On Relaxing That Left Shoulder

Last week I wrote a newsletter on playing in tough conditions, such as heat, cold and high humidity. I received quite a few responses to it, so I guess it struck a nerve with a lot of players.

Now, one of the folks that wrote in has a very simple and effective way of dealing with high humidity, apart from my comments. He suggests using a little talc – baby powder – where the left hand contacts the neck of the instrument.

Yet remember, if you forget the baby powder at home you’d better have a fallback plan. And that’s where what I had to say comes into play.

Ok, so let’s talk shoulder relaxation.

As you know I’m a great believer in the power of diaphragm breathing to relax the upper body.

Yet it might still surprise you to know that I still have to remind myself, on occasion, to relax my LEFT shoulder. It’s an old habit formed when I was young and under the impression the chin and shoulder held up the violin.

Now I merely rest the violin body on my collarbone, and support the neck in my left hand as I play. Virtually all my movements around the violin rely on balance, timing and clear mental pictures.

It’s not muscle, it’s about finesse and efficiency.

Matter of fact, I like trying to be so loose with the instrument that shifts are almost drop-and-catches done with lightness and precision.

These days I also am more aware than ever of the role my upper arm can play in shifting, especially large shifts. Those in my ‘Allegro Players’ find just how active a role the upper arm can play when they begin playing scales and arpeggios on one string, with one finger.

These are a wonderful way to learn what I call ‘position playing’; as important in violin playing as it is in chess.

Yet the key to success remains with maintaining a relaxed left shoulder, and holding good form – something I illustrate quite explicitly in the later months of the Allegro Players Course.

All the Best, Clayton Haslop

P.S. The Allegro Players course is remarkable for the amount information and demonstration packed into it; truly a must-have for any aspiring intermediate level violinist who really aspires to mastery of the instrument.

Playing in Tough Environments

During the summer season many of us do a good bit of playing in the out-of-doors. Needless to say this can create some interesting challenges.

A few seasons back I was performing with the New Hollywood String Quartet at the Vermont Mozart Festival. The venue for one of the concerts was a winery on the shores of Lake Champlain. Yes, we were outside.

It was the hottest, buggiest, most humid night of the summer – matter of fact, there were so many mosquitoes I had a couple fly right into my mouth during the show, and that was with repellent smeared on thick and heavy.

My fingerboard was so wet I was hydroplaning between positions

Yet the show did go on. And surprisingly well, I must say.

My success in such conditions comes one from thing; staying focused on what I want, 100% of the time. If the next note I’m to play is D, fifth position second finger on the ‘and’ of two, that is what I’ve got in my head.

Good timing is even more essential then ever, so I’m aggressively labeling the beats in my head as they pass; discomfort can so easily lead to ‘jumping the gun’ on shifts and multiple string crossings.

In my mind, a second finger D in 5th position on the E string, on the ‘and’ of 2, on a down-bow, mezzo-forte, is what it is, no matter what I feel like or what is happening around me.

I make no concessions in my technique. The violin is rested on my collarbone and supported in left my hand. I breathe relaxation through my arms.

Bear in mind, one cultivates an efficient, relaxed technique so that the ability to play the music is there no matter what the conditions.

In case you hadn’t noticed by this point, uncertainty – in this case triggered by adverse conditions – is not to be given the light of day.
No matter what.

If you miss a note, if you hand flies off the fingerboard, in fact, no matter. Your focus and responsibility is to the NEXT note. Chances are the audience either didn’t notice, or, if they did, will quickly forget with the next note rings out beautifully and confidently.

In short, I ignore whatever discomfort is present; I’m all about where I need to be, and when.

Ok, all of this being said, I certainly advise getting to the venue early and allowing one’s instrument to acclimate thoroughly to the environment. Naturally, I good warm-up is helpful, though in that warm-up I’d play as slowly as is needed to be effective at what I’m telling you.

Don’t panic, trust that the wherewithal to get it done will be there; your job is to remain focused on what you want, when you want it.

All the best, Clayton Haslop

P.S. Solid fundamentals and highly effective practice techniques are the foundation you want in place heading in to tough weather. The professional violinist with a little more to learn will find them in spades within the 4 volumes of Kreutzer for Violin Mastery.

