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Practice 2024

I'm back!!

General Planning

  • Crystallize
    • faster, shorter bowstrokes
    • watch the bow energy because that's what this piece is written for!
    • try to memorize as much as possible
  • watch one of the DV fundamentals videos
  • 3 octave scales!
  • shifting to position 3, 4, and beyond
  • position 2
  • vibrato
  • all the things I wished I knew but now am learning
  • memorize all of petronella

2024-12-12

  • fiddle back from shop!!!
  • It still has the quality I fell in love with, but now more refined and focused whereas before it was raging uncontrollable ocean waters, now it's a wide, rushing river like the Fraser and the Columbia combined.

2024-12-07

  • midnight session with JR
  • great Waltz in F

2024-12-06

  • fiddle is at Wilder & Davis for repairs
  • re-learned rhythm of low part on Wallachia, will be performing this with Aj on piano!!

2024-12-02

  • Wallachia

  • sight read Doddie's Dream

  • Deliverance

  • Partita II Allemanda before the repeat

  • good attempt today

  • tried sightreading after the repeat

  • the fiddle is coming alive! the entire thing is vibrating! it took about 4 months for it to wake up from its slumber but I think it's finally coming in. it realllly likes Bach and Norwegian music lol.

  • also, starting to discover interviews from Ida Haendel, who is fast becoming my favourite classical violinist.

2024-11-30

  • Changed to playing during the offering, which is a bigger role in the service itself! I will focus on Deliverance because that's the best tune out of all of them!
  • no practice to day
  • thinking about covering other topics in this blog

2024-11-29

  • new set!!

  • chevreuil - deliverance - salve

  • played through Walachia and first 3 lines of Partita 2 Allemande

  • give mini-concert to see what happens

  • still love josefin's waltz

  • prayerful hymn

  • mckechie's farewell?

the chevreuil - deliverance - salve set works quite well!

need to go slower!

my heart was pounding very fast - deliverance grounds me

need to be grounded/rooted through the feet.

2024-11-25

  • wow I spent a lot of time just replaying a couple of tunes. The Eastminster set is changing to

  1. The Prayerful Hymn/Song for All Seasons or josefin's waltz,

  2. Deliverance

  3. into Salve

  4. back pocket - le rapid de l'orignal / le chevreuil

The good thing about this choice is that it's a set in D, so easier transitions.

2024-11-24

  • went through a bunch of tunes and a bunch of choices for upcoming performances for the postlude
  • also practiced Wallachia
  • d major/d minor scales
  • I think I have a good 3 tune mix:
    • le chevreuil (deer) / le rapide de l'orignal from Veronique Plasse
    • at the end of it, loop around into the tune from Phil Cunningham who is a great scottish accordian player, reinterpreted and taught by Scottish fiddle player Jenna Reid,
    • then at the question at the end of the tune is answered by ... SALVE as taught by Guro

I really want to play Deliverance for the group too, hmm maybe drop chevreuil and replace with deliverance at the end

2024-11-23

  • what a day!!

  • 30 min with JR, who is in UK time so I connected at midnight!!! brings me back to those days at CSI when I practiced after midnight

  • went to a really really special masterclass at VSO

  • heard some really great players, but the most enlightening was Bach Partita 3!!!!

  • Things I heard:

    • sounding point closer to bridge at e string to avoid screech or slips
    • freer bow arm movements, play around with bow speed
    • when the music calls for it, keeeeeep going with the vibrato! especially on shifts, if you add a bit of hand movement you can sustain the vibrato through shifts ( like in Wallachia)
    • also a ton about shaping
    • I'm just super happy about attending this masterclass

  • afterwards, I went back and pencilled in myself for a postlude at East End!!!!!!!

    • played around with some tunes, need to put together a program of some kind
    • do I use tunes I know very well, or tunes I'm learning, etc

2024-11-21

  • 1.25 hours of practice!!! (Aj birthday celebrations!)
  • went through Wallachia all parts
  • a lot of d minor scales + shifting
  • I'm getting the shifts and it's sounding pretty cool
  • went through 1st 5 or 6 bars of partita 2
  • everything is gelling I am glad it's coming together

2024-11-15

  • class time + practice time
  • some major vibes going-on on the G string. IT's so magnificent.

