WEEK 3: review, introduction of F#

There are a few students who still do not have shoulder rests! You will fall behind in class if you don't have the proper setup; please take care of this ASAP.

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Violin is a lot like a language. Once you learn a word, you don't stop using it. So, once you've learned a violin technique, keep practicing it.

LISTENING: listen to your Step by Step CD every day. You wouldn't try to learn a language without ever listening to it. This is called the "Mother Tongue Method" because we listen-listen-listen before we start to "speak". Listen in the car, listen during breakfast, listen while you're doing homework. Listen.

REVIEW: make sure you are caught up with the basic techniques we've learned in class so far. Next week, there will be a chart and you will earn a sticker for every technique you can demonstrate PERFECTLY ON YOUR FIRST TRY. If you need help, you will get it, but please use this week to solidify the following:

• head-ear-shoulder; hold violin with just your chin. Left hand on right shoulder.
  
• bow bunny
• Noble Duke of York (round thumb, pinky on it's tip - see previous blog post for examples of a correct bow hold)
• Up Like a Rocket (round thumb, pinky on it's tip - see previous blog post for examples of a correct bow hold)
  
• note circle
• name the open strings (track 1 on your CD)
  
• clapping game (track 27 on your CD)
• fly in the air and land like a bird (round thumb, pinky on it's tip - see previous blog post for examples of a correct bow hold)
• teeter totters (right elbow goes up and down as bow crosses the strings silently. Round thumb, pinky on it's tip - see previous blog post for examples of a correct bow hold)
• taka taka stop stop on E (track 3 on your CD)
• taka taka stop stop on A (track 4 on your CD)
• taka taka stop stop on E and A (track 5 on your CD)

NEW:

• Practice bringing your left hand out and touching just your thumb to the thumb-nest on the neck of your violin. Is there a nice space between your left wrist and the violin? Your hand should look like this:

• With your first (index) finger across from your thumb, tap on the E string 5 times.
• Play taka taka stop stop with your first finger down on the E string. With your finger down like this, you are playing F# (F-sharp).
  
• Play along with track 7 on your CD (page 16/17 in your book)
  

WEEK 2: Attaching Your Shoulder Rest

There are many different kinds of shoulder rests out there. I recommend KUN or Bon Musica rests, because they are effective and well-made. Cheaper versions with similar design often fall apart after a short time or don't fit securely enough to be effective.

The rest fits on the back of the instrument. A KUN rest has a wide end and a narrow end. From this view, the wide end is on the right (or on the same side of the violin as the chin rest). It is contoured to fit over the player's shoulder.


The Bon Musica rest has a similar design, but with a deeper curve. This curve often helps students keep their violins out to the side and on their shoulders properly.

A foam rest is an inexpensive choice, and can be suitable for some (especially very young players). I do not prefer them because they often do not offer enough support, they can slide around instead of providing a secure violin posture, and the foam against the back of the violin can dampen the vibration of the wood somewhat. Still, they are the most practical choice for many beginning students, so here is one below. It is secured with rubber bands. The curved part fits over the player's shoulder, while the thicker part rests on the collarbone area.

WEEK 2: Playing Along With the CD

LISTENING

If you don't have a violin yet and are taking this class, you can still get your brain in gear by spending time listening to the CD EVERY DAY. Dr. Suzuki used to say, "only practice on the days that you eat."

Listening to the CD is considered part of practice, and you can do this passively (for example, put the CD on during dinner time, or while you're cleaning up your room, or while you're in the car).

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE YOUR VIOLIN

Please make sure you are prepared for next Monday's class by arriving with a properly-sized violin, shoulder rest, bow, case, rosin (those things should all come together if you're renting), and the book we are using in class, Step by Step 1A by Kerstin Wartberg. This book comes with a CD, which you will use for daily listening and practice.

You can practice a correct bow hold using a pencil or pen. Continue practicing the non-instrument exercises from last week. Listen to the CD daily.