Velocity 201

Maybe you’re wondering, ‘what happened to Velocity 101,’ or, ‘I’ve got Velocity 201, I just can’t get myself quite up to Velocity 301, or X-01.’

The fact is, though, at times music calls for us to rise up off our backsides and haul arse, to put it poetically.

And 99% of violinists asked if they’d like to play with greater velocity and precision in fast tempos would answer ‘yes, most definitely’.

So here we go.

Preparation is everything.

And often we’re wasting much of that time trying to play fast too soon.

Sometimes it’s boils down to basic things, like taking the time to REALLY know the notes, where they fall relative to the beat – are you counting? – and whether we’ve considered all the fingering choices available.

There may be an issue with our left hand, the fingers not being out over the strings.

Or maybe we’re articulating too hard generally, or hitting harder with one digit than another.

Or our shifting isn’t dynamic and efficient – perhaps the left wrist is flexing during shifts, introducing inefficiency in the movement.

Or our bow stroking and string changing aren’t concise and knit to the movements of the left hand fingers.

Or we haven’t connected to the patterns and harmonic movements in the music that promote ‘flow.’

Yes, there are a lot of better ways to increase facility in fast passages other than by ‘running over them’ again and again.

And fortunately this kind of error is quickly shown the light of day when you begin practicing with my instructional courses.

All the best, Clayton Haslop

What a Salesman Taught Me

A few days ago I was down Phoenix way buying a new computer and switching myself to an iPhone. Am I the last person on the planet to get one?

It was 117 degrees in the shade that day.

So there I was cooling, my heels in the Verizon store – quite literally, and I get to talking with my salesperson about music. His name is Michael. Turns out Michael’s an aspiring guitarist, aside from being quite a personable fellow.

Anyway, after I mentioned what I do and the website I maintain, he became quite enthusiastic, and wanted to share a new practice tool he’d learned from a friend.

Visualization.

Now, it’s always good to hear a different take on something worthwhile, no matter how near and dear the subject may be to one’s own heart. So I shut my mouth and paid close attention.

It seems Michael was struggling to play a new riff. And no matter how many times he played it slowly, he could not get it right at tempo.

So his friend tells him, ‘put down your instrument, and play it through in your imagination several times; at first slowly, then faster and faster as you are able. Feel the sensations in your hands as you do it.’

After giving Michael time to do just that, he says, ‘now pick up your ax and do it.’

And badda-boom, there it was.

You see, the body doesn’t know the difference between what is imagined and what is real. So when you develop facility with something in your mind you also develop it in you body.

Now, there is one caveat to this. You must connect ALL the dots. Energize the visualization until it penetrates right down each arm to the tips of your fingers.

I find myself doing this ‘meditation’ quite frequently, in truth. Though a challenge to do – and the trickier the passage the more so – there comes a point where suddenly the mind seems to open up. I can even Feel the new neural networks forming up in my brain.

Anyway, as Michael ran through all this I felt a nice thrill run through my body. It’s a great feeling to recognize as Truth something you’ve experienced personally on a deep level.

All the best, Clayton Haslop

P.S. Bear in mind, visualizations do require that the mind is ‘primed,’ to some extent, with knowledge. If you’re an aspiring ‘beginner’, there’s a terrific font of just such violin knowledge waiting for you.

Fine Points, Part 3

Just ‘dismounted’ from the violin. You know, many are the days I rebuild my playing from the ground up – focusing on the horizontal travel of the bow; the position of my left hand; the independent, light action of each finger, etc.

They are the ultimate basics of playing and always worthy of holding in one’s consciousness. Today I felt rather stiff from a workout at my gym last night, so I gave myself the pleasure of a nice, slow warm-up with these in mind.

Now should you be in the least concerned about the ‘form’ of the above here’s a link you’ll find Very worthwhile.

And by the way, what I said yesterday about string crossing also applies to shifting. That is to say, I use the change of bow to trigger the horizontal movement of the hand to the new position – when the shift occurs under one bow I pick the spot on the bow that, when reached, triggers the movement.

Remember, no anticipatory movements in the left hand.

Ok, there’s one thing in all this that I’d like to go a little more deeply into.

Our bodies like to work automatically. It’s the way our brain is wired – think of walking, breathing, etc. And by doing so the Conscious mind is left unencumbered with such tasks. It’s an efficient system.

Yet sometimes this system works to our disadvantage.