2024-11-08

  • it was a tough week all in
  • however, had a great practice and class today
  • re-learned most of Wallachia!
  • Got shifting working mostly
  • started a little bit of vibrato, keeping in mind finger angle!
  • also started paying attention to my thumb!
  • the fiddle really started singing on the g string in the last part of wallachia!
  • heard a new sound from the fiddle on the g string!!!
  • It feels really great to be surprised by my fiddle
  • got Allemande in my mind
  • the practice and lesson made me feel much better!

2024-11-03

  • watched Nathan's Scale video
  • practiced G major, D major, D minor scales in detache and slurred
  • FULL SPEED SALVE with GURO's VIDEO!!
  • This is the very first time I was able to keep up with a full speed playthrough video from Heart of Sierra 2020!!!!!!!!
  • It took me 4 years to get to this point and it's awesome!
  • Love it
  • Laughed a lot!
  • Want to get the double stops working on the "high" portions but that's not that important lol
  • Neri Nesset is next!!!!!!!

2024-11-01

  • DV renewed
  • learned more of walachia
  • first 3 lines of partita 2 allemande coming together, starting to sound like a tune
  • continue with continuing.
  • most amount of fun I've had on violin, but it does take a lot of effort

2024-10-29

  • just a lot of scales
  • d minor shift on the e is getting better on the way up, the downshift is still undershooting
  • together with box breathing exercise
  • also listened to cool left hand piz on the DV Practice Squad meeting
  • it is very cool
  • going for the first 3 lines of Partita II allemande in third and first position
  • first 2 lines of Walachia

2024-10-27

  • gave the HF a good tuning
  • went through the first few bars of Neri Nesset
  • first time the HF sang continuously!!! need to give it good energy!!!

2024-10-25

  • about 1 hour including class!
  • went through D minor scale, including shifting! finally getting the shifts to sound right
  • learned part A of tune Walachia
  • tried high bass tuning on GH fiddle, not as great but I think it's never been tuned that way before so i gotta go easy on it in that tuning
  • great session all in all!

2024-10-24

  • 20 min late night on the HF

  • been sick all week, but managed to rescue some time

  • a little bit of D minor scale, with 1st few notes of Bach

  • some memory exercise of various tunes

  • both in low bass and regular HF tunings, need to get HF retuned, maybe replace the lower strings? it's about time for a new set of strings to be honest.

  • promises unkept?

  • also finally started working on the Scandi Dancer's website. I'm starting to get the hang of new wordpress

2024-10-18

  • 30 min learning d minor scale and finally getting a shift that sounded just right
  • erm ... the rest of the session was not as smooth.
  • locked myself out of the practice room and had to hustle across town to get my backup keys.
  • then just decided to call it a day, slept for 3 hours.
  • I guess I needed to slow down. I've been trying to do too much.

2024-10-17

  • Joined Aja's practice session
  • talked a bit about hardanger fiddle to play bach
  • goals: getting positions figured out on both violin and hardanger
  • practiced d minor scale on fiddle
  • about 15 min on the HF

2024-10-16

  • full tune recording of petronella!
  • d minor scale review
  • go through 1st page of partita II allemanda
  • short comparison of RB fiddle to GH fiddle
    • The RB is more direct, clear, one sound, slightly louder? but that's only because the sound is more direct.
    • the GH is more even across all strings, and has greater depth of sound
    • I am able to get more types of sound from the GH
    • and I'm excited about the repretoire in the GH
    • so the GH is definitely worth it! it re-inspired me to start listening and playing again!

2024-10-15

  • learned the Watch Stone with Louise Bichan!!!

2024-10-11

  • started a new tune!
  • going to try more vibrato!!
  • d minor scale!
  • ringing tones!
  • lots of new stuff to learn

2024-10-09

  • 25 min on HF
  • did the first bar of partita II allemande on "low bass" tuning on the HF
  • 3rd position on G feels quite different, but it rings
  • I need to get the fiddle singing some more
  • it sang a little bit, but slept soon after
  • there's some potential there, but I have to be finer with my fingering
  • 10 min just trying to remember MD's beginner tune from 2021
  • all in all a good practice on the HF - I have to play it more often, at least more than once a month!

2024-10-08

  • attended DV first practice meeting
  • we listened to a multi-instrumentalist version of the Allemande
  • today is the first day where I really got the idea that the music must be interpreted by me, the musician
  • there's so much individuality in each person's playing
  • there is no wrong answer
  • in practice, I picked up the hardanger and played a the first few bars of the allemand and immedietely I knew something is there
  • this is the first time the hardanger met the heinl fiddle
  • the first time that I played each for each other - the first time they heard each other
  • and both started smelling great!
  • it's a totally unique smell, the merging of fresh scandinavian forest which smells like snow, and the aged cedar and pine of the heinl
  • I played through a memory exercise of petronella with all parts
  • and started looking into hardanger arrangements of bach
  • I would have to do some of it myself
  • Max Baillie and the Lodestar trio is a place to start

2024-10-07

  • took a couple of days off due to midterm exam prep and general nervousness

  • exam turned out ok

  • took tuning to a=442

  • about 40 min of Petronella memory exercise today

  • got both halfs together!!! It sounds super awesome!