IF YOU HAVE YOUR VIOLIN

Become an expert at the things we did in class today:

• Make a bow bunny and transfer it to the bow. Check to make sure your thumb is round, pinky is on its tip, and bunny "teeth" are flopping over the bow stick. Does your hand look like these pictures?

This guy is a little verbose, but he's thorough. Parents, please watch this so you can help your student attain a solid bow hold. We are using the "Suzuki bow hold" he mentions.

• Set Up Your Violin on your shoulder. Make sure your shoulder rest is properly attached first. Use the video below as a reference for whether or not you are holding your violin up properly. Notice how this student has his nose pointed towards the scroll. The violin strings are parallel to the ground. The violin is out to the side and on his shoulder. He is able to hold it up with just the weight of his head.

• With your wonderful bow hold and with your violin up on your shoulder properly, now you can try "Fly in the Air and Land Like a Bird". To do this, raise your bow up above the violin strings, then "land" near the bridge silently. Land at the tip, near the frog, and in the middle of the bow. Every time you land, make sure your bow is parallel to the bridge, and about 1 inch away from the bridge. Use these photos as a reference:

• Teeter Totters: by moving your right elbow up and down, you can make your bow teeter-totter it's way across the strings. Swing from the E string (elbow down) all the way over to the G string (elbow up by your ear). Do this 3 or 4 times.
• With your bow on the E string, play along with track 3 on your CD. At the end of the song, you can hear the piano saying "then you tuck and bow"... when you hear that, tuck your violin into rest position and take a bow.
  
• With your bow on the A string, play along with track 4 on your CD. Tuck and bow at the end.
  
• Starting on E and then teeter-tottering over to A (and back to E again), play along with track 5 on your CD. Tuck and bow at the end.
  

WEEK 1: PreTwinkle Exercises - Up Like A Rocket

This is a slightly simplified version of "Up Like a Rocket" - the motions and words are slightly different from what we did in class, but that's okay with me. Focus on using a beautiful, accurate bow hold because that's really the point of this exercise.

WEEK 1: PreTwinkle Exercises - Violin Parts

The strings on your violin:



Parts of the bow (which is always held in the right hand regardless of your right- or left-handedness):



Parts of the violin (which is always held in the left hand regardless of your right- or left-handedness):

WEEK 1: PreTwinkle Exercises - Bow Bunny

Keep your thumb and pinky curved!

WEEK 1: PreTwinkle Exercises - Clapping Rhythms

Carefully read page 22 of your book (Step by Step, an introduction to successful practice, volume 1A by Kerstin Wartberg).
Clap according to the book’s directions, to the following rhythms on your CD:
Track 2: The 1st Twinkle rhythm, “taka taka tack tack”, or “taka-taka stop stop”
Track 11: The 2nd Twinkle rhythm “tick tack (stop) tock”
Track 15: The 3rd Twinkle rhythm, “tack ti-ke, tack ti-ke” or “down wiggle, up wiggle” (remember how we hopped to this rhythm in class? Try it!)
Track 19: The 4th Twinkle rhythm, “Ram ta ta, Ram ta ta” or “pineapple pineapple”
Track 23: The 5th Twinkle rhythm, “taka-taka taka-taka” or “caterpillar caterpillar” (Remember bouncing your hand like a ball with this one? Can you do it at home?)


Here is a video of a teacher demonstrating the rhythms:

WEEK 1: PreTwinkle Exercises - Secret Signals

When Mrs. Velez touches her ear, it means sit down.
When Mrs. Velez raises her hand high up in the air, it means stand up!

WEEK 1: PreTwinkle Exercises - Note Circle

Use the circle I handed out in class, or make your own. It needs to have these notes, going around in a circle:
A B C D E F G

1. To the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, sing the notes – begin on A and keep going around.
2. Sing it again but choose a different note to begin on.
3. Choose a different note to begin on again, but this time go around the circle counterclockwise.
Can you do any of these challenges without looking at the note circle?

WEEK 1: PreTwinkle Exercises - The Noble Duke of York