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, (cpus Sst) pfel Dill, v Y Jacquelyn Dillon James Kjelland John O'Reilly © Copyright MCMXCII by Highland/Etling Publishing, a division of Alfred Publishing Co. Inc. ‘Cove phot courtesy of cher & Rath and United Musi nstumens USA In Ateghisresereg, Panda USA eaea TAKING CARE OF YOUR BASS TAKING CARE OF Your BOW 1 HANDLE WITH CARE! Your bast made of breakable wooden pany repairs can be expensive and time-consuming, Do not let anyone pay your bass unlesst is your teacher or an experienced bassist you tru. Awe sore our bs Safely inthe bag (ase) when you arena plying it Ivnen you set your bass down on its side, be sure to put the end pin back in so you don't trip over it. ever drag the sie of your bass onthe floor as you put it down or pi 't up. This will avoid damage to the edges there cng eur ass, be sure nt to bump the bridge on donna, chairs, etc, Keep your bas clean! After playing, wipe off the rosin dust smudges, fingerprints, etc, with a soft clean doth. Always wash your hora before playing your bass Oo, Rot let Your bass get too hot or too col Ifthe temperature is Teave 1 able for you it is alto bad for your bass For exemple, ever leave it ina caron a hot or cold day Allow only an experienced repair person to fix your bass Make sure your bridge is ined up correctly and standing straight at all times RANDLE WITH CARE! Your bow can easily be broken if you drop it or ann Just a with your bane Fepairs can be expensive and time: Jour na. Be sure to remove your ort Sour instrument. Alvays put your bon back in the bag after the bag is On Your bass, otherwise the bow might Rosin your bow hair “sing too much or not enough,PARTS OF YOUR BASS 1 pn 2 3 4 10. " 2 13. 14 1. scroll peg peg box nut fingerboard neck top ribs fhole bridge sound post (inside) tailpiece saddle tail gut end pin Cover up this column to test yourself! tp bow stick bow hair winding ferrule frog ‘tension screw4 HOLDING YOUR BASS (Sitting Position) study the pictures carefully Pull the end pin out far enough to make the rut about as high asthe top of your head when you are standing. Sit on the front edge of the stool with your left foot up on the fist rung and your right foot on the floor. With your bass at arm'slength, and the end pin in front of your left foot, turn your bass to the right (clockwise) so the back right edge Is facing you. Bring your bass toward you so the edge touches the left side of your stomach and the back rests against the inside of your upper left leg. (Figure 1) — The neck of your bass should be lose to your neck and you should be able to comfortably teach the bowing area of, the strings with the palm of your right hand. (Figure 2) = Your bass should not rest on your right leg, and your bow should not hit your right leg, if your bass isin the correct position. Figure 2: Meck to Meck {Standing Position) Study the pictures carefully. Pull the end pin ‘out far enough to make the nut about as high as the top of your head when you are standing. While standing about an arm's length away from your upright bass, and with the end pin in line with your left foot, turn the bass to the ight (clockwise) so the back right edge is facing you Figure 3: Good Posture and Position (standing) ‘Step forward toward the end pin with your left foot and bring your bass toward you so ‘the back edge touches the left side of your stomach. (Figure 3) Itis helpful to have your left foot on the rung of a chair (6-10 inches off the floor) so you can rest the back of your bass against your upper left leg. (Figure 4) ‘The neck of your bass should be close to your neck and you should be able to comfortably reach the bowing area of the strings with the palm of your right hand, (Figure 2) Your bass should Not rest on your right leg, and your bow should ‘ot hit your right leg, if your bassis in the ‘correct position (standiog) Figure 4 Supporting the Rast —™ PIZZICATO POSITION — Study the picture carefully. — Place the tip of your right thumb on the side of the fingerboard (near the corner). — Extend your first finger and pluck the string. (Figure 5) — Make the string vibrate as muchas possible for the bes sound, Figure 5:Pinicato Position ‘LEFT HAND PLAYING POSITION ™ HOLDING YOUR BOW Study the pictures carefully (French Type) — Keep your elbow up and out tothe left side. — Study the pictures (Figures 13 & 14 on page 6) carefully \ —_ be sure your wrist is relaxed and straight. Make acre between the tip of your thumb and the space between > your second