Keeping the Breath Alive

I’m always happy when an email elicits response from subscribers. It confirms that I am reaching other passionate individuals – a very good thing.

The night afore last I received this query. ‘Is there a systematic breath-in breath-out during playing (like on upbeats/downbeats) or is it just something that you figure out instinctively?’

In truth, I have a few answers to this.

When I am in learning mode, and counting as I play, I take quick belly breaths in between beats as needed.

When isolating a particularly difficult move, like jumping from a very high note to a low note quickly and seamlessly, I will first master it out of context. I know I want the move to be as efficient as possible. Therefore, I execute it at the same moment I draw breath from my diaphragm - you will remember that 2 days ago I mentioned that the ‘in’ breath produces the strongest ‘let go’ reflex, and that is what I want working for me. If you don’t know why, hope over to Violin Secrets and read ‘The Power of Breath, Part 2’.

When I am performing, I just stay conscious of my breathing and count mentally. My breath flows with the music.

Does it seem like a lot? Maybe at first it is. Fact is, though, you will find your playing quickly morphs into something much more satisfying and, to barrow again from Mozart, ’inherently musical’.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Got something big on the horizon. Hint – you don’t want to make any plans for Martin Luther King weekend in 2007. In the meantime, love what you’re doin’.

Daring to Dream…

There are two types of dreams. There are the ones that come unbidden in our sleep and there are the ones that we conjure in our minds in waking hours. Obviously I’m here to talk about the latter.

Now, one must be very careful and honest about waking dreams.

What is commonly referred to as ‘day-dreaming’ can be an insidious form of addiction. It creates in the dreamer a false sense of empowerment.

Daydreamers, as a rule, never act on their imaginings. With chronic inaction the disparity between dream and reality grows. The result can be a confidence diminishing, spirit-debilitating spiral toward frustration and, ultimately, a failed life.

Ironically, the daydreamer can reach a point where the friction between reality and fantasy drains away the ability to dream altogether. It’s a place nobody wants to be.

Now for the good news.

The fact that you are here reading this missive should be proof to any of you that your dream power is quite intact. And the dream is to achieve violin mastery.

The question now is how to break the dream down into specific, step by step goals leading inexorably toward dream fulfillment.

Well, for intermediate to advanced players reading this, I have some good news.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Kreutzer has already quite brilliantly broken violin mastery down, from the point you are at now, into 42 progressive ‘goals’ – anything beyond them is icing on the cake, REALLY.

Next step, the mastery of these goals.

And this is where my course comes in. In order to fully master each etude you first need a vision, a very detailed vision, of what it should sound and feel like. You inform that vision by watching me play a given etude and then by listening carefully to me talk about it. You not only want the sound of it in your ear but the feel of it in your hands as well.

Even as you inform your ‘vision’ of an etude you begin taking stock. My counting method is one of the best ways for you to get accurate feedback on where you really stand with a piece of music. Of course you should have your ears wide open as you do this.

To bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be, you breathe and you image. Again, many violinists are held back by inefficiencies in their playing. Let go of those, and actively use your Mind to lead your fingers, and you are there.

Yes, we might have physical challenges. You can push through them. The keys are passion and commitment. Practice well, my friends.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

P.S. Still haven’t picked up your copy? Your dream is waiting…

The Case of the Whistling ‘E’

This story is a favorite amongst violinists, maybe you’ve heard it.

Late in the career of the uniquely compelling violinist, Josef Szigeti, he performed at Carnegie Hall. On the program was the famous Chaconne of Bach. Throughout the movement are to be found chords that use the open ‘e’ string.

On that occasion, each time maestro Szigeti struck one of those chords his ‘e’ string whistled, without fail. Members of the audience could sense his rising frustration.

Finally, at the last climatic iteration of the opening phrase, fully 15 minutes after the movement began, his frustration got the better of him. In bar two of the phrase there are two, four note chords that use an open ‘e’. The first, true to form that night, whistled. The second also whistled, but this time the hapless virtuoso was ready for it.

Upon meeting with the unctuous bleat he fiercely drew the bow back and forth several times fortissimo until he produced a flurry of ear rending open ‘e’s.

Having thus exacted revenge, he played to the end and was met with thunderous applause – and more than a few belly laughs on the part of fellow fiddlers.

Now, the case of the whistling ‘e’ is not entirely closed.

Yes, in part it is due to the condition of the string – tarnish will cause a string to go false and increase the likelihood of whistling. And yes, there are E strings on the market guaranteed not to whistle. Problem with them is they don’t sound very good otherwise.

No, there is a secret to solving the case of the whistling ‘e’ that goes deeper than mere equipment. And for reading this email, good friends, I will give it to you.

The biggest factor in causing the ‘e’ string to whistle is bow placement on the string. Try attacking the ‘e’ string fortissimo with the bow striking down near the fingerboard. You will, more often than not, get a whistle. Now do the same thing with it nearer to the bridge, e voilá, no whistle. Case closed.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Now open YOUR case and get cracking on my Kreutzer course.

