Habits of a Successful

STRING ORCHESTRA
The Secret is the Right Hand

Using Fundamentals Time to

Improve Your Orchestra’s Tone,
Articulation, Intonation,
Rhythm and Reading Ability

Christopher R. Selby
In this Session, Attendees will learn:
• Strategies for developing better tone and articulation performance skills
• How to teach well-blended ensemble tone and its relationship to group intonation
• Exercises for teaching rhythmic bowings
• Strategies for teaching rhythmic literacy

GIA Publications, Inc.

Chicago
Which hand tends to get the most attention, and why?
Students (and teachers) tend to focus on the left hand because that is the hand that
controls
! The Notes—including the wrong notes that they try to avoid
! The Intonation—including fixing those out of tune notes
! AKA: The more obvious musical components that tend to be important to kids.

Do teachers focus too much on the left hand? What does the right hand control?
! Tone, timbre, articulation, style, dynamics, phrasing, and most of the elements
related to rhythm.
! While robotic left hand precision is nice, the right hand controls the most
expressive elements in our music—the qualities that make music more human.

PART 1: Tone and Articulation

Tone! The most forgotten part of string education. The musical component that
! Is the quality we love most about our instruments.
! Is connected to intonation, rhythm, articulation and dynamics.
! Is not mentioned once in the new national standards.

Why we forget to teach tone

In addition to being controlled by the wrong hand, Tone is not visibly depicted in
notation. We use our scores to help us figure out what to teach: notes, rhythms,
bowings, dynamics, even tempo markings and musical words. But we forget what we
cannot see.

Breaking Tone Into Its Parts

! Reviewing and Improving the Bow Hand
! Teaching Tone and Articulation Performance Skills
! Developing Ensemble Tone and its relationship to intonation

2
STEP 1. Reviewing and Improving the Bow Hand—Every day is bow hand day.
1. Rest Position. Let the bow rest in the hand with the hair up. Guide students to
check the curvature and placement of their thumb and fingers.
2. “Go Fishing” to feel the weight of the bow in a relaxed and fluid right hand.
3. Practice taking the bow to the string without the pinky. This technique is
especially important for students with pinky problems.
Golden Rule: The bow is held up by the string, and it is held down by the bow
hand.

STEP 2. Teach students all of the important “tone terms.”

! Quality instrument, strings, and bow with clean hair that has a good coat of rosin
! All parts of the bow: balance point, upper and lower half, frog and tip
! Triangle of tone production: Bow speed, weight and contact point (where on the
string between the bridge and fingerboard.)
! Bow angle and rotation I Tone and Articulation
Open
STEP 3. Use Open Strings to String
teach basic toneExercises
production.
Even Tone - Frog to Tip

7‹ÓˆÑ>Ñ{>å’iÈÈÑL åш ’`]Ñ°’>çÑӈiÑ °i›ÑÈÓŋ›€Ñå‹Óˆ ÞÓÑV Þ›Ó‹›€Ñ Åёii°‹›€ÑӋ–iËÑ°>çÑ>ÓÓi›Ó‹ ›ÑÓ ÑӈiÑL åÂÈÑ
contact point, angle, weight, and speed.

Teacher Tips:
The purpose of this exercise is to study the following basic bowing components without thinking about fingers or
counting.

UÑ Bow Hold: A “flawless” bow hold has no visible problems or unnecessary tension;
4U ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
1.
finger placement is correct; thumb and pinky are curved; knuckles are fluid.
Vln. &4
UÑ Contact Point: The bow is correctly placed on the string between the bridge and w
fingerboard U ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
UÑ Bow Angle: The bow is perpendicular to the string and the stick is directly over Vla. B 44 w
the hair or rotated slightly toward the scroll of the instrument.
? 44 U ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
UÑ Bow Placement: The correct part of the bow for producing the desired articu- Vc. w
lation —frog, balance point, middle, tip—is over the string.
UÑ Bow weight and bow speed are balanced and produce an excellent tone that ? 44 Uw ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
Bass
projects well.
STUDENT PAGE 1

