Strings A COMPREHENSIVE STRING METHOD JACQUELYN DILLON + JAMES KJELLAND « JOHN O'REILLY Dear String Player, You are starting on a journey that will teach you many valuable and enjoyable things. The most important is how to make music— an activity you can enjoy your entire life! Playing an instrument will open up a new world of friendship and fun as you learn to make music with others. Becoming a musician will also bring you many other important benefits. You will learn how to listen carefully, how to work carefully to reach goals, how to enjoy achievements, and how to cooperate and share with others in the music-making process. We wish you great success and enjoyment in your new endeavor. Welcome to the world of string music making! Yours truly, lacquelyn Dillon James Kjelland John O'Reilly THIGHLAND/ETLING over photo ote of '5 oIVvisi0N OF [ed Sie atm and Une Musa { Cover design: Ted ngelba and © 1992 by HighlandiEtling Publishing, Tron Meyer a division of Alfred Publishing Co., In. ook production: rue Golds 16520 Roxoe Blvd, Suite 100+ PO. Box 10003 ‘Van Nuys, CA 91410-0003 Is@n-10:098264531-4 ARights Reserved. Printed in USA, 1S@N-13 978088284 531.9 EE ——e2 ™@ TAKING CARE OF YOUR VIOLA @ TAKING CARE OF YOUR BOW HANDLE WITH CARE! Your viola is made of breakable wooder repairs can be expensive and time-consuming. Do not let anyone play your viola unless it is your teacher or a experienced violist you trust. Always store your instrument safely in the case when you are r it. Before you pick up your case, make sure the latches are clo Never push down on the case lid to make it close all the way. Before closing and latching it, check for things that may be out of place inside. (Be sure, for example, to remove your shoulder pad before putting your viola away.) The lid of your case should close easily without pushing down on it. Keep your viola clean! After playing, wipe off the rosin dust, smudges, fingerprints, etc,, with a soft clean cloth. Always wash your hands before playing your viola, Do not let your instrument get too hot or too cold. If the temperature is uncomfortable for you, it is also bad for your viola. For example, never leave it in a car ona hot or cold day. Allow only an experienced repair person to fix your viola Make sure your bridge is lined up correctly and standing straight at all times. If it gets out of place, ask your teacher to straighten it for you HANDLE WITH CARE! Your bow can easily be broken if you drop it or step on it, etc. Just as with your viola, repairs can be expensive and time- consuming. Keep your bow clean! Wash your hands before playing and wipe rosin and smudges off your bow stick after playing. Avoid touching the bow hair, rt and skin oils will ruin the hai Rosin your bow hair regularly. Have your teacher check to see if you are using too much or not enough. ‘When tightening or loosening your bow hair, press lightly on the corner of the frog with your left thumb while you turn the tension screw with your right hand.PARTS OF YOUR VIOLA way 10 ™ PARTS OF YOUR BOW 1 12 13 —14 —15 —16 —17 1. scroll 2. peg 3. peg box 4. nut 5. fingerboard 6. neck 7. top 8 ribs 9. fhole 10. bridge 11. sound post (inside) 12. fine tuner 13, tailpiece 14, chin rest (aw rest) 15. saddle 16. tail gut 17. end button Cover up this column to test yourself! 