good idea to angle the bow hair slightly away from you – the ‘cutting edge’ will be the side nearer to the fingerboard.

And one last thing. The more you drive the string, the closer the bow must tract to the bridge.

The feeling of ‘driving’ the string is a great one. As is the feeling of bending your bow as if you were an archer drawing back on a long bow. Best of all, however, is the way your heart will vibrate as all that full, glorious tone washes over your being.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S There will be some serious bow bending going on in Asheville at the Biltmore Estate in the New Year. I’d love for you to be a part of it. Come reserve your spot at the Singing Hands Masterclass/Seminar today.

Why You Can’t Beat the Basics

If you’ve just recently signed on to my newsletters you’ve probably been wondering, ‘where is this guy, does he really exist?’

Well, I do, and I’m sorry I’ve been preoccupied with other pressing matters of late. But all is well, and I’m rearing to give you the best of the best where it comes to violin playing.

As I write this I’m sitting in the flight lounge in Cincinnati Airport waiting for a connection to LA. No, I’m not going out to fight fires, though I’m sure they can use all the help they can get.

I’m on my way to begin scoring sessions for ‘Spiderwick Chronicles’ due for release in February. And as James Horner is the composer I’ll be playing concertmaster on the project. I’m certain we’ll have some wonderful music to look forward to.

But the upcoming film is not what’s on my mind right now. Perhaps I’ll give you some impression on it in the next few days.

Today, however, I find myself thinking back to one of the greatest challenges I ever faced as a recording musician – the sessions for ‘Matrix’.

Any of you that have heard the soundtrack to those films will know what I’m getting at.

The music was exceedingly demanding technically.

When I arrived at the first session and opened the book – remember, I’m sitting in the hot seat – I almost dropped my fiddle. Nothing but black. Page after page of black.

And believe me, the ‘black’ wasn’t just in first position either.

Immediately my pulse quickened to warp speed, butterflies swarmed around my stomach, and I began thinking really helpful thoughts like, ‘Guess my goose is cooked now.’

Fortunately I didn’t allow myself to remain in that state.

First I began focusing on my breathing, on doing the belly-breathing I teach in my courses.

Next order of business was to visually go through the music and plot my route to success. Quickly I identified the thorniest passages and put fingerings and bowings to them, using only my power of visualization to test the various possibilities.

I hadn’t even picked up the violin, to this point.

Once I had some solutions, and my ‘eyes’ had taken the entire cue in, I began to play – quietly and slowly. At the same time I counted under my breath, verbalizing each beat as I played.

When the most difficult bits were in hand I went back and ‘shadow-boxed’ the cue from top to bottom, at tempo.

I was just lightly and effortlessly putting my hands on the notes.

Fifteen minutes after opening the book, and with several minutes to spare before the session began, I felt a surge of confidence and excitement.

I was going to have a ball wailing on this piece of music.

What is interesting about this, and what I hope to touch you with today, is that the steps I use to master extremely difficult music quickly are the same steps, or practice techniques, one can use at any stage of the violin game to accelerate progress – breathing, counting, and visualizing.

It kind of reminds me of baseball. Think great hitters – dare I use the name Barry Bond – it’s the guys that execute the fundamentals well, each and every time, that meet with success time and time again.

The violin is no different.

And the fundamentals should be simple and easily understood. This is one of the greatest issues I have with many teachers.

They make them too complicated.

I think all the basic elements of violin playing can be explained in 30 minutes or less. Yes, there are complications that can arise, and you need to be aware of them. But mostly it becomes a game of taking away extraneous tension and motion. Of getting to only that which is absolutely essential.

Just as a virtuoso baseballer would approach the swing of a bat.

Now, the greatest complaint I have with most players is they try to play too fast, too soon. Their minds are two steps behind the fingers instead of two steps ahead.

If I’d approached the ‘Matrix’ cue I talked about above that way I wouldn’t have gotten any traction whatsoever on it. It’s the ‘run and gun’ approach to violin playing.

When you get involved with my approach to playing in a serious way, whether in the courses or by jumping in with both feet and coming to a masterclass, you find me restating certain concepts over and over.

Mastery comes through increasing presence of mind – consciousness – while executing a clearly understood ‘skill set’ in a variety of situations.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S Today you can benefit from my approach to violin playing no matter what level you’re currently at. If you’re just starting out you can join my newest program, the Violin Mastery Beginners Circle. Intermediate players can join me in taking the classic etudes of Rudolph Kreutzer to a whole new level. And truly advanced players will rocket themselves to virtuosity playing Paganini.