Even Bow Distribution

Teacher Tips:
3
UÑ -ÓÞ`i›ÓÈÑ>ÅiÑÓ Ñ°Å>VӋViÑÞȋ›€ÑӈiÑi›Ó‹ÅiÑL åÑå‹ÓˆÑ>ÑV ›ÈÓ>›ÓÑL åÑÈ°ii`µÑ  åÑ>›€’iÈÑȈ Þ’`ÑLiÑ°iÅ°i›`‹Vޒ>ÅÑÓ Ñ
the string.
UÑ ‹€Ñ‹›Ñ– ÅiÑ>ÓÑӈiÑӋ°Ñ>›`ђiÈÈÑ>ÓÑӈiÑwÅ €ÑÓ ÑV –°i›È>ÓiÑw ÅÑӈiÑL åÂÈÑÓi›`i›VçÑÓ ÑLiђ‹€ˆÓÑ>ÓÑӈiÑӋ°µÑ
Even
3a. Bow Distribution 3b. 3c.
4 4 4
&2a.4 .. œ-FrogŒ œ- Œ .. & 4 .. œ. œ. œ. œ. 2b.œ. œ. Frog
œ. œ. .. & 4 .. œ. Tipœ. œ- œ. œ. œ- ..
& 44 .. & 44 ..
Tip

.. ..
w3d. w œ- œ- œ- œ- œ- œ- œ- œ-
4 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. œ. ..
& 4 . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 4 . . . . . .
& 44 ..
2c. Frog Tip 2d.

. &4 . ..
w w œ- œ- œ- œ- œ- œ- œ- œ-
Crossings Strings
4a. 4 .. Frog
& 44 ..
2e. 2f.

&4 .. 4c. ..
& 44 .. w .. w & 44 .. œ œ œ- 44 œ-.. œ œ- œ œœ- œ œ- œ œ-œ œœ- œ ..
Tip 4b.

œ œ œ.
œ œ œ œ -. & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Middle Bow
Grab
4d. and Release 4e.

& 4 .
. œ œstring
4 the œ œ œtheœ hair œ œ œ œ toœ begin œ œ œ note œ œ œ . a crisp . 4 .
4 . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ .
&attack. .
Grab
Teacher œ œ with
Tips œ œ œ œof œthe bowœ œ œ œ each œ œ œ with œ
3a.• Students are to practice 3b. using the entire bow with a constant 3c. bow speed. Bow
4 angles 4 .. œ œ toœ the 4 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
& •4 .. Dig
œ- Œin moreœ- Œ at ..the tip4& œ. ..œ œ .. &for
should be perpendicular string.
œ œ œ.to œ.compensate
4f.
.
.4 œ . .
œ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
and less at . œ
the. œ.
frog œ œ 4 the. bow's
. - tendency
. . -
to be light at the tip.
• Move 3d. the bow closer to the bridge when digging in more, and closer to the finger
4 .. when œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
& 4 œ œ œ digging
board œ œ œ œ inœ less.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bowing Variations
Here are a number of tools and strategies we use to efficiently and effectively teach
Crossings Strings
tone, articulation, and rhythm combinations. We use the following sequence most often:
4c.
44 .. Select a rhythm.. or&bowing44 .. that 44to ..learn
4a. Frog Tip 4b.

œ the œ œ .. need
œ students œ œ œ œ.
œ up your own.œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .
& 1. & œ or
œ review,
œ œ possibly
from the menu of optionsœ below, œ orœmake
2. Establish a tempo from a concert piece with the rhythms the students are
Middle Bow
24d. playing. Habits of4e. a Successful String Musician - Violin
& 3. 44 .. Use
œ œtheœintroduction
œ œ œ œ toœ model œ œ the
œ œrhythms .. & 44 .. œstudents
œ œ œor œarticulations œ œ ..
œ œ œ œareœ toœlearn.
4. Students play the Theme immediately after the teacher, demonstrating the œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
rhythm or articulation 4f.
justBowing
modeled byVariations
the teacher or student leader.
of 4
& 4 .. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ..
5. Practice
Perform with
the theme and
using onewithout the classroom
the rhythm metronome.
or articulations from the variations below.
Introduction (teacher) Theme (student)
## 4 . œ œ œ4 œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ .. w
4 4

& 4œ œ œ œ œ .
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Basic Bow Strokes

#
& # 44 œ œ œ œ
5a. 5b. 5c. 5d.

! ! œ@
Middle to upper half

@
3

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœœœ
3 3 3

# , ,
Keep thumband pinky curved.

& # 44 œ ‰ œj
5e. 5f. 5g. 5h.
‰ j œ
U.H. L.H.

