Video on Teaching Stance
Teaching stance includes:
- Position of the feet:
- Apart and parallel
- Right foot backward
- Left foot forward
- Malleability of knees:
- “Soft” and movable
- Position of the hips:
- Slightly inward
- Shape of torso:
- Elongated
- Position of the shoulders:
- Free
- Position of the neck:
- Straight and not tilted
- Position of the head:
- On top of shoulders and straight
- Shape of the lips:
- Relaxed and closed
- Direction of the eyes:
- Looking forward
Desired outcomes:
- Position of the feet should be supportive of movement.
- Knees should maintain malleability.
- The stance/body frame should be supportive of instrument hold as well as relaxed.
Video on Teaching Instrument Hold
Teaching instrument hold includes:
- Bringing instrument to the body rather than body to the instrument
- Placement of instrument on shoulder/collar bone:
- Variable and it is related to the size of the player’s arms and the width of the shoulders
- Placement of the instrument in the relationship to the surroundings (floor/ceiling):
- Guiding principle is “the flatter the better”.
- Balancing instrument among three forces:
- Downward force caused by the weight of the instrument, bow arm, and bow
- Upward force caused by pushing strings towards the bow-hair
- Sideway force caused by resting instrument into the neck
- Position of the “f holes” in the relationship to the listeners
- Guiding principle is “f holes” need to be turned to the listeners.
- Instrument hold exercises
- “Left Arm Around”
- “Butterfly”
- “Down and Up”
Desired outcomes:
- Instrument is balanced among shoulder, jaw bone, and left hand rather than held in one fixed position.
- Instrument hold is continuously negotiated among “three forces”:
- Weight of arm and bow pushes instrument down.
- Left arm and hand pushes instrument up.
- Instrument leans into the neck.
- Concept of “string meets the bow” rather than “bow is placed on string” shall be cultivated by reenforcing understanding that instrument should be parallel to the floor.
Course handout:
Teaching Foundations and Playing Techniques by Rote
Course supplemental handouts:
Silent Exercises Pedagogy Course Handout
Silent Exercises Pedagogy Course STANCE Table