Regarding Your Audience…

Some time ago I was at a concert in Los Angeles given by principles of the LA Phil. The playing was really quite good. Some of the stage presence was really quite not.

At the end of the performance the violist decided it was time to have a chit-chat with the cellist. Problem was, he was doing it all the while the audience was trying to express their appreciation for what they had just heard. It was one to the rudest displays I have ever seen on stage.

That player was in effect saying, ‘I don’t really care if you liked it or not.’ Hell of a way to treat a customer, don’t you think?

The point is, from the moment we walk on stage we are sending messages to the audience. You want yours to be ones of respect, intention, confidence, enthusiasm, and good will.

Aloofness, timidity, insensitivity, lack of interest – I see that at many orchestral performances – are all signs of self-centeredness. No one wants to put themselves to the trouble of attending a concert, much less paying money to enter one, in which they must suffer such behaviors.

If you don’t like your conductor, your stand partner, or your hair that night, get over it, NOW.

As musicians we are on stage to inform, inspire, and enliven.

I walk on stage in character. If it is a Mozart Concerto I will step lively, with a smile on my face that mirrors the affection I feel for the music. On the other hand, if I am walking out to perform the Bach A Minor Sonata Unacc., my countenance might be less exuberant but nonetheless focused, warm and purposeful.

I never shuffle, lope, amble, or plod. And that’s Equally true of bows.

In a past email I wrote on the value of visualization in banishing stage fright. You can also use that same power of visualization to establish the report you wish to have with your audience; from the first step you take from the wings of the stage.

If you haven’t already, come put this great expression of human potential into the very fabric of your playing, right now.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. One last thing, just because you may be sitting in the back of the 2nd violin section don’t think what you do doesn’t matter.

My wife and I attended a performance of the Berlin Philharmonic in Costa Mesa, CA a few years ago. We sat near the front on the right as you face the stage. Claudio Abbado had sat the seconds on that side, opposite the firsts, and we could see the last stand QUITE well.

Let me tell you, they played like they were possessed – in a good way, naturally. At the end of the concert they stood and shook hands. Tania and I were really moved by this. And it is why that orchestra is finest large ensemble in the world, for our money.

The Power of Breath, Part 2

I have been thinking, and breathing, further. Thought you ought to know the rest.

The real ‘letting go’ part of the belly breath is the intake. Take a breath – a real breath – and notice what must happen. Your abdominal muscles must release to allow your internals to get out of the way. This action sends a powerful message out to the body.

I trust you feel it.

Now you should know something more about using your breath to play relaxed. Practice your most awkward moves on an ‘in’ breath. Do it slowly at first until you coordinate your breathing with your movements. Now, count and visualize as well. Beautiful!

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Hey, all you hot shot ‘PROS’ out there. When’s the last time you played through the last 5 Kreutzer Etudes? Go back and really play them beautifully, at the tempos marked. Number 40 doesn’t have a marking. I do it at 184ppm with 3 note turns. If your having a little problem with this maybe you should pick up my course.

The Power of Breath

Was flipping through a music catalogue last night checking to see what new instructional DVD material there is out there. One that caught my eye focused on ‘techniques for playing more relaxed.’

Well, let me tell you. There is just one thing you need to know to be completely, utterly, and totally relaxed.

And that one thing is how to breathe.

If there is anyone out there who is using my DVD course, is doing what I say to do relative to breathing, and is still having a problem with tension, I want to know about it.

Now, some may forget to stay aware of their breathing and, as a result, revert back to their previous state. The solution to that is self-evident, isn’t it. Stay aware.

Funny thing is, you become more aware by breathing from your belly.

So, that should tell you not just to be aware of your breath while playing but throughout the day. Put notes up around your house, in your car, your place of work. Each time you see a note, breathe from your belly 3 times, deeply.

And, of course, breathe this way when doing any physical activity.

When you move the diaphragm muscle – as you do to breathe well – it sends a signal to the rest of the body to ‘let go’. There is an override, however. That is your mind, which can instruct the body to perform a physical task.

Curiously, when the ‘let go’ reflex meets with the ‘instruction for action’, only muscle movement directly associated with the specific action is allowed.

In short, with have a built in ‘efficiency filter’. We just have to remember to use it.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. The next step to violin mastery is to know what instructions to send to your fingers. Come pick up your copy of”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” for the purest, no-nonsense instructions your fingers are likely to get, anywhere.

Einstein On Playing The Violin

Many of you know that Einstein played and loved the violin. Well, what you may not have know, I didn’t, is something my wife told me a couple days ago.

Einstein credited his violin experience – specifically periods of improvisation – with leading to some of his greatest insights. Remarkable, yes, but not unbelievable. And those of you using my practice methods should have some idea why.

The secret lies in activating several brain areas simultaneously. I have you do it through counting and visualizing while playing. Improvisation is a form of visualization, plain and simple.

Now, was he counting? Let me answer by telling you a little anecdote at Albert’s expense – I don’t think he would have minded this one.

