Saturday, June 30, 2007

Systemizing the Scale

First, an interesting thread on scales, started by Weils Cunningham (the guy who has a video of the 24th caprice on cello on youtube!)

http://p078.ezboard.com/I-need-your-help/fcellofuncellochat.showMessage?topicID=17263.topic

He mentions something called the Galamian acceleration patterns... never heard of those before, but I'm going to check them out...

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Alright, so I'm still in the process of trying to come up with some sort of routine & after playing for David Krieger a few days ago, I realized I really need to re-evaluate a lot of my technique & exercises (Also, I think I'm gonna ask my teacher to dedicate half our lesson to technique and the other half to rep. when I get back to school... I've got quite a few things to talka bout with him...)

But anyway, here's what I'm coming up with so far:

Using a metronome, progressing by intervals of 10 bpm, going from 60-200, all seperate bows & counting out-loud

1. Barred Whole Note Scale (5ths)
2. Quarter Note Scale
3. 8th Note Scale
4. 16th Note Scale
5. Quarter Note Arpeggios
6. 8th Note Arpeggios
7. 16th Note Arpeggios

This is giving me quite a bit to work with, and I'm thinking I might add in one string double stops to the mix or else find a way to add in the modes (that is, starting and stopping on each degree).

I find counting out-loud can be challenging, but I think it's completely necessary and I've already made a lot of progress from it. It increases my concentration and ability to multi-task & eventually the rhythm becomes like a pattern. I also find it's best to move with the hand as a unit & to lead with the bow (I know a lot of people say lead with the left hand, but I think the left hand is more the preparation, where as the right hand is the leader ... I think I got the idea from the ICS interview with Victor Sazer a while back...)

4 comments:

Terry said...

How goes those barred fifths? While the music you're into and the music I'm into might seem worlds (and centuries) apart, I believe barred fifths are, or can be, a significant feature in both.

But it sure seems one needs awfully strong fingers. I wonder what's the best way.

Mike Lunapiena said...

Well truthfully, I've been really kind of taking a break, but the barred 5ths are quite helpful... I'm finding actually this routine here is doing wonders... even after not playing for a day or two, I could still notice a significant improvement in my technique & I'm starting to think (generally) that the techniques aren't actually worlds apart, just that I have to deal with the areas in between what I can play & what I want to play & do it in steps...

The barred 5ths are great... they get really tricky though once You start getting to the intermediate positions (just past 4th & 5) ... but yeah, does wonders for your callouses...

I'm finding it's actually not that you need strong fingers so much, it's more that you need agile/coordinated fingers

By the way, where did you find my blog from? Yours is very neat!

Terry said...

I just clicked your name on a comment you made in Start Raving Cello. It took me to a profile which took me to your blog.

Mike Lunapiena said...

oh, neat. Well, thanks for the comment!