1. tip 2. bow stick 3. bow hair 4, winding 5. ferrule 6. frog 7. tension screwHOLDING YOUR VIOLA Study the pictures carefully Make sure your shoulder pad is placed on your viola correctly. Stand or sit “tall” keeping your head facing forward. Holding your viola parallel to the floor by the right upper shoulder and guiding itwith your right hand, bring it toward you at an angle to your left. (Figure 1) As you bring the viola toward you, place the end button close to your throat (“Adam's apple”). Turn your head slightly to the left and tuck the edge (the bump) of your chin rest under your jaw just to the left of your chin. If your position is correct, you should feel relaxed and comfortable—able to easily move your head up and down and side to side. Your shoulder pad should allow you to hold your Viola with no help from your hands. PIZZICATO POSITION Place the tip of your right thumb on the side of the fingerboard (near the corner). Extend your first finger and pluck the string about 1-2 inches over the end of the fingerboard. Make the string vibrate as much as possible for the best sound, Figure 2: Pizzicato Position Figure 1: Getting into Position™@ LEFT HAND PLAYING POSITION — Study the pictures carefully. — Let the base joint of your first finger touch the side of the fingerboard. 0 — Keep your wrist relaxed and straight. — Play only on the tips of your fingers. (Trim your fingernails.) Curve all of your finger joints. — Keep your thumb relaxed (never squeezing) and rest it on the side of the neck across from the first or second finger. — Keep your fingers directly above the string when not playing notes. (Figures 4, 5 & 6) Figure 3: Four Fingers on the String 0 Figure 4: Three Fingers on the String Figure 5: Two Fingers on the String Figure 6: Curved Fingers™ HOLDING YOUR BOW —_ Study the pictures carefully. — Make a circle between the tip of your thumb and the space between your second and third fingers. The thumb touches your fingers between your first and second joints, (Figure 7) — Place a pencil between your thumb and fingers. (Figure 8) — Always keep your thumb curved and relaxed—never squeezing or gripping. Figure 7: Make a Circle Figure 8: Holding a Pencil Figure 9: Holding Your Bow — Place the tip of your fourth finger on top of the pencil — Rest your first finger on the pencil touching between the first and second joints. (Figure 8) — When practicing your bow hold, hold it straight up and down with your left hand. Place your right thumb tip on the bow stick just above the end of the frog. Place your other fingers on the bow stick just as you did on the pencil. (Figure 9) Figure 10: The Whole PictureLearning Open A, D andG Strings @ 7 BAR LINE MEASURE DOUBLE BAR REPEAT SIGN PIZZICATO | [FL La EP ¥ | omer =, yd [att id ME SIGNATURE 4 =4 beats to a measure AREY yoda: od idsay Prrry dd ¢6 4d 6 4d dd 4 or bl er blob rad d é é 2 4% 22 Jaafar eng addtrl[dditt|idtel|sedidJerrad d toy gglht tel ddd Ot jj sl4dsitdddy” rere oO ddd brea esa d Brrreeled ise flea d Thad ee SselyyeedLearning E and Fi on the D String m@ 9 SHARP REMINDERS lace ers like # _ four just the ° n i sill poe pldreweay ddrr|ddarg gdrdrldrdr lier ididrldidry gddralderrpedrrlddrrfddded pddddidiri|ddddpesddidr rey geddr| sor led: ddrr|Merey veadaldrrrfierdrfdrae | ddddlddddfierdrjdrrel10 ™ Learning G on the D String d dide RS efore 2. fi WHOLE STEP HALF STEP ue en Bidrdrldrdy cactatlens ddrrfdder|stda cr dderlddrrpler red aa lidads catddd|edddjddddpeddd 4 ee eee dda: Jolly Fellows ai? did djl Siddi die, order pddee weer iee a tide: Midrperd reeds | | iLearning B and Cf on the A String m 11 REMINDERS : fy red 4 weddidiiy a re[oFaafedeag dd ddd Jie dd J re Jddd Jd pod’ dae dédid jettag J Au Clair De La “y satin jidee! ea? a4 pddid syed itt eeitstig12M Learning High D on the A String MUSIC ALPHABET ABCDEFG erate ddd ddd Prepare fingers The piddid dit yy ddrye ie iddddi dire | ed ry | é rr[derrd de Jddd did |" é| ceed D Major Scale é t A ore die | ré2| A String March gavd pide ddd Jalen dipdady| eo? | eeeSongs forFun @ 13 Merrily We Roll Along wd ddd dy yddda