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.

The Bane of Progress

I have a word for you. It signifies what is the greatest slayer of excellence known to Man. Its definition – ‘simultaneous conflicting feelings’. So, what is it?

If you’ve thought to yourself, ‘Ambivalence’, give yourself a pat on the back.

The elimination of ambivalence, both psychological and physical, is the biggest challenge to face the mature violinist. Yesterday I spoke of ‘resistance’. Well, the source of resistance is ambivalence.

Now, You obviously have interest and passion for the violin; you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t. And you have made some, or maybe much, progress on the instrument.

But there are things inside holding you back.

Psychologically, they can take the form of doubts and second guesses – e.g. ‘I’m not capable of excelling at this’, or, ‘Other people aren’t really going to enjoy listening to this’.

Physically, they manifests in incoherent movement – e.g. extraneous motions, or background muscle tension.

I know I’m going out on a limb here, but I’ll even go so far as to say many nervous and repetitive stress disorders – yes, even focal dystonia – are byproducts of the long term, pernicious effects of ambivalence.

My own personal experience is bearing this out. Yet I’m amazed at what I’ve been able to learn from the process. I’m a better violinist and musician than I’ve ever been.

And I can tell you this much. Confronting the ‘bane of excellence’ requires a tremendous commitment to truth; both psychological AND physical.

You must have great patience and a burning desire to DO – I know I’ve said these things before. But the fact is, and you must be relentless in embracing this next statement, where there is a Will there IS a Way.

I hope you uttered a big ‘Yes’ to that. I also hope that you will be picking up you violin today with a renewed energy. The quest for pure finger, hand, and arm movements, and for pure, heartfelt musical commitment is the quest for the Holy Grail itself for a violinist.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery” is as good a map as you will find to guide you on this journey. It’s born of considerable experience. Trust in what it asks you to do and you will be greatly rewarded.

Some Questions Answered

I’ve had some questions regarding the half-day ‘intensive’. Specifically people want to know what I have in mind for them. Well, let me shed some light here.

What I’m finding is that many players have difficulty experiencing ‘flow’. They can’t experience it because they are prevented from attaining full consciousness when playing.

And they cannot be fully conscious because inefficiencies (bad habits) in their playing make it impossible to be so.

Think of it this way. Technical inefficiencies are like faulty connections in an electrical circuit. Until the connections are completely cleaned, the potential flow of electricity through the circuit is diminished.

Unfortunately for most of us, I include myself here, the power of resolution needed to seek out and eliminate that resistance (and enable ‘flow’) is simply beyond our experience. I was fortunate, however, and had three years with Milstein to put me a good way down the road.

Simply put, then, the ‘intensive’ is now in place to give players the power of observation needed to eliminate inefficiencies, and enable ‘flow’. Of course, there is quite a bit of pedagogy that will be included, but more importantly, it is the way in which the mind ‘observes’ the process of playing that is critical. And that is the primary focus.

Yes, you hear me talking about this on the DVDs (visualization). And I provide mental tools (breathing and counting) and technical details that are essential to the mix. But it’s a fact that most players require some measure of personal inter-action to Maximize the utility of all the above.

These are the gaps the Masterclasses, and now the private ‘intensive’, are there to fill.

I’ve also had questions about the logistics involved. Well, for some it may be possible to fly here in the morning, have an afternoon session, and get home the same day. For most, I imagine, an overnight stay and one-day car rental is unavoidable.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Don’t forget, the DVD courses are what make the difference between a one-on-one session being just another ‘lesson’ and being something that pulls it all together in a major way. As I said yesterday, I won’t even schedule a private session, or allow a player into the masterclass, that doesn’t at least have Vol. 1 of ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery”.

Set Your Bow Free Part II

OK, couple more things about the ‘fast bow exercise’.

So, tip to frog, rapid strokes. You’re putting the tip where the frog was, the frog where the tip was, back and forth. No spaces between the notes. No finger movements. The wrist, elbow, and upper arm merely respond to the movement of the hand through space.

Pay attention here. Do not put pressure on the string. If fact, think of playing at about a ‘mp’ dynamic. Make sure you go all the way to the frog and don’t crunch the sound at the change of bow. That means, Stay Horizontal.

Once you are ‘freed up’ try slurring 4 notes to a bow – your bow speed will now be one fourth as fast – while keeping the same mechanics in place.

If you are successful in doing the above, all the kinks and unwanted tension should have dissipated.

By the way, this exercise came back to me while preparing for a three hour, highly focused coaching I gave to one of my very special clients.

Dr. Taylor has a very successful ministry in which she incorporates her violin playing with special music she has created. What is truly remarkable about her, is this. She has played all her life; enjoys a very successful career; and yet is committed to rebuilding her playing from the ground up in order to progress to the next level.

Our session together was incredibly productive.

So productive, in fact, that I’ve decided to make them available to all who are currently working with one of my courses.

If you’re interested in such an ‘intensive’, contact me by phone or email to discuss the details.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. If you’re still without the program that banishes tension, builds highly effective and efficient fundamentals, and gives you rock solid rhythm and confidence in your playing; the kind of playing that melts hearts and wows fellow violinists, you may get started in a matter of days by ordering your copy today.

How To Set Your Bow Free

Many years ago I felt the need to ‘free up’ my bow arm. What I did was as simple as it was effective. Here’s what you do.

After you’ve warmed up on a scale for a few minutes begin playing the scale with separate bows. Begin at, say, 120 ppm with each beat getting a full bow. If you can’t control the bow at this tempo – it moves wildly between the bridge and fingerboard – find the tempo that’s right for you.

