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Ari Poutiainen a Fingering Strategy for Jazz Violin Improvisation

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Ari Poutiainen a Fingering Strategy for Jazz Violin Improvisation ARI POUTIAINEN STRINGPROVISATION A FINGERING STRATEGY FOR JAZZ VIOLIN IMPROVISATION ACTA MUSICOLOGICA FENNICA 28 Among the key issues of left-hand violin technique are fingering, shifting, and position playing. This doctoral study presents a unique fingering strategy, Stringprovisation, that focuses on these technical matters. The strategy is targeted to formulaic modern jazz improvisation and is communicated through applications of idiomatic musical patterns. The strategy excludes the use of open strings and relies instead on so-called schematic fingering. This advanced fingering approach reflects well the tactile and kinesthetic aspects of violin playing, and idiomatic patterns can be effectively performed with it in all keys and violin positions. The study is divided into two parts. Part I consists of a comprehensive investigation of schematic fingering approaches in relevant pedagogical string instrument literature. Part II presents the fingering strategy with an extensive collection of musical examples. This strategy draws from the author’s wide experience in and knowledge of jazz violin performance and pedagogy. The strategy appears to provide a significant alternative fingering approach with which modern jazz can be effectively improvised across the entire violin fingerboard. Ari Poutiainen is an original contemporary jazz violinist, violist, composer, and arranger. He is known for his use of rare, hybrid 5-string violas in addition to violin, his main instrument. He has performed across Europe, led various small groups and string ensembles, composed scores for films, contemporary dance and theatre performances, and appears on approximately 50 CDs. As a pedagogue, Poutiainen has specialized in bowed string instrument improvisation, having taught the subject at different levels and institutions for several years. He has also published scholarly articles and given conference presentations on jazz violin history and improvisation. “Surprisingly, this is the first attempt to “[It] offers practical ideas, exercises, “The volume…is clearly the address the unique fingering challenges and improvisation tips that should result of exhaustive thought and of modern jazz on a violin….He appeal to players and teachers outside consideration, time and effort, with meticulously explains all the harmonic, of academia….Although it’s not a a multitude of footnotes, references melodic, and fingering implications method or exercise book in the strict and explanations….The book offers of each example in a manner that sense, the ideas and examples provided fascinating observations about the should serve as a standard for other in Stringprovisation should be useful to violin in jazz history, and also gives jazz instruction books.” (Stacy Phillips, those interested in serious jazz violin arresting and insightful scientific Fiddler Magazine) studies.” (Lyzy Lusterman, Strings) comparisons with other more common jazz instruments….Poutiainen’s magnum opus offers much food for thought.” (Chris Garrick, The Strad) ISSN 0587-2448 THE FINNISH MUSICOLOGICAL SOCIETY ISBN 978-952-94-1657-8 Ari Poutiainen Stringprovisation A Fingering Strategy for Jazz Violin Improvisation Acta Musicologica Fennica 28 The Finnish Musicological Society Helsinki 2009 & 2019 © Ari Poutiainen 2009 & 2019 Cover design Timo Klaavo Front cover picture Ari Poutiainen Back cover picture Timo Klaavo Acta Musicologica Fennica 28 The Finnish Musicological Society ISBN 978-952-94-1657-8 ISSN 0587-2448 First edition printed by HSE Print (Helsinki, 2009) Second, updated edition only in digital format (Ari Poutiainen, 2019) ABSTRACT In modern jazz improvisation, violinists frequently employ only a limited part of the fingerboard. This often results in performances in which most of the wider, more expressive violin range remains unemployed. Among the key issues of left-hand violin technique are fingering, shifting, and position playing. These are infrequently discussed in the pedagogical literature for jazz violin. This study presents a fingering strategy that focuses on these technical matters. The strategy is targeted to formulaic modern jazz improvisation and is communicated through applications of idiomatic musical patterns. The strategy excludes the use of open strings and relies instead on schematic fingering. This fingering approach reflects well, for example, the tactile and kinesthetic aspects of violin playing and with it idiomatic patterns can be effectively performed in all keys and violin positions. In support of the strategy, related approaches from the pedagogical literature of classical and jazz violin are examined. Relevant guitar and mandolin methods are discussed in detail as well. In Part I, the research method resembles comparative research, however also essentially including some elements of practice-based research. Part II presents the fingering strategy mostly in terms of practice- based information. This strategy draws from the author’s wide experience