Apparently he once sat in with members of the Budepest String Quartet to read some chamber music. He kept losing his place and coming in wrong. Finally the interruptions got the better of 1st violinist, Alexander Schneider. He turned to Einstein and quipped, ‘Vats vrong vith you, Albert, can’t you count?’

Well, there’s your answer. Just think what he would have accomplished in his life had he counted during his improvisations.

Anyway, I hope you all are counting. You can use the extra mind power to remake the world of physics after your practice session.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Maybe he didn’t count, but I bet he did breathe. For all parts of the equation of violin success get your copy of ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” now.

A ‘Fiddler’ Goes To Hollywood

As this communication reaches you today I will be in the midst of a music scoring session for a brilliant film entitled, ‘All The Kings Men,’ starring Sean Penn and an incredible supporting cast. It looks to be an outstanding piece of work.

The music accompanying the live action will be equally memorable.

Composed by James Horner – ‘Titanic’, ‘A Beautiful Mind’, ‘Brave heart’ – the score features haunting themes, sumptuous orchestrations, and…here’s the part that should really pack the theatres…gorgeous violin solos.

Now, for this picture, I had advanced notice of the solos. Often I do not and am expected to just read whatever is set in front of me.

In any case, a couple days before the first day of scoring I received a package with some simple looking, 16 bar melodies enclosed. The instructions with the music said, ‘Appalachian style, very free.’ Being the kind of diligent preparer, I am I immediately went to our local alternative CD shop and purchased a couple discs. You know, the ’50 Years of Mountain Music Classics’ type thing.

Big mistake. What I heard was the most horrendously out of tune, whiney kind playing you could imagine. Our 4 year old did enjoy one ‘hammer dulcimer’ ballad, but then insisted on hearing it over and over and over again. But other than that, my effort at preparation was largely a bust.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I have heard some very good, in tune, blue grass players. And there must be one or two fiddlers with an ear in Appalachia. They just weren’t on my CDs.

So there I was at the first scoring session not having a clue as to what maestro Horner is looking for me to do. In my first reading I added quite a bit of ornamentation but stayed very much in pitch. I then waited for the rest of the piece to be played to hear his reaction.

Well, I got the ‘in tune’ part right. Turns out, he really wanted me to play these solos very purely and simply, like an adolescent singer.

I did add a few portamenti here and there, which he tolerated, but otherwise I just made good use of long, flowing bows, and a singing left hand. The effect is subtle and nostalgic, but without being over the top.

I can heartily recommend this picture to any who appreciate epic tragic dramas. It’s in a class all it’s own.

And speaking of a class, I have a masterclass ‘in a class all it’s own’ coming your way in Jan., ’07. I’ll be sending you some details real soon. In the meantime, build yourself a playing foundation second to none.
You never know what musical adventure awaits ‘round the next page turn.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Anybody see ‘Cars’? The ‘one man band’ movie-short shown before the film had some fiddling of an entirely different sort…the ‘Gypsy Airs’ sort. Had some real fun with those.

Know Your Fingerboard, By Feel

Many years ago a well-known violinist was walking the streets of a major European city. As he passed a small but elegant hotel he heard the familiar sounds of the Tchaikovsky Concerto coming from the second floor suite.

The strange thing was, although it was being played exquisitely, it was all sounding one half step low. By listening for open strings the man determined that the violin itself was tuned down. His curiosity getting the better of him, he went into the hotel and asked who was occupying the 2nd floor suite.

It was Nathan Milstein.

When I heard of this story, sometime during the period I was seeing him regularly, it made immediate sense to me. ‘He’s forcing himself to play by feel,’ I thought.

Now, if you think this is an easy feat, try playing some highly chromatic music that takes you into position, with your instrument tuned down. Unless you really don’t have an ear, and have been playing by feel all this time, I bet you are going to find yourself pulling your hand sharp for quite a while until your ear ‘detunes’.

It takes discipline AND a good amount of mental exertion to keep yourself on pitch. The mind-expanding benefit, however, is that when the pressure is on, as at performance time, your left hand will be locked on the notes like a laser guided missile.

For a great left hand workout play through Kreutzer 2,3,5, 8, and 10, with the violin tuned down. Remember, the notes must remain in tune relative to your open strings.

It’s like in the movie ‘Star Wars’. Yoda says, ‘Master your feelings, Luke.”

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. If you’ve been working with my practice methods you should be way ahead of the game in achieving this. If you haven’t, I suggest you get started right now.

Kreutzer, Paganini, and Bach

Some months ago, before beginning my ‘Kreutzer project’ I worked out pretty exclusively on Paganini and Bach. And I mean Worked Out. I had a set of 12 Caprices I played daily along with the Bach Chaconne and other movements from the various Sonatas.

Once I got started on the Kreutzer project I added the first 12 of those to the mix. I was in pretty good playing shape.

For the last 2 months, however, I have dropped Paganini completely and have focused almost exclusively on Kreutzer.

The whole book.

