Balancing Games 3: Violin Circus

A wide view

Look into the room as you work, to keep your head up and your neck free.

Look into the room as you work, to keep your head up and your neck free.

Violin toss

Into playing position

With your right hand toss the body of the instrument up onto your left shoulder. You will now find that your left hand has come into playing position.

With your right hand toss the body of the instrument up onto your left shoulder. You will now find that your left hand has come into playing position.

Jaw centering

Centre the jaw in the chin rest

Check that the jaw is centred in the chin rest cup by positioning the instrument with the right hand. You can rotate the instrument or slide it with strings parallel to achieve this. You can then attach the elastics.

Check that the jaw is centred in the chin rest cup by positioning the instrument with the right hand. You can rotate the instrument or slide it with strings parallel to achieve this. You can then attach the elastics.

Variation One

Bean bag

Put a bean bag on your head to remember where your head is while you play.

Put a bean bag on your head to remember where your head is while you play.

“Tick tock”

Find balance point: Hold the bow in vertical position (tip above frog) so that it balances by itself with little effort. Cushion is set up so that bow tip hits it with elbow slightly bent. Allow the tip of the bow to drop outwards and land on the cushion and then to come back over the balance point to land on the string. Go on with this tick (out to cushion), and tock (back to string). Thus the bow “tick-tocks” around the vertical bow balance point, with cushion and string as end points. (You can also practice this first with a broomstick for the violin, and a dowel for the bow.)

Variation Two

Balance board

Play while standing on the balance board. The idea is to see if you can keep on rocking gently back and forth (right to left) while playing. Try not to rock in rhythm to the bow stroke.

Play while standing on the balance board. The idea is to see if you can keep on rocking gently back and forth (right to left) while playing. Try not to rock in rhythm to the bow stroke.

“Pillow fencing”

Start playing a long tone, or a piece, and in the middle of a phrase or bow, suddenly hit the cushion with the back of your bow. Let it make a nice solid sound as it hits and let the bow come back to play on the rebound of the hit. If it needs to bounce on the string, let it!  Set the cushion on a high table or other surface to the right of you (just above waist level), so that bow tip hits it when arm is extended, but not overstretched. It works best when someone hold the cushion for you.

Start playing a long tone, or a piece, and in the middle of a phrase or bow, suddenly hit the cushion with the back of your bow. Let it make a nice solid sound as it hits and let the bow come back to play on the rebound of the hit. If it needs to bounce on the string, let it!  Set the cushion on a high table or other surface to the right of you (just above waist level), so that bow tip hits it when arm is extended, but not overstretched. It works best when someone hold the cushion for you.

Variation Three Finale!