For example, once our conscious mind senses a rhythmic pattern to what we’re trying to do, bingo, it puts as much of our movements as possible into an ‘autopilot’ mode, so to speak.

Problem is, the rhythm of music has nuance to it. It is not Really so predictable as the automatic mind would think.

And secondly, in the case of creating and holding an image of where you next mean to go on the violin, the body tends to react immediately to the image – this is the anticipation I talk about.

So, what is key to your success, in large moves around the violin, is to break that reflexive response that is triggered either by the rhythm the body is in or the newly formed image taking shape in your brain.

Again, this is something we can all fall into and which creates audible imperfections in our playing.

The question is, are you patient and passionate enough to ferret these things out. If you do, wham! You’re playing just went to a new level.

All the best, Clayton Haslop

P.S. Again, Kreutzer for Violin Mastery is a great place to find instruction on all that I’ve been saying.

Fine Points, Part 2

Had some great responses to yesterday’s newsletter, including one from a gal with considerable orchestral and solo experience.

Laura pointed out that the little rest on the tied note was, in large ensembles, useful for clarity’s sake.

And in large, acoustically ‘wet’ halls I might be persuaded to agree.

Yet in such cases I would still pay close attention to the way the held note was sustained – with energy, that is – and to maintaining the flow of time.

I’ve been in close proximity to many a violinist who seem to be ‘reacting’ to beats – perceived as ‘digital’ events – rather than staying present with an analogue ‘flow’ of time.

And that is my real point.

Well, not entirely, I was guilty of a little venting too. Many are the times I’ve had conductors promote ‘the rest’ as a rhythm cure. And THAT makes my skin crawl.

There is one more thing before I move on. It relates to the ‘clarity’ point.

Some of you may remember what was referred to as ‘the Normandy sound.’ No, it wasn’t a jazz style coming from the north of France.

It was the quality of orchestral sound that many associate with the Philadelphia Orchestra when Eugene Ormandy was at the helm. Ormandy was himself a string player and he reveled in what I might call ‘continuity of sound.’

If you watch old video of his conducting you can see it in the way he moved. I myself find it extremely affecting.

It’s been a few decades since I watched him, and, if your interest is peeked, it might be useful to see what’s on YouTube of his.

Now, today I wanted to discuss another, somewhat related, concept. I’m talking about how one can place two notes, separated by more than one string, side by side with no apparent space in between them.

Again, we’re talking about the ‘continuity of sound’ here.

When many players are faced with a large movement between notes they have a tendency to anticipate the move. And with that anticipation you will find a tendency to drop the tone of the first note prematurely.

When I say ‘anticipate the move’ I’m referring specifically to the reflexive, unconscious movements of the right arm – the left hand may also play into this – in the direction of the next note.

It’s a bit of a fear response, actually, having to do with negotiating that large distance.

Well, let me tell you something. In quantum physics I believe space and time turn out to be illusionary. If this is so, and I believe there’s something to it, then what are we so worried about?

The anxiety comes from not having clear vision.

The clear, certain vision of one note down bow, and another note up-bow – I am talking separate bows, for the sake of discussion here.

Actually, the trick to putting to these notes together is to relax and maintain yourself on the first note, while holding in your mind a very clear visual image of yourself playing the next note.

And bear this in mind, the change of string, note and BOW DIRECTION will occur simultaneously.

The change in bow direction, in my mind, is the point at which everything moves. It’s the trigger.

Now, in volume 1 of ‘Kreutzer for Violin Mastery’ you will find the visuals worth ‘a thousand words.’ Go right to etude #7.

All the best, Clayton Haslop

P.S. I’m referring to my Kreutzer course a lot this week. That’s because those etudes, the ‘violinist’s Bible,’ come to mind so easily. Yet you’ll find this skill talked about in EVERY course I’ve put out. Advanced fiddlers may want to take it to the ULTIMATE level by tackling Caprice #2 of Paganini. Here’s where you find my in depth thoughts on that and 7 other wonders of the violin.

The Fine Points of Playing, Part 1

Summer’s turned hot here in Red Rock country. And that’s a good thing, actually. Soon we’ll be treated to spectacular thunder storms as moisture from the gulf rushes in behind the rising air. A great season in Southwest.