Last night, after warming up, I decided to see what effect this has had on my Paganini chops. What I found was very interesting.

I found that my left hand was stronger and more ‘set’ than before. In the 5th caprice I more easily thought in ‘blocks’ of notes. In the 24th all the double and triple stops lay effortlessly under my hand. My intonation was more pure and consistent.

I couldn’t have been more pleased.

You see, Kreutzer builds you up. It is specific and rigorous in it’s way, but not overly stressful to the two hands. It will find every weak area and technical challenge to your playing and gently strengthen it.

But you must have patience, insight and passion for the process to work it’s magic. Slovenly playing, carelessness, lack of attention to detail, or incomplete understanding (vision) will severely compromise your results.

In short, you must reach for perfection. To achieve it you must be relaxed, efficient, and clear. You are flow, and flow is bliss. This is truly what my practice methods are designed to develop and support.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Breath, Count, Visualize. They work.

Put ‘Hunting-Lion’ Focus In Your Practice

We’ve all seen and been held, riveted, by footage of big cats on the hunt. The focus and concentration of those magnificent animals is truly awesome at such times.

Truth is, lions have such concentration because their very survival depends on it, plain and simple. Natural selection has done its work to perfection. Only those animals able to hold their hunger in check, who wait and watch for just the right moment to spring forward, will be graced with the ultimate reward, survival.

It is difficult to imagine human beings having that level of ferocious concentration. OK, maybe in life threatening situations, but violin practice sessions, no way.

Let me tell you something. There is a way.

The lion is motivated to that level of focus through physical imperative. Humans can achieve it through the exercise of will and imagination.

To bring ‘hunting-lion’ focus to your practice you must first create tremendous hunger for results. You must convince yourself that this hunger will not be satiated until the goal you have set is achieved.

Once you fully understand that failure is not an option, that success is the only outcome, you are ready to do some serious work.

Now, you gather facts into your mind like the hungry lion gathers scent on the wind. The goal is held firm in your mind’s eye the way the lion’s gaze is locked on his prey. Now…PLAY IT!

That’s the process. Not every individual hunt is successful for a given lion. The lion does not give up. He takes what he is capable of learning from the failure to the next attempt, again, and again until he brings down a meal.

You must do the same.

When you have done what your best guess tells you is sufficient slow preparation, you make a passionate, focused attempt to do a given passage, technique, or whatever, at tempo. If you fail in that attempt, you increase your concentration while playing slowly, at all times looking for the missing ingredient that will mean success at tempo.

Some of you would be amazed to know how much ground I have to cover to get successful results, at times. I have some physical challenges that some would deem insurmountable. But I am here to tell you that there has been, and always will be, a way through them.

That is the importance of playing the violin to me. I hope it is for you, too.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. I used to think that Vince Lombardi was ‘unevolved’ for saying; ‘Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.’ Now I know better.

It’s A Trilling Experience

In ‘early music’ days – pre-baroque – trills were referred to as ‘shakes.’ I find it somewhat ironic, actually, because as a student I was always cautioned against shaking my left hand when trilling.

There is a good reason for this.

The problem with shaking your hand – in effect using vibrato – to produce a trill is that the trill tends to sound wobbly and unsettling. You know, time to take out the Pepto-bismo.

Kreutzer was obviously hip to this. He was also hip to the challenge that many fiddlers have producing clear, facile trills. Trills are made possible by ‘fast twitch’ muscle.

Problem is, we’re not all gifted with the same amount of the stuff.

Some people have too much, actually. I heard one player at the Milstein class whose trills closely resembled an electric doorbell. Imagine the effect of such a device in a Mozart slow movement. You’ve just settled back to enjoy a beautiful aria when BRRRRING…who’s there?

I make fun of that overly endowed person only because I myself suffer from the opposite affliction. You could call it ‘laconic trill syndrome’.

In any case, Kreutzer has provided us with some wonderfully crafted studies to address all levels of ‘fast twitch’ endowment. These 8 caprices, and 2 others dedicated to legato string crossing, will make up vol. II of my Kreutzer quartet.

As I review these studies I am amazed at Kreutzer’s attention to detail. Each etude covers a very specific way of approaching and executing a trill. Some are intended to be measured, some unmeasured.

The finger movements required are delicate, graceful, fleet, and subtle. You can see the experience as an opportunity to connect with your ‘butterfly nature’; quite a cool thing, really.

OK, that’s my tease for Vol. II. Now get back to work mastering ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1”. I don’t want any excuses for not being ready for the next installment, when it comes out.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Sir Thomas Beecham once remarked; ‘Great music contains, at once, the maximum of virility and the ultimate in sensitivity.’ It is remarkable that even the smallest movements of a finger can embody both these qualities.

Shift, Don’t Schlep

Those of you working with my course will perhaps know by now that a shift is a decisive move, made with the arm, from one position to another.

That being said, it is possible to be highly expressive with the movement. Obviously it is in slow tempos that a portamento – expressive slide – becomes attractive.

Now, there are portamenti and there are schleps.