pee say td ddd ddd iddiddidcrcell prs didadr fda dd id daay Syst id ddd di idaael pest adda tees read peededd i dddee yyy ddd dpssti peste isa aeg Lightly Row ped ape dda pd dese eey fds ddd et idin ayee __ 14 mf Bowing on the A, D and G Strings DOWN BOW up BOW REMINDERS 4, Be sure to check your bow hand for correct position, Pp V 2. Place the bow on the string before starting each line, 3, Do not move or lift your bow during the rests 4, Try to keep your bow straight as you play. mov r podariddarjdda: ore ~ @ ~ e7 ~ oun e7 ~ ea ~ e414 reid psd dre rrfddddjeaeeg eae se, yg ped, dads bead pdst el deadd ge. JeredReading the Open Strings on the Staff m@ 15 ALTO REMINDER STAFF OPEN | CLEF SIGN STRINGS Roll the bow ON THE tothenew | string during = STAFF a theres | 7 7 7 Four String Warm-up y vVomvem Vva ge 16 ™ Learning Half Notes and Half Rests HALF NOTE HALF REST LIFT SIGN REMINDERS 5 _ ’ 1, Keep the bow straight. 2beats Start with a 2, Keep the bow speed steady. 2 beats of silence new bow. 3, Roll the bow to the new string, 1234 1234 1234 1234 123 4 F234 ! my mv n v Name the Notes—Then Play mv | Boy mv mo omy Aongm 17 Pizz. ARCO Abbreviation Play with the for pizzicato. bow. Usually found after pizzicato. NEW SKILL Play pizzicato while holding your bow. fv Ay Ty nv mymy mv mv mv omy E Fe Ast time play pizz. 2nd time play arco mV mo mV ev mv mo? mV Prepare fingers myo om mV mov myn mn Hot Cross Buns 1. pizz. 2. arco Add the Barlines—Then Play18 @ Bowing G on the D String SIMILE Continue in the same way. (a) 5 Om Om @) v A Short Round coon King Wenceslas v Viola SpeciLearning B, Cfand Don the A String m@ 19 Beethoven y e Folk Dance Can-Can OffenbachSo EO —————————oOEOr,rtia‘S:si‘i(i‘i‘i‘i‘i‘i‘i‘(‘(‘(‘i‘it 20 @ String Orchestra Arrangements ’ Mozart Serenade 5Learning the D Major Scale, Ties and Slurs ™ 21 KEY SIGNATURE TIE SLUR BE Z - This Key Signature tells you that all Connects notes of Connects notes of Fs and Cs are played as Ft and Ct. the same pitch. ) different pitch. D Major Scale an 2 eert & Amo Aa m @ @ 234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 (b) © (d) y (a) o. v mmVvV ARV mv Do not lift ep yy, Onmyy On y Do not lift ny Fiddlin’ Tune, y a y wn 5 eee | ee er ew v eS Le eee ey22 Ml Learning 3/4 Time, Dotted Half Notes and Three-Note Slurs TEMPO MARKINGS tell us how fast or slow to play the music. Allegro—fast Moderato—at a moderate tempo DOTTED HALF NOTES ‘SIGNATURE = 3 beats to a measure 4=1 gets 1 beat Moderato Moderato i" g£ Allegro Allegro a Three To A Bow y v 5 v BS OS e yO French Folk Song 22 Old MacDonald (Over) yLearning Left-Hand Pizzicato and 4th Finger A on the D String m 23 2 B= INTERVAL DYNAMICS. The distance between | | tell us how soft or ‘two notes. loud to play For example: 2nd = first and second scale notes. 3rd = first and third eaeelnates! LEFT HAND PIZz. 4th = first and fourth + scale notes, Pluck the note with Octave = first and the 4th finger of the eighth scale notes left hand, rod ad ath London Bridg Moderato 5 A 4 4 — nv St Z t Lightly Row, Moderato 5 cede tr] Som Sf 1 f P f Put in Time Signatures and Bar Lines dd yy LL Ly Write in the counting1st and 2nd ENDING a By a} ccm) 2nd time fools | Ta 283G4K 1&283E48 1E2EILAG VEPHIKAK 1S 7K3ROE ) 5 () On @) (a) 18283848 18283848 18283848 RAR 3848 v rn 182838 12838 182838 142838 18285 1h 12838 Baa Baa Black Sheep v A Moderato fn Ff— String Orchestra Arrangements @ 25 mee Doodle Rainy Day Song 1 1 3 Moderato 4 5 | A : :nd G Major Scale 26 ™ Learning the G String Notes a NEW KEY SIGNATURE This key signature tells you that all Fs are Fe (Cs are no longer ck) PS SP Play Pst time Play ff ist time and f2nd time |_| and P 2nd time G Major Scale fn moe an eee