Beginning String Instruction.Pedagogical Model

Beginning String Instruction: A Pedagogical Model

Dr. Rebecca B. MacLeod University of North Carolina Greensboro

Three Main Skills in Beginning Orchestra The Allen Model Musicianship Left Hand Development Right Hand Development

PHASE 1: Skills Are Developed Separate, but Concurrent to One Another

Musicianship/ Left Hand Right Hand Development Music Reading Development

Rhythm Proper Instrument Set-up Proper bow hold Pitch Open Strings Flexibility Exercises (see Improvisation Left Hand Position – D Major attached). Music Reading Proper bow motion Composition/Arranging Play Open Strings Creative Musicianship

1. Echo by ear 1. Demonstrate proper 1. Hold the bow 2. Maintain steady pulse position correctly 3. Sing and audiate 2. Perform and name 2. Demonstrate patterns open strings flexibility in the right 4. Improvise simple 3. Pizzicato a D major hand. rhythm patterns scale with proper 3. Bow parallel to 5. Read pitch and position. bridge rhythm notation 4. Bow open strings 6. Explore sounds with consistent speed, weight, and contact point

Musicianship Activities

Rhythm

Steady Beat: Have students do a variety of movement activities to demonstrate steady beat.

Pulse Game 1: Find the beat anywhere on your body while listening to music. Have different students lead. Practice finding big beats and small beats.

Pulse Game 2: Have the students sit in a circle and pass the ball to the beat of a variety of songs around the circle.

Meter: At a basic level, music is grouped into macro and micro beats of 2s and 3s.

Meter Game 1: Does it sound like a triangle or square? Students should trace the shape of a triangle or square to the pulse that they hear. Students answering correctly may trace on the board, or with a flashlight.

Meter Game 2: Have students draw a row of dots on a sheet of paper. They should circle the number of dots they hear in a group.

Find the Downbeat: To understand meter, students must be able to feel the downbeat. Practice finding the big beat on your body, with a ball, or revisit the passing game and have students only pass on the downbeats.

Beat Placement: Using a ball, bounce on a predesignated beat. The teacher may call out 1, then students will bounce on 1 and catch on 2, etc.

Rhythm: Students need a basic grasp of pulse and meter before learning rhythm. As students begin learning different rhythm patterns, have them maintain a steady pulse on their body.

I Echo the teacher: While keeping a steady beat, simply echo different rhythm patterns modeled by the M teacher or student leader. These patterns should use a neutral syllable. I T A Echo the teacher: Once students can maintain a steady beat and repeat rhythm patterns on a neutral T syllable, have them echo using words, rhythm syllables or even numbers. E

C R Improvise: Students may improvise almost immediately by making up rhythms for their own names. E A Partner Activity: Have students engage in a rhythmic conversation/dialogue with a friend. T E

N Rhythm Reading 1: Students can begin reading rhythmic notation on flash cards in patterns O using rhythm syllables, words, or numbers. T A T Rhythm Reading 2: The teacher performs and students identify the rhythm pattern on the E board.

Musicianship Activities

Pitch

High or Low: Before students can match pitch, tune, or perform intervals, they need to be able to identify high versus low.

High or Low 1: The teacher can model random pitches in pairs asking students to draw what they hear. This activity can be done in reverse where they write a pattern and play back what they see.

High or Low 2: Echoing open strings is an excellent way to practice high and low.

Step or Skip: Music moves either stepwise or skips.

Step or Skip 1: Students can identify through movement whether they hear a step or skip.

Step or Skip 2: Using iconic notation (or lines at different levels), students can identify pictures that look like what they hear.

Pitch Contour: Imitation is crucial to ear training. Have students sing simple melodies.

I Sing Your Favorite Song: Some students are resistant to singing initially depending on the age of the M I student. Allow students the opportunity to choose the song and sing in groups. T A Sing Three Note Songs: Have students sing three note, four note, and five note songs. Begin with T songs that move by step before adding skips. E

C Improvise: Students may improvise almost immediately by making up melodies for their names. R E A Partner Activity: Have students engage in a conversation/dialogue with a friend using only stepwise T motion. Repeat this activity using skips, then both steps and skips. E

N Draw the Melodic Contour: An excellent pre-reading activity is to have students draw what they hear O uT sing iconic notation. A T Use Pitch Flash Cards: The most ideal way is to have students sing. You can also play timed games E where they identify notes. A really fun online game is Staff Wars, http://www.themusicinteractive.com/kbe/Chromebook/index.html

Instrument Position

Violin

1. Feet are hip width apart, weight evenly distributed, and knees soft and relaxed. 2. The violin/viola can be held without hands free of tension for a brief period of time. 3. The violin/viola is parallel to the floor with a slight slope (E string lower than G string; or A string lower than C string). 4. The end button is to the left of the hollow in the student’s throat. 5. The jaw is placed comfortably on the chinrest with the head ever so slightly turned towards the left.