The schlep is a lazy, unconscious movement that can either sound like the music is suddenly being played backwards or like an ‘unsightly bulge’ that mars the flow of the music.

Here is what you should be aware of while making a portamento slide.

Keep the bow speed constant. This is the biggest contributor to the ‘unsightly bulge’ schlep. There is a natural tendency for the right hand to mirror the left. When you make a quick move with your left hand the bow will want to speed up. Don’t make that mistake. All it takes is your awareness.

Next, keep the shape of your left hand left hand stable during the portamento. Many people start reaching with the finger they are shifting to before the shift. Not a good idea.

Also, the wrist should not flex either. The hand and forearm are one unit. If the shift will take you up into a high position then the wrist will flex during the portamento only to the extent necessary to accommodate the shape of the violin.

Portamenti can be made with any number of finger combinations. I can’t go into the permutations here, however, but I can say that all good expressive slides, whatever the fingering, display the same basic mechanics.

The last factor to consider is timing. The length of the portamento must fit the flow of the music and the effect you want to convey to the listener. Obviously this must be worked out on a case by case basis; but one should have some reason, however intuitive and personal, for the portamento. The shift speed should purposefully convey the meaning to the listener. In other words, feel, and infuse your shift with that feeling.

”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” deals with ‘clean’ shifts. It is a good idea to master those before exploring expressive shifts.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. To really hear the beauty of expressive shifts one must, of course, listen to Kreisler. But don’t neglect the other masters of the 20th century, like Milstein, Shumsky, Grumeaux, Heifetz, Thibaut…the list goes on.

The Hidden Power Of Sound

Today’s newsletter is going to be a little bit different. Usually I write about matters specifically related to the violin. Today I would like to draw your attention to the broader subject of how our bodies and minds are affected by the sounds in our environment.

Most of us just accept and try to tune out unpleasant sounds. Fact is, perhaps we should be doing more than that.

Science has shown that certain ‘negatively charged’ sound can undermine our immune system, create feelings of stress and anxiety, and adversely affect mental function.

The kicker is, this is true of music as well.

There are several studies, for instance, which have measured the physical performance of athletes while listening to hard rock on the one hand, and mellow classical music on the other.

Guess what music produced the most productive workouts? Yep, listening to classical music lowered heart rates and allowed athletes to train longer and more effectively.

Now, I could go on for quite a while on this subject, but there is someone who can do it a great deal better. I think you should pop over to her site and take a look at what she has to say. You won’t be disappointed.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Once you have all the facts concerning the hidden power of music, you will want to redouble your commitment to the positive effects of your violin playing. ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” will give you the tools you need to accomplish just that.

Don’t Be Cute With Your Mute

Got a note from one of my online friends regarding ‘mute’ practice.

He writes;
‘I love (and sometimes have to) practice with a mute. I find that when I switch back to playing without a mute my ear and bow pressure have to go through some adjustments. Do you find that you go through the same process? Sometimes I have to quit altogether for a while before continuing with my practice.’

I guess the short answer to the question posed is both yes and no.

Yes, my ear does go through an adjustment when I take the mute off, but no, I do not make any adjustments in bow pressure as a result.

At one time I may have, but then my use of the mute changed. I began using it purposely before concerts to counteract the intimidating contrast between room acoustics and hall acoustics. Back then I found myself inclined to ‘force’ when I first got on stage in an attempt to compensate for the disparity in sound levels.

Since this was an unnatural reaction to a change in acoustics, I often found myself going over the top and losing some control.

Now I am much more conscious of the physical sensations I have when I play. Those are what I rely on. I really don’t pay attention to acoustics any longer. Well, that’s not entirely true. I do play off of the acoustics in performance for musical effect, just not in terms of adjustments to my volume of sound. In other words, I ‘stay within myself.’

There is one other point to be made about ‘mute practice’, however. When you practice at home with the practice mute on, make a point of playing ‘big’ music.

This is the time to push the limits of your sound.

Now, when you take the mute off let your ear adjust but use the same vigor in addressing the violin.

‘A little bit of scratch can be a good thing,’ Milstein said to me.

Of course, there are limits. But his point is worth taking, particularly if you are getting ready for a performance. A certain amount of ‘scratch’ never makes it to the first row of seats. It is all a matter of control, really.

So, to explore the extremes of dynamic in the controlled space of your practice room, use the practice mute to work on your fortissimo production and your ‘senza’ practice to challenge your pianissimo range. Remember, quality and passion in both.

One final thing. To deliver the maximum energy to the string you must be relaxed and efficient. ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” is your vehicle to get there.


All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Be careful with heavy practice mutes. They can loosen themselves while you play and spontaneously jump off the bridge… most annoying.

Beauty ‘On The Threshold Of Sound’

It was a phrase Dan Lewis used often when he wanted members of the USC Symphony to play really quietly. And when he spoke it was in a stage whisper, barely audible but incredibly intelligible.

Those days were quite a few moons ago for me, but the phrase has remained in my memory as unforgettably as the first time I heard Nathan Milstein draw a bow across his fiddle.

