Last night after supper my daughter and I played ‘challenge.’ It’s a little playful game we do together, kind of like ‘follow the leader.’

In the course of it I challenged her to rub her tummy and tap her head, at the same time. We both had a good laugh as she struggled to overcome the tendency for her dominant arm to over-ride the other.

Her hair got pretty messed up in the process.

After a several attempts I had her do one at a time. Then I asked her to do them both together, but slowly.

Bingo, in less than a minute she had it down.

Now, if you think about it, violin playing is really just a more sophisticated variant of this challenge. Granted, the movements of each side are much more complex and nuanced.

But the idea of isolating each side and understanding them completely before putting them together is incredibly important. And once you Do put them together it is equally important to do it Slow Enough that you can get your mind around both simultaneously.

Every time I pick up the violin I remind myself of what each side is doing. I ‘feel’, in my mind’s eye, the horizontal flow of my right hand in a straight line through space. On my left side I feel the violin freely resting on my shoulder and nestled in my left hand. And I visualize my fingers moving lightly, independently, and yet in the context of a consistent hand position.

Of course things do get a little more complicated than that. But everything you do on the violin is Vastly more doable if you keep these basics in mind.

And I mean as deeply in mind as your appreciation of beauty, and your love of truth.

You see, the love of beauty and truth are the fuel you need to stay the course, to piece through the fog of confusion.

‘Course it certainly helps to have a good example to follow – that’s what my courses are for, in case you haven’t figured it out!

This month the vanguard of my Beginners Circle are getting a very comprehensive look at shifting and vibrato.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. In case you didn’t know. Both the Beginners Circle and the Allegro Players – my more advanced monthly program – give you weekly lessons on DVD along with music and written notes to follow. And they leave no stone unturned on the path to mastery. Find the ‘Allegro Players’ at http://www.violinmastery.com/allegroplayers.htm