in and knowledge of jazz violin performance and pedagogy. The strategy appears to provide a significant alternative fingering approach through which modern jazz can be effectively improvised across the entire violin fingerboard. This study proposes that a particular approach to the application of schematic fingering may be ideal for jazz violin improvisation. iii PREFACE TO THE DIGITAL EDITION The print edition of Stringprovisation has now been sold out for some years. To my surprise, I keep receiving inquiries about the book. I am nothing but humbled by this continuing interest in a dissertation on such a marginal subject. Due to my various and several academic commitments and responsibilities and a relatively busy artistic schedule as well, it has unfortunately taken some time to prepare this digital edition. However, at long last, here it is. I hope Stringprovisation and its key findings will now disseminate faster and to larger audiences. It seems that the number of accomplished bowed jazz string players is steadily growing, and that this fresh talent shares my concern about the level of strings education. It is alarming indeed that still so little has been written on jazz strings fingering and bowing technique. When Stringprovisation came out in 2009, it was carefully evaluated by top colleagues around the world. Popular international strings media introduced my contribution on their pages. The book was reviewed, for example, in The Strad (June 2011), Strings (January 2010), and Fiddler Magazine (Summer 2010). The appreciation and generously positive reactions were inspiring. In addition to my reviewers, I wish to acknowledge everyone who then took the time to read the book and directly approach me with encouraging feedback. The book’s recognition resulted in several meaningful peer connections and invitations to present and discuss my work. Soon I was also asked to teach my strategy in masterclasses and strings camps. In this respect, Barcelona Fiddle Congress and the Zbigniew Seifert Foundation were among the first events or institutions to take heed. It has been a great pleasure to learn about players, educators, and researchers who have pondered similar ideas and are determined to work for the promotion of jazz strings. The classes have been fun and mutually engaging. They have given me the opportunity to put my theory into practice and test the preliminary exercises I had developed for schematic fingering and position playing. For this digital edition I needed to correct only a few typographical errors. Otherwise the contents are the same as the print version, unabridged and neatly folded. Cordially improvised in Helsinki March 4, 2019 iv PREFACE At first glance it seems that I became a jazz violinist by coincidence. My first jazz instrument was the piano, and I dreamed of becoming a professional jazz pianist. At the piano, I received formal jazz education for the first time in a public music school in my hometown when I was in my teens. However, as soon as my early jazz mentors heard that my main instrument was actually viola (by that time I had played both classical violin and viola for about eight years), they insisted that I also bring a string instrument with me and give it a try in a session. I did that—and they soon stopped encouraging me from playing jazz piano anymore. I accepted that change without a second thought. I was just happy to have a chance to improvise. As soon as I began to take jazz violin playing seriously, the prospects really grabbed me. I remember that there was a time when the issues of left-hand violin technique occupied my mind so much that I even used to see scale fingerings in my dreams. That happened when I was about 20 years old and was becoming a more devoted music student. By that time, I had already played jazz violin and piano for some years. I got involved in semi-professional jazz performing rather early-on. As soon as I had internalized the fundamentals of jazz, I was playing gigs regularly—and even earning some money that way. Although I could hardly be considered as a jazz prodigy of any kind, it seems that I was able to apply my classical string instrument technique to jazz rather easily and quickly. However, I can now see that there were things in my earlier musical history that had somewhat paved the way. Small things had been happening and growing here and there. Still, everything had occurred so smoothly that nobody, I the least, had never paid any serious attention to certain aspects of my development. Like many jazz string players, my roots were in classical music education, and I gained my elementary technique with violin and viola studies of classical music.1 However, classical music never really inspired me that much as a child; something always seemed to be missing. Therefore, as soon as I learned my written part, for example, in a chamber orchestra, I began to softly improve that part by improvising; playing additional voices around the written lines.2 I had my own fun with the predictable harmonies of classical pieces by enhancing them a bit. This fun naturally lasted only until the conductor promptly put me back in line again.
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