Speaking of Milstein, he loved to play quietly. One day I showed up to play for him and I walked in to find his practice mute on. Naturally I asked why he needed it in the middle of the day.

He answered by putting his fiddle up and playing the Grave movement of the Bach A minor solo sonata. It was as if I were hearing it, clearly and distinctly, but from a great distance. It was absolutely magical.

But don’t just rely on a mute to play quietly.

To stretch my expressive control I will play Bach fugues pianissimo or, say, the Paganini Caprice in G minor, #16. The challenge is to impart all the passion, intensity, and drive while you remain ‘on the threshold of sound.’

Kreutzer #11 is a wonderful etude to cultivate this ability, especially as it also requires you to make quick clean shifts up and down the violin.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

The 'Knee-Jerk' Repetition

Is this something you do? You’re playing along, and then, oops, a mistake. Immediately you jump back to a point just before the breakdown and come at it again. Darn, same mistake. You do it again. And again…

Sound familiar? Most of us have been there.

The knee-jerk reflex to immediately repeat a passage in the hope that it will somehow be right the next time is often an expression of denial rather than an acknowledgement of truth.

I have witnessed this reaction on countless occasions. The good news is, there is a better way.

Next time, stop. Come to a complete stop. Relax. Breathe. Now recall your thinking just before the breakdown.

Were you mentally engaged? Were you breathing, imaging, and counting? Chances are that you were playing beyond your ability to think. Once you can get your mind around the passage you stand a chance of directing you hands effectively.

Those of you now working seriously with my Kreutzer course will be acquiring just such skills to deal creatively and effectively with technical challenges.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. I always have a glass of water close by when I practice – ok, sometimes it’s a little organic cabernet. Point is, taking a little nip gives me the time to relax and activate my grey cells. Come let ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” switch your grey cells on ‘big time’.

Mr. Kreutzer, Mr. Milstein, and Mr. Kreisler

Let me start by thanking those that have taking time to write in with feedback and thoughts lately. They are appreciated.

Yesterday I got a note from a new subscriber by the name of Vuc. Welcome aboard, my friend. He wrote; ‘Since you knew Milstein, could you tell me if Kreutzer was part of his daily routine. Fritz Kreisler was famous for never bothering with doing etudes.’

OK, that is an easy one. No, Milstein did not use Kreutzer as part of a daily routine. His practice mainly consisted of running through repertoire, and composing and revising cadenzas and transcriptions.

Milstein also told me that as a youth he spent a great deal of time playing piano music on the violin.

The fact is, however, that I wouldn’t advise this for most violinists.

Few of us have the time and patience it would require to become proficient at such a skill. Milstein grew up in Odessa at a time when, he said, ‘there was nothing else to do but practice.’

Kreisler, by the way, studied at the Paris Conservatory as a youth. Now, being that Rudolphe Kreutzer was a founding professor of that institution back at the end of the 18th century, you can bet that Fritz was given a good dose of him as a student.

In his mature years Kreisler did remark, ‘I have hypnotized myself into the belief that I no longer need to practice…and I don’t.’

Well, I can only say that when he made that remark his recordings will show that he was not quite the violinist of his ‘reputation building’ days. You can bet he practiced plenty then.

Be that as it may, Kreutzer remains, in my opinion, your best way to build and maintain a first class technique on the violin.

What you get in ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” are powerful tools for accelerating the learning process. It also shows you how to trim all the fat – extraneous motion – away so you become an extremely efficient violinist.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. Just a reminder. My course is for mature, serious players who want to improve their violin technique and ability to absorb music quickly. It is for amateurs and professionals alike.

Send Mediocrity Packing

Recently I was sent an old film clip of none other than Jasha Heifetz doing an outrageous imitation of a mediocre violinist. Surrounding Heifetz, while he gave this little performance, was a small class of elite players, they were all shaking with laughter.

What made it funny, and also kind of sad, for me was it’s close resemblance to truth.

There are far too many players out there that play music far beyond their capabilities. They’ve fooled themselves into thinking they are really doing something special on the violin, when they are really only making ‘bapapa’ – my daughter’s word for a certain bathroom product.

In short they are doing there own kind of unfunny, hollow imitation.

Let me qualify what I just said a little bit. It is not necessarily that the music is too difficult. Sometimes it is simply that they are not playing a given piece in a way that they can play it.

It reminds me of something Nathan Milstein once said to me – something that I think of and quote often. ‘It is not what you play, but how you play it, that counts.’

What he meant by that statement harkens back to Mozart’s quote, ‘Anything can be ventured in music provided it is beautiful and inherently musical.’

Effective violin playing is a plastic art. Though you can borrow from other players, you must remember that each of us is unique. You will loose your authenticity and, chances are, your technical effectiveness by blind imitation that makes no allowance for your unique abilities and limitations.

To really become a truly effective violinist/artist you must ‘get in touch’ with and be honest about your own strengths and weaknesses.

