Hey,

Could someone please explain how slurred staccato marks are ment sound, and ment to be played on violin.

I've just started looking through the ABRSM selected exam pieces book for grade 2, and there are slurred staccato marks on many of the piece, something I have never come across on guitar before.

Any help would be greatly apprecaited,
LG

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will come along soon...

But if I remember rightly, you play slurred stacato with the same bow direction, i.e. two shortened notes both going down (or up) bow. The slur tells you not to change bow direction which you otherwise would normally do.

If you have dots over the notes and a slur, play them as detached notes in the same bow direction. Staccato (at least in French terms) refers only to upbow staccato.

If you have some slured dotted notes, practise stopping the bow in between each one, but playing them all a single direction.

Good luck

Allan

Thanks!

Which pieces do you think you will play? I'm taking grade 2 in June and am learning the whole book just now and will decide which ones later on. My favourties so far are 'Napoleon crossing the Alps', 'Moon Sprites', and the Pezold/Bach Menuet.

I'm not sure what pieces I'll pick yet, today is the first time I've looked at any of them. But, my favourite pieces so far are Pezold/Bach Menuet(list a) and Russischer March and Moon Sprites(both list B ). I'm not sure what from list C yet, but in about a week from now(when I can play them all well) I should know.

I was wonder how you play the end of Moon Sprites, around bar 21 it says 'ab lib.', how do you play this part? Are you ment to improvise a melody based on what is written?

Ah, you big trad fiddler you! Napoleon crossing the alps! If you want to really spice things up, play it in A a use loads of triplet bowing (accenting the third note of the triplet more than the other then slurring into the next 'real note') and double stopping on the off beats. Turns into a great reel...

Dunno how that would go down in your exam, mind... It was hamish (my fiddle) that suggested it. Honest.

Allan!

That's exactly how I was planning it....... I always double-stop my off beats.........




It says in the notes at the bottom that you can use the bow instead of playing pizzicato - I think the 'ad lib' means you can choose which way you want to play it. Personally I like to finish it with the pizzicato but getting my right hand in position for pizz quickly enough is quite difficult and I've bashed my thumb a couple of times and missed the first couple of notes. I'm definitely going to play it slower than it's played on the cd!!!!! That's a crazy speed and spoils the 'fairy' quality of the music!

ad lib. normally refers to the tempo of the notes being at the performers discretion rather than an instruction to improvise a tune

Aha! Great minds and such...

It flows really nicely (if you play it at around 240 BPM) straight after caliope house (the e major jig), don't know if you know it. If you don't, PM me and I'll send you a recording of it. It's a great tune. You could throw McArthur Road in too if you're feeling brave - you'd have a great set, that or Jenny Dang.

Oh, what the heck, take a pint of guinness into your exam, insist on tuning your fiddle to some pipes and refuse to start until an open-tuned guitar gives you a bass run. Distinction guaranteed!

I was also thinking of growing a beard, developing a beer-belly, smelling a little of old books and thumping the floor heavily with my left foot through all my pieces. (and putting my finger in my ear as often as possible...)

( !)

you're on a winner!

Oooh Grade 2 violin, I did that last year! I really enjoyed it, there are some great pieces there. I did Napolean Crossing the Alps and really got into it, cos I used to play with a folk band when I was at uni It made a wonderful contrast to the List A piece I played (can't remember what it was - Purcell? it was nice, anyway).

Good luck with it Lisa!

Thanks!

Yes, Napolean Crossing the Alps is a great peice I love playing it...it is my favourite from list C. I'm pretty sure what pieces I'm going to take now, list A - the Pezold piece, list C - Russischer March and list C - Napolean Crossing the Alps. There are some really nice pieces on the grade 2 syllabus, I'm really enjoying learning them

Brilliant, I'm sure it gives a good impression when you enjoy the pieces you're playing in an exam

I've just looked at the syllabus, and I did the Handel for List A and Simple Gifts for List B. I can't remember the Handel at all *blush*

Guess what? Having seen your guitar playing on Youtube, you're making me want to try learning Classical Guitar! I think I'd struggle though because the strings are tuned differently to the violin, and there are more of them. How do you find learning the violin, as a guitarist?

I think it is wonderful you want to learn classical guitar! I doubt you will struggle more than any other beginner. In fact, knowing how to play violin should give you a head start, because your fingers tips will have toughened from play violin strings, so you shouldn't get too much pain (as one normally does when learning stringed inturments). Also, being able to read music really helps. I found knowing how to play guitar gave me a head start learning to play the violin for the same reasons.

My advice would be to give it ago, you never know you might have a flare for the intrument. But before you begin learning classical guitar start learning chords and scales as they will help you get used to dealing with more strings..another thing would be to start letting the nails on your right hand grow as you will need them for fingerpicking. And of course enjoy learning and playing!

If you do decide to learn guitar then feel free PM me if you have any problems or questions, I would be more than happy to help.

Ah well my boyfriend has about ten guitars (mainly electric) so at least I wouldn't have to buy one! He has a classical guitar which I bought from a jumble sale for a fiver when I was 13, which turned out to be a really quite good make that costs over 200 quid new! I'm not sure what strings it has on it but I could certainly use that

Can you recommend a good book to learn from, as I won't be able to afford lessons - I'd only be able to take this semi-seriously cos of all my other instruments! But if I learn it bit by bit, it should come together eventually!

It's great that your boyfried can play as he will be able to help you. The classical guitar you have sounds as if it is a good one, a guitar over £200 is bound to be good.

When it comes to books, I'm unsure what to recommend. The first book I bought for guitar was 'The Guitarist Way' my teacher recommended it, but as guitar is my first intrument, the books I started with were very much beginners books, that explained how to read music and the basic terms you need to know...I think such books would be too basic for someone like you, who already knows how to read music.
Though a book like 'The Guitarist Way' would be extremly easy it might be a good book to begin with, as it explains the basic techniques required to play classical guitar, though you would have to skip through most of it as you will know most of what it covers.
The only thing I can really advise is that go to your local music store and look around at what they have. It's really hard for me to recommend as I have been playing for a few years now and I can't say I really remember the books I began with, as my teacher lent me the books I used, so I can remeber the titles.

Sorry for such a confused reply, I hope in some way it might help!