master the violin

regularly, often and efficiently.

So why aren’t I doing it? Maybe because my muse is not playing at the moment and I am lacking some inspiration. Maybe I should get those CDs out and listen. Yes I’ll do that!

3 octave F major scales

(The fingerboard is just about long enough)

I have heard it from the very top.

Playing the violin with technical mastery is (quote) “easy” (ahem…might be for you mate…but us mere mortals find it a little more challenging). All you need to do is practise every day for 7 hours. (Of course…now THAT’S where I have been going wrong – I can’t even manage 7 hours in a week!!!)

But the emotional mastery can only come with life’s experiences, playing with your soul and heart, and that is what makes all the difference.

^{I think right now I would settle for the technical mastery….}

Just checked and this is rated Grade 6. Another step en route to mastery!!

I’ve agreed to play a duet in a recital in a local venue. We are going to play a Corelli sonata (op4 no5) just 4 weeks away. Must practise!!!

That’s what I need.

Have found some fantastic DVDs# of masterclasses from the RAM, and will be studying these in great detail to see what I can learn in the quest for mastery.

Lets say so far in my life I have practiced / played for 2,500 hours (my estimate).

Last week I practiced / played for 10 hours…

New target=7490 hours to go before I become a master.

According to this book it takes 10,000 hours practice to become proficient. At an hour a day that is around 27 years. Eeeekkk!!!

I reckon I have probably reached about 2-3,000 hours by now, so just about 7,000 ish to go then. I’d better start doing more a day.

..along with the Grade 5 and Grade 6 goals. I heard a true master play recently, and I know I can never reach that level (not many can!), but it was wonderful inspiration for this goal. I guess mastery for me will never be the ability to play like a virtuoso, I left it too late to start learning for that, but what I would really like to be able to do is to make the violin play like I can hear it in my head.

I have my interpretations of the music in my head, but my lack of technical ability means it never comes out like that. So on with gaining the technical expertise until the time arrives that I can play from my heart and my violin responds accordingly.

is to start doing double stopped scales. Octaves for a starter…hmmm there is always something newer (and trickier) to do on this instrument.