Now, for the next couple days I thought I’d look at what I call ‘fine points’ of violin playing. Today’s could be seen as rather controversial.

You see, there is a popular belief, especially amongst conductors trying to get large ensembles to play together, that putting little holes in the fabric of sound helps folks play more in rhythm.

Specifically I’m talking of notes tied over from one beat to the next which are immediately followed by quick notes – for example, a quarter note tied to a sixteenth, which is then followed by detached sixteenth notes.

And very often, in such places, players are told that it is best to stop the sound on that tied over sixteenth so that they won’t be late on the following notes.

Now in my humble opinion, one has nothing to do with the other.

Sustaining the tone or dropping the tone have neither to do with whether one plays in time.

To begin with, stopping the bow on the tied note and restarting it, in itself, requires time. Seems to me keeping the bow in motion without interruption to the change of bow is actually MORE efficient, not less.

And secondly, the interruption of sound often creates a break in the flow of energy – once I have an audience’s attention I don’t want them to have any excuse for taking their attention elsewhere, if you get my drift.

No, the secret to good rhythm are efficient fundamentals – no wasted movements impeding bow changes; a continuous, ongoing awareness of the flow of time; and an eye to what’s ahead.

For my ears, the ‘tidiness’ that comes with inserting rests where they are not indicated often misses the very point of the fast music.

Drive. Forward progress. Finding the edge, and staying on it.

That’s the kind of velocity that gets, and keeps, my attention.

All the best,  Clayton Haslop

P.S. Now, if this has your engine started and you’re looking for a great course to test it on, try Kreutzer #31. This etude is just the kind of music we’ve been talking about. And you’ll find today’s advice and much more on this virtuosic caprice in volume 3 of my best selling program, ‘Kreutzer for Violin Mastery.’

How to Improve Tone

It’s not often that I have dreams related to violin playing. Rather surprising, given the amount of time I spend thinking about it.

Last night was one of the exceptions that ‘proves the rule,’ though.

In it, my first violin teacher, by the name of Sybil Maxwell, was showing me a device for developing a straight bow arm. It was a strange contraption where a shuttle was moved back and forth on a horizontal track laying in front of us.

No, it’s not something I’m going to patent anytime soon.

Yet the dream did get me thinking about the bow arm. And just what needs to be in mind for the bow to move smoothly and efficiently from tip to frog.

The first thing that came to mind is sound. You really must be ‘hearing’ the tone you will produce BEFORE you even raise the instrument to your chin.

This is VERY important, especially as you begin learning the instrument or make changes in old habits.

Now, become aware of your breathing as you hear the note – I’m hearing, and breathing, a whole note ‘G’ as I write this.

OK, next you will raise the violin to playing position while you continue to hear that tone and breathe. As you do, you will also be holding in mind an image of the position you want to arrive at as well.

Remember to stay focused on breathing the whole time. This is your ticket to relaxation.

The really challenging parts of the bow to handle well are the extreme frog and the extreme tip. As you bring your right hand toward the violin – up bow – there comes a point somewhere just after mid-bow where you the wrist begins to flex forward.

Soon after, perhaps 3/4s of the way up the bow, the upper arm must come into play. And this is the point where many folks begin to get into trouble.

The upper arm must move laterally, totally within the ‘plane of motion’ established by playing solely on the G string. So it goes laterally up, and then laterally back at the beginning of the next stroke.

And in order for the bow to remain straight your wrist will FLEX laterally in the same plan of motion.

If this is getting too complicated, my apologies – you’d do well to head back to month 1 of Violin Mastery Beginners Circle or Dynamic Breath Control for the picture is ‘worth a thousand words.’

Yet if you are with me, let’s forge ahead.

The next point of challenge comes in continuing the down bow. Remember that you are in one ‘plane of motion.’ And remember to breathe.

In others words, you want to relax, and think of pushing the bow horizontally away from the body – the hand, forearm and upper arm remaining in a 2 dimensional zone.

Well, this is getting long, now. I will say one last thing, however.

There IS a point, in down bows particularly, where the bow wants to ‘chatter’ on the string. I won’t go into WHY it happens because then we start in on physics, and who needs that right now.

What you need to now, however, is that you’re best shot at keeping this ‘chatter’ well below an audible level is by ‘thinking horizontal’, as I like to put it, and staying relaxed.

All the best, Clayton Haslop