Pliancy Rules

If you were reading between the lines in yesterday’s newsletter, you probably got the significance of the today’s title, ‘Pliancy Rules.’

But before I continue I want to thank all of you that have written, in recent days. I appreciate all your support, comments and questions. I do try to respond to as many as I can, especially if a questions is involved.

Getting back to pliancy. The left hand and fingers need to be pliant on 2 planes of motion, really, vertical and horizontal. This is why I asked you to not press the strings all the way down in the exercise I gave out yesterday.

You may be noticing, however, that keeping the fingers out over the string requires that you gently engage some muscles of the left hand.
This is OK.

If at first you find it difficult to keep your fingers over the string with a little airspace between them don’t worry, it will get easier.

And remember, part of your difficulty may be due to excessive finger pressure on the strings.

Now, let’s assume you are an advanced player reading this. The exercise I gave can be done quite rapidly AND coming down the strings as well as going up.

It’s an excellent way to get blood into your left hand at the beginning of a practice session.

If you missed yesterday’s email and are wondering what all this is about, you may go to Violin Secrets on my website to read it.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. We are still trying to get everything ready on the website so I can make the announcement I spoke of yesterday as well. So do stay tuned – guess I mean that figuratively as well as literally since I’m addressing a bunch of players.