Now, once you have a tempo you can play the scale with separate, full bows tip to frog while staying relaxed, gradually increase the tempo.

Remember, the shoulder must be relaxed and down; the elbow joint fully relaxed; the wrist fully relaxed. What you will focus on is moving the hand up and down in a straight, horizontal line.

Perhaps first you want to use a two-octave scale and remain in first position. Once your pumping up and down quickly, and staying in control, move to a three octave scale. Then add arpeggios.

If you really think you’re hot, try doing it in harmonics – the contact with the string is much more ‘slippery’.

Do this for 5 minutes, several days in a row, and you will have yourself a much freer bow arm, guaranteed.

But remember this, you must stay relaxed, move the bow Horizontally, and use minimal – if any – finger movements.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. The above is just one of many, many techniques I have to liberate your playing. For a plethora of effective, there is not a more comprehensive DVD course available than ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery”.

How to Draw a Living Tone

Just as the way we take someone’s hand in welcome reveals what feelings we hold for that person, the way we take up our bow to produce a sound determines what result we will achieve on the violin.

The other day I entered a recording studio in Los Angeles after an absence of several months. Needless to say I was seeing many colleagues I hadn’t seen for some time.

I did quite a bit of hand shaking.

Suddenly I realized something Very profound. I was sending a powerful communication through my handshake. Sometimes it was warm and embracing, and sometimes it was forced and quite artificially vigorous.

Once I realized this I took a nice deep belly breath. Then I asked one fellow, whose hand I had only moments before released, if I might take it again.

Yes, he was taken aback for a moment. But when I smiled at him and stated that I had something more to supply his hand, he smiled back and entered into the spirit of a new exchange.

During the moments it took to breath, I had given him my full attention and considered what my highest aspirations for him were. When I took his hand in mine for the second time, there was a difference.

Now, think of taking up your bow.

You want to have in mind your highest aspirations for your sound when you do. Anger, tension, insecurity, fear, judgment, all can be released in one good breath and replaced with whatever it is you desire in that moment; strength, flexibility, curiosity, caring, the list goes on.

The quality and quantity of energy you transmit through your hand and into the bow is the quality of energy that gets transmitted from the violin to the listener’s ear. It’s as simple as that.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. The Masterclass/Seminars are really taking shape now. Come get on board express train to virtuosity!

How to Create Meaning

If you want to sleep better at night, do more work.
If you want meaning in your life, work at what you enjoy.

Just thought I would put that out there. Also, I think many may not have received my first newsletter. Here it is once again, in case you missed it:

‘…Last night I asked a friend and fellow violinist what she thought was the most difficult part of playing violin. She thought for a moment and said, ‘keeping up my practice.’

It wasn’t really what I expected, and I was a little taken aback. But after sleeping on it, I think she hit on a dilemma that touches us all, at one time or another.

You see, my friend is really saying the following. ‘The violin does not hold enough meaning for me. And I don’t have a strong enough reason to maintain the dedication it requires to excel at it.’

If you can relate to this you’re definitely not alone. I myself have felt these sentiments on occasion.

What I have learned about this is that I am the only one that can create the meaning. And the key to meaning, ironically perhaps, is meaningful doing.

When we talk ‘meaningful doing’ on the violin we’re talking about opening hearts. Yours, of course, is the most important one. A close second, however, are the hearts in the community which surrounds you.

No matter what your technical ability, you can find music, even the simplest of melodies, with which to unlock the heart of a fellow human being.

If you saw the Academy Awards show you heard the absolutely sublime melody Morricone wrote for the movie ‘The Mission’. Incredible.

Remember, putting it out there is important. And it’s not difficult to do it. Call the nearest nursing care facility and I guarantee you can have a performance set up in a matter of minutes. If that’s too much for you, take your fiddle the next time you go to a friend’s home. They will love you for it.

Now, if you get paid for touching other people, all the better. If you don’t, and Need to, find a way. People will shower you with support if you speak to their hearts. You can trust me on that.’

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Don’t forget that my mastercasses are currently available at a very special rate. What you take home with you will inform the fruits of your music making for a lifetime. All you need think about is, ‘who will I be sharing this joy with?’

Silence the Critic Within

The critic I’m talking about today is not the constructive evaluator that assists you in making forward progress in your playing.

No, the critic I’m talking about is the one the sits in judgment, depleting and disabling your passion and confidence. The one that isn’t interested in helping you improve. Only in tearing you down.

I can’t tell you how many times, in my younger days, I allowed that voice to turn a minor error into a major derailment. I’d be playing along in a concert, make a small error, and find myself drowning in a raging sea of self-loathing and inadequacy.

If you have one of those critics inside, you have my permission and whole-hearted encouragement to fire him/her, effective immediately.

For most of us, however, that’s easier said then done. The little bugger was born of some past authority figure, after all.

It doesn’t listen to YOU. You listen to IT. You don’t have the real power, IT does.

So, chances are you will never silence the critic by pushing it out. In fact, the ‘will-power’ approach will often lead to further frustration and greater feelings of powerlessness.

What you must do is suffocate it out of existence. You must focus so powerfully on your playing visualizations that there is literally no air left to sustain a competing voice.

In short, you’re going to grow your way out.

And many a fiddler are doing just this at break-neck speed by using the practice strategies, focus techniques, and detailed playing images found in ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery”.

If you don’t have it, you may be pushing a locomotive uphill. And unnecessarily at that. After all, this program is the fruit of four decades of my playing experience and includes much wisdom passed to me from one of the greatest ever.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop