Break All the Rules

There hasn’t been a rule devised by man that didn’t require breaking in some special situation or another. And violin playing is no exception.

For instance, I was told, as a young student, that I shouldn’t make ‘scratch’ when I played. Turns out that a little scratch now and then can add a little spice to the earthy music of, say, Bela Bartok.

And when I have some sort of awkward triple or quadruple-stop to negotiate with my left hand, I might momentarily lose the ‘V’ shape my thumb generally maintains with the base of the index finger.

But just like the old saying goes, however, it’s ‘the exception that proves the rule.’ In other words, when, for some extraordinary circumstance, you have to bend or break a rule, the return to the rule will tend to confirm its usefulness, for the great majority of cases.

Let’s take my preparation for a performance. In practice I will be quite fastidious when it comes to breathing, counting and visualizing. At concert time, however, I will be more relaxed about these things. Yes, I will do them, but I’ll do them within the flow of the performance.

So if my mind gets distracted momentarily by a cough in the audience, no big deal. I’ll gently pull myself back in and refocus. And the small amount of time I was on autopilot will pass, completely unnoticed by my audience.

If I stay on autopilot, however, I run the real risk of allowing the performance to get off-track. I, nor you, want that to happen.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Speaking of getting on-track. The first month’s lessons for the Violin Mastery Beginners Circle will go out tomorrow. I am really pleased with the result and think this is truly going to be a great program.

Positive Discipline, and Practice

Recently I have been reading and attending classes on a child rearing philosophy known as ‘Positive Discipline.’ Last night it struck me how useful the same concepts could be in the practice of the violin.

The idea is that parents often take one of two tacks with their children. These take the form of being unduly permissive or authoritarian. Often parents oscillate back and forth between the two extremes.

When permissive, the child has no boundaries or guidelines to adhere to, and consequently does not learn self-control. When authoritarian the child is being ruled from an external source, the parent. Self-awareness, and the ability to solve problems for oneself may be missing in the child.

Now, let’s look at the practice of the violin. Briefly, if you are permissive with yourself, you are not fully engaged. As a consequence, your technique will be unreliable, your playing inconsistent, and your music making devoid of substance. We could go on, but that’s enough to get the point.

If you are an authoritarian, on the other hand, you will be tense and fearful, and your music making will come across as forced and unappealing. Perfectionists tend to be authoritarian, from my experience.

Now, let’s look at the middle ground and at the concepts of ‘positive discipline’.

This approach recognizes that guidelines and ‘rules’ are a necessary part of freedom – you need technique to play effortlessly.

At the same time, one must have the patience to feel, to listen to, and to consider your own playing, without self-critical judgment – we are all where we are, and to improve need to think clearly. Authoritarians are often ones who repeat passages over and over without taking time to consider. Recall the ‘knee-jerk repetition’ newsletter.

So, what does it boil down to.

It boils down to being kind and firm with yourself at the same time. It means taking time to really get your mind around what you expect from your hands before you play. It means taking the time to FEEL the results of playing attempts, making adjustments to your thinking and visualizing before replaying. It means seeing mistakes as a necessary part of learning, not as opportunities to condemn yourself.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. The Singing Hands Masterclass/Seminar is a wonderful environment in which to grow self-understanding as well as learn the ‘rules’ that enable virtuosic playing. Come reserve your seat at today.

Staying Real In A Real Time Art

A couple years ago my wife was giving composition lessons to fellow from Texas who flew to LA every so often for that specific purpose. There he was, a successful jingle and TV composer who nonetheless saw the need for further growth as an artist. Now that’s dedication.

Anyway, one day the three of us were talking after one such meeting and he remarked to me how much he respected live performers like myself. He said, ‘When you perform, you do it in ‘real time.’ Composition isn’t subject to such a condition.’

At the time it gave me pause for thought and a little boost in the self-appreciation department as a bonus.

Tonight the incident was recalled, but within a very different context.

I’m sitting in a room at the Marriott Hotel in Tampa Florida. Just finished the first of three days of sessions given by a marketing guru by the name of Matt Furey. Wish you all could be here. Fascinating stuff.

At the session he touched on something he called ‘self-suggestion.’ This is where you visualize a goal you want to achieve and, at the same time, instruct yourself to ‘Do It’ in an authoritative voice.

Well, I want that kind of dynamic thinking goin’ on when I play the fiddle. You should too.

The mental picture must have as much detail as possible. The Feeling, Sound, and Visual Image of what you have before you are all important. Then put passion behind them with a good, strong, ‘Do It.’

Working with the models and insights I provide in ‘Kreutzer For Violin Mastery’ as good a way as I know to acquire a Vision worth acting upon. Once you have it you’ll have a much easier time instructing yourself to ‘do it.’ Pick up your copy today at http://www.violinmastery.com/kreutzer1.htm

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Now visualize how wonderful it will feel to transform your playing at my Violin Artistry Masterclass/Seminar in January. Should be a cinch to say ‘do it’ and reserve your place now.

The World Loves a Storyteller

In business it’s widely known that the best salespeople are great storytellers. And what’s a performer if not a storyteller, or a salesman for that matter.

A good storyteller knows how to keep you in suspense, to keep you on the edge of your chair waiting for the next word. And it almost goes without saying that in order to do that the storyteller must remain within a similar state of suspense.

In a sense it’s an artifice, a clever trick, perhaps – after all, interpretations of major works, and good stories for that matter, are crafted over months and years of experience.

But without an appearance of spontaneity, even if it is largely artful, your performance is dead in the water. Guaranteed.

What it requires, then, is some passion and love for the story you’re trying to tell. And you must be fresh, and engaged at the time of your telling.

Your vision must be out in front, crafting compelling REASONS for listeners to stay with you. A classical player gets to premeditate many of his reasons. An improviser cannot.

It’s a kind of listening, really.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. You may be surprised to find out just how affordable the Singing Hands Masterclass/Seminar is. Many colleagues tell me that what I ask is too low for the value that’s imparted.

Where to Take Out Your Feelings

When I was a young lad of 8 I had a reputation on the playground. Seems I got into ‘scrapes’ with greater frequency than most of the other kids and the teachers had me pegged as something of a bully.

Naturally this was undeserved from my perspective.

You see, I just had a strong sense of justice – still do. And being that I was then bigger than most other kids I was not one to back down. Sometimes this resulted in physical contact, but I always adhered to my father’s admonishment that ‘a gentleman will never throw the first punch.’

‘But,’ he would often continue, ‘if it does come to an exchange of blows, do your utmost to deliver the last.’

And I did indeed try to deliver the last.

It always beat the alternative.

Come third grade, and the beginning of my violin career, my teacher had this to say to my mother.

‘I’m so happy Clayton has something else to work his feelings out on, other than the his school mates.’

I think in some sense she was right to say this, though it certainly took my mother aback.

The violin did afford me a creative way of working through some of the intense emotions that confront any young person.

After all, the violin requires patience and perseverance in the face of challenge – and creativity as well. I mean, you can’t just stake out a position, and challenge the violin to a ‘fist-to-cuff’ when it fails to comply.

One has to be inventive, flexible, and willing to think outside the box.

Not all of this did I grasp as an 8 year old. Even now I am continually challenged to add new tools and insights into my ‘challenge resolving’ toolbox.

Nathan Milstein said toward the end of his career that it takes 60 years to know the violin. Kind of an odd remark coming from a man who was performing public concerts at 11 years of age, don’t you think?

It just goes to show that there is always more to learn.

Though I haven’t 60 years under my belt just yet – 18 left to go – I do have some pretty darned good advice for players of all levels. And there is just one place your going to receive that advice ‘live’ and in person.

It’s on the awe-inspiring grounds of the Biltmore Estate here in Asheville come January and early February. Come fill your challenge-resolving toolbox insights and inspiration that’ll serve you for a long, long time.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. You may be surprised to find out just how affordable the Singing Hands Masterclass/Seminar is. In fact, several colleagues tell me that what I ask is too low for the value that’s imparted.

When More Becomes Less

Yesterday morning I was sitting out on our deck enjoying my morning espresso and basking in the pleasantness of Indian summer.

Afterward, instead of going to my computer to pound out an email to you, I began flipping through recent issues of Strad and Strings magazines – they do have my ads in them so I figure I owe it to myself to glance through them once in a while.

In any case, I happened on an interview with some up and coming fiddler I’ve never heard of who was responding to the question, ‘What makes your playing stand out amongst all the other gifted young players around today?’

‘I have sworn to myself to make every note I play have meaning,’ was the reply.’

