8/13/2019 Hilary Hahn Violin Practice

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Slow Practice for String Playersby Hilary HahnAt a recent Q&A session with kids and their parents, someone piped up, "My son likes to play through hispieces instead of practicing them. His violin teacher says that he should practice slowly. What does thismean?"As anyone who has taken private lessons is probably aware, one practice technique encouraged by teachersis indeed "slow practice". However, it can be difficult to know where to start when beginning to apply such amethod. Many students  at one point, me included  wonder why it's so important to do this, what they'reexpected to listen for in the process, and how to relate that to their "up-to-tempo" efforts.Below, I've described some of my favored approaches to slow practice, but these were all around longbefore I began violin studies. Some people stick with one method; some preferanother. I mix it up, doing allof them individually from time to time, depending on my needs on any given day.To any students out there who may need slow-practice advice, I'd suggest reading this through, trying thesedifferent options, andfiguring out what works best for you. Remember that slow practice is only one of many different practice techniques. A good practicer will alternate it with other musical work, in order toimprove consistently on numerous levels. Finally, Ihave to mention that if you feel like your teacherunderstands you, chances are that he or she will be able to guide you in the right direction better thananything you might read on someone's website.1.Starting from the beginning of your piece, play everything in slow motion: every note, everybowstroke, every shift, and every string crossing.In the left hand, pay special attention to the distancesbetween fingers (which ones play half-stepsand which play whole-steps), the number of positions your shifts are covering, the name of eachposition you're playin

g (first, second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.), the distances your fingers crossbetween strings, the angle of your fingers on the strings, the amount of space your hand takes up onthe neck and body of the violin, and  very importantly  the absolute and relative intonation of thenotes you're playing. To check intonation, be sure to slow-practice with AND without vibrato.For the right hand/ bow technique, concentrate on bow distribution (the proportionate length of each bow stroke to the ones surrounding it, depending on rhythm, absolute length, loudness, andintensity of tone), contact point (your bow-hairs' placement between the bridgeand the fingerboard), the straightness of your bowstroke, the flexibility of your fingers in bowchanges at the frog,and the position of your hand when you're playing at the tip. Count the number of notes betweenstring crossings; make sure that your bow is ready to cross strings by being as close as possible tothe new string, so that you can cross without showing a lurch; and listen carefully to th

e ends of your bowstrokes, avoiding any sudden, unintentional change in dynamicwhen you switch bowdirection. During this time, also work on correcting any technical issues your teacher or colleagueshave pointed out.I use this version of slow-practice when learning a piece; when reacquainting myself with somethingI haven't played for a while; and on a regular basis, when maintaining a piece over a long period of time. It helps to clear my mind of the chaos of full-speed practice, rehearsal, and performance,allowing me to focus on the building blocks of technique. 

2.This is the next step after basic slow practice. One problem many people havewith slow practice isthat it doesn't connect to their in-tempo playing. They'llcarefully repeat a certain passage undertempo again and again, but somehow, ever

y time they try to play it up to speed, it feels entirelydifferent and refuses to cooperate. The problem is logical: slow practicing doesn't realisticallycapture the difficulties of full-speed transition  in this case, transitions from one finger or handposition, or string, or part of the bow, to another. As it happens, playing an instrument is very muchlike dancing or performing an athletic feat:momentum and motion add a whole different dimensionof difficulty to what would otherwise be a simple series of steps, leaps, motions, or poses.There is a way to work around this common slow-practice problem, once the player is familiar withthe technical challenges inherent in a particular piece: Practice the notes slowly but move betweenthem at the speed required at full tempo.For the left hand, t

8/13/2019 Hilary Hahn Violin Practice

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his means  among other things  setting one's fingers at an angle from which thenext series of notes is efficiently reachable at tempo; shifting as fast as one would at full speed; andarranging one's arm and wrist in a position to vibrate immediately if needed.For the right hand, this would include very smooth, quick string crossings; concise, up-to-tempo bowchanges; and precise bow placement for tricky techniques (staccato, sautille, martele, ricochet, etc.).Lastly: always, always think at least a beat ahead  if not a measure or more  while practicing thismethod. I find this practice technique to be useful in lyrical, melodic lines as well as virtuosicpassages. It makes me think both in the moment and ahead of myself  exactly what a performershould do when onstage.3.This is a biggie: body position. If a musician plays with poor posture or an unhealthy setup, he or sherunsthe risk of physical strain and chronic injury. Even the most physically-aware performers shouldcheck their playing-alignment every day. Slow work to that end can shed light on harmful habitswhich would otherwise go unnoticed.Some things to keep in mind during this exercise: straightness of the spine and neck, side-to-sideand linear angles of the left arm and wrist, torque on the right arm and shoulder, inefficiencies of motion, exaggerated postural asymmetries (seated or standing) while playing, and unnecessarytwisting of the body. If the musician has aches or pains, consider the source and any motions whichmight be forcing the muscle, joint, or tendon to do something overly unnatural. Playing aninstrument should not be strained; it should feel physically satisfying if a little awkward. The moreadvanced the instrumentalist, the more efficient and comfortable his or her motions should be.Inexplicable discomfort may be the result of a bad habit, ill-fitting equipment (shoulder rest,chinrest, etc.), or a basic technique which

is unsuited to that musician's particular body.To a certain extent, the player ought to be able to tell whether or not he or she is properly set up.There are, however, many aspects of technique and posture which are noticeable only from a third-party perspective. To get around this obstacle, an instrumentalist may videotape him- or herself,look in a mirror, or  my favorite  check him- or herself ina window reflection or a wall shadow.It's extremely important for the musician to be honest and to keep an open mind. Therefore, NOCHEATING. Maintain normal playing posture throughout this exercise, however tempting it may be tomodel the ideal. Everyone is capable of carrying themselves well for a few minutes, but mostproblems can only be identified through realistic observation.This slow-practice technique is appropriate for instrumentalists of all levels. It's essential thatbeginners learn proper playing posture and that professionals maintain it throughout their careers.4.This final listing is the icing on the cake. It focuses on

 phrasing and musicality. Some teachersbelieve physical technique should come first, the interpretation developed later. My teachers taughtme that technical prowess and musicality are inextricably connected, so I'm used to working on bothat once. Whatever your opinion, this can fit into anyone's practice plan.To produce phrasing, one must refer to technical means: loudness, softness, tone control, bow distribution, articulation, rhythm, and vibrato, among others. Some people consider intonation to beexpressive, too. Working slowly on all of these in the context of phrasing is different from the otherthree abovementioned practice techniques, which build and maintain technical skills. This methodforces the musician to apply his or her physical abilities to the interpretation itself, which is well-nigh impossible at a slow tempo without a clear idea of the direction of the mu

sic or the shape of one's interpretation. At a slow speed, there is no such thing as "inspiration of the moment". Hence,to practice phrasing in this way, do the following: use the same differentiations in volume you'd useat full speed; be as expressive as you want to be; shape every note; work on a range of articulation;linger at appropriate times; and vibrate the way you'd like to when playing full tempo  but do all of it slowly. Carefully consider the phrasing decisions youmake during this exercise, because they willhelp shape your musical identity for years to come