Claire Allen, violin
  • Home
  • Bio
  • Performance
    • Solo Voices Program Notes
  • Studio
    • Student Portal
    • Testimonials
    • Why Study Music?
    • Guide for New Violinists and Parents
  • Media
    • Recordings
  • Blog
  • Contact

Kick It Up a Notch!

4/5/2014

0 Comments

 
The temperatures are heating up outside, and things are heating up in my studio too! We're having more studio classes, attending masterclasses hosted by other studios, and starting to prepare for spring recitals.

I've added an Etude Chart to the Scale Chart on the wall of both my studios, so students can track their progress all the way from Freddy Fiddle (an activity book that I use with my youngest students) to Kreutzer and Rode studies that very advanced students play. And besides, a little - just a little - competition can be really healthy in the studio.
Picture
Here are some suggestions I have for kicking your own violin playing up a notch at home:

1. Increase the number of days you practice. If you usually practice 4 days a week, practice 5 or 6. If you usually practice 6, practice 7.

2. If you're already practicing 6 or 7 days a week, increase the amount of time you practice. Try adding just 15 or 20 extra minutes a day to your routine and observe your progress!

3. Record your lessons and watch them back as soon as you can afterwards. Buy a notebook just for your violin observations and take notes as  you watch your lesson - what did your teacher say that was really helpful, and also, what do you notice about your playing?

4. Record yourself playing at least once a week besides your lesson and watch it, taking notes. Make observations as if you are your own violin teacher and adjust your practice plan accordingly.

5. Set goals for each practice, such as "I am going to play my scale with all the ringing notes in tune" or "I am going to get all the way to the tip on my down bows" or "I am going to focus on keeping my fourth finger curved." Goal-oriented practice is MUCH more productive than randomly playing through things.

6. Don't play through your pieces more than once a day UNLESS you have a performance coming up. Target your practice on those problem spots or focus on improving one aspect of your technique on a small section of the piece before trying to apply it to the whole piece. For example, if you're trying to use a particular bowing, such as a whole bow followed by two half bows (which my students know as Whole Half Half), practice that first on an open string. Then play it on one measure of your piece, and repeat it until you can do it successfully every time. Then play just one phrase, again observing for the bowing. Then add a second phrase, and so on. Once you work through the whole piece one section at a time, THEN and only then go back and play through the piece to see how  your work has improved the overall effect.

7. Work on things you aren't good at. Look at your practice chart or your lesson notebook and ask yourself which thing you would really rather avoid when practicing. That's what you should start with (after your warmup). 

8. Remember, it's HOW you practice. Be consistent, be focused, and be goal-oriented. And if you don't believe me, here's a video of Pam Frank, a wonderful teacher at the Curtis Institute.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Claire Allen

    Written thoughts on my musical life.

    Archives

    September 2022
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Classical Music
    Music Lessons
    Perpetual Motion
    Practice Tips
    Practicing
    Summer Violin
    Suzuki Violin
    Tips For Parents
    Tips For Students
    Violin Camp
    Violin Lessons
    Violin Philosophy
    Virginia Summer Music Camp

© Claire Allen 2023