Practising - What To Do & How To Do It
-
Take ONE lesson (on average) per week, more if you can manage it but always at your own pace
-
Aim to have learned each piece well before you move on.
-
Get video feedback if you have problems.
-
Try to do a minimum of 10-15 minutes practice everyday
Establish a practice pattern:
Tune up
Bow rosin needed?
Bowhold check
Scales practice (1 minute)
Decide your objectives
Start with Student's Track
Play through once
Pull out the bits going wrong
Pluck then bow slowly
Pay through again to check it's improving
Try out the Duet
Remember:
-
Once you have learned how to use the bow 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 so that you can check your tuning without thinking about your bow.
-
Then try with the bow.
-
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'. Just relax...