4 Components of Violin Playing

Physical

• how does the body support the production of sound?

• Tension can block the body from functioning efficiently and supporting the production of a free sound

Emotional

• how free are you to experience emotions, process them and express them outwardly?

• Unprocessed emotions can block free and uninterrupted expression

Mental (intellectual)

• how does your knowledge and understanding of the music and instrument support your performance?

• a lack of understanding can manifest as a block within the mind

Spiritual

• how does you experience of the self and your place in the world affect your search for artistic expression? (usually developed later on)

Physical motions must be practised in to the body with precision and awareness. The emotional content of the music must be felt and then transmitted through the instrument using gestures and inflection. Time must be spent studying the music to develop a strong understanding.

related ideas….

• Expression has depth and width. How deep in the string you choose to play dictates the richness of the sound (more over and under tones).

• Vibrato opens up the sound and gives it more width

• Articulation is the way in which you modify the starts of notes, similar to speech

• Right hand is the texture of the sound, left hand is the colour of the sound and the two combined effectively, create a three dimensional quality to the sound