  • also did a little bit of sightreading of Bach partita II allemande

  • played the G version of Josefin's Waltz, followed by McFall's March! It sounds super amazing

  • I can start to work with dynamics and string colours and sounds!

  • this fiddle makes playing violin super fun!

  • Super responsive!

2024-10-04

  • great 90 min total at RR studio including setup and teardown
  • went through scales D major 2 octave / shifting on the e string
    • getting closer to the shifting point on this fiddle!
  • short trott exercise 1
  • reviewed petronella part a
  • learned full tune petronella parts a and b, including the repeats!
  • learned by ear rather than reading!
  • after the lesson with Ajineen finished, I reviewed the video from Guro re Neri Nesset.
  • I didn't do a tune playthrough on Neri Nesset because it needs ADAE tuning, and I think I'll keep that on the Royce Burt fiddle.

2024-10-03

  • 5 min quickie
  • memory exercise petronella
  • trott double stops, exercise 5

2024-10-02

  • took a day off and coming back with a short mini 20 min
  • memory exercise with petronella, connected A repeat with B1 and it's starting to sound better with the 2 connected
  • sightread more of Bach Partita 2 in D minor I allemande, page 1
  • Trott exercise 1, and tried a bit of 3 but it sounds weird
  • went back to Salve, to the double stops in part 3 a and the double stop is starting to get better!
  • ended with ... just a bit of something easy to cleanse the ear/pallet.
  • very short exercise day but just to keep everything fresh in the mind

2024-09-30

  • 20 min
  • OMG OMG OMG I just tried to sightread first page of Bach Partitia 2 in D minor I Allemande without knowing what it really sounds like and it's one of the most exciting things I've done this half year!
  • It doesn't sound anything like anything but the hairs on the back of my neck started standing up.
  • Bach speaks through his music even though he's been dead for centuries the music still speaks
  • the fiddle smells good and that means the fiddle agrees with bach as well.

2024-09-29

  • 25 min

  • memory excercise petronella, and connecting A and B1 - I can imagine how A and B link together, it's starting to sound good!

    • string crossings are better with the wood bow

  • Trott double stops, got 1 sounding good, 2 is always going to be rough cause I don't really like the rhythm, and sightread exercise 3

    • I'm starting to like 3
    • it will sound good next time!

  • Listening party for Bach D minor chaconne,

    • so far, I really like Hilary Hahn as a reference, but Ida Haendel's version resonates with me! I still have ray chen and Heifetz's to listen to

  • started listening to Bach violin concerto 3, g major which I didn't get at the beginning, but it's starting to become interesting.

2024-09-28

  • spent 25-30 min on petronella memory excerise with parts A and B

  • also tried linking them together

  • there is a 2 string crossing from d to e where I'm not cleanly releasing / finger is sticking making a plucking sound

  • I think I've gotten it narrowed down to one of

    • departing on an angle (to go to reach the e) and the angle causing the extra strike
    • timing of the string change and the finger leaving has to be right on - they need to be timed very very carefully otherwise the bow might give extra energy to the fingering leaving
    • still some things to work on, but I've gotten a quiet change 2 out of every 6 or 7 tries. need to get that to at least 3 out of every 4 times

  • good day all in all, focused on just one thing. I'm happy I got this exercise in today.

2024-09-27

  • first time with fiddle at RR Studio! Total time including setup and pack up is 90 min.
  • It sounds neutral, the space has good sound isolation so there isn't a lot of reflections, which makes it easier to find tuning
  • learned Petronella part 2A with Aj, learning by ear this time!
  • after class I sightread Crystallize - it sounds very rough right now but I will get there!
  • did some memory exercise of Phil Cunningham's tune for part B - I think I'm getting more of the notes, but it's still a bit jumbled how it all ties together.

next practice, try more Crystallize

  • This morning, caught the DV with Ida Kavafian - she sounds amazing and has a lot of great ideas!

