Yes, You Can!
Survival Guide for Teaching Strings
$50.00
SKU
TXT13
Yes, You Can! is a practical guide for teaching the essential techniques of orchestral string instruments. Especially useful if you are coming into teaching strings from another discipline, such as band or choir. The guide carefully describes techniques and compares them to knowledge you already have so that you will feel confident in presenting these concepts to students. If you are already a string specialist, you will find this an indispensable resource guide that presents the pedagogical techniques of teaching string instruments in a concise, eary to understand format.
SKU: TXT13
Publisher: Carl Fischer Music
Page count: 132+Cover
Weight: 1 lbs.
UPC: 6-80160-90868-4
ISBN: 978-1-4911-5118-1
Publisher: Carl Fischer Music
Page count: 132+Cover
Weight: 1 lbs.
UPC: 6-80160-90868-4
ISBN: 978-1-4911-5118-1
Forword
4
Introduction
5
Chapter 1: What you already know:
Fundamentals of learning are the same
7
Chapter 2: What You Already Know
The Importance of Fundamentals and Technique
12
A short note about learning:
12
Basic Tone Production: Acoustics
12
The Harmonic Series, Notated
15
Chapter 3: Fundamentals of Tone Production
The Role of the Right Arm/Bowing Mechanism
17
Comparison of Tone Production Principles of Winds, Voice, and Strings
17
Bowing Lanes (aka, Bowing Channels)
21
Exercise for Bow Placement
22
The Interaction Between Weight, Angle, Speed, and Placement
23
Creating Sound: The initiation of the pitch, the sustaining of the pitch and the release of the pitch
24
Fundamentals of Tone Production: The Role of the Left Arm/Fingering Mechanism
24
Body/Kinesthetic Motion: You Can’t Fight Physics, Newton Said So.
25
Newton’s Laws of Motion
25
Understanding the physiology of the hand
27
Three Simple Bowing Exercises for Learning How to Control Weight, Angle, Speed, and Placement
30
Construction of the Bow and Why It Matters
31
French Bow vs. German Bow for Double-Bass
33
Articulation and bowing technique
34
Executing the articulation
36
From Articulation to Bowing Techniques
36
How do I know which bowing style to use?
40
Exercises for Bowing Styles, and Why They Must Be Practiced Separately
40
And, just to keep it interesting…string crossing!
41
Why does all of this matter?
41
Rhythm and Bowing
42
Bowing Markings
42
The Fourteen Basic Principles of Bow-Direction
43
Additional resources already at your disposal
44
Chapter 4: Fundamentals of Tone Production:
The Role of the Left-Arm Mechanism
45
The Importance of Relaxation and Balance
45
Understanding Fingerboard Geography
47
Forward or shifting extensions
51
Shifting
52
Types of Shifts
55
Shifting and Aural Skills
55
Vibrato
55
Performing with vibrato
56
Answering the question about why certain keys are better than others
56
A final thought on technique
57
Chapter 5:Developing Aural Skills
58
The supremacy of aural skills
58
Using Tonal Patterns to Enhance Aural Skills
59
Using Folk Songs to Enhance Aural Skills
60
Effective “Ear Tunes” for String Ensembles, including both simple and more complex tunes
61
Other resources for aural skills training
62
Tuning the Orchestra
62
Preparatory Sequence #1 (single pitch approach)
64
Preparatory Sequence #2 (double stop approach)
64
Importance of the Tuning Pyramid
65
Chapter 6: What you Need to Know About Conducting a Band/Choir vs. Conducting an Orchestra:
Rehearsal Planning, Score Analysis, and Building the Ensemble
68
The Development of Master Teacher-Conductors
68
Characteristics of Outstanding Teacher-Conductors
70
Applying Instructional Delivery to the Teacher-Conductor
73
Developing Effective Rehearsal Routines
75
What the best teachers do in the classroom and studio
75
Fostering Artistry and Passion in the String Ensemble
77
Planning to be an Effective Teacher
78
Rehearsal Preparation—Preparing the Score
79
Moving from the Analysis to the Rehearsal
92
Rehearsal Planning — Structuring the Rehearsal and Planning for Success
92
Rehearsal Techniques—Predictive Success, Preventive Maintenance
98
Rehearsal Techniques—Solving Musical Issues
98
Rehearsal Techniques—Solving Technical Issues
100
Special Notes on Adaptations for Middle School Ensembles
101
Teaching Techniques, Principles of Learning, and Instructional Delivery
101
Models of Effective Middle-School Level Instructional Delivery
101
Effective Middle School Teacher Behaviors, Rehearsal Planning and Techniques
102
The Use of a Chamber Music Program to Teach Ensemble Skills
103
Chapter 7: Organizing the String Program
111
When to begin instruction
111
How to schedule instruction
111
Expect that you will teach heterogeneous string groups.
112
Recruitment and Retention will continue to be key issues
112
The value of community and school mentor programs
113
Choosing the right method book
113
What do I teach at the beginning?
113
The String Ensemble vs. the Full Orchestra
114
Ensemble leadership
114
Orchestral Seating
115
Tuning the orchestra
116
Chapter 8: Equipment and Materials
117
Choosing an instrument
117
Choosing a bow
118
Instrument sizes
118
Essential Equipment for String Players
119
Developing your orchestral library
124
Educational Arrangements or Authentic Music?
125
Chapter 9: Professional Resources
129
Professional Associations
129
Other Professional Development Opportunities
129
Publishers of Educational Orchestral Music
128
Bibliography
129