I had to chuckle when I read this. It reminded me of something that happened on a record session – yes, I do mean Record Session – many moons ago.

I was part of a string section ‘sweetening’ an album coming out of A&M; Records, back when Herb Alpert still owned the Label. The concertmaster, bless his heart, was a rather inept young fellow somehow connected – by blood, ethnicity, or some other means – to Herb Alpert himself.

Well, after one play-back this young kid comes back in the room and says, ‘They’d like us to play with more feeling. Make every note a melody.’

There we were, playing goose eggs – a.k.a. whole notes – and our concertmaster – I’m using the term rather loosely here – wants us to make of each a Melody!

I can tell you, a few of us almost lost our lunch on that one.

But let’s get a little more serious here and talk about real music. Or at least music with more to work with than whole notes.

Before writing this I was working through the Bach Chaccone. Believe it or not, I’ve heard many violinists, I call them ‘good students’, who fall into the trap of trying to do TOO much with this work.

I think part of the problem is that we’ve all grown up with the idea that this piece of music is such a masterpiece that every note must be monumental and epic. It’s like they think they must hit a home run with every note.

Pretty soon the listener is numb.

You’ve got to give people a break. Let them relax and feel the effortless flow of notes. There’s plenty of time and room in the Bach Chaconne for heavy hitting. The challenge is more how to keep from beating it to death, not how to put more passion into it.

Last week I watched the film footage of Milstein playing it on his last public concert. An 82 year old man playing through that 15 minute ball-breaker – excuse my French – as if it were water. Yes, there was plenty of passion, but his economy of movement was what astonished me, as a relatively informed viewer.

So, let this be a lesson to you. Be careful not to over-indulge your emotions. Few enjoy listening to a player who’s just using the music to exorcise their personal demons. Do that in the Psychiatrists office.

Great music making is nuanced, patient, clever, articulate, effortless, virtuosic, intelligent, AND passionate.

If you want to become the master of More, become first the master of Less.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. And the best way to do what I have just suggested is by acquiring clean, pure, efficient, and faultless fundamentals. You’ll find it all in Kreutzer for Violin Mastery.

The Holy Grail, or Just Plain Fun

For each of us the study of the violin means something slightly, or dramatically, different. Some find it ‘neat’. Others, like myself, have expanded the activity in our minds and made of it a grand metaphor – a kind of search for an aural ‘Holy Grail.’

‘So, what makes for the more successful violinist,’ you might ask.

Not necessarily the latter, it may just depend on the ears of the listener. After all, we are the way we are.

For myself, however, I have a good dose of the latter in me. And it does affect the way I practice the violin. Big time.

Here’s what I mean.

You see, for me the whole grail thing was never really about a cup, per se. It was always a metaphor. And as it pertains to my violin playing the search is about making myself into a worthy vessel for perfected sound/music.

It’s a process that is and will be ongoing. Now I am closer, tomorrow I may be further away. The following day I will again come back strong. And so it proceeds.

It’s a search for a Platonic ideal. And it has contained a good measure of joy, fun, heart-ache, frustration, and satisfaction in the bargain.

The important thing is to stay in touch with your love for it. Out of that love is born the patience, perseverance, passion, courage – there are risk to be taken, mind you – and compassion – especially for yourself, on the bad days to keep moving forward.

May Fortune smile brightly on your journey.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. If you’re set to sail on the voyage of a lifetime, the Violin Mastery Beginners Circle is the ship you want to be on.

A Good Day for Balance

With equal periods of light and darkness, and the Earth’s axis square to the Sun, there is no better day to than the Autumnal Equinox to contemplate balance.

So, how’s about taking a moment or two and looking at violin playing from this perspective. Here are a few that came to mind.

G. Feet not too far apart nor too close together. Shoulder width is good, as a general rule.
H. Have your weight balanced equally between the two feet – avoid ‘cocking’ your hips and resting most of your weight on one leg.
I. Violin is balanced between the collarbone and left hand. Draw your left shoulder around for extra support and to bring your arm under the violin. Chin exerts minimal pressure to keep the violin from slipping off the shoulder/collarbone.
J. Downward pressure of the fingers is uniform. Adjust the pressure of the strongest fingers to the weakest – your pinky, I presume.
K. The fingers of the right hand are likewise balanced as they grasp the bow – again, use the minimum force necessary to keep the bow in hand.
L. Sense the ‘balance point’ between bow pressure and amount of bow used. Note, the further the bow is from the bridge the more bow you will need to use for a given amount of pressure.

