Page 87 - The Strad (February 2020)
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TECHNIQUE
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3 0 0
A
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3rd 3rd
6
B
etc.
4
Play the entire scale in this manner.
4
C
etc.
semitone semitone
2
6
D
4 1 3 0 2 1 1 etc.
4
E
etc.
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2 4 etc.
0 0
the string. Use a clean and even action, relaxing after each drop tempo. It doesn’t have to be di cult, and it can be fast or slow,
and lift, and be careful not to press down with the non-trilling as long as you can read it! Focus on technical control and
nger. Alternate this with practice of measured trills in making a beautiful sound, looking ahead without stopping to
sextuplets, focusing on evenness, clearness, sound and the correct yourself. If necessary, skip notes to ensure that you keep
connections between notes (exercise 2). is can also be up with the metronome.
practised in groups of triplets.
PRACTICE IN THE FIRST FIVE POSITIONS (5 MINUTES)
QUICK SKIPS OVER ONE OR TWO STRINGS (1–2 MINUTES) is idea is Tartini’s: play any passage in rst position, reaching
e goal here is to play non-adjacent string-crossings clearly into other positions only when absolutely necessary. Once you can
without touching the strings in between (exercise 3). Also see play it uently, try again in second, third, fourth and fth positions
Fiorillo’s Caprice op.3 no.30 and Paganini’s Caprice no.2). – even if the ngering seems ridiculous. Check your tuning against
Work on an o-string stroke in the lower half of the bow, the open strings to make sure you haven’t lost your sense of pitch.
between the frog and the bouncing point. You can also After this, your usual ngerings will feel far more secure.
practise string skips in the upper half, using a martelé stroke.
FAST NOTES IN DÉTACHÉ AND SPICCATO (1–2 MINUTES)
SIGHTREADING (3–5 MINUTES) e goal of this exercise is to work on coordination between the
Sightreading is an important skill that is quickly lost if we don’t left and right hands. Take dierent note patterns every day – for
play regularly in chamber groups or orchestras. For a few example a few lines of Schradieck, a fast passage from a piece, or an
minutes every day, nd any passage of music that you’ve never invention of your own (exercise 4) – and play them as fast as
seen before and play it with the metronome set at a moderate possible, one day in détaché, another in spiccato, sometimes
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