Lesson 24
Back to: Lesson 23
Go on to: Lesson 25
Key Points: Pieces 50 & 51
-
Piece 50 is a beautiful melody and another number that once having perfected it you will feel a true sense of progress. Remember to keep your bow hold relaxed so that you play really smoothly (legato).
-
In piece 51 you have to work on bow management. It has some very long notes need a slow bow to avoid running out of bow.
-
Piece 50 requires that you focus firstly on string crossings with slurs and also ensuring that your 4th finger is in tune. Remember also that it is with your right elbow that you change strings.
-
The crotchets in piece 51 are played quite quickly so you need to manage the different bow speeds.
Remember:
-
As always start by doing a bowhold check, do a whole bow warm up, playing the scale of D major and G major. This is so easy to do and really helps you check your tuning.
-
To get going pluck through each piece once or twice.
-
Then try with the bow the Student's Track until you feel confident to move on to the duets.
-
Go from plucking to bowing and back to plucking until you are confidently bowing each piece.
-
Don't be in any rush to 'get it right straight away' - being patient will pay off in the long run.
-
Go over previous videos if you think something's not right.
-
Most 'horrible' sounds occur because of a tense right hand causing the bow to 'tremble,' 'bounce' or be 'scratchy'.
TIP:
Slower bows continue from the last lesson - play a little nearer the bridge with a very slight amount of extra pressure from your index finger. Try it first as an open string to get used to it. Be warned it doesn't need very much extra pressure.
You will notice that if you put too much pressure on it actually gets louder. So when you are asked to play loudly you can do this by significantly increasing the index finger pressure. Playing softly means playing with the lightest of bows.