œ. œ. œ- œ. œ. œ œ. œ. œ- œ. œ. œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ -
- - . . -
# 4
5j. 5k. 5m. 5n.

& # 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ- œ œ œ œ
. . -
4

Full Bow Exercises

 - . .Tip. . - Frog. . . Tip
. - . . . - Frog . . . . . . . . . . . . .
## 4 j ‰ j ‰ j ‰ j ‰
6e. Frog 6f. 6g. up-bow staccato
Tip

& 4œ œ œ œ œ œœœœœœœ œœœœœœ œ œœœœœœœ œœœœœœ

> ------> ------ - . . . . . . - . . . . . .
Triple Patterns f

# # 12and Hooked j # 12
& 8 œ œ œ œ œ œj œ œ
10a. 10b.
Dotted Rhythms j j
Bows
& # 8 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ- œ. œ. œ- œ. œ.
-7c.. . - . .
# # 4 Tip ## 4 ## 4
7a. 7b.

& 4 œ œ#. œ œ œ . œ & 4 œ .. œr œ .. r & 4 œ œ. œ œ j œ. œ

Frog Tip Frog

12 - œ- # 12 - j - . .
& 8 œ œ œ œj œ. œ . œ œ
10c. 10d.

& # 8 ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ ‰ œ f # j
# 4 #
7d. 7e.
10f. # 4
&10e.## 4 œ . œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ &# 4 œ . œ œ . œ œ. . œ. œ. . œ.
& # 12 8. œ œ œ. œ . œ œ. œ œ . œ œ œ. œ .œ œ . œ œ & # 12 8 œ. . œ œ. œ œ. . œ œ. œ œ . œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ
# # 4
&10g.## 44 œ . , œ œ . , œ œ. . ,œ- œ. . œ-,
7f. 7g.

& #10h.4# œ œ œœ œœ œœ
- . -
& # 12 8. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ # 12
& 8 œ . œ œ œ . œ œ œ. . œ. œ. œ. . œ. œ.
. . . . . .
Things to Remember
• Model how students are to sound
• Assess student performance. Look for correct bow hold, direction, part of the
bow, good weight and speed to project well, and correct articulation

4 Habits of a Successful String Musician - Violin

Slurring Variations can be used to teach slurs and detaché (including sautillé)
• Use a metronome: Start with a slow tempo and gradually increase speed.
• Use more weight on the slurs, and more bow on separate notes. Slurs
# #
& 44 .. & 44 ..
11a. 11b.
.. ..
6 Habits of a Successful String Musician
4 - Violin

œœœœœœœœœ œ
4

œ œ œ œ
4 4

œ œ œ œœœœ
œœœœ
19. Tetrachord Etude œœœ w œœœœ w
# #
Tuning
11c. Notes (Dorian Tetrachord) Etude 11d.

& 1244U .. & 44 ..

4

U U
œœœœœ .. œœœœœ ..
4
U œ œ
4

œ œ
4 4

& 8 œ . #œœœ. œœœ œ œ

œ .
. œ œ œ œ œ œ .
œ # œ œœ œœ œ œ œw œ œ œ # œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ w .
. œœœ w
4 4

. .

#4 . #4 .
11e. 11f.

