Listening…It seems so obvious, yet it was my time at Berklee College of Music where this simple concept really struck home how important listening was to successfully absorbing a style of music.
I arrived at Berklee enthusiastic about becoming proficient in playing bluegrass music and maybe even a little gypsy jazz. I had recently developed an interest in American fiddle music after teaching some camps that offered classes in those styles. However, for most of my life, I had exclusively listened to Cape Breton fiddle music… not pop or classical. I listened to Cape Breton music because I loved it. It was the only type of music I wanted to listen to. Because of this, and because I had so many opportunities to hear live Cape Breton music, I developed the style without realizing it. I did take fiddle lessons and was taught tunes, but for the most part, no one taught me bowings or specific fingering embellishments, or where to put these stylistic characteristics. Over time, I just noticed that they found their way into my playing.
I seemed to have forgotten how I learned to play Cape Breton music while attempting to learn American fiddle music. I forgot how much Cape Breton music had been a part of my everyday life, how tunes randomly entered my head, how I would finger tunes on my pencil at school. When studying bluegrass music, I listened to it of course, but for the most part, I only listened when I was practicing with my instrument in hand. Listening to bluegrass was not a part of my everyday life. I didn’t put it on in the car, or when I was cleaning my room. And I struggled so much trying to learn. It felt so unnatural, so mechanical. Even when I learned a tune, I had to think through everything: what notes I was going to play, what bowing I should use, etc.
When I play Cape Breton fiddle music, there is so much that is an unconscious process. Trying to play bluegrass was very much a conscious process. And then I realized I didn’t love it. I wasn’t nearly as passionate about this music as I was about Cape Breton music. I liked to listen now and then, but it wasn’t my first choice. I knew then that this was so much of the reason why I struggled trying to learn Bluegrass. There was so much that I didn’t inherently understand. This was a void my teachers couldn’t fill with any words or demonstration.
There is so much unconsciously absorbed through just listening for enjoyment; not actively transcribing, but just enjoying. This seems so obvious: you have to immerse yourself in a style of music to fully understand it. But it took the experience of trying to learn another style before I understood how important the role of listening was in absorbing Cape Breton music. (What I did accomplish at Berklee is material for another topic!)
When my students tell me that they didn’t have much time to practice, I often say that listening to the music for enjoyment can be just as valuable practice. I often compare learning a style of music to learning a language. You have to immerse yourself in a language to learn the idioms and accent. I truly believe learning a fiddle style is the same process.
What has your experience been like learning music? How much do you have to think about what you are playing? How much is instinct? This is a topic that fascinates me and I would love to hear about your experience!
The bow is such an awkward thing to hold. Developing a good bow hold and bowing efficiently are some of the most difficult skills to acquire. Here are of five tips to help you bow more efficiently and bring your tunes up to speed. They take some time to integrate, but are well worth the work.
1. Bend your thumb.
This is key to unlocking your wrist. The tendency of most beginners is to lock their thumb straight. This also tends to lock up your wrist and cause you to use more arm then necessary. I had to make this switch about three years after I started playing. I remember my hand feeling cramped from time to time while I adjusted to the new grip, but it began to feel much more comfortable and free after some work.
2. Think of resting your fingers on top of the bow rather than holding the bow.
You want your fingers to add weight and ‘lean’ into the strings rather then hold the bow tight. This will help improve the quality of tone that you produce out of the strings. When you do try and adjust your grip, rest the bow on the strings first so that you can relax your hand.
3. Unbend your elbow.
The shoulder and top part of the arm are very minimally involved in the bowing process. For efficient fiddling, most of the work is done with the wrist, fingers, thumb and forearm. When you draw the bow in a down stroke, make sure you unbend the elbow so that top part of the arm does not engage to draw the bow back and then push it up again. This also ensures that the bow draws parallel to the bridge. If the elbow is bent, the bow will draw more in a ‘U’ shape and most likely cut across the fingerboard.
4. Don’t tighten the bow too much.
If the bow is too taut (i.e. your stick is straight) it will be very bouncy and you will find difficult to control. You always want the stick to maintain a bend. In order to get the hair taught enough to play, if you have to tighten the bow so much that the stick is straight, it might be time to look at getting a new bow. There are plenty of cheap bows out there that actually work decently enough.
5. Don’t use too much rosin.
It takes a bit of time to get used to how much rosin you like to play with. Every player is different and the strings you use also play a role. You only need enough rosin to grip the strings. If you are getting a scratchy sound and are only applying a little pressure, you might have applied to much rosin. Conversely, if you are applying a lot of pressure and you have slippery spots on the hair, you need to apply more rosin. I don’t apply rosin every time I play, but some players do, so it is a personal thing. It’s just important to understand how it feels as you pull the bow across the string. Keep in mind that rosin does build up on the strings.
Practicing these techniques should be done in isolation of other practicing. When you try and incorporate these bowing techniques while also trying to incorporate fingering, it can be overwhelming and frustrating. I suggest trying these changes over open strings with some long bows first to see how they feel. Then maybe try some scales and other simple exercises.
Good bowing is difficult, and can definitely feel awkward at first. But it does get easier. The more you play and become familiar with the instrument, the less awkward it is going to feel.
In week two of the beginning lessons, I provide an in depth look at the bow hold if you’re interested.