Playing Violin with Music House: The First Year

Twinkle Variation A

2011-12-01T11:37:00.001-08:00

Twinkle Variation A is the First Variation of Twinkle, Twinkle (Mississippi Stop Stop Rhythm)

Play along with these videos...you can hear my voice saying the notes aloud, and your child will know if his/her bowing is correct if his/her bow is exactly with mine! If you're thinking, what are these notes? Ask your child, they know!

I've separated the videos into the separate parts of the Twinkle Sandwich. The last two videos is the whole song.

The Twinkle Sandwich:

Bread: A E F# E D C# B A

Peanut Butter: E D C# B

Jelly: E D C# B

Bread: A E F# E D C# B A

BREAD ONLY:

THE Middle of the Sandwich: THE EYEBALLS!

In this video I stop to get the three fingers down on the A string. In the second video, there are no breaks....third finger has to be fast! Practice with this one first many times and make sure your child is ready to want to put three fingers down, otherwise this might caught stress and anxiety that will make practicing not as fun.

Twinkle Variation A without any stopping

What are your kids doing during DAYS OFF?

2011-11-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

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Rock Band/Musical Theater Experience

Violin- Classic to Modern, Holiday,and Fiddle!

Visual Art – sketching, painting, or print making

Private Instrumental Lessons – your instrument or another

Dance/Movement/Fitness – Hip Hop!

Drama/Acting/ Impov Games

Karaoke, Games & more!

Preparation for our 60^thannual Holiday Concert Saturday, December 17 and our 3^rd AnnualRock’ sCool Holiday Show December 4

MusicHouse, Academy of Music and Dance

2925-2927 West Devon Ave.Chicago, IL 60659

773-761-1059 www.musichouseinc.com

You have talent, let’s explore it!

Putting Fingers Down on the A string

2011-10-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

Getting Ready for the Monkey Song: We have to be able to put all three fingers down on each tape on the A string with a straight wrist and curly fingers.

Each Finger has a "Monkey Name"...Ask your child what he/she calls each finger monkey. Here are some names that we've thought up in some of our classes:

1st Finger= B (Biscuit the Monkey, BooBoo, Baby, etc.)
2nd Finger= C# (CooCoo the Monkey, Cookie, Crazy Monkey, etc.)
3rd Finger= D (Daisy, Donkey, etc.)

Here are the lyrics to the Monkey Song:
(going up the ladder first...)
I'm a Little Monkey (all played on open A, no fingers)
Climbing up the ladder (all played on first finger, B)
Climbing up so high to (all played on C#, second finger)
Get my green banana (all played on third finger, D)

(going back down the ladder..)
I'm a little Monkey (all played on D, third finger)
Climbing down the ladder (all played on C#, second finger)
Climbing down so far to (all played on B, first finger)
Eat my green banana (all played on open A, no fingers)

Check out these awesome straight wrists and curly fingers!

Fun Learning the Monkey Song

2011-10-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

When Love is Deep, Much Can be Accomplished

2011-10-13T07:34:00.001-07:00

How to Play F#

2011-10-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

We have a new note! This note is called F# (F sharp. Sharp means high, so this is essentially a high F) and it is one whole step higher than the open E string. When we climb the musical ladder it comes right after E.

In order to play this note well, your child must have his/her violin high on his/her shoulder with a straight mirror wrist and curl the first finger (index finger) onto the first tape on their violin. This note will be needed to play our first song, "See the Pretty Flowers."

Our First Song! "See The Pretty Flowers"

2011-10-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Sing along with your child: our children will be better violinists if they have a clear understanding of pitch when they sing. The more we sing the song, the more they will be interested in wanting to practice it. It is very difficult to like things we are not familiar with! This is another reason why listening to the CD is very important.

See the pretty flowers (E)
Blooming in the garden (F#)
See the pretty flowers (E)
Red and green and purple (A)

This song plays the rhythm "Mississippi Stop Stop" on the open E string, F# (first finger pressed down on the E string) and open A string.

Straight Mirror Wrists, 2011

2011-10-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

How to Practice Mississippi Stop Stop at Home

2011-10-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

Make sure the position is awesome first! Violin High on Shoulder, chin rest secure under the jaw, nice bow hold, and then put the bow delicately on the E string.

Box Violin and Bow Together

2011-10-01T08:08:00.001-07:00

Practicing Mississippi Stop Stop at Home

2011-09-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

Bow Holds, 2011

2011-09-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

Violin Statues! 2011

2011-09-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

A Major Scale: Whole Notes

2011-03-10T07:42:00.000-08:00

A Major Scale is the same as going Up the Ladder, and then coming Down the Ladder.
To Play Whole Notes means that we hold each note for 4 beats.

Up the Ladder

Before playing, make sure all fingers are on the tapes, and the bow is cleanly on the correct string!

Start on Open A, (no fingers down.) Play long bows and count to 4 for each bow stroke.
Then play B (first finger on the A string) for 4 counts.
C# (second finger on the A string) for 4 counts,
D (third finger on the A string) for 4 counts,
Open E (no fingers on the E string) for 4 counts,
F# (first finger on the E string) for 4 counts,
G# (second finger on the E string) for 4 counts,
A (third finger on the E string) for 4 counts.