2024-09-26

  • 30 min practice
  • D major 2 octave shifting on the E, trying to get the shifts to the right place, still a bit of a struggle, but much better than before
  • memory exercise of petronella, 2 ways
  • speed exercise of petronella, can just hold on!!!
  • Louise Bichan's Arnie's Part 1!
  • Trott Double stop exercise 1 getting the unison
  • read the dots for Phil Cunningham's global session 2 tune as taught by Jenna Reid, I'm starting to add in the double stops since that's my goal this term!!
  • I need double stops for the HF as well, so I need to get as good at them as possible!
  • DOUBLE STOPS EVERYWHERE!
  • The fiddle is making me a better player! It's an incredible instrument
  • nice and tight 30 min.

2024-09-25

  • short 20 min practice
  • D major scale, 2 octave shifting on the E
  • Trott's Double Stops exercise 1, got it smoothed and with the 4th finger unison
  • went to some memory exercise of petronella
  • and then to single finger 1 octave scale on each GDAE string, shifting with 1st finger from 1,2,3,4 position
  • got that sounding not terrible, but I tend to go too low when shifting back
  • then started with 2 finger scale, 1,2, shift, 1,2 shift, 1,2 for 1.5 octave scales on each string
  • then ended with a memory exercise of mcfall's march
  • that was a good "getting to know you" exercise. the fiddle is still a bit new to me so I am not compeletely set on the 3rd position and 2nd position shifts, but it's getting there!

2024-09-24

As my friend Mike Conley says, "No plan survives breakfast!"

  • had a great breakfast meet with Dees, Jeff, Gary, and Martin from the Mozilla Vancouver meetup!

  • came home and started working on the HF

  • Went through some scales

  • Started working on Brurevals fra Agder etter Johanne Flottorp as taught by Mira Dickey, starting with just the melody.

    • I've been shortening the melody of part B of this tune, missing one turn that was about 2 bars or so of music
    • so I spend about 15 min just getting the melody right, and also watched the teaching video for bowing
    • the fiddle sang for 1 or 2 notes!! I'm excited because it was a rare thing just to get even 1
    • this means the fiddle is waking up, and my technique is getting to a place where I can start the deeper work

  • at the end of it I made an attempt to play Buckcreek girls on the HF which is a really different feel from standard fiddle, but if I changed it a bit (instead of following the tune exactly) I feel I can make that tune say something else

all in all, a great 45 min spent after a great breakfast (had a croissant and a banana cream pie french toast) Thanks to Dee!

  • Part 2 - fiddle around 30 min
  • long bows from jenna's practice
  • watched a bit of Nate's 3rds double stops
  • started thinking about what exactly thirds are? lol!!
  • Played Trott's double stop exercise 1
  • followed Leah Roseman's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w79yAJMMYNE
  • got pretty close, there's a 4th finger unison that's my weak point but I can work on that
  • finished with memory exercise of petronella.
  • good short easy practice, with some thinking

2024-09-23

  • spent about 30 min tuning the HF

  • played through 2 HF tunes

  • the HF only sang a little bit but he's starting to wake up after a long slumber

  • what is true balance?

  • true balance is only achieved when the soul is rested

  • evening session 50 min on the violin

  • D major scale 2 octave, getting used to the shift on this fiddle

  • memory exercise for Petronella 2 ways, trying to speed up, slow down, put stresses on different parts of the phrase

  • went back through memory bank of the Jenna Reid sessions

    • D minor natural scale (1 flat - b flat), tried for 2 octave on the e string
    • Catch and Kiss the Romp D minor
    • Bell Maire's what a beautiful tune D minor
    • also went through Liz Carroll's tune but it's a bit too technical for me for now

  • Listened to Jenna's Practice session 2 - right arm/left arm position

  • able to play 30 second open string on each string!!!!

  • I want to make a goal to get to 60s by end of year!

2024-09-22

  • re-upped for DV!
  • I feel like I've gotted enough out of it these last 4 days to be worth it.
  • played some of the music from Scheherazade
  • did some single finger shifting exercises
  • a little bit of petronella memory exercise
  • got lots of ideas!

2024-09-20

  • today was full of ups and downs
  • I forgot my pencil case and calculator, so had to go through 2 quizzes without pencil or calculator - I made by with loaning someone else's calculator
  • I also forgot my keys at home so couldn't get into the studio for my class, and had to cancel
  • Then came the ups
  • Nathan Cole's Scheherazade playthrough was sublime, especially the double stops - I want to learn double stops like that
  • also went home and practiced quite a bit. First time playing around 1hr on the fiddle and it was agreeable to my playing
  • It also smells very good!
  • Petronella 2 ways, selections from scheherazade, sunrise raga, orignal, Phil Cunningham's global session tune as taught by Jenna Reid.
  • all in all a great day - I made real progress with the fiddle and it seems to accept me!

