What I Teach: Dynamics are Energy

Dynamics or Energy? Alright then. But what does energy have to do with dynamics? Well, when we play the violin, energy is what we apply with the bow, with the figures.

And dynamics? Well, those are the symbols that tell us how loudly or softly the composer imagines the music that he wrote to be played.

Okay then, that's great to know.

But you're probably wondering, what do they really have to do with each other? Why say that dynamics are energy? Well, if energy is what makes movement possible, then we use it to create dynamics.

So we use more energy for forte and less for piano.

This probably seems sort of obvious, but thinking of it this way actually changes a lot.

It shifts how we understand those markings on the page. They stop being static symbols and start to form a scale of intensity that we can use to organize the physical choices we make.

See what I mean? If forte becomes more energy and piano becomes less energy, then you can begin to connect those abstract markings to actions like more bow speed, less weight, a crescendo that moves from less to more.

You see, if you looked at tone production with the bow arm, you'd see that less lines up with slower and more lines up with faster.

So if forte is more, then we'd use a faster bow speed.

Piano would be a slower bow speed.

Or if you looked at point of contact, piano would mean slower vibrations, so we'd place the bow closer to the fingerboard.

Forte would bring the bow closer to the bridge, allowing for faster vibration.

Are you seeing how this works? Well, if you looked at pressure or weight, the same idea would apply.

More would be forte, less would be piano.

Are you following the logic? Does it make sense to you? Okay then, what about the left hand? It can center around articulation, vibrato, and shifting.

With articulation, less would mean slowing down the trajectory of the finger to the string.

That would be piano.

More would mean getting there faster. And that would be forte.

It all falls into place pretty easily, I think.

With vibrato, piano would be less a slower.

Forte would be more or faster.

I mean, this is so amazingly simple, but it's stunning when it brings to light.

So now, can you imagine how this kind of thinking, using more and less, would work with shifting? Can you imagine the dynamics involved in shifting this way? Well, looking at dynamics this way really opens up so many possibilities. It expands how we interpret the markings composers give us, and helps us to go beyond just loud or soft.

And now, I think you can see why I say, dynamics are energy.

But to be clear, this idea is not mine.

It was passed on to me. So, I'm just passing it on to you.

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