Down the Ladder

High A (third finger on the E string) for 4 counts
G# (second finger on the E string) for 4 counts
F# (first finger on the E string) for 4 counts
Open E (no fingers) for 4 counts
D (third finger on the A string) for 4 counts
C# (second finger on the A string) for 4 counts
B (first finger on the A string) for 4 counts
Open A (no fingers on the A string) for 4 counts.

Congratulations, you just played the A major scale, whole notes!

2010-10-23T19:38:00.001-07:00

2010-10-12T07:57:00.001-07:00

Straight Mirror Wrist

2010-10-11T12:31:00.001-07:00



	Imagine that you are holding a mirror in the palm of your hand. Extend your hand out by the neck, near the nut, and look into your palm. Keep this very straight: no pancake hands!

How to Practice Mississippi Stop Stop at Home

2010-09-29T05:16:00.000-07:00

Say "Mississippi Stop Stop" outloud, and have your child join you on the "Stop Stops" with very short crisp bows (if they press too hard, this creates a crunch.) Parents, try it out, see how much or how little weight you need in the bow.

Rock-a-bye Baby Bow Control

2010-09-29T05:12:00.000-07:00

Remember: Check to make sure your child's bow hold is correct, and the violin is up on his/her shoulder before beginning this exercise. How silent can you make your bow? Parents, feel free to try this exercise, too!

Great Bow Holds!

2010-09-28T10:32:00.000-07:00

Awesome Bow Hold

2010-09-28T10:31:00.000-07:00




	A great bow hold will create a great sound-- we must be delicate and relaxed when we hold our bow, otherwise we will get a terrible and scratchy sound! Try and create relax tone with a relaxed bow hold. Parents, try it out! (you know you want to!)

Violin Statue with Toy

2010-09-28T10:28:00.001-07:00

The Violin should rest on our shoulder like a table top, perfectly perpendicular to our body. Practice this violin statue by balancing your child's toys on top. How long can they hold mousey on the violin? Play the CD while doing this.

Remember to keep listening to the CD! We are listeners for the first 6 months ofour life before we begin to talk. It is the same with violin-- in order to articulate these rhythms perfectly we must inherently understand them, and this can really only be acheinved through constant listening.

Violin Statue

2010-09-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

2010-09-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

2010-09-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

Rest Position to Dress Position and Back. "In and Out"

2010-09-23T14:26:00.001-07:00

Holding the Violin in Rest Position

2010-09-22T20:38:00.001-07:00

Rest Position is the most important position because this is how we protect our violin whenever we are not playing. We must hold it underneath our bow arm, like a baby, to prevent it from bumping into other things and people!

Starting "Mississippi Stop Stop"

2010-09-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Begin with just the Stop Stops! Always start on a down Bow, and play VERY short. This is called "staccato" which means short in Italian. So, Practice saying aloud "mississippi" and your child should play only the "stop stop" just like in this video. Remember to always have a good bow hold, and to go through the motions of putting your violin on your shoulder ("out, turn, upside down, on your shoulder").

Enjoy!

Putting your Violin On Your Shoulder!

2010-09-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

Holding the Bow and Violin at the Same Time: How Strong is your Jaw?

2010-09-18T09:05:00.001-07:00

A Great Bow Hold, A Great Tone

2010-09-16T14:23:00.001-07:00

At The Frog of the Bow:
A great Bow Hold will have:
-Pinky on Top
-Fingers Fall Over the edge
-Bent thumb on the metal
-Hand creates round circle like a C, around the bow

we say together:
"Number One, Bent thumb!
Number Two, Pinky on Top!
Number Three, Fingers Fall over the Edge,
Round Circle like a Telescope!"

Click the link at the bottom of this post "Bow Hold" to see other great bow holds!

2010-09-16T14:22:00.001-07:00

2010-09-15T17:42:00.001-07:00

2010-09-15T08:47:00.001-07:00


At Hawthorne Scholastic Academy we are learning how to hold our bows. The best bow hold will create the best tone. Try and practice this bow hold 5 times a day. (Pick up the bow, hold it for 5 seconds, shake out your hand, and try it again. The more practice, the easier it will get into this bow hold, and the easier it will be to play with a good bow hold.) -Bend thumb on the metal -Pinky on top -Finger fall over the edge of the bow -Hand creates a round circle, like a C shape. Page 17 of your Suzuki Violin Book explains the bow hold in great detail. Check it out!

2010-09-15T08:44:00.001-07:00

Violin Statue! Practice holding the violin up on your shoulder (covering shoulder completely) and holding tight with the jaw (not the chin-- despite the name "chin rest") Stance should be completely relaxed, no tension, and the jaw and chin rest should do all the work.

Try playing the CD while doing the "violin statue" and see how many songs your child can keep the statue for!

2010-09-15T08:43:00.001-07:00