Pizzicato World violin and viola

Erdmute Maria Hohage, Pizzicato World violin and viola. Left-hand pizzicato as a practicing technique for coordination and rhythm | ISBN 978-3-9824267-0-9 | 96 pages | 29,90€ [D] 30,80€ [AT]

More than 200 QR codes link to 75 videos of demonstration, to information on how to implement optional ways of practicing, extension and finally to a pool of different rhythms. The use of QR codes is optional. The exercises can be performed without them. There is no legal claim with regard to the QR codes.

From the very first lesson on

Coordination can be trained right from the outset, e.g. by combining the actions outlined in Exercise 1 (or Exercises 1 and 5 at the same time) with a small text where the children pluck the string with every syllable spoken (e.g. with quarter-notes and half-notes: “Dear Mummy, wait some more, there are still some exercises to explore”). Many children love to invent their own texts. This can be used to improvise lots of question-and-answer games and conversations that directly train the most important elements for the left hand: Finger position, finger placement, a precision required due to the syllables (rhythm), arm position with a slight turn in (especially with the 4th and 3rd finger) and: if you open up the space on the fingerboard immediately (Exercise 5), a flexibility on the fingerboard is achieved right from the outset, which will pay off greatly later on when it comes to playing in specific positions on the fingerboard.

One option can also be combined with this straight away: the children can walk and/or play on an empty string at the same time. Once this is integrated, the whole body can develop a sense of rhythm from the start and be well-prepared for polyphony and independence between the right and left.

If children practice at home with parents, grandparents or siblings who play an instrument themselves, it is easy to improvise an accompaniment to the rhythms (or texts freely invented by the children), which will enable them to play together from the very beginning.

Starting at a later stage

The exercises can be incorporated alongside a full teaching programme as a technique unit, or used as a warm-up. Simply by adjusting the level of difficulty, by choosing certain rhythms or practicing specific aspects, a link to the literature or to etudes can always be found. There is practically no end to the degree of difficulty that can be applied to the exercises. It is worthwhile starting, even as an adult.

Recommendation

This book is so comprehensive that it offers sufficient material to be used over a period of many years. Since not all possible combinations and only a limited selection of rhythms can be shown in the book (due to lack of space), it is advisable that the students have their own copy of the book. They can then use their smartphones to access additional combinations and rhythms.

Rehearsals, group lessons & co.

Whether making music in a classroom context, as part of group lessons or an orchestra rehearsal: almost all of the exercises can also be done in a group without any trouble. Lower-pitched string instruments can also be incorporated. The excellent thing about this is that each individual player can be helped along at their current performance level, e.g.:

• By assigning particular rhythms to individuals

As long as the basic metre and time signature match, simpler rhythms can be combined with more complex rhythms. Also, advanced students can work with two or three rhythm lines, while beginners can limit themselves to one or two lines.

• By assigning individual tasks

If everyone applies the same rhythm, different levels of difficulty can result in good music-making as an ensemble through a varying choice of fingers, different string combinations and/or positions on the instrument, and the addition of the feet and/or the bow.

Since the left-hand pizzicato can be applied to other instrumental challenges and to learning the literature, it is very easy to build on the shared experiences as a group afterwards.

Left-hand pizzicato as a practicing technique is ideal to improve the playing technique with the fingerboard attachment and benefit from its potentials. In the book you will find useful extensions to the standard version of the exercise. Basically: instead of placing the anchor fingers on a string, you place them on the fingerboard attachment which gives you a new flexible stability. The balance between the flexibility and stability has an effect on the tension of your hand, your arm movements and the intensity of your finger pressure. 

Synchronicity & independence

Almost all the exercises have different options. The big advantage of these options is that they help to establish a precise synchronicity – e.g. between the fingers and the bowing, or the fingers and the feet.

This can be proactively used later on to establish independent movement – e.g. to enable the fingers, feet and/or bow to each perform an independent rhythm at the same time.