Of course the concept of balance can also extend into your practice – i.e. technique vs repertoire, slow practice and ‘at tempo’ practice, adagio vs allegro music.

But as important as everything I’ve said is, there is yet one balance more essential. This is the balance of mind and body.

Too many of us have a tendency to play with our hands more than we play with our minds. When the physical and mental processes are both active in equal measure, that’s when the magic really starts to happen.

Speaking of magic starting to happen, I’ve had a terrific response so far to the Violin Mastery Beginners Circle. Why not get on board and join in the fun!

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. In fact, all the signups I’ve had to the Beginner’s Circle have led me to conclude that a couple more circles may be in order, each taking off from points further down the trail. Stay tuned!

The Dream Course for Beginners

Yes, it’s finally ready to go. As you know, to date my courses have been directed toward the intermediate and advanced players. Now I’m going back and picking it up right from the get-go – from where the violin comes out of the case for the first time.

And though it is primarily geared for the adult student, I can also see this program working very well for families in which a parent – or two! – want to take the violin journey along with their child.

It’s also a program (A), for people who are on a budget and can’t afford weekly lessons (B), for busy folks with unpredictable schedules that make weekly lessons impossible, (C), for self-motivated learners that don’t need a teacher standing over them each week telling them the same darned things over and over, and (D) for people who have played for some time, but sense a need to ‘take it from the top’ with a master player showing them all the right moves.

Oh yes, when you belong to the “Violin Mastery Beginners Circle” you will have a unique access to me through which I can address your personal questions. I will also be sending out a private newsletter twice a week to circle members. In it will be information tailored to the beginning and elementary level violinist.

I think I said enough about it here. If you want onboard you’ve only to click on the link just below.

One last thing, if you don’t have an instrument on which to begin you needn’t worry – got that base covered. When you’ve completed the order form you will be provided a link to a wonderful violin house located in Burlington Vermont. I know these people and they can set you up a quality instrument to rent, lease, or own in a matter of days.

So, come on over, read the whole story, and climb on board.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. If you played in the past but need a little push to get you off your duff, just have a look at my ’Ten Health and Well-being Benefits’ of playing the violin.

Double Your Pleasure

There are few things more satisfying on the violin than playing in-tune, beautifully clear double-stops. On the other hand, there is also little that presents as much challenge.

So, what is a body to do about them?

For one thing, stop struggling.

The last thing you want to find yourself doing is grinding away at the violin in frustration trying to subjugate two hapless pitches that just don’t want to fit together.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had students do this; stand next to me and saw away at their instrument first adjusting one finger, then the other, then BOTH at the same time.

Dreadful!

Even when they managed to force their fingers into agreement they had become so tense and disoriented there wasn’t a chance in hell of them finding the same positions again.

So let’s take a look at a better way.

First off, when you sense yourself struggling with double-stops you must take a breather. And I mean that literally. Come to a complete stop, and take a deep, relaxing belly breath.

To play double-stops the mind and hands – both right and left – must be relaxed and pliant.

The mind must be relaxed for this reason. It is going to INFORM your hands on the simultaneous sounding of two voices. The picture it sends to your hands must be very clear as to the location of each pitch on your fingerboard.

The left hand must be relaxed as can be to allow for each location to be accessed without one finger inhibiting, or distorting the other.

The result is a fantastic exercise in achieving relaxation with focus.

The right arm plays a very important part in this. It is the breath that gives life to the two notes. It also fuses them, giving birth to a ‘combination tone’, ‘resultant tone’, or, as some would know it, a ‘Tartini tone.’ When that third note, the birth-child of a double-stop, harmonizes with the two fundamental notes, you’ve got gold coming out of your fiddle.

Now, in volume 4 of Kreutzer for Violin Mastery you will find much more on the secret to scoring big with double-stops.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Volume 3 really gets your hand set up beautifully for playing double stops. It has a lot to say about holding the violin effortlessly and acquiring the finger independence that double-stop playing requires. Together they make a nice, one-two punch for the intermediate/advanced violinist. Heck, I’ve even had pros tell me how much they’ve gotten from these 2 volumes.