The best way to get on top of a piece of music.

[Jim Gullen]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

I would be very interested in seeing 'better' approaches, as I'm sure many of you will have done deeper thinking on this topic than I have. Working in isolation, as I often do, it is vital to review one's methods.

Greetings!

I wouldn't be so bold as to say it's "better" but to add some variety to practice, try using different rhythm and/or bowing patterns for the notes. The first Bach Suite works great for this as it's primarily 16th notes.

More specifically, I would (and did) start by taking every group of 4 16th notes and changing the rhythm to a dotted-eighth, and 3 sixteenth notes. This particular pattern is a good one to start with because it "brings out the ones" in each group and helps with intonation. You can move the location of the dotted-eighth in relation to the 3 16th notes and get four different patterns to work on. Go as slow as you need, you may find that some patterns are more difficult than others. You may also find that different fingerings work better for different rhythm patterns.

This is the method my teacher uses and I use it constantly. In fact, Galamian has a violin method with one book of nothing but bowing and rhythm patterns. That's what I use. It's AMAZING how many patterns there are if you want to find 'em.

Another trick I sometimes use is to work in sections from the end of the piece backwards. Not playinig backwards, just starting on the last 8 bars, say....and then then last 16 bars, and so on. That way, the longer you play, the better it gets!

Hope this helps a little and best regards!

Jim

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Jim Gullen

Greetings!

I wouldn't be so bold as to say it's "better" but to add some variety to practice, try using different rhythm and/or bowing patterns for the notes. The first Bach Suite works great for this as it's primarily 16th notes.

More specifically, I would (and did) start by taking every group of 4 16th notes and changing the rhythm to a dotted-eighth, and 3 sixteenth notes. This particular pattern is a good one to start with because it "brings out the ones" in each group and helps with intonation. You can move the location of the dotted-eighth in relation to the 3 16th notes and get four different patterns to work on. Go as slow as you need, you may find that some patterns are more difficult than others. You may also find that different fingerings work better for different rhythm patterns.

This is the method my teacher uses and I use it constantly. In fact, Galamian has a violin method with one book of nothing but bowing and rhythm patterns. That's what I use. It's AMAZING how many patterns there are if you want to find 'em.

Another trick I sometimes use is to work in sections from the end of the piece backwards. Not playinig backwards, just starting on the last 8 bars, say....and then then last 16 bars, and so on. That way, the longer you play, the better it gets!

Hope this helps a little and best regards!

Jim

jim,
Sorry to be so slow in responding. You give excellent advice!
I remember 'the changing rhythm' thing from when I was a violin student in the 1970's. I was too lazy (and too busy trying to pick up girls) back then to practise. I will definitely give this a work out now . I think my bowing would really benefit from some rhythmic pattern work.
Richard