. œ .. . œ ..
4 4
After learning the Etude with the Dorian4 tetrachord above, play it with one of the other tetrachords below.4
& 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ & 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ
Tetrachords: œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ w œ œ œ œ it has also œ œ œ œ w
œ speed,
Velocity Etude for Bow Management
While we use
Major
the velocity etude primarily
Dorian
for developing left hand
Phrygian Lydian Major (half pos.)
been
œ
& #œ #4œ #toœ contact n œ œweight & n œ œ œto produce
11g.a good tool for teaching students to manage their 11h.
& œ # œbow œ œ œ tone from
& #b œ4aœgood
bow speed. Students must pay
& b œ the bœ
œ œfirst
.
& to4the. last. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ .
. & 4 . . ..
œœœœœœœœœ
attention point, and speed

œœœœ œœœ œœœœ œœœ

note
w w
20. Velocity Etude
Perform as written first, and then perform with the different finger patterns (#2. Fn and #3. Ef) shown below.
4
& 4 œ œ #œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Finger Pattern #1 #2 #3

& œ œ #œ & œ œ Nœ & œ bœ œ

5
Velocity Etude Variations
A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H.
 Vla. B4 . ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ ˙ œœ ˙ œ ˙ . . -̇ œ- ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

? 43 .. ˙ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ . .. ˙≤ .
Vc. ˙ œ- ˙ . œœœ
? 43 .. ˙ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ≤
˙ . .. ˙ . ˙ œ ˙ .
Bass
œ ˙ œ - œœœ
Give students exercises and opportunities to learn how to finely tune their fingers
œ≥ œ œ œ œ œ œ4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙4 œ ˙
.
13

1 & Canons, œ Chords

œ œ œ ˙ .and Chorales teach students to listen, blend, and finely
-̇ œ- œ œ
Tuning tune
the
Vln. notes and chords in each key. ≥ For overall balance, the lower instruments should be
œ œ4 œ œ4and
œ . no œ4 loudlyœString
26 Habits of a Successful Musician - Violin
œ œ œ one œ œ œ œ œ œplayœ so
˙ should
4

2 & than the upper instruments,

louder œ œ œ ˙ œ ˙.
that they cannot
blend and œ œ œtune
-̇ œ-finely
œ œœ œ J
their notes with the players around them. The tuning canon is a
≥ D fœ Major
˙ œ can focus on performing with good
˙ students
Vla. B
way to begin ˙class; as a warm ˙ œ up, œ œ œ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ ˙.
good
œ
-̇ good
- ˙ œ œ ˙ . ˙
pitch and tone
œ- ˙ œ- ˙ . ˙≥ œ ˙ œ œ ˙.
? ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ
˙ ˙ Chords
œœ ˙.
U U
Vc.
120. Tuning Canon 121. Tuning
˙ ˙≥. U ˙. ˙ ≤ ˙ U œ U U U ˙Uw œ Uw ww ww
Bass b b b b ˙4 œ ˙ bœ b 4
.
1. 2. 3. 4.
? œ .. w œ œ œ
& b b b 4 w w ww ww
œ- ˙ ˙. œ ˙.
& b4

128 Habits of a Successful String Musician - Conductor

STUDENT PAGE 42
194.
122. Scales andChorale
Arpeggios - #3: Pavane
One Octave from Capriol Suite q = 88
b bSTUDENT b
(200. Chorale #9: In the Bleak Midwinter - continued)
4 PAGE 40 œ œ . œJ œ &œ b ˙b b b ˙44 œ œ œ
& b b b b4œ .œ œJ œœ œœ œ œ˙ œ ˙ œ œ- - œœ œœ œœ œ wœ œ w œ œ œ . œJ œ w. w
& bb 24 .. ˙ œ # œ œ œ1 ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ .. .. ˙
25

11 & œ œ œ œ #˙ ˙ nœ œ œ œ #œ ˙ .
b 2˙ .. œ b œ ˙ ˙ œ-1 Nœ-œ ˙œ œ œ wœ œ .. .. œ œœ . œ œJœœ œœ ˙ ˙ -2 ˙ 4 œ œ w.
Vln.
Two Octaves
b
Vln.

22 b&
& b
b 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ˙ œ ˙ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ ˙ .
& b b b 4 œ ˙ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ˙ - œ œ œ ˙ ˙
œ œ œ w
Vla. B
- - .. ˙ œœ .œ œœœ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ I œ˙ œ œœ nœ˙ w..
& bbb 24œ . .. ˙Jœ œ œ œœ œ˙ œ ˙ ˙ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œw ˙ .. Three
1

J
III

œ œ -1
Vla.

