Violinists… Have You Been Paying Attention?

Well, I think we all have an idea of what it means to pay attention to something. You know, being aware of what's going on while it's happening.

I mean, when you eat, you have to pay attention to raising the fork you're using, because if you don't, the food might not even make it to your mouth.

Or suppose you're preparing dinner and look away while chopping some veggies.

If your attention gets swayed, what happens next could threaten your upcoming concert.

So, yes, we do pay attention, but what about when we practice? Are we so busy playing that we don't actually pay attention to what we're doing while we're playing? Not noticing a small gesture that causes tension because you're too focused on fixing a passage could lead to a future injury. So maybe a little long-term awareness might be appropriate? Okay, then, do you know what your left-hand fingers are doing, especially your index finger while playing a passage? Do you notice how they land on the string and what you did to get them there? Okay.

What about your right wrist? Does it tighten up when placing the fingers? And your right elbow? Is it helpful that it's above the wrist while you're bowing that passage? Or does it get in the way? Did you notice any of that? Okay, so, if you're aware of these things when you practice, great.

But here's the thing.

Don't you need to know why you're doing it that way? Don't you need to know what you're aiming for? Let's say you're observing what your left -hand fingers are doing in a fast passage.

Wouldn't the first thing be to imagine what you want them to look like, how you want them to react? Once that's clear, you can create a strategy to bring it into your playing.

Then after practicing it, you can check to see if what you did led to what you imagined.

I guess the bottom line is that you need to know. You need to know why, know what, and know how.

Like that, you turn things into what you've imagined them to be. That is, if you've paid attention.

Automatic video-to-text transcription by DaDaScribe.com

Thank you for your comment, question or request!

Comment/Question deleted successfully.

Post a comment, question or special request:

Comments or questions must be between 3 and 10,000 characters long.

You may: Login  or  

Otherwise, fill out the form below to post your comment:

Add your name below:


Add your email below: (to receive replies, will not be displayed or shared)


For verification purposes, please enter the word MUSIC in the field below

---