and third 5 Figure 8 fingers. The thumb pra ‘touches your fingers between your first and second joints. (Figure 8) — Place a pencil between your thumb and fingers. (Figure 9) en aa = Place the fist joint of your — Curve alll of your finger joints, playing only first and fourth fingers on Cn the tips of your fingers. (Figure 6) ‘the pencil. (Figure 9) (rim your fingernails) — Always keep your thumb — Keep your thumb relaxed (never squeezing) curved and relaxed—never and rest it behind the neck under your second squeezing or gripping, finger. (Figure 6) — When practicing your — Make sure your first finger points up toward bow hold, hold it straight your left ear, up and down by the end making a space screw with your left hand, between the (Figure 10) first and second — Place your right thumb finger. (Figures tip on the bow stick just 6, 13, 814) above the end of the frog, — Keep your Place your other fingers fingers close (on the bow stick just as to the string you did on the pencil when not Be sure your second and playing notes. an third fingers hang relaxed Figure 10: (Figure 7) Two Fingers on the String over the stick, (Figure 10) Holding Your Bow™ HOLDING YouR BOW (German Type) — Study the pictures carefully. = While holding the bow stick with your left hand, place the back side of the frog across the base joints of your first three fingers. (Figure 11) Figure 11: Preparing the German Bow Hold — Let your fingers relax and curve so that your fourth finger tip is underneath the frog near the ferrule, and your thumb is over the top of the stick. (Figure 12) Figure 12: Holding the German Bow Hold = The first and second finger tips touch underneath the bow stick. The third finger rests inside the curve of the frog. Make sure your wrist stays relaxed and straight. (Figure 12) Figure 13: The Whole Picture (French Bow) Figure 14 the whnte (German Bow!Learning Open A, D and G Strings m 7 BAR LINE measure | [ pouste sar | ( rePearsicn | { pizzicato | | | \ ae play again sti (~ quarter ‘QUARTER r | “wove REST simnes 1 my 1 beat of silence ‘TIME SIGNATURE pddeaddeaideeed 1923 44 ree dele deligeed rigdraldagr|egerd Ja rpotraletaaieatad rfeadafttari[ddaad rdelggttlgdrrletard| | 8 Learning Open E String Oatley ty tla arse gelpegelaretlst ged carerily sy ylerer|ed edd . dddd “een egret eM ddsal gia! yyygleddslesds|eee je v eel payaddlerraled gdp aed errrrald gy lyeedjer yd NIAAA aLearning E and Fi on the D String @ 9 gdderfddaay adie gdidrldrdalerdaldrdrididey gddraldtrrpedralddrrldddrd gddddidrre ddddjieedd ferred giddrlidd: wddrldder ered a dalderrmedeidere| diddjidddiey dele rp? |p. LH LE Bididildrdilierds raifedraldday Diddrrldda riders Biledddledddidd id Oder [ede adey Jolly Fellows Jd Didderjdderfdeaey ba ¢,¢ ret ddtk ty) #Jdd fed dddLearning B and Cton the A String m@ 11 Da jgrtldderpedraldderijgred S4ddddldirtlidddldddd|Jriry gddrrldidraldderi[dger|seded didddtl[ddidrlsrridrdr[jrrrg Prepare fingers LAddid S| drdilidddd|udr[dd ry Siddddlidr dr |i dd| Ji 22 4 aiddt ita dipeteeisseag <<<12. m Learning B on the G String and the D Major Scale ‘MUSIC ALPHABET ABCDEFG CALE tt Di jgrtlddrthddeepsder|sderg Bisdddhddddleddd| Ji Jgleyerd Badd efodd ddd slddddldrr ed ‘The D Major Scale ona dd sits eyd ddd sapde eel D & A String March weer J ods inspec sedSongs for Fun @ 13 Merrily We Roll Along pat ddd daddy wea wdddiesdeiddididcee |] sid didadiidr deed, fy tdid yp dd pdideidanay pees aids e ee itiieg ’ d peddiddd ides, bdddpssdr teeta aay padi ddajsdwdeeeay Jd tiddpa et ysraay eeee_= @i< e3 J ea d @< REMINDERS vrsow | #1 1. Be sure to check your bow hand for correct position [7] 2. piace the bow onthe sting before starting each ne 4] 3. vo not move or lift your bow during the rests Try to keep your bow straight as you play. e= eu a ea _ rildddd rrr? reid dealjges raldddgieree bile reloeaed 5 nvm pedis a,Reading the Open Strings on the Staff M15 ox the rests, ay¥mVv mvymv AVA mv pv my Four String Warm-up pon mim vo mV¥ mv mv ny Jumpin’ Strings minv¥ om ov _omavevyo mv¥n mymv mi eR String Bass SpecialREMINDERS || 1. Keep the bow straight. 2. Keep the bow speed steady. 