œ
Octaves
œ œ œ
E

œ œ œ œ œ
D
œ
b b?Bb b42œ . . œ œœ œ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙œ œœ œœ œ˙œ œ œœ ˙œ .. œ .. &œ b bœb b.œb J44œ œ ˙ ˙œ ˙œœ œœœœ œ˙œ œ œ œ˙ œ˙ ..
œ ˙ œ œ w
1
-1 G 1 A

Vc. b bbb 44 . ˙Jœ œœ

&
2 1 -1

Vc.
œ œ III œ - - w œ œ
œ ˙ œœ . œœœIII œ
w ˙ . .œ-4 œ-3 œ J œA ˙ ˙ œD œ˙ œ œ˙ G˙ w..
I V
? b 2
Bass B bb 4 . . Jœ . ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙
œœ ˙ 4 ˙ x4œ˙œ œœ-4 œ3˙œ œ œ . . ˙ ˙
-1 œ œ œ - - œ œ œ œ œ4 œ
-1 œ œ œ œ-3
bb œ œ œ œ œ œ
&bbb œ
Bass

œ œ œ œ
4 4 2

VII IX VI III
w
201. Chorale #10: Chorale from Emperor Concerto,
b œ œ œ 2œ q =œ 42œ œ œ Aœ œ
œ œMovt.
D D x4 -4

b 4 œ
A E G

b
3 3 3 1

& bb4 œ œ œ œ œ
4 2 -1 -1 1 3 2 4
2 1 2 1 2

w
Adagio un poco mosso

# # # #III 4 3≤ 1 ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤
1

#4 œ œ œ. œ
œ œ œ œ
V1 VIII III
1 & œ œ œ
˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ ˙
p
# ## 4 ≤ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≤
Vln.

2 & # # 4 j
1 4 2

123. Dominant Arpeggio

˙ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ
œ œ ˙ œ- œ . œ- œ-
p1 œ œ œ
b b 4 œ ≤ œ ≥œœ
& b b b #4 # 4œ ≤œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
# œ n œ œœ≤ œ œ ≥ œ œ ≤ œ œ œ œ œ œ œj
2

œ
3

Vla. B # #œ# 4
I 1p
˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ- œ- œ . œ- œ
≤ ≤
? # # # # 44 ˙ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ nœ œ a œ ˙ j
#
p J œ œ œ œ œ. œ-
Vc.

≤ ≤
? # # # # - Lower œ œ œ1
44 ˙ Octave œ œ. œ ˙ j
Jœ œ œn œ œ œ œœ œ a œ
124. Thirds
b # œ œ1 œ. œ-
b bb 4 p œ œ œ œ œ
Bass

& b4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ
#### ≤ œ œ . œ ≥1 œ œ 2
1

œ œ œœ ‹ œ œ-2œ œ Œ œ œœ œ œœ -2 Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
6

1 &Octave # œ
œ œ cresc. œ œ œ
Upper
Vln. b b œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œf œ œ œ1 œdim.œ œ p œ
œ œ œ
-2