2024-09-17

  • getting into a groove of practicing
  • cleared out Tuesdays and Fridays for practice and lessons
  • Petronella 2 flavours, Ajineens and Lissa's, my goal is to tie the two together in rhythm and notes. Ajineen's is a better run, but Lissa's is a better rhythm
  • the fiddle smells really good. Whenever I play it right, it will have a great smell

2024-09-11

  • the fiddle might be waking up, but I'm still half asleep!
  • about 30 min noodling around, joining in with Kiana's fiddle club, but didn't stay because I hadn't learned the parts they were practicing/playing
  • just need some faith and a little bit every day
  • making an appointment with myself tomorrow, just need 15-20 min every day!

2024-09-04

  • fiddle is waking up!!!
  • fiddle club today with Kiana
    • learn by ear
    • bowing pattern
    • scales
    • jamming
    • learn some great tune
    • d minor 1 octave scale (natural)
    • Tamlin / Glasgow reel
    • had a 1/1 with Kiana after group class
    • work on rhythm
    • this could work!!

2024-09-01

  • let's do some planning

  • scales 2 octave g, d, a, b minor

  • go over margaret ann robertson

  • go over jenna reid's phil cunningham tune, start putting in double stops

  • tune hardanger

  • restart hardanger tune

  • this didn't end up happening :D

2024-08-31

  • today is the first day that the fiddle really opened up, felt good to play for about 35-40 min
  • little by little, the fiddle is waking up
  • my future is tied with this fiddle

2024-08-29

  • new school term.

  • Goals:

    • buy less things on campus (bring lunch, bring coffee, bring snacks)
    • run/bike to school more often
    • drive less
    • continue with friday sessions
    • be more balanced at school, don't stress out
    • drink more water, bring water kettle to school

  • Music Goals:

    • Continue with Ajineen on Friday's
    • However, it's time to look for a teacher here.
    • Do I want more technique or more tunes? I do want more theory, but no more RCM.
    • look for a hardanger fiddle teacher? in Seattle?
    • Classical tunes
    • learn the 2nd halves of tunes: Ewe with the crooked horn, all of the HFAA beginner tunes, Guro's tunes, Phil Cunningham's tune taught by Jenna.
    • Commit to following Jenna's practice guide
    • The mantra for this term is commit.

2024-08-28

  • Something major happened this August
  • Starting to do smaller, shorter practices. Some as short as 10 min.
  • mainly to mirror the easy run style, an "easy play" where it's just about getting used to playing.
  • I did not go to London afterall :D

2024-03-04

  • Should I go to London?
  • new-to-me-music: Sonata No 3 in C-Major by Bach - Allegro Assai
  • learning Mitton's Breakdown into Frenchy's Reel
  • if I could only succeed what would I do?

2024-01-10

probably the most important day of the new year so far.

Daily Virtuoso practic squad meeting. met everyone and got a first taste of what's to come.

I started watching Finding You on netflix, and in the middle of it, when the irish fiddler starts, I paused and went on to a very awesome practice

Jenna's McFall's March
Jenna's Global Session Scottish tune
Vero's Le Chevreuil
Alasdair and Natalie's Josefin's Waltz
Then into a short Mitton's breakdown practice
Then into Salve
Then into the Catch and Kiss the Romp set.

That's a grand practice and I'm so in love with this sound.

2024-01-09

class! new tune! Mitton's Breakdown in B flat major!

2024-01-03

First playthrough of Lindsey Stirling's Crystallize! A lot of arpeggios and lots of intricate rhythm work. She's really coming from a different tradition altogether and I have to work at it to make it sound right! More adventures!

2024-01-02

Schadieck Book 1, exercises 1 - 4, 1 note per bow.

My favourites are 3 and 4.
3 has the amazing semitone run, and 4 is just sublime. It can be a tune on its own!

I am suprised at how far I'm able to take this exercise, and my 4th finger gets better with each note.

Really excited about the upcoming workshops.

2024-01-01

New Year's day and a great practice!

I'm going to be keeping shorter notes, and a lot of private practice notes so while there will still be entries here, I'm going to be doing more backend heavy lifting when it comes to my practice this year. Excited for the new year!