Piano-Forte A A PS eae Country Dance arabs e SP Allegro Russian Folk SongTE Learning 2/4 Time Signature and Up-Beats @ 27 TIME SIGNATURE 2=2 beats to a measure 4=Jgets 1 beat Not all music begins on beat one. Notes before the first full measure are called up-beats. Up-beats usually begin with an V bow. ‘ACCENT TEMPO RITARDANDO DIVISION OF THE BOW > (eit) Tip Frog Andante £ u Play these Gradually —w—— notes aa pe Moderately a —— than the slow ‘own Wwe = Whole Bow UH = Upper Half others. | Lit= Lower Half m= Middle iciaieet ete eee eecieutiiatzale ina) 2iemeiel zee eal crepes o es) A 4 A Academic Festival Brahms Allegro es Ee ake! Ee Swedish Folk Song ry v Moderato [2- v vit. Andante This Old Man ° 4 fSy aan Tae ceaaa esc cnmanemserraccamerere ranean ime ee 28 M Learning Staccato Bowing and Baroque Style EIGHTH REST ‘STACCATO J J i) BAROQUE STYLE Away of playing music written eee around 1600-1750 which uses The dots mean staccato bowing. J.S. Bach is i) = d Y toplay the notes | | the most famous of the : shorter. Baroque composers. eres @ 9 me. On Om wm tale | 1228 1828 1828 182% 1828 1828 182 ale A Round with Reuben and Rachel v v tte “Ft simile March from “Peasants Cantata” Moderato > Bach Vv. . 2 1 [2 Allegro Up on the Housetop | 5 2 x iH f Moderato Theme from “Masterpiece Theater” a 2 5 8 “Sfee Learning Slurred Staccato and Hooked Bows ™@ 29 SLURRED HOOKED Bows STACCATO ria cian) DA CAPO (D.C) a] od) | 40 to the beginning oe Le FINE = the end 7 aie ¥ D.C. AL FINE raywoormorenotes| | 4 J. J | J. J | | sotoate begining anton in the same bow | ‘ 7 8 $ b | S 2 at the Fine. Do not take direction, stopping the | | —_— repeats on the D.C bow between notes, |_| Slred staccato on uneven rhythm, anvy nay aad poy an ood BoM wer23 we t234 h Tree Andante Theme from the Fourth Symphony i" nT A Tehaikovsky wef uP we un Woy The Merry Widow Waltz visa WooA oe fn oi | Moderato Identify the Intervals and Guess the Song Fine oc al fine oe30 ™ Learning C-Natural on the A String Areminder A reminder to place to place your finger your finger [| This sign changes "high" (toward “low" (away a note back to the bridge). from bridge). natural. 4 on Om hoa ny ong * Moderato Slavonic Folk Song | ea Fine 2 8 tf ‘Snake in a Basket wv pp Andante “p t a Theme from the First Symphony Andante (Round) mY Mahler nan a i ae v P St P In-Swing tyler Mark the Half Steps (~) Then Play in > ’ ff fString Orchestra Arrangements M31 Moderato Bach Musette Bach rn 4 = > ‘ 1 ¢ I 2 fe : P| 5 ; : ~ ~ D.C. al Fine f' ‘ ook RS ,The key of Chas all natural notes. Therefore all Fs and Cs are played as naturals. Hold the note longer than normal. DOTTED QUARTER NOTE a_i) 1&2 8 oo 2 4 On toy @ At mf t 4 € Major Scale AAI es a)re2elierzelrace v ¥, sfiezeliszelrare Vim _vAY A 1828 1828 1a 2e 1erm THA THOR Andante al ll Through the Night Welsh Falk Song v Fine 0. al Fine i ae h Folk Song Moderato Shepherd's Hey Ero Folk Som 5 | wo = > em oe a wpIu prreeeeEEeeeSe eee ee eee Learning Whole Notes and Four-Note Slurs m@ 33 WHOLE NOTE DYNAMICS LEGATO °o mf mp ‘Smoothly en mezzo forte mezzo piano flowing medium loud medium soft Qn Om AEC lemaee On 4 anas ~ we1234 1234 Andante {Sakura Japanese Folk Son: ar 9 f af BR EZ mf mp it P Allegro Cielito Lindo Mexican Folk Song é v a ‘ — iH wo f Vv Simple Gifts shaker Melody Moderato o. 4 2 7 er > Me "af ean A) D> 5| 34M Reviewing the G Major Scale and Learning the Whole Rest ‘CRESCENDO DECRESCENDO DYNAMICS WHOLE REST —— |] = Sf PP = Fortissimo Pianissimo pests Gradually get Gradually get ofssilence louder softer very loud Very soft A, Om AN 3}, G Major Scale 5 Dam Tchaikovsky o™ 2 2 o 2 7 a ife—. 3 i, We w——>- — ee ST : Moderato Double-String Blues oi mS simile Sas cf Lf