About once a year you need to take your instrument in for regular maintenance. But what can you do, every day, at home?
1) Practice smart, safe instrument handling. This is especially important for young children. Parents, don't let your 6 year old son swing his instrument around; regularly remind him he's supposed to be in rest position if he's not playing.
2) Do you have pets? Don't leave them unsupervised with your instrument! While your cat may enjoy the feel of your instrument under her claws, I can guarantee you your instrument doesn't! If in doubt, take the extra moment and pack your instrument up.
3) When you're done playing: make sure you wipe the rosin off your instrument. Rosin isn't good for your varnish, so make sure you wipe it off. You can use any clean, dry terry cloth.
4) If you're playing outside, don't let your instrument get wet. Water also isn't good for your instrument.
5) While it may be pretty afterward, resist the temptation to polish your instrument. Many polishes are less than stellar quality, and a poor polish job can cause more harm than good. This is something best left to your luthier.
6) As soon as your teacher teaches you how to, practice tuning your instrument every day, making sure to follow your teacher's directions. Keeping your instrument in tune not only makes it easier to play well, it also keeps your instrument happier.
7) Ask your teacher to show you how to regularly check for cracks and open seams. While fixing them requires a luthier, anyone can find them, and fixing them sooner is often cheaper and easier, as well as less stressful on the instrument, then fixing them later.
Remember, prevention is always cheaper than a trip to your luthier for a major problem! So keep your eye on your instrument, and you'll both be happier for it.
Happy Playing!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Bow Care
In addition to your regular maintenance you need to take your instrument into a luthier (string repair person) to have done, there's certain things you should be doing every day. This first post is about your bow; next, we'll look at your instrument.
1) When you first get your bow out, but before you tighten it, take a moment to examine it. Look down the stick to check for warping, and carefully examine the head and stick for cracks. Hairline cracks can develop in a bow, especially if it's dropped, and then cause the bow to snap at inopportune times. Repairs are also easier and cheaper if the damage is caught early.
2) When you tighten your bow for playing, don't over-tighten it. The stick of your bow should NEVER be straight. If it is, it is too tight, for any kind of playing. Be nice to your bow and play with it looser than you think you should. Then, when you're playing, if your stick touches your strings, you know you need to tighten it a bit more.
3) When you're done playing, but before you loosen it, wipe the rosin off the stick. Rosin isn't good for varnish, and there's varnish on the wood part of our bows. So occasionally wipe the rosin off, and your bow will stay in better condition longer.
4) Loosen your bow after EVERY time you play. Do you know why? If you don't, your stick will start to warp, or the wood will bend in a bad way. You should never loosen it so much that the screw comes out, but the hair should be able to touch the stick. Keeping your bow tight will also cause your hair to stretch faster, which means it'll need a rehair sooner.
Keeping your bow tight all the time can also increase the chances of your bow breaking or otherwise being damaged while in the case. Your bow is under a lot of tension when tight, and even in your case, if your case gets knocked about, your bow could be damaged. Loosening your bow after playing helps minimize these risks.
Getting in the habit of just a few daily routines can help save you hundreds in repairs later.
Happy Playing!
1) When you first get your bow out, but before you tighten it, take a moment to examine it. Look down the stick to check for warping, and carefully examine the head and stick for cracks. Hairline cracks can develop in a bow, especially if it's dropped, and then cause the bow to snap at inopportune times. Repairs are also easier and cheaper if the damage is caught early.
2) When you tighten your bow for playing, don't over-tighten it. The stick of your bow should NEVER be straight. If it is, it is too tight, for any kind of playing. Be nice to your bow and play with it looser than you think you should. Then, when you're playing, if your stick touches your strings, you know you need to tighten it a bit more.
3) When you're done playing, but before you loosen it, wipe the rosin off the stick. Rosin isn't good for varnish, and there's varnish on the wood part of our bows. So occasionally wipe the rosin off, and your bow will stay in better condition longer.
4) Loosen your bow after EVERY time you play. Do you know why? If you don't, your stick will start to warp, or the wood will bend in a bad way. You should never loosen it so much that the screw comes out, but the hair should be able to touch the stick. Keeping your bow tight will also cause your hair to stretch faster, which means it'll need a rehair sooner.
Keeping your bow tight all the time can also increase the chances of your bow breaking or otherwise being damaged while in the case. Your bow is under a lot of tension when tight, and even in your case, if your case gets knocked about, your bow could be damaged. Loosening your bow after playing helps minimize these risks.
