TIPS and TRICKS for TEACHING BEGINNERS
Teachers’ Workshop
Presenter: Loreta Fin
Director of Strings and Instrumental Music – Somerville House School for Girls, Brisbane
Past National and State President – Australian Strings Association (AUSTA)
AMEB Examiner, Consulting Editor – AMEB Series 8 Violin Books, Preliminary to Grade 4
Composer – Wilfin Music Publications
Education Committee – Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Principal Viola Qld Pops Orchestra
TIPS and CATCH CRIES
If you CAN have a wandering helper, it’s a great idea, as you are free to “teach” rather than “stop and fix”
Get ready cue (D Major Arp)
Teacher “mirrors” class: Give me a wave with the hand that holds the violin (or holds the bow)
Learning Resting and Playing position: (Teacher “mirrors” class)
Show me your vln – arm up – vln under – don’t squash bridge
Find button – up-over-shoulder-head to the left
Later: UP OVER SHOULDER HEAD
Don’t wear your dad’s tie
Show angle with your (mirror) arm – not up, down, but straight
From the knuckles to the elbow is a (CLAP!) Straight line! (Left arm)
Is THIS a straight line? (Show them wrist in/out/straight – vln/vla and Vc/Db)
Left hand: G’day mate, going this way? Make a letter C; turn it around
“Raindrops”
ROCK, Water-pistol (squirt!) Letter C for Pizz
Fingers like wiggly worms/fairy wings/butterfly wings
Find you “home-base” note (first finger “on the mark”)
Jack-in-the-box (celli) or all in ensemble
Sit forward on your chair, feet flat ONE TWO (Stamp feet)
Basses are great! Sit up straight!
(or Strings are great, sit up straight!)
“STAFF MEETINGS” – Pitch, Posture, Rhythm, Tempo
Use fingers/letters and SING everything e.g. au clair
BOW HOLD and BOWING
Right to tighten, left to loosen (bow and fine tuners)
Pussy cat’s PAWS, not pussy cat’s CLAWS (both hands)
Use a straw to learn bow hold – no witches’ claws
5,4,3,2,1 (Hold tightly and gradually loosen…..NOT ZERO!)
Around, around, around, on top BENT!
No banana thumbs – thumb knuckle down
Bunny’s ears – circle – Wiggle wiggle (rabbit’s nose) – aye-aye captain! Thumb under – Ready, set FLOP. NO FOXES, because they eat BUNNIES!
Finger on elbow (“elbone”) – Open /Close; Oil the rusty gate. NO SCRIBBLING with the elbone. Finger on inside joint, open and close.
Set up and flagpole, vertical, horizontal, halfway, windscreen wipers
FLAGPOLE, Statue of LIBERTY (To adjust elbow to correct height)
Invisible shelf – (keep elbow up)
Sing the BOWING (Down / up) (e.g. Ode to Joy)
Sing the bow speeds (Fast / slow) (Whole / /half) (e.g. Twinkle)
Bow placement: “and the MORAL of the story is……The bow must ALWAYS be straight and parallel with the bridge”
Partners – hold elbow, grab screw, open/close – SWAP.
Cake-making skills – Cracking the egg: tap, tap, crack
Egg whisk (wrist) Spoon/cake (Elbow) NO Witches’ cauldron (whole arm)
VIBRATO egg. Rhythms: Ice-cream; pine-app-le; wat-er-mel-on
Anchor thumb; pull-away; Polish with Vibrato rhythms
SEE FEEL HEAR everything
TUNING
Unison ____tune____ ~~~~un-tune ~~~~~ ___tune_____
Chord __________ ~~~~~~~~~~ __________
(Follow conductor’s hands)
READING: Use a HAND STAFF for 3 different clefs
Steps and skips on hand staff
EFG – 123; BCD – 123
Key signatures – using strings to help you remember
|
VIOLIN |
| Use the open strings going UP to learn MAJOR KEYS with SHARPS: |
|
G major has 1 sharp |
|
D major has 2 sharps |
|
A major has 3 sharps |
|
E major has 4 sharps |
| Use the LOW first fingers going DOWN to learn MAJOR KEYS with FLATS: |
|
F major has 1 flat |
|
Bb major has 2 flats |
|
Eb major has 3 flats |
|
Ab major has 4 flats |
| Use NORMAL 1st finger going UP to learn MINOR KEYS with SHARPS: |
|
A minor has NO sharps |
|
E minor has 1 sharp |
|
B minor has 2 sharps |
|
F# minor has 3 sharps |
| Use 3rd finger going DOWN to learn MINOR KEYS with FLATS: |
|
A minor has NO flats |
|
D minor has 1 flat |
|
G minor has 2 flats |
|
C minor has 3 flats |
HAND CLAPPING GAME:
EASY: Take a partner – Clap both hands with partner/in front
HARDER Lap, front right ,left
FATHER CHARLES GOES DOWN AND ENDS BATTLE
BATTLE ENDS AND DOWN GOES CHARLES ‘FATHER
C MAJ has NO #s – GMAJ has 1 # ; Teacher: what’s it called? F# etc
|
VIOLA – or convert to cello |
|
Use the open strings going UP to learn MAJOR KEYS with SHARPS: |
|
C major has NO sharps |
|
G major has 1 sharp |
|
D major has 2 sharps |
|
A major has 3 sharps |
| Use the LOW 2nd fingers going DOWN to learn MAJOR KEYS with FLATS: |
|
C major has no flats |
|
F major has 1 flat |
|
Bb major has 2 flats |
|
Eb major has 3 flats |
| Use HIGH 2nd finger going UP to learn MINOR KEYS with SHARPS: |
|
E minor has 1 sharp |
|
B minor has 2 sharps |
|
F# minor has 3 sharps |
|
C# minor has 4 sharps |
| Use 3rd finger going DOWN to learn MINOR KEYS with FLATS: |
|
D minor has 1 flat |
|
G minor has 2 flats |
|
C minor has 3 flats |
|
F minor has 4 flats |
Extra notes_
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v POSSIBLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TIPS:
NEVER make enemies of the grounds staff or Admin staff in a school. You will NEVER
get anything done!! Make the time to say hello and get to know them by name.
Your job is INSTANTLY easier.
v There’s no such thing as a stupid question when you’re learning – email me if you
need to ask!