3, Roll the bow to the new string, Name the Notes—Then Play mv mV n> mvav mon vy myBowing E and Fion the D String ™ 17 Piz. ARCO Abbreviation for | | Play with the pizzicato, bow. Usually found after pizzicato. NEW SKILL Play pizzicato while holding your bow. Ast time play plzz. 2nd time play arco mov om mV om mymy ms vm ms Prepare fingers mov omy? mn mV mvs mn nym Vey mvmy avo mv omy VAVA Hot Cross Buns fn , on mis Merrily We Roll Along fn v moon mo 1 pee. 2. arco Add the Bart18 Bowing A on the G String OF 1m ‘SIMILE Continue in the same way. 7Bowing B and Cf on the A String and B on the G String @ 19 Folk Dance Beethoven, Can-Can Offenbach20 W String Orchestra Arrangements Jingle Bells >on > Mozart Serenade MozartLearning High C# and D, D Major Scale, Ties and Slurs mi 21 KEY SIGNATURE TE SLUR SHIFT SIGN BE (Sep Z - = | | = FETE | stoveyour ol This Key Signature tells va ! hand toward or you that all Fs and Cs Connects notes of Connects notes of ‘away from the are played as Fé and the same pitch. different pitch bridge. D Major Scale 1 BAS 2s AoA os te 2ee05 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 1234 (@) o non Do not lft (a @ nm vv Om yy Ome mov yy Do not litt mov om vy om Rv mv ma om Vg Long, Long Ago avon an oy nm v v t w 0 a SH22 M@ Learning 3/4 Time, Dotted Half Notes and Three-Note Slurs TEMPO MARKINGS TIME DOTTED HALF NOTES tell us how fast or ‘SIGNATURE | J. slow to play the music. / 7 4 bets toa measure | 3 203 Sele = gets 1 beat vos 4 J J J moderate tempo ‘Three To A Bow a ¥ aa mn. f™~ 5 , French Folk Song 43 “1 mn Prepare fingers v 5 MacDonald Atego (Que)—_~"——s—<—~CSCSte ess eo Learning Left-Hand Pizzicato and 4th Finger Aon the D String m 23 INTERVAL LEFT HAND PIZZ. The distance between two no! For example: re between two notes + 2nd = first and second scale notes. 4th = first and fourth scale notes. luck the note with 3rd = first and third Octave = first and eighth the 3rd and ath fingers scale notes. scale notes, of the lefthand. | DYNAMICS tell ushow soft oF loud to play. Forte f Plano P = soft London Bridge 5 Av Moderato, f 0 f Moderato Lightly Row, i nat My ae n> F P A al o fn f P ft Put in Time Signatures and Bar Lines boy byl ay Ld Ly — es24 @ Learning Eighth Notes 4 fel | Fl OF DAT 1st and 2nd ENDING EIGHTH NOTES TeTS3648 18283848 18283848 1826I848 18783 Rd 1k2 83848 hk 2nd time ) om ¢) 18283848 18283848 18283848 TKIKTATE 5 12838 Moderato 5 v 142838 182838 182838 182838 182838 1H IKIN TADRIE Baa Baa Black Sheep 7 5 Two at A Time———— String Orchestra Arrangements @ 25 Polly Wolly Doodle fr moo fr Moderato 5 nNEW KEY SIGNATURE yputetal avert SP Play Pisttime | | Play fst time and f 2nd.time | | and P 2nd timeaaa Learning 2/4 Time Signature and Up-Beats @ 27 TIME SIGNATURE UP-BEAT v Not al music begins on beat one. Notes before the first full measure are called up-beats. Up-beats Usually begin with an ¥ bow, 2= 2 beats to a measure A= loets 1 beat ‘ACCENT RITARDANDO DIVISION OF THE BOW > tre) te a ee cro SS oo, | | moderately ow Sn slow down than the others. Wa=Whole Bow UH = Upper Half | LM= Lower Half m= Middle a i 1428 1828 1828 1828 1828 18278 1828 1828 et rt Atego » ke ee | v cy it Tit ‘This Old Man v v Andante i Sta __ 28 & Learning Staccato Bowing and Baroque Style BAROQUE STYLE Away of playing music written, around 1600-1750 which uses staccato bowing. 15. Bach is the most famous of the Baroque composers. EIGHTH REST da dr inn @ nm ‘The dots mean to play the notes shorter. On on On “a2@ 1a28 1828 A Round with Reuben and Rachel y 2, 2 4 1828 1828 182% 1428 182% Allegro wg tH St ‘simile March from “Peasant’s Cantata” Moderato Fy Bach iH fOO Learning Slurred Staccato and Hooked Bows 29 SLURRED HOOKED Bows STACCATO mommy DA CAPO (0.c.) / 90 tothe beginning ae al did did Cit s FINE « the ee TF rn nv v 1 d D.C. AL FINE inthe same bow Qk at the Fine. Do not take direction, stopping the — repeats on the D.C. ow between notes. |_| slurred staccato on uneven ehythm, mavY may amy AMY aol ao ae, vA Omen WH © wn ony nny \ i 123 T3494 The Birch Tree . ‘Theme from the Fourth Symphony Andante * Tehaikovky ah BS DD v we UH we The Merry Widow Waltz Lehar Moderato 4 v A 27 Identify the Intervals and Guess the Song Vv Fie 04 4 D.C alFineee 30 ™@ Learning C-Natural on the A String * SLE NEW KEY SIGNATURE = All notes are natural NATURAL wide space »| between the Ist and 2nd fingers. This sign changes ‘note back to natural. c= at} ‘Theme from the First Symphony (found) Ay A * 4 Phe Mahler 1 v f in-swing styer MAPK the Half Steps (~) Then Play f a) f8 GM CN (I, , 2? OCC OPDUT’~-- HW Sa String Orchestra Arrangements m 31 ae Bach Musette tach William Tell Overture > WnThe key of Chas all natural notes. Therefore all Fs and Cs are played Hold the note longer as naturals. ‘than normal va2alre2e/rar2al rare) rare) rare y. Ve2e/1erzal raze} reral rare v 1828 1828 1828 1824 1828 1828 1878 1828 ‘Andante All Through the Might Wes Folk Song A ; v Fine R hal