Getting in the habit of just a few daily routines can help save you hundreds in repairs later.
Happy Playing!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Student Surveys
Last week, I did something new. I handed out student surveys, and I have to admit, I was quite nervous. But reading through them this evening, I really enjoyed it. Thanks to everyone that filled them out!
I handed out 16 student surveys, but only got 7 back. I really appreciate the input I did get; however, by not filling out your survey you're missing out on a vital part of your lessons. These are to help me be a better teacher for you, and allow me to see what my students like and dislike about their lessons. The goal is to make lessons more enjoyable for my students.
When creating the student surveys, I asked students not to put their names on them. I wanted the surveys to be anonymous, and I have to say, it worked. I couldn't tell whose was whose.
Even with only seven surveys returned, I noticed a few trends. A few students commented that we never talked about anything other than violin or music, or got to know each other. I have to admit, this is definitely a weak point of mine, and one I've worked long and hard to rectify - though obviously my work isn't done yet. I'm naturally not a very social person. But if there is something you want to talk about, I love listening. You may not realize it, but I care about each of my students as individuals, and want to be here for you.
Most of my students enjoy it when I play with them. I try to have a balance of playing with my students, so they can see and hear how it's supposed to be played, but also let them play by themselves. So if you notice that I'm not playing with you as much, it's because I want you to become comfortable playing by yourself. It also makes it easier for me to hear you.
There are many facets to music, and I saw that several students did not enjoy exercises and etudes as much as the pieces. I hope you know that all those exercises I make you do (scales, double stops, shifting, sight reading, etc) help you to become a better musician. I personally hate them too - I don't know anyone who doesn't. But they're good for us, like vitamins and broccoli. They help us focus on different aspects of our playing, so that when we encounter the same thing in our music, it's easier.
Another big facet to music is the social aspect. Not just socializing with me, but also with your fellow students and the other families in the studio. This is one reason I love teaching out of my studio - it gives my students a chance to see and hear the students before and after them. When students come early (notice how I encourage everyone to come in when they get here?), it also gives the student whose lesson it is a chance to perform, of a sort. We all play music for ourselves, but hopefully also for others, and that is what performing is about. So when the next student comes in at the end of your lesson, think of it as a chance to perform and get over some nerves.
Do you know why I make you memorize music? Mostly, because it helps develop your brain. If you can memorize music, then it will be easier for you to memorize other things, too. Like spelling words, names and dates for history, or the carbon cycle. Or even your grocery list. It's also just a good skill to have - have you ever seen a soloist perform with music? I haven't.
Overall, the student surveys were a huge success. I plan to revise them, and hand out new ones in a few months. They helped me see lessons through my students' eyes, and that's a good thing.
Is there something I can do to make your lessons better? Even if you didn't get a chance to fill in your survey, I hope you feel comfortable talking to me about it during your lesson. One of my favorite things about being a teacher is that I am constantly learning new things, and changing the way I do things. So please, let me know!
Happy Playing!
I handed out 16 student surveys, but only got 7 back. I really appreciate the input I did get; however, by not filling out your survey you're missing out on a vital part of your lessons. These are to help me be a better teacher for you, and allow me to see what my students like and dislike about their lessons. The goal is to make lessons more enjoyable for my students.
When creating the student surveys, I asked students not to put their names on them. I wanted the surveys to be anonymous, and I have to say, it worked. I couldn't tell whose was whose.
Even with only seven surveys returned, I noticed a few trends. A few students commented that we never talked about anything other than violin or music, or got to know each other. I have to admit, this is definitely a weak point of mine, and one I've worked long and hard to rectify - though obviously my work isn't done yet. I'm naturally not a very social person. But if there is something you want to talk about, I love listening. You may not realize it, but I care about each of my students as individuals, and want to be here for you.
Most of my students enjoy it when I play with them. I try to have a balance of playing with my students, so they can see and hear how it's supposed to be played, but also let them play by themselves. So if you notice that I'm not playing with you as much, it's because I want you to become comfortable playing by yourself. It also makes it easier for me to hear you.
There are many facets to music, and I saw that several students did not enjoy exercises and etudes as much as the pieces. I hope you know that all those exercises I make you do (scales, double stops, shifting, sight reading, etc) help you to become a better musician. I personally hate them too - I don't know anyone who doesn't. But they're good for us, like vitamins and broccoli. They help us focus on different aspects of our playing, so that when we encounter the same thing in our music, it's easier.
