The bow hold can vary and still be “good” just depending on the style, but here is a basic starting point that is good for any style of music. Please let me know if it makes sense or not and send along any questions that come up when you try it. If you don’t have a violin or a bow, you can use a pencil just to see how awesome you are at this.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuKooUBgKMU?hl=en&fs=1&w=425&h=349]
My heart skipped a beat when I heard that “The Hot Violinist” which features the full length performance of The Kiss and just passed 900,000 views was removed from YouTube. But now it’s back! It was a little sad to see it go (so close to a million!), but I can’t complain because Contragear, the original poster, has been so super supportive of me! Apparently he wanted to clean up the ending of the video so here it is in its new and improved form:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVbu8bh7SWk&w=420&h=315]
I’m glad it’s back, because without the reference of the original popular YouTube video I appear to be a crazy girl seemingly going around calling myself Hot all the time! Please share this video with your friends if you feel inclined to help me rebuild the groovy momentum that the original video had going for it. Thanks guys!
Attention fiddlers! This will get you started on the ornamentation needed to play this tune:
I met a new friend at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. She’s a brilliant costume designer and is keeping a blog about her adventures. She did a nice write up and about my band and my travels:
http://lacewingcostumes.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/the-hot-violinist/
Go show her some love!
Jordi Wave, thank you for the kind and thoughtful comment:
“From inside, this is the secret
It is clear that the music flows in you.”
I wanted to respond because I feel like I am on to a little secret of how to connect with music in a way that will help listeners to respond emotionally. I actually didn’t realize what I was doing until a recent experience in an acting class in which the topic was “Inner Imagery.” Actors use this technique to help performances be honest and real by holding specific mental images.
So, here’s the secret: When I play these songs, I think about stories and moments in my life and others that I’ve heard or could imagine.
An Armenian Harvest Dance, for example, could inspire me with the image of a tribal woman from 100 years ago working to prepare grain just brought in from the field. I imagine a pain in her back and the colors and smells of spices on her shelf. Or maybe I would think of a personal experience that goes with the feel of the song. No one in the audience has to know what you’re thinking. It creates a circle where the thoughts make the notes come out a bit differently, and the notes coming out in rhythm conjure new emotions or thoughts.
The most fun is to look out into the audience, and see a facial expression that reminds me of something I’ve felt before. So then I focus on that experience.
This way of responding to the audience personally feeds the moment and makes the performance feel fresh and different each time. And helps immensely with nerves and stage fright.
I’ve played that Last of the Mohicans song literally thousands of times, and without this technique I’d probably have gone crazy. Do you guys do this when you play? Anyone care to share a song that brings up images for you?