Miriam Troxler

Should I always use the printed bowings?

Posted on September 24, 2012 by miriamtroxler

Should I always use the printed bowings? The answer may vary depending on the situation.

When playing in an orchestra it is acceptable practice to use the printed bowings. However, the printed bowings maybe superseded by the principal player of the section, the concert master, or the conductor. The norm is that all of the players are bowing the same direction at the same time. The same direction bows create visual unity as well as a more uniform sound.

If you are the only player, the answer to the bowing question is a lot more relaxed. The purpose is to express the music in the best way. So the printed bowing becomes a guide. For example, if you are performing with a choir, and are asked to play more loudly or softly, changing the bowings is an efficient way to produce the sound that has been requested.

Sometimes you may be asked to play from a piano part. The phrase marks in piano music do not always work well as string bowings. Judgement is required to rebow the music to execute the phrase.

Other times you may be handed music that has no bowings at all. Once again experience is needed to determine the best course of action.

So as a general rule, when playing in a group, bow like the group. When playing alone, bow to make music.

Posted in question corner, questions, teaching | Tagged bass, bowings, cello, viola, violin | Leave a comment

How do you know where to put your fingers?

Posted on September 16, 2012 by miriamtroxler

“The cello has no frets! How do you know where to put your fingers?”

Finger placement uses multiple senses. Primarily I use my ears to place my hands on the fingerboard. However there is a kinesthetic aspect to playing. I remember what a note feels like and what the distance between notes feels like. So I use touch to acclimate myself on different pitches. Additionally as I move closer to the bridge, I will occasionally check in with my eyes to see if the finger is in the right place. However, trying to look at my hand when it is closer to the scroll, is not helpful. It skews all the notes because the physical approach to the cello changes.

Using a combination of hearing, feeling, and seeing, and a memory reference of the note, I can know where to put my fingers. It truly is easier to do than it is to describe!

Posted in question corner, questions | Tagged cello, cello instruction, finger placement on string instrument, string music teaching | Leave a comment

Weekly Photo Challenge: Near and Far

Posted on September 12, 2012 by miriamtroxler

Posted in photography | Tagged nature photography, photography, postaday, river | 3 Comments

How Long Should I Practice?

Posted on September 9, 2012 by miriamtroxler

One of the most common questions for students and student parents. How much time should I practice? Like anything else, learning to play an instrument directly reflects the effort you put into the endeavor. So the answer to the practice question varies.

Suppose you are 3, 4, 5 years old. An ideal practice situation would be 5 to 15 minutes at a time, several times a day. The goal is musical discovery and joy. Make it easy to repeat skills and have fun. The parent will play musical games as well. You want to help your child have an appreciation for music for a lifetime. It is important to listen to music in the car or around the house.

Perhaps you are in third or fourth grade. You have started an instrument with your school music program or are taking private lessons. Ideally you would begin practicing daily for 20 minutes. Once your muscles are more developed, it will be easy to practice for 30 minutes at a time. However, if you are becoming fatigued, it is better to practice twice a day for shorter periods of time.

As you hit junior high and high school, 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes a day would be a decent amount of practice time. It would allow you to keep up with your school program. Daily practice would help you to be a competent musical hobbyist. If you wanted to become a professional musician, then look to practice 2 to 6 hours a day.

Think about it, how much time to you devote to a junior high or high school sport? Two and a half hours a day for five days a week. So thirteen hours a week before going to any games or meets. Can you imagine how much you would improve at your instrument to devote that kind of time to practice?

Practicing has seasons. Getting ready for an audition, recital, contest, or a music festival will require much more practice. In many cases, it is not the best player to take the chair, it is the most prepared. Once you play at a competent level, separations are a matter of degrees.

So as a general rule, 30 minutes a day will keep your mind and fingers limber. If you are looking for a minimum number, that is a place to start. If you are working toward excellence, the more practice the better.

No matter what, the most important part of practicing, is to begin!