kind permission from ‘ABRSM’
Teaching Tips for An Individual Approach
Teaching individual beginners can be fantastically challenging and rewarding. If we get it right, they will love music for their whole life and encourage their own children to learn. So these early lessons are crucial. We need to foster confidence, enthusiasm and parental support – then with skill and kindness we can transform a generation!
Posture
Establishing good posture now can help to prevent later problems. It is best for students to stand with feet hip width apart, soft knees and tummy, shoulders down and an imaginary string from head to ceiling.
The violin needs to rest on the collar bone with a shoulder rest, sponge (plus thick elastic band) or chamois leather. Otherwise, the violin slides and it feels like bowing on a moving target! I usually shape cheap sponges until the posture is settled. Some violins have unreasonably high bridges – painful for little fingers – so best to fix this straight away.
Developing Confidence
Early lessons can start with singing and clapping games to develop good rhythm, pitch awareness and basic improvisation. This removes the anxiety of getting things wrong and helps develop sight-reading skills. Using elements from the next piece is then good preparation, working aurally first and then with sheet music. A mixture of easy memorising and reading will develop confidence – and encourage independent learning.
Bowing First
I address bowing before the left hand. Bowing firmly in the middle is most natural – fluid motions, not too slowly on open strings. Then extend to the top half (elbow hinging, parallel to bridge) and later to the bottom half (whole arm movement).
Even in the first few lessons, students should be able to achieve a clean tone with a relaxed arm. Swinging arms around rhythmically encourages relaxation while demonstration from the teacher develops awareness and understanding of sound.
Fun & Games
I usually include lots of games on open strings in early lessons:
- Copy the rhythm
- Answer me back
- Guess the string– moving the right elbow precisely for string changes
- Eyes closed
- One leg
- Draw in the air
Backing tracks are useful here and you can use ABRSM’s Speedshifter to change tempi. Keep games short (two minutes) as muscles develop, and make sure students relax in between – while singing, note reading, clapping or listening to music – or as soon as arms or brains start to get tired!
Playing Pieces
Choose pieces students like – they won’t play them at home otherwise. Perhaps a few different pieces, with some new ones each week.
I find that singing first, then playing gets the quickest and most fluid results. Adding strong open string rhythms over a CD will help to engage students as they develop their bowing tone. You could also ask students to draw pictures or make up words to the first phrases of a piece to open up their imagination.
No matter how simple the music, firm rhythm, good tone, dynamics and confidence are essential – some memorising is desirable too.
The left hand
I introduce the left hand when the following are secure:
- Clear tone – all fingers curled and relaxed
- Sense of character – dynamics
- Crotchets, quavers and minims
Other things can go out of focus while the new skill is developing, but a little open string