b
& b b #### ≤
1 -2

≥
6
III j Œ III Œ œ œIœ
2 & #
œ- œ- œ . œ- œ œ Vœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
f dim. p
 4 œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ
# 2
& 4 œ ‰ œJVIII
œ œ Sight-Reading
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ by œLevel
œ œ œ ‰ œ œ
J
A. Quarter Notes and Rests; Eighth Notes
260. and b.
## 2
211a. Teaching Rhythmic Literacy and Sight Reading
j j
& 43 4œ œ œ œ Œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œŒ œ œ œ œ œœ œ Œœ Œœ ‰ œŒ œ œ ‰ œ
The goal of teaching rhythm is to develop independent string musicians who can
&
## 3 recallœ and
#
decipher,
4 œ œ œ perform
œ œ œ œ œ
writtenœrhythms
œ œ œ œ œ œ the
without œ help
œ œ ofŒ a teacher.
‰Œ œ œ We j to
‰ œneed
be & Œ howœ we œrespond
Œ toœ theŒmostŒfrequently asked question
œ Œ J
careful
œ in
œ œ œ
music education:
“How does this go?” If we are not careful, teachers can unintentionally create students
that become rhythmically dependent upon the teacher or other players.
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Getting Started
1. Establish and model the tempo and counting style students are to use during the
rhythmic example. Students are to count the pulse (not the rhythm of the music)
out loud. After they demonstrate their ability to keep a steady pulse counting,
they can begin performing the rhythm of the music with their bow hand while
continuing to count out loud. Count using the smallest denomination used in the
music; for example:
a. If the example is mostly quarters and half notes, count quarter notes (1, 2,
3, 4.)
b. If the example has dotted quarters and eighth-notes, count the pulse and
division (1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &)
c. Dotted eighths and sixteenth-notes: 1 e & a, 2 e & a, 3 e & a, 4 e & a
2. While counting out loud, students perform the rhythm exercises with their bow.
a. Air bow first. Students can get a preliminary feel of the rhythm as they
count the pulse out loud. Longer notes should be bowed with a slow,
sustained motion. The Teacher can check to make sure students are
counting and watch the bows to assess who is struggling most.
b. After students demonstrate success with air bowing, have them count and
bow the rhythm on an open string. Watch students closely to make sure
they continue counting as they play; the students who don’t count will not
know when to come in after long notes and rests.
c. When they are ready, have students look at the line with the pitches.
Remind them to look at the key signature, and have them mentally
practice (silently air bowing and putting fingers on the string) before the
class plays together. This important step gives the non-readers with good
ears a chance to practice reading without having the opportunity to listen
to the person next to them.
d. Instruct students to perform the notes and rhythms on the second line with
their bows. If they seem to need it, students may take the intermediate
step of counting and playing pizzicato before playing the notes arco.

Counting Out Loud

To genuinely understand a rhythm pattern, students must perform the rhythm while
simultaneously keeping a consistent pulse somewhere else in their body. The biggest
benefit to this strategy is that students are counting while they perform through long or
dotted notes and rests, which is the most important time to count. Students will find it
easier to “count in their head” (and they will beg their teachers to let them do this)
because in truth, they temporarily stop counting during the toughest rhythms; instead,
they should count out loud, especially when the rhythms are difficult.

Modeling is encouraged, but avoid teaching rhythm through repetition.

Hammering a rhythm over and over may clean up rhythmic inaccuracies, but the
students are only learning to copy the teacher, and not learning to count and
independently perform the rhythm. Each time a rhythm or exercise is repeated, the
students with good ears and poor reading ability have less need to read. So, avoid
repetition, and remember that the best time to teach rhythmic literacy is every time
students are learning new exercises or music.

8
Take Students Through a Series of Rhythm Exercises that are sequenced in
increasing difficulty. Also, practice musical sight reading exercises that gradually
challenge students to play harder rhythms, in more advanced keys, and in higher
positions and alternate clefs.
A. Quarter Notes and Rests; Eighth Notes
B. Ties, Dotted Quarters, and Eighth Rests
C. Syncopation
D. Intermediate Triple Meter
E. Triplets
F. Simple Sixteenth Notes
G. Dotted Eighth Notes and Sixteenth Rests
H. Cut Time
J. Advanced Triple Meter
K. Irregular Meter

Final Thoughts

1. Make Time—fundamentals time—for teaching technique to your upper level

students.
a. Fundamentals Time (50%)
b. Concert Music Rehearsal (50%)

2. Determine the skills that students at each level should have, and plan how you
will go about teaching them these skills.
a. Determine the skills for each level of orchestra you teach.
b. Organize these skills into units.
i. Left Hand Unit: Finger Patterns, Shifting, Upper Positions
ii. Tone and Articulation: Bow hand, basic tone projection, spiccato,
etc
iii. Scales and Arpeggios
iv. Theory and Creativity
v. Concert Music
3. Create a Long Range plan that identifies the skills that will be addressed in each
quarter.