You get in touch by being fully present while you practice. As many of you know by now, my counting method, which you will find in ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1”, will greatly assist you in getting and staying present. Actually it will do much more than that.

Nobody but you, yourself, can keep you honest.

It is your passion for truth – a.k.a. humility – that will accomplish that.

Once you are in the moment, and honest with yourself, you can begin the quest for a way of playing that is ‘beautiful, and inherently musical’.

If you truly desire reaching your ultimate potential on the violin, and I genuinely hope you do, then I strongly suggest you not only digest every thought, idea, movement, and sound on my Kreutzer course, but that you also attend my three day Masterclass/Seminar over Martin Luther King weekend in January at the breathtakingly beautiful Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC.

It may be the most inspiring weekend of your musical life. And how ironic that, given our primary, though not exclusive, focus will be Kreutzer.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. "Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

You Want More Practice Time, But...

Today I spent a good amount of time in two airports, as my wife, four your old daughter and I made our way back from a very stimulating set of meetings in Tampa, Florida.

In the airports we were bombarded with CNN’s coverage of the latest Middle East blowup. I mean, it’s like some sort of grizzly reality TV show or something.

We turned the tele off a couple years ago in our house, and we haven’t once regretted it. If I were in a position to really effect change in the Middle East, or anywhere else, I would be only too happy to lend a hand. But I’m not, and I suspect all of you reading this aren’t either.

I’m sure you all see where I’m going here but let me go one step further and really get a few of you steamed at me. What we are seeing on CNN, CBS, and all the rest is often not even the real news in the world.

Just to prove it to you let me ask you a question. Can you name the country in Africa in which four million have perished in recent years due to armed conflict?

If you don’t know it might just be because the major networks have devoted something like 12 minutes reporting on it this year. And, no, I won’t tell you, either.

Now back to my real point. If you made a gift to your violin practice of all the time you currently spend reading and watching ‘news’ which has no present and immediate bearing on your life – and I’m talking about Hollywood gossip, serial murderers, corporate criminals, gas price hysteria, sudokas (I know they are not news, but they are a big time waster, nonetheless), and all the rest – how much time would it be.

Your violin practice, whether you are a professional or not, is an opportunity to cultivate and reverence that which is sublime.

I think your life, and those close to you would be greatly enhanced by some additional time spent in such pursuit, don’t you?

I know Mozart would.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop


P.S. Nike at least has this much right when they say, ’just do it’.

‘It Just Flows To Go You'

A couple of days ago I wrote that great fundamentals were ‘inherently musical.’ Well, I’ve been a thinkin’ further about ‘musical’ fundamentals, specifically about how they trigger the release of ‘feel good’ neuro-transmitters, in you, and your listeners.

Take drawing a clear, effortless tone on the violin. To do so, you yourself must be relaxed and free of tension. Your muscles must move in a focused and coherent manner.

They must embody ‘flow.’

When ‘flow’ registers in the conscious mind, ‘feel good’ neuro-transmitters are released.

Take a moment and picture yourself watching a violinist drawing such effortless strokes; just a moving picture, no sound. Focus on his or her hand moving through space, the forearm and upper arm just accommodating the hand movement, smooth and easy.

Are you feeling the effect of those neuro-transmitters? That is because your mind does not know the difference between what you’re conjuring in your imagination and the real stimulus of seeing a live person doing the same action.

In other words, if you were experiencing a pleasurable feeling during that simple bit of guided imagery – I hope you were – then it demonstrates that someone observing you play in this manner would likely experience the same feelings of pleasure.

I find that very cool.

And this was just the visual. Combine the visual with a pure, perfectly tuned tone and you are talking not just pleasure but transporting pleasure. The kind that gives chills and, in my opinion, confirms the meaningfulness of our life on this planet.

The moral of the story is; the more relaxed and fluid your playing is, the greater the pleasure you and your audience experience. ”Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1” will optimize your ‘flow’ in record time.

I think Mozart would approve.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. I know I’m preachin’ to the choir here. But what other activity can bring more joy into this world than beautiful to watch, beautiful to listen to playing on a violin.

How ‘Tartini Tones’ Can Sharpen Your Intonation

It is a footnote in music history now, but Giuseppe Tartini earned himself some lasting fame in part due to his conscious use of an acoustical phenomenon.

When you play 3rds and 6ths on the violin, especially on the A and E string where the effect is most audible, you will hear, if you listen carefully, a third note well below the two you are sounding.

Now, though Tartini was fortunate enough to get his name associated with the effect in some music history books, he certainly was not the first to be aware of the phenomenon of combination tones, also referred to as resultant tones.

My reason for bringing them up to you now, however, is not to talk musical trivia. I rely on them daily to keep my left hand ‘fine-tuned.’

Resultant tones, by the by, are not just produced from 3rds and 6ths. They exist when any two notes are sounded simultaneously. If you want some good reading on the subject, try to find a book entitled ‘The Science of Music’, by Sir James Jeans. I believe Dover publishes it.

Let’s cut to the quick and talk about how you can use them.

