Fiddler Cove: More Help ( FiddlersCove)

Practice, Reference, Inspiration

The Mountain

Those who taught:
Mary Beth Kirkpatrick, 1st Chair, WV Symphony,
Studio, Gorby's Music, 7th Ave., Charleston WV.

Amelia Chan, Concertmistress, WV Symphony, Charleston WV
Montclaire String Quartet

Coach, Christine Carr McGuire, War , WV; alum, honors, UCinn. Conservatory, Pi Kappa Lambda.

There will be no direct solicitation on this site

The Hollow

"Thanks a lot for organizing and posting these videos..... In just a few viewing minutes I've received answers to basic questions which I've been asking for years! I enjoy reading your posts..." (Patricia)

My Mountain

...born in the mountains, climbed the mountain, tilled the rocky soil, heard the song of the hollows, and learned the names of the stars on a cold clear winter night on my favorite ridge, 'everyman's' chapel. Al Justice

Fiddler Cove: More Help

Gathering Other Resources

Note: This area may be thought of as five areas: building community, the instrument, learning resources, then self assessment, followed by thoughts on basics. I likely will not give each section an individual page for a couple reasons. I do not intend to duplicate resources as a starter after I am satisfied they serve me well.

And, I really like to keep things simple and singular--others can surf for other resources if they become interested in a specific area. There will be a time down the road where more purposeful separation of these areas will be necessary, but not just now.

Before continuing though, Musical Artistry by Roy Sonne, annotated lives here. This excellent and important video that also is mentioned at the front entrance, I have annotated for you and those not speaking English. I want to make it readily available and easily accessible because I encourage you to visit it every so often as you study.

Please Note: On this level, external resources still open in new windows or tabs, but internal resources use the same browser window. Also, if there is a back link on internal pages, you have opened a deeper layer resource--if there is no back link, you are at a main hollow at Fiddler Cove, shown in the main navigation to the left. This design has specific purpose.

Building Community

Building your own community while learning violin for advice and support, I consider as critical as scales, in an interconnected world. Here lives the Fiddler Cove community, as well as my own.
Thank you: Building Community

The Instrument

Parts of the violin(new tab--or--window)

Strings:
Affordable Strings(new tab--or--window)

I will not suggest a string source, but I use Thomastik Dominants, and get them for around 40.00 per set, and shipping is included. They seem to be popular.

String Basics: (Following are some things I learned along the way, that are not always so obvious)

An accomplished user at another site shares, that to prevent your strings from becoming frayed at the bridge or finger board, apply a little graphite gently, with a number two pencil when changing strings to make for a smoother seating surface--and also to check occasionally that the grooves in the bridge have not become ragged or too deep.

keep your fingernails trimmed to extend the life of your strings.

Change your strings, one at a time--remove one, replace it, and repeat--no not the same string silly!

Instrument Maintenance, Bow Maintenance
Here is some potential helpful basic information on instrument and bow care, and strings: (there are a couple links and searches as well)

The Instrument

--make sure the case is latched before transporting.

--keep your instrument away from too much heat/cold

--For detailed information on humidity visit the site of accomplished Luthier:David Burgess (new tab--or--window)

--check that your bridge is properly seated every time you begin playing or practicing.

I want to Learn More!

Taking Care of your violin(new tab--or--window) With all that said, it is easy to find other information about this by doing a google search.

Taking care of the bow(new tab--or--window)

The Violin Bridge:Bare Basics (new tab--or--window)

About the Violin Bridge-more advanced (new tab--or--window)

Learning Help Resources

Janet Horvath on Playing Less Hurt (new tab-or-window)

Roy Sonne said it, Isaac Stern means it (new tab-or-window)

Todd Ehle on Practicing (new tab--or--window)

Written Advice on holding the bow and instrument Tips((RH)new tab--or--window)

Here is a link to a nice violin fingerboard chart(new tab--or--window) found over at violinonline dot com. It is interactive and one can hear the notes. A more advanced chart is in the works.

One, Two and Three Octave Scales (new tab--or--window)

Carl Flesch Scales Fingerings in Three Octaves (new tab--or--window)is a simple link to more advanced scales fingerings after one has learned scales in one then two octaves. . Currently on a-flat.

Some Counting Help ((RH)new tab--or--window).