9
Notes

10
 Notes

Dr. Christopher Selby is the author of Habits of a Successful Orchestra

Director, and co-author of the Habits of a Successful String Musician
series, a collection string method books for middle and upper level
orchestras published by GIA. He is an active clinician and conductor,
and he has presented sessions at the Midwest Clinic, the 2016 NAfME
National Conference, four American String Teacher Association (ASTA)
National Conferences, and numerous state conferences across America.
He currently directs the high school orchestras at the School of the Arts
in Charleston, SC, where he led the school’s Symphony Orchestra to win
the 2016 ASTA National Orchestra Festival’s top award of Grand
Champion in the competitive public school division.

Dr. Selby earned his music education degree from the Hartt School of Music in Connecticut, and
Masters and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees in Orchestral Conducting from the University of
South Carolina. Before taking his current job at the Charleston School of the Arts, Dr. Selby
taught orchestra in traditional elementary, middle and high schools for eighteen years. He was
the Orchestra Coordinator in Richland School District Two from 2001 to 2012, where he taught
high school and supervised the district’s orchestra curriculum and instruction.

Dr. Selby guest conducts at Regional and All-State Orchestras, and he currently serves on the
Council for Orchestral Education in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). From
2012-2014, he was the Chair of the ASTA Committee on School Orchestras and Strings. Dr.
Selby was the Executive Board President of the South Carolina Music Educators Association
(SCMEA) from 2011-2013, and he is currently serving a second term as the President of the
state’s Orchestra Division. He was named the SC ASTA Orchestra Teacher of the Year in 2009,
and has written articles for NAfME and in ASTA’s American String Teacher.

11
 Habits of a Successful String Musician
A Comprehensive Curriculum for Use During Fundamentals Time
Christopher Selby • Scott Rush • Rich Moon
Habits of a Successful String Musician is a field-tested, vital, and - most important - musical collection of almost 400 sequenced
exercises for building fundamentals.
Perfect to use with the entire string orchestra or solo player at virtually any skill level, this series contains carefully sequenced
warm-ups, sight-reading etudes, rhythm vocabulary studies, chorales, tuning canons, and much more. In one place, this series
collects everything an aspiring player needs to build fundamental musicianship skills and then be able to transfer those skills
directly into the performance of great literature.
• Creates a method for teaching scales, arpeggios and thirds that simultaneously accommodates students of different ability
levels.
• Organizes tone, rhythm and articulation patterns into a flexible and sequential series.
• Creates finger pattern and velocity studies that address the most common problems encountered by
intermediate orchestra students.
• Provides beginning through advanced shifting exercises for students of every level.
• Creates exercises for learning alternate clefs and higher positions.
• Provides chorales for the development of intonation, tone quality, blend and musicianship.
• Presents rhythm charts in a new format that allows transfer from timing and rhythm to pitches in a musical
context.
• Provides audition sight-reading in a classroom “full ensemble” format that is well planned in scope and
sequence. There are over 130 sight-reading examples in this book.
• Promotes the idea

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Helpful Tips and Practical Strategies for Improving String Instruction
Christopher Selby • Scott Rush
Christopher Selby and his team have created a resource that is rich with practical strategies for developing a successful orchestra
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• Perform with refined intonation, expressive musicianship, and a beautiful tone

• Develop advanced performance technique, rhythmic precision, and ensemble skills
• Sight-read better, rehearse more efficiently in class, and practice better at home
• Become orchestra leaders and take greater pride and ownership in your ensemble

Additional sections address rehearsal strategies, classroom policies, long-range planning, assessment, tips for building an
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Habits of a Successful Orchestra Director is a comprehensive book designed to exponentially inspire as teaching skills grow. It will be a
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130 SIGHT-READING

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Habits of a
This edition offers additional etudes, drills and melodic exercises in a well-sequenced format that is designed to help students in
Successful
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Middle Level
String 1. Tone and Articulation
Musician 2. Finger Patterns and Lower Positions
A Comprehensive orChestrA CurriCulum 3. Shifting and Upper Positions
for YeArs 3, 4 And BeYond
4. Scales, Arpeggios and Thirds
w 5. Chorales—14 musical gems ranging in difficulty from Grade 2 to 4
Christopher Selby 6. Rhythm Vocabulary--
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