Play some 3rds and 6ths on the A and E strings. Listen for a ‘buzz’ well below the two notes. Once you hear it you have your ‘Tartini tone.’

That pitch should be absolutely consonant with your double stop. Move one of your fingers slowly to adjust the resultant tone until a beautiful triad in formed.

Now the two notes played notes are in tune relative to each other. Obviously this does not tell you anything about the pitch of the double stop relative to notes before or after it.

What this exercise should demonstrate to you is the ‘feel’ of major and minor 3rds and 6ths in different locations on the fingerboard. It will ‘set your hand.’

Once you are in the habit of listening for and tuning resultant tones your intonation will rise to another level. I guarantee it.

Incidentally, Kreutzer for Violin Mastery, Vol. 1 does not address double stopping, they will be covered extensively in Vol. 4.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

Mozart Said, ‘Anything Can Be…’

Mozart said, ‘Anything can be ventured in music, provided it is beautiful, and inherently musical.’

I love that quote. It says a lot and yet leaves much to the imagination.

Today, when it spontaneously sprang to mind, it was in the presence of other thoughts that were flowing through my mind. I was thinking about violin fundamentals. You know, drawing a straight, effortless bow; maintaining a well-formed left hand; moving cleanly around the violin; producing clear, beautifully tuned sounds.

In short, I was practicing…you guessed it, Kreutzer.

Now, usually I regard extraneous thoughts as imposters when I am playing and summarily dismiss them. I hope you do the same. Idle thoughts and daydreaming will poison your ability to improve faster than anything I can think of.

But today I myself made an exception, and I tucked Mozart’s remark in the back of my mind to share with you.

You see, I regard having pure fundamentals as ‘inherent’ to being musical, for a violinist. And this is what Kreutzer for Violin Mastery is about. The preparatory exercise in the course prepares the mind/body the way a plow prepares soil for seeds. It opens the mind, aerates it with fresh oxygen, ect.. Then, you are ready to cultivate great fundamentals as you would veggies in a well-prepared garden, reliably, easily, and efficiently.

Speaking of gardens, we have been enjoying the fruit of ours lately. The cucumbers are as crisp and invigorating as my Martelé stroke in Kreutzer #7. Now, you can’t buy my cucumbers, but you can buy my secrets to a great Martelé.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

A Dramamine...Please

Recently, a violinist came to play for me, and I almost had to leave the room due to motion sickness.

Now, before I go further, let me just say that what I am going to describe is more common in players today than white tails on a rabbit farm. Well, that might be a slight exaggeration, but its no exaggeration to say that this unfortunate mannerism has reached epidemic proportions.

The most prominent symptom is what I can best describe as an unsightly bulge in the middle of each bow stroke.

The perpetrator begins each note with mouse-like timidity. Once he or she has ascertained that it is in tune a lion roars forth in full voice.

The whole drama is then repeated on the next stroke.

It’s like driving with a two-footed driver. You know, the type who is either pressing on the gas pedal or pressing on the brake. From a side view, passengers in the car sway forward and backward like those little bobbing ornaments you see mounted behind the back seats of some older cars.

Oh yes, there is another component to this sorry tale that must be told.

The ‘testing-the-waters’ phase of the stroke will usually display a conspicuous lack of left hand movement. Once the green light is given, however, and the bow surges down or up the string, the left hand looses all restraint and behaves like the guest at a party who’s had a few too many.

OK, OK, I am having a wee bit o’ fun here. But there is a serious point to be made. I see – hear, really – much playing that displays much of what I have described.

Your vigilance against this tendency must be ever present. Especially when you are feeling at all uncomfortable or nervous.

One of the best ways of beating this habit, if you find yourself so afflicted, is to practice using my counting method.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop


P.S. Given that this mannerism manifests itself more prominently in pressure situations, it is almost a given for it to be accompanied by tension. My DVD course will show you how to rid your body of unwanted tension, permanently.

Shine A Bright Light On Your Shifts

This morning I received an email from a fellow by the name of Jordan. He had a question about rapid shifting. Here’s what I had to say to him.

Jordan,
Visualization, maintaining your hand position, being 'present', and staying relaxed are key to successful shifting. When we are faced with difficult moves on the violin, we tend to avoid dealing with them on a subconscious level. Milstein used to call it 'running away'.

So, play the passage slowly but execute the shift fast, as you would do it at tempo.

Now, you have to be vigilant and honest with yourself. When you play the note before the shift, ask yourself a few questions. Can I 'see' the next note; can I 'feel' and hear it; am I relaxed and breathing?

Now, shift.

Do you avert your eyes, at the moment of your shift; are you absolutely relaxed on the note you have shifted to; is your hand position exactly as it was before the shift; did you arrive where your ‘vision’ told you to arrive; does your ‘image’ need adjustment?

I concluded by recommending that he spend some quality time with nos. 11 and 12 on my Kreutzer course.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop


P.S. Remember, a shift is an arm movement. An extension is a hand movement. Know the difference by seeing some moving pictures worth a 1,000 words.