 Relax with your instrument-always!  While I agree and genuinely appreciate and promote having a teacher, there are those who cannot. I created Fiddler Cove both for myself and those who have no choice but to try find their own way. But Fiddler Cove is also a very active learning space, for very active learners. You see, I also believe that if one does (many many things) to find their way, at least on some level they will. And I have a lifetime background playing many instruments. Basically however, this many many things implies having a teacher or good coach as well though, and a community within which to learn. I am currently in deep-think mode trying to ensure Fiddler Cove just does not become a random collection, and redoing what is already here. Fiddler Cove besides the learning perspectives expressed, are a reflection of my own learning experiences. And they are woven together as I think about the experience of learning violin. The links to the left described below can be thought of in four distinct sections: videos, motivation and inspiration, basic help, and more advanced help. The most advanced help concept also includes deeper explorations of the world of violin called Deep Think. Please simply read the descriptions of the links to further understand How I think about using this site--because that is actually how I use it. Central to the resources here, are the videos I use as a visual learner. I also learn verbally, but sometimes examples make it easier to understand. Getting down to the level of the actual method I am using to stay on the center-line (Suzuki), I encounter resources here and there that help. Just as I mentioned weaving above, I will mention order in another way below. There is a logic to the order of the links to the left as well. And just as I will cheer for Basics in the "More Help Area", the links appear in the same spirit: basic resources to be useful daily, then more advanced resources. The Practice Reference Help, is simply a metronome, a tuner, a timer, a dictionary, some advice on practicing and staying healthy. These resources are deceivingly effective if you will open a browser, learn to load them quickly and use them. There is a close connection with the order of Todd's videos and videos at Kurt Sassmanshaus' world class Violin masterclass site hosted at the University of Cincinnati. Basics first! Calvin Sieb's videos further understanding of bow strokes beyond the basics, and I have linked his memorial site in his section. Please visit Sieb's area for further advice. Lois Siegel is awesome! Though neither is she, as pretty as I! The Festivals and Inspiration Pages, are for just that. Festivals allows me to compare other players treatments and other details such as bowing, and most often on a world class level. And inspiration is for my moments when I get frustrated or just feel my motivation waning. But, there is just a lot of information in watching Hahn's bow-arm. Fiddler Cove: More Help is a space where I have linked many hopefully useful things that support the spirit of comment: 'many many things'. From etudes and advice to resources from around the world, I am trying to model the basic world of violin as one may seek basic help in this Cove-space. There will be recurring additions to this area. Fiddler Cove Deep Think, allows for exploring very deeply famous violinists, e-papers of significance and other resources that allow for a deeper exploration of the world of violin. I can honestly say that Deep Think approaches have added as much to my violin journey as anything, because one truly learns the world of violin, by trying to know and understand the world of violin. Think of Deep Think, as your first stop in virtual armor through understanding. But learning also continues in the deeper exploration of violin at Deep Think. Through conversational learning, and advanced lessons, we continue the spirit of a journey, from the Front Porch. The Online Resources link is things that have proven themselves over time to me, and I use every one of them. Fiddlers Cove Other Online Resources is somewhat a links page, but learning resource driven--I do not do, simply links. Does this order above say anything? Yes, it does. Even though the 'more help' pages have the more important learning help, staying inspired and motivated and experiencing others playing violin is that important not only to me, but to many learning such a difficult instrument. Playing violin well is that involved. Aspiring to play Fiddle with chops, means taking the long path, up the hollow. And how do I approach things generally: I often choose my goals, go to the Help reference page, tune my fiddle, pull up the metronome, pull up the timer then advance to whatever I am working on. I spend some time each day, watching others play often from here. And, I often choose what I am working on based on what is here, particularly in my Suzuki portion of my studies. My goals often just define themselves though because I am finally starting to get a feel of where I need to go, and my practices are so long, I eventually focus on nearly everything. This approach works for me but not others. I will write on setting goals more later in another area. Though not as pretty as I, Todd Ehle has already done an admirable job talking about goals on his site as well. My main focus though, truly does hope to help you to trust your own directions. I spend some time several times a week watching Todd or others perform different bow strokes, and work with those--I am currently still working with Todd Ehle's string-crossings and tone production intently--he literally saved me, by filling in missing gaps, and pretty much stay in remedial because I am 'so very' hard-headed. And overall, for now I stay focused on basic tone production, sounding point steering, scales, some arpeggios, and using the entire length of the bow. Also, I re-tool Wohlfahrt etudes and use them similarly as one would use patterned scales until I can get better keeping even tone, or even effecting tone. I am up to 32 notes per bow pretty cleanly. 'Patterned scales are an advancing bow control technique, that develops the left hand at the same time'. Finally, I spend time routinely with Kreutzer, Simon Fischer's "Practice", reading Deep Think type topics on violin, and that kind of thing. And I spend some time working on this site for the forseeable future. Currently my focus beyond basic tone production is colle based martele, spiccato and several more all of which may be studied from here via violinmasterclasses, Todd Ehle, and other resources--do not overlook Rolland's resources in More Help--they are very good. His standards are very high. I focus on basic elements every day(about 12) using Violin Masterclass site's Virtuous Moments approaches and videos--that is where the egg-timer comes in, and I have recently created a 30 minute Kreutzer block for each day, that most often becomes an hour.. This seems like a lot and it is, but I just want to emphasize that the overall focus remains--'basic tone production, with string crossings'. Obviously though, I can not do all of this every day--but believe it or not, some programs are this intense. And, some days, I actually do get all of this in. Additionally, I am equally focused on handling the instrument without stress, and the role this plays in every other part of playing violin well. I have gone into such detail, because even at four years in, I am still focused on basics and handling the instrument and mastering the most basic levels of the bow, because these, are very important. This, is partly of my own doing, and partly by choice. And finally, I continuously start over with basics, because basics are the real path to improvement, even for intermediate and very advanced students. The sounds we produce on a violin simply do not lie. See this video (new tab--or--window) for another view on what I just said. |
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The Mountain 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 |
How I Use this Site |