Another big facet to music is the social aspect. Not just socializing with me, but also with your fellow students and the other families in the studio. This is one reason I love teaching out of my studio - it gives my students a chance to see and hear the students before and after them. When students come early (notice how I encourage everyone to come in when they get here?), it also gives the student whose lesson it is a chance to perform, of a sort. We all play music for ourselves, but hopefully also for others, and that is what performing is about. So when the next student comes in at the end of your lesson, think of it as a chance to perform and get over some nerves.
Do you know why I make you memorize music? Mostly, because it helps develop your brain. If you can memorize music, then it will be easier for you to memorize other things, too. Like spelling words, names and dates for history, or the carbon cycle. Or even your grocery list. It's also just a good skill to have - have you ever seen a soloist perform with music? I haven't.
Overall, the student surveys were a huge success. I plan to revise them, and hand out new ones in a few months. They helped me see lessons through my students' eyes, and that's a good thing.
Is there something I can do to make your lessons better? Even if you didn't get a chance to fill in your survey, I hope you feel comfortable talking to me about it during your lesson. One of my favorite things about being a teacher is that I am constantly learning new things, and changing the way I do things. So please, let me know!
Happy Playing!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
How to Get Your Parents to Buy You a Better Instrument
You've been playing your instrument for five years now. Your teacher keeps saying you need a better one, and you're frustrated on your own. You don't like the way it sounds, responds, or feels. But your parents don't seem to understand that you really do need a new instrument. What to do?
First of all, practice your butt off. You need to show your parents that you're really serious about this. How do you expect them to believe you're serious if you only pick up your instrument a couple times a week? And I'm talking serious practice, and make sure you do it when they can hear you. Practice in different rooms of the house, so if they don't notice you in your bedroom, maybe they'll notice you in the living room.
Show you're committed to it by raising your own funds. Save your allowance, see if you can get some kind of a job, even mowing lawns or weeding. Ask your friends for help to throw a car wash. Hold a garage sale. Put up a lemonade stand. Take your instrument downtown and play on a street corner. (You may need a license for one or all of these. Do try to do things legally.)
Get your teacher to talk to your parents. Coming from a kid, "I need a new violin" doesn't usually have as much weight as your teacher discussing with your parents the advantages of a new instrument.
Ask your parents to take you to at least try out some different instruments. If they can hear the difference in sound as you play different instruments, that might be the deal-breaker.
Finally, talk to your parents about what a new instrument for you will do for them. Point out that college scholarships can be won on a nicer instrument, while you may not have a chance on your current one. Mention career possibilities; even if you don't want to play music professionally, you might just end up down that road.
If your parents still don't see the light, and you've done all the above, keep raising your own funds. You will eventually have enough on your own. And while you're at it, ask your teacher to keep his or her eyes and ears out for a bargain. They do come along occasionally.
Good luck, and happy playing!
First of all, practice your butt off. You need to show your parents that you're really serious about this. How do you expect them to believe you're serious if you only pick up your instrument a couple times a week? And I'm talking serious practice, and make sure you do it when they can hear you. Practice in different rooms of the house, so if they don't notice you in your bedroom, maybe they'll notice you in the living room.
Show you're committed to it by raising your own funds. Save your allowance, see if you can get some kind of a job, even mowing lawns or weeding. Ask your friends for help to throw a car wash. Hold a garage sale. Put up a lemonade stand. Take your instrument downtown and play on a street corner. (You may need a license for one or all of these. Do try to do things legally.)
Get your teacher to talk to your parents. Coming from a kid, "I need a new violin" doesn't usually have as much weight as your teacher discussing with your parents the advantages of a new instrument.
Ask your parents to take you to at least try out some different instruments. If they can hear the difference in sound as you play different instruments, that might be the deal-breaker.
Finally, talk to your parents about what a new instrument for you will do for them. Point out that college scholarships can be won on a nicer instrument, while you may not have a chance on your current one. Mention career possibilities; even if you don't want to play music professionally, you might just end up down that road.
If your parents still don't see the light, and you've done all the above, keep raising your own funds. You will eventually have enough on your own. And while you're at it, ask your teacher to keep his or her eyes and ears out for a bargain. They do come along occasionally.
Good luck, and happy playing!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)