Music Theory Reference (new tab--or--window)

Simon Fischer Workshops with notes I really took a lot away from these workshops on intonation and tone production--so much that I took notes for everyone.

Etudes and Studies ((RH)new tab--or--window)

The Little Violinst By Albert Markov ((RH)new tab--or--window)

Easy Violin Pieces. ((RH)new tab--or--window)

Sandy Herrault Collection
Diddle Fiddle (Level 1) (new tab--or--window)
Hilltop Stomping (Level 1) (new tab--or--window)

The Gypsy's red Scarf(Level 2) (new tab--or--window)
Change of Seasons(Level 2) (new tab--or--window)

The Chase (Level 3) (new tab--or-- window)

Max Vengerov Masterclasses (new tab--or--window)Even beginners can benefit if remembering the spirit of the law. I know I do. Generous excerpts exist, or purchase the entire masterclass.

Acolay Masterclass: Good Stuff (new tab-or-window)

Self Assessment, Advice on Learning and my Basics Speech

An example of directions Roland's Guide by example (new tab--or--window)

ABRSM Theory Grades 1-8 (new tab--or--window)

Auer on Open Strings ((RH)new tab--or--window)

Tonus: (Please read this article by Roland)((RH)new tab--or--window)

Todd Ehle on: Do I need a teacher (new tab-or-window)

My Random Focus on Basics Thoughts

Stay Focused on Basics, more specifically stay focused on basic tone production. Each of these video areas have generous amounts of help in more advanced bow strokes and so on. But, it has been my experience(sometimes in a bad way yes), that it does not help in any way to be able to do upbow staccato if basic tone production is not in place.

And vibrato? Well, vibrato is intently effected by basic tone production, and many other basics. Go slowly! Violin is better than good food. Your teacher, and sometimes you, will know when to start moving beyond basic tone production.

Basic tone production means being able to pull a straight bow in all three regions of a bow including whole bows with excellent tone, playing both detached and detache notes, both slurred and not slurred. This sounds so simple?    (See the Auer article above about playing on open strings)

Then Basic tone production becomes involved with playing different dynamics (p-softly) and (f-loudly) using yet other basics(bow speed and pressures, sounding points and handling the bow)

Slurring a series of notes across two strings deserves focused work on string crossings that can literally run into months--but well worth it, for example(See Todd Ehle string crossing videos--they are really good).   And this is guessing that one can bow at the tip and heel competently.

Now to further complicate my reasons for cheering (some say yelling) for basics, simply handling the instrument and being able to bow in all regions of the bow well, actually will allow one to reach a developed level of playing general music--though perhaps without a lot of frills.

Perlman makes my case best in cheering for basics in his remarks comparing learning violin to piano. Paraphrased and changed to get at the meaning: 'press a note on a piano one gets a nice note--pull a bow across a string and one gets noise'. And further at this point in my own experience I still have to focus on basics and intently.

Moreover, I do not mind because the general competency gained effects my entire experience.   I have said it many times in many places: 'never be afraid to get back to basics- never'.   Always use basic things to improve more advanced things(Simon Fischer agrees).

So here's a rough list of some basics to consider the first many years:

Handling the instrument and bow--yes it is that involved--even perhaps never having played a note--with no body tension anywhere! Ouch--trust me on this!
Playing in the middle third of the bow with a well formed bow hand, correctly angled stick, effective bow speed and arm weight flowing into the string.
Extending number 2 to all regions of the bow including whole bows.
Extending number 2 to be able to distribute the bow per phrase, including using at least three preferably four sounding points.
Learning the fingerboard in first and third position, including handling the instrument in both--with zero stress.
Learn to read music and timing on a beginners level at least--and begin memorizing these things.
Learn to listen to your tone quality--There is plenty of help here within.
Notice I only now mention left hand articulation, playing in tune as it relates to really mastering the fingerboard!

Finally, if I could take one to any other single area that literally rules in terms of the idea of basic; and, though I have already said it, I would stress handling the instrument and bow with no body tension period.

These are all my experiences of basics at 'this' point in time, and come not only from violin, but piano, guitar and other instruments. Let me add finally, that no other instrument demands basic abilities as much as violin if one wishes to play well.

The Spirit: Work like two people on basics technically, then play from your heart like three. Yes I really mean that exactly as I said it.

Fiddler at The Cove