For many, it is easier to build an awareness for this independence if they have already experienced what exactly has to be done independently (either by hearing it, feeling it, or seeing it). For example, the speed of the bowing during vibrato should be separate from the speed at which the vibrato is executed, in order to be able to shape the sound with the bowing and vibrato precisely as one would like at that moment. Another example: four notes are played with the bow in legato while changing fingers, and possibly also changing strings. Even players who have been practicing on their instrument for many years can make their bow changes more precise if they can hear, feel and see the difference between synchronicity and independence. 

There is another reason too why synchronous practice can be useful: If a player doubles up their fingers with a different type of movement, it is possible for them to identify their own imprecision themselves.

The left-hand pizzicato, in the sense presented here (practice technique), touches on other challenges relating to instrumental technique and can also be applied and built upon for practicing other topics. Approaches with specific practice ideas are linked to the following subjects in the book:

• Scales
• Fluency
• Interval fingering (as double stops)
• Chord technique
• Changing strings
• Left-hand pizzicato as a playing technique

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Other subjects touched on more or less directly include: Shifting position on the fingerboard, finger fall, finger attachment, strengthening of the musculature, tension and relaxation, bowing, and how to practice effectively.

There is never the right time

If there is an opportunity to start building up systematic coordination right from the outset, it is advisable to take advantage of this. But even after playing the violin or viola for 10 or 20 years it still makes sense, provided you want to get even better or at least maintain your playing level.

Teaching expertise is required here

Ideally, the exercises should be a constant in daily practice, and hence also form part of every lesson. It is up to the teacher’s expertise and discretion whether they decide to work through the book exercise by exercise, treating them as technique units like Etudes, Sevcik, Galamian & Co., or whether they decide to proceed by linking exercises, thematically, more closely with the school and the works (pieces, concerts). Both are included as possible suggestions in the book, and both have their advantages. Presumably this will also vary from student to student.

Experience after about 10 years of practice

In the initial lessons: practicing one unit (e.g. Exercise 1, a1) with one rhythm or with two different rhythms (with the addition of one option) every day will lead to visible and audible improvements. This corresponds to around 5 minutes of home practice and around 5 minutes in class for correction and preparation purposes. It takes a little more time when new things are being learned, but this time is put to good use as the exercises build directly on the instrumental technique.

A good mix has been found to be combining something familiar (e.g. plucking with 3 fingers over 3 strings – Exercise 3) with new finger combinations, rhythms, options, etc. until players feel comfortable with it. Then this can be worked on in a reduced way while introducing a new aspect, e.g. doing the same thing in a different position, or similar.

Students who progress more quickly will complete a whole exercise from one lesson to the next and find their own finger combinations, etc. independently.

There are many different possibilities. It depends on the student and what the teacher is aiming to achieve with their students.

It depends on prior experience

If you have never plucked rhythms using the fingers of your left hand before, it is advisable to start right from the beginning. If you already have some experience and would like to start with some specific challenges, e.g. the interval fingering technique as double stops, or the chord technique, then you can start directly with the exercises that combine different rhythm lines.

Generally speaking, the book is structured in a systematic way. If you notice that something has not quite been mastered yet, you can gradually progress onwards, either to the beginning of the next chapter, or the beginning of a whole other chapter. The book contains 4 chapters in total: 

• 1st chapter (green): Exercises with 1 rhythm line
• 2nd chapter (red/orange): Exercises with 2 rhythm lines
• 3rd chapter (blue): Exercises with 3 rhythm lines
• 4th chapter (purple/pink): Exercises with 4 rhythm lines

If you want to focus on a system that only involves using the whole fingerboard, you can leave out the exercises that are performed just in one position. And vice versa: If you do not want to use the whole fingerboard, you can also skip these exercises.

Quality is the important thing

If one remembers that finger pressure is much less than when the left-hand pizzicato is applied as a playing technique, there is basically no recommended time restriction. It is generally not a problem for the fingertips, as the plucking can be done very softly and gently as well.

For beginners, 3-5 minutes of daily practice with rhythms is very good, and much longer is also recommended when combined with rhymes, a student’s own texts, or similar. Slightly older children can easily do this for 10-15 minutes, while teenagers, adults and students are capable of much longer. It is not the time spent that is decisive for success here though. Rather, precision is the key. Not completing an especially high number of exercises, but rather implementing them in a focused way.