Cello

1. The endpin should make an equilateral triangle with the student’s feet. 2. The heel of the cello neck should fall over the student’s heart, or just to the left of the student’s heart. Some teachers align the heel of the neck with the student’s sternum. 3. The C-peg should be behind the students’ left ear with a fist size space between the neck of the cello and their shoulder. 4. The lower bouts of the cello should be around knee level.

Bass Instrument Position

Standing Position

Bass Assessments for Standing Position:

1. The students’ bow arm should reach the bridge. 2. The first finger of the left hand should be approximately eye level in first position.1 3. Feet should be shoulder length apart, flat on the floor, and relaxed. 4. The bass should rest in the student’s left pant inseam. 5. The right lower bout comes in slight contact with the inside of the left knee. 6. Student should be able to balance the bass with no hands or allow the instrument fall slightly forward.

Seated Position

1. The students’ bow arm should be able to reach to the bridge. 2. The nut of the bass should be around the height of the student’s forehead. 3. The back left side of the upper bout should contact the student’s left or right pant inseam. 4. The student should be able to balance the bass in playing position without the aid of the left hand.

Left Hand Development

Violin/Viola Left Hand Assessments:

1. The index finger should contact the neck of the violin or viola such that the student’s left hand fingers are boxed. 2. The fingers are placed on the string so that the “inside corners” hold down the string. 3. The left hand wrist is straight. 4. The thumb is loose and placed across from the first finger. 5. A space exists between the neck of the violin and the thumb joint of the hand (thumb tunnel).

Cello/Bass Left Hand Assessments:

1. The left hand fingers are boxed. 2. The wrist is straight or gently bent. 3. The fingernails are facing the adjacent string. 4. The thumb is loose and behind the second finger. 5. Cello: The fingers are equidistant apart. 6. Bass: the hand is shaped in k-position.

Right Hand Development

Violin/Viola Bow Hold Assessments 1. The bow hold is approximately 1.5 knuckles deep for the index and middle fingers. 2. The thumb is flexible and in a bent position just outside the frog’s mouth. 3. The middle finger hovers near the ferrule. 4. The hand is pronated, leans slightly towards index finger. 5. The base knuckles are flat. 6. The pinky is curved on top of the bow.

Cello/Bass (French) Bow Hold Assessments 1. The bow hold is approximately 1.5 knuckles deep for the index and middle fingers. 2. The thumb is flexible and in a bent position. 3. The middle finger hovers near the ferrule. 4. The hand is square with the pinky approximately 1 pad deep.

Bass (German) Bow Hold Assessments 1. The index finger and thumb complete a circle and connect on the top of the bow. 2. The heel of the bow is near the palm of the hand. 3. The middle finger to rest at the top of the frog just under the stick. 4. The ring finger stays relaxed and the pinky curves gently under the ferrule.

Flexibility Exercises for the Right Hand

1. Flying pizzicato – strum all four strings in a fast, large, circular motion with the right index finger.

2. Thumb crunches – repeatedly bend and straighten the first knuckle of the thumb.

3. Wind shield wipers – begin with the bow horizontal to the floor. Using only the wrist, rotate the bow 180 degrees while maintaining a round pinky and thumb bump. Repeat this exercise ten times.

4. Tap the pinky – simply tap the pinky on the bow to promote relaxation throughout the hand.

5. Karate Kid – with the bow perpendicular to the floor, raise and lower the bow. Bend the wrist so that the bow remains perfectly straight throughout the entire motion.

6. Spider Walk – crawl the fingers up and down the full length of the bow stick. The bow should be positioned perpendicular to the floor.

7. Roll the arm – Place the bow onto the strings and silently roll from the low strings to the high strings and back.

8. Rock the bow – hold the tip of the bow with the left hand pinky and practice rocking the bow from side to side.

9. Rocket launch – begin with the bow in a position perpendicular to the floor. Using only the fingers, lift the bow.

10. Water pump – while holding the tip of the bow with the left hand, use the right hand to pump the bow in and up and down motion.

11. Simulate bowing – loop the left hand fingers around the stick of the bow and move the bow with the right hand. Concentrate on having the right hand fingers be flexible.

12. Place and lift – practice placing the bow onto the string with a round bow hold in various places in the bow (frog, middle, and tip).

PHASE 2: Skills Are Developed in Pairs

Left Hand + Music Reading Right Hand + Music Left Hand + Right Hand Reading

Pizzicato while reading Shadow bow Teach songs by rote without music Read music using only open use of music reading. Sing and Finger strings Air bow and sing directions

1. Accurately read pitch 1. Accurately read 1. Perform a variety of names and be able to rhythms in patterns. songs demonstrating identify the location 2. Perform reading and proper left and right of the pitch on bowing rhythms hand set-up. fingerboard and with simultaneously with 2. Perform legato, correct finger. good bow hold and detache, and martele. 2. Demonstrate correct good sound. 3. Introduce new keys instrument and left without the use of hand position while music notation. reading music notation.

PHASE 3: Early Teaching Routine

1. Say, Sing, Count (MR)

2. Pizzicato (MR + LH)

3. Shadow Bow (MR + RH)

4. Ghost (MR + LH + RH)

5. Perform (MR + LH + RH)

6. Vamp/Loop (Monitor and Adjust)

Guideline Position Checklist for Violin/Viola:

GENERAL POSTURE o Is the student able to hold the instrument on their shoulder with no hands, free of tension? o Is the violin/viola at a 45-degree angle (between the shoulder and head when looking forward? o Is the end button slightly to the left of the hollow of the student’s throat? o Is the elbow hanging underneath the instrument correctly aligned with the knee and toe (when in standing or sitting position)? o Is the violin parallel to the floor?

LEFT HAND POSITION o Does the base knuckle of the left hand contact the neck of the instrument such that the fingers are boxed? o Does the wrist keep a straight line (or gentle bend in) with the rest of the arm? o Are the fingers all boxed with each finger touching the string on the inside crease (fourth finger touching the center to outside)? o Are the fingers consistently in a functional position hovering over the fingerboard (can pinky plunk an open string at any time)? o Is the thumb loose? o Are the notes in-tune?

RIGHT HAND POSITION o Is the thumb bent? o Is the stick of the bow 1.5 knuckles deep with pinky on top? o Is the hand slightly pronated (leaning towards index finger)? o Is the back of hand in the same plane with the forearm (flat knuckles)? o Is the middle finger over the ferrule? o Are the fingers flexible at all times?

TONE/BOW MOTION o Is the tone full and consistent? o Does the bow move parallel to the bridge? o Is the contact point consistent and in the appropriate place (between bridge and fingerboard)? o Are the right hand fingers flexible? o Are string crossings fluid and uninterrupted? o Is the bow hair flat or the stick rotated slightly towards the scroll?

TEMPO/RHYTHM o Is the tempo steady? o Are the rhythms correct?

Checklist for Cello:

GENERAL POSTURE o Is the student sitting near the edge of the chair with feet flat on the floor? o Are the student’s knees parallel to the floor? o Is there an equilateral triangle with the endpin and the feet? o Is the C-peg behind the left ear? o Is the heel of the neck over the heart? o Are the lower bouts approximately knee level?

LEFT HAND POSITION o Are the fingers boxed? o Are the fingers spaced equidistant from one another? o Is the pinky perpendicular to the string (square hand)? o Do the left hand fingers hover over the fingerboard when not in use? o Is the thumb relaxed and opposite second finger pad? o Is the wrist straight or gently bent? o Does the elbow height allow quick sliding up and down the fingerboard?

RIGHT HAND POSITION o Is the thumb bent? o Are there natural spaces between the fingers? o Is the stick of the bow approximately 1.5 knuckles deep? o Is the pinky relaxed and 1 knuckle deep? o Is the middle finger over the ferrule?

TEMPO/RHYTHM o Is the tempo steady? o Are the rhythms correct?

Position Checklist for Bass:

GENERAL POSTURE (STANDING) o Is the bass set to the correct height? o Feet should be shoulder length apart, flat on the floor, and relaxed. o Is the bass supported by the left hipbone (underwear crease) and the right lower bout with the inside of the left knee? o Can the bass balance with no hands or falls slightly forward?

LEFT HAND POSITION o Is the hand shaped naturally as if hold a grapefruit? o Are the fingers boxed? o Are the fingers spaced correctly (K-position)? o Is the thumb relaxed and opposite second finger pad? o Is the wrist straight or gently bent? o Does the elbow height allow quick sliding up and down the fingerboard? o Do the left hand fingers hover over the fingerboard when not in use? o Are shifts smooth and does the finger maintain light contact with the string during shift? o Are the notes in-tune?

RIGHT HAND POSITION (FRENCH BOW HOLD) o Is the thumb bent? o Are there natural spaces between the fingers? o Is the stick of the bow approximately 1.5 knuckles deep? o Is the pinky relaxed and 1 knuckle deep? o Is the middle finger over the ferrule?

TEMPO/RHYTHM o Is the tempo steady? o Are the rhythms correct?