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Audio Engineering 116 Syllabus

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13 views3 pages

Audio Engineering 116 Syllabus

Uploaded by

earlplata04
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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David Smith

AUDIO_ENGINEERING

AUDIO_ENGINEERING_116_SYLLABUS

Playing the violin entails holding the instrument between the jaw and the collar bone (see

below for variations of this posture).The strings are sounded either by drawing the bow

across them (arco), or by plucking them (pizzicato).The left hand regulates the sounding

length of the strings by stopping them against the fingerboard with the fingers, producing

different pitches.== Posture ==

It is possible to play the violin holding it in a variety of ways.Most players hold the lower

bout of the instrument between the left shoulder and the jaw, often assisted by a semi-

permanently attached chinrest and detachable shoulder rest.If held properly under the chin,

the violinist can let go of the instrument with their hands and it will stay there firmly.Other

common ways to hold the instrument include the seated Carnatic attitude, with the scroll

resting on a foot, or the dancing-master's "kit" or "pochette" hold, along the forearm, by the

lower margin of the rib cage, even though these are not widely traditional holds.Historically,

the baroque violin may have been frequently held without the chin and is often held this

way by performers of historical music today.In Morocco the violin is often held completely

upright resting on the seated player's thigh with the left hand stabilizing the balance while

fingering.The chin rest and shoulder rest accessories come in a great variety of styles and

shapes, so each individual may find the combination that best suits their build and playing

style.The search for the ideal combination can be a lengthy one in some cases.Whatever the

equipment, the player will usually aim to maintain a balanced, natural, and comfortable
attitude, with the spine straight, especially the neck.Many violinists have a reddish mark on

the neck, the so-called "violin hickey" (or "fiddler's hickey") from long-term pressure at that

spot.The spot may be aggravated by an allergic reaction to nickel plating on the chinrest

clamp hardware, or by microbial pathogens present on the instrument.Keeping the left

wrist relaxed and nearly "straight" allows freedom of finger motion, and reduces the chance

of repetitive strain injury.Collapsing the wrist to "support" the violin with the heel of the

hand is an unfortunate habit that many novice players fall into, and may take years of

constant vigilance to overcome.The left forearm will be rather extremely supinated, and the

left elbow drawn medially, or to the right.Players may sometimes be advised to bring their

left elbow to where they can see it, to reach the lower strings more easily.Raising either

shoulder beyond a naturally relaxed position is an easy habit to acquire without noticing

it.Like any other unwarranted tension, it limits freedom of motion, and increases the risk of

discomfort, while decreasing sound quality.It is useful to pay attention to the "square"

formed by the right arm and bow, keeping it in a flat plane, and noticing which parts "lead"

in string-crossing motions.== Left hand: producing pitch ==

While beginning violin students often rely on tapes or markers placed on the fingerboard

for correct placement of the left-hand fingers, more proficient and experienced players

place their fingers on the right spots without such indications but from practice and

experience.To attain good intonation, violin players train their fingers to land in the right

places, learning to hear when a pitch is in or out of tune, and cultivating the ability to correct

the pitch rapidly and automatically as they are being played."Singing" the pitch mentally

helps to land in the right spot.(In practice, intonation may be checked by sounding an

adjacent open string, and listening for the interval between the two notes.)Although

adjusting to the desired pitch after landing the finger is indeed possible, the amount of
adjustment needed may be greatly reduced by training the fingers to fall properly in the

first place.The fingers are conventionally numbered 1 (index finger) to 4 (little

finger).Especially in instructional editions of violin music, numbers over the notes may

indicate which finger to use, with "0" above the note indicating "open" string, or playing on

a string without manipulating the pitch using the left hand.The second finger may be either

"low" or "high," corresponding to G or G♯ on the E string in first position (no fingers on the

string).Similarly, the first finger may reach a half-step down for the F, and the 3rd and 4th

fingers reach up for A♯ and C respectively, as shown on the chart of Bornoff finger patterns

on the left.(Pattern number five may be seen to be the same as pattern number three, but a

half step lower, or in "half position".)The lower chart on the left shows the arrangement of

notes reachable in first position.Left-hand finger placement is a matter of the ears and hand,

not the eyes, that is, it has strong aural and tactile/kinesthetic components, with visual

references being only marginally useful.Also (not shown on this chart), the spacing between

note positions becomes closer as the fingers move "up" (in pitch) from the nut.The blue bars

on the sides of the chart represent the usual possibilities for beginners' tape placements, at

1st, high 2nd, 3rd (and 4th) fingers, or Bornoff pattern number two.

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