String Tricks
- Updated
s20. Sometimes in a tricky eighth-note or sixteenth-note passage one has trouble
CROSSING strings smoothly. Often
this can become much easier ACCENTING the ONE note
FROM which all the OTHER notes get their energy. Of course if the passage is too
SOFT to make any such accent, try CLIPPING the note
BEFORE the note you would accent or consider leaving out
an UNIMPORTANT note to give more CLARITY to
the section.
a26. When the whole ensemble is playing FAST (eg.
Mozart 40), SPLIT your attention
(as always but especially now) between YOUR playing,
your SECTION'S playing, the CONDUCTOR'S gestures and
timing, and WATCHING THE BOW of the LEADING string
section LEADER (usually the concertmaster)... for
more ensemble PRECISION!
a28. Tutti players should CLIP the tied notes!
Leave a little SPACE before the next note.
a33. Rhythms must be CRISP and unmistakably
clear...
like a MACHINE. (with exceptions)
s35. Make a SPACE before all szforzandi.
ACCENTS (>) are more subjective but generally have
NO space before them and are a combination of
LEFT-HAND vibrato and bow speed with added PRESSURE.
a38. Always SUBDIVIDE for ACCURATE dotted rhythms
(called skips)! GUESSING may make skips sound too
LAZY or JAZZY. Get OFF the "dot"! STOP the
bow ON THE STRING in a "shoeshine" or
"hooked" bowing!
a44. Play ALERTLY! Be AWARE what's going on at ALL
times! If the ensemble starts to VEER APART (potential
TRAIN WRECK), YOU could save the day by STEERING the
players NEAR you back to the fold!
a45. Conductors LOVE eye contact! And it helps the music
too if in CONNECTING with them you can DIRECTLY translate their facials and gestures
into RESULTS! So take CHANCES! MEMORIZE BARS AT A
GLANCE to give your EYEBALLS to the leaders!
(This ALONE will get you called back!)
a46. Be aware of which instruments or section have the
most POWER or MOMENTUM at any given time to affect
the TEMPO. (power= volume + fastest notes)
Sometimes it will
be YOUR section!
sb48. Tricky pizzicati moments (esp. in SLOW
music) are more likely to be TOGETHER
when everyone waits until the LAST possible moment.
USE THE FORCE! Don't PANIC! LISTEN to, WAIT for and
learn WHERE pickups or grace-notes OCCUR in other
instruments! WATCH the concertmaster's bow!
sb59. When RECOVERING bow, don't make an unintended
CRESCENDO due to faster bow speed! This most
often occurs when we play UNEVEN note lengths such as
dotted-half then quarter. The result would be an
accidental (false) ACCENT on the quarter-note. Here
are THREE solutions; you MAY need to use two TOGETHER.
#1) You can ANTICIPATE the need for a faster bow
stroke with a slower PREVIOUS stroke. #2) On the
quarter-note you CAN use a faster bow speed IF you
compensate with LESS PRESSURE! #3) You can use a normal bow
speed if you "CHEAT" THE QUARTER by LIFTING
(retaking) the bow AFTER starting the quarter-note (the
string will still ring
if you vibrate). (Remember - the BEGINNING of the
notes are more important!)
Don't play as though every bow stroke will be YOUR
LAST! Plan ahead! You'll get more of your MONEY’S worth
from your bow by using it EFFICIENTLY! TRY to use
ONLY the bow speed you NEED! MILK IT OUT!
sb66. To start QUICK passages
without dragging ( esp. after rests), try starting the first note
FROM THE STRING and with a SMALL ACCENT. This is VERY
handy in Mozart.
asb73. When practicing scales, (and I think
EVERYONE should develop a SCALE ROUTINE) play against open
G, D or even A strings sometimes, or against a
DRONING KORG. This will keep you HONEST! You need to be able to hear the distinctive
OVERTONE BEATING produced by the intervals of 3rds,
5ths, octaves;
even 2nds, 4ths, 7ths, 10ths, etc. This exercise
WILL help you build better intonation.
a76. When you learn your PART well enough, give EYE
contact to those on stage with you! Watch
whoever is playing the LEADING voice and BACK THEM
UP! Look at the CONDUCTOR and give them DIRECT access
to your hands! If you have the same rhythms, try playing
IN SYNC with your colleagues ACROSS the stage by watching
their BOWS, CHEEKS, or MALLETS. Try to merge
TOGETHER somehow, like ONE GREAT INSTRUMENT called an
ORCHESTRA! FEEL the music WITH them!
a87. Moving TOGETHER helps immeasurably to UNIFY a performance. When we connect
VISUALLY,
we are much more AWARE of our ROLE in the music. We shouldn't
be SHY because we can ALWAYS find something to SAY with music!
OFTEN music is a CONVERSATION, a DIALOGUE, TRI-alogue
or QUAD-alogue (contrapuntal). Sometimes it is
a SERMON, a STORY-telling, or EXALTATION! EXPLORE
and DESCRIBE these different modes!
b97. String players should play DOUBLE-STOPS to improve
their intonation: even BASS players!
106. HIDE STRING SHIFTS (accidental glissandi)
by releasing the BOW pressure
momentarily (UNWEIGHTING the bow) DURING the
shift. In auditions AUDIBLE SHIFTS are a VERY BIG
DEMERIT! ELIMINATE them from your playing!
108. When working out bowings for the section, keep
in mind the common denominator ; everyone in the section
may not play as well as you. So maybe allow a little
extra bow when possible, don’t be afraid to
break printed slurs if it will help kick out extra
volume in ff, try a few unconventional bowings if
they work out naturally, and try to leave the crescendos
on upbows as possible. Keep in mind the possible need
for extra articulations (clipping notes or a well-placed
accent). Also, hooked bowings, by requiring one to
stop the bow, automatically exaggerate the articulation!
110. Get off those TIES! Else risk being late AFTER
it! (Just CLIP ‘em!)
112. A GREAT practice tip is to work on a
NON-slurred
passage SLURRED, and VICE VERSA. Galamian rhythms
help too!
113. Playing your scale routine EXPRESSIVELY
makes intonation improvement FUN plus you learn to play more
MUSICALLY! Make something INTERESTING out of them! Try
HAIRPINS, Galamian rhythms, triplets, skips...
and stressing certain notes of the scale (1, 3, 5, 7).
Play scales against any OPEN strings... no matter WHAT
key... to keep yourself HONEST!
116. ANTICIPATE the needs of your bow (speed, weight,
placement).
129. The goal of EARLY learning should be learning
how to teach YOURSELF. A GREAT teacher is one who
will show you techniques for WORKING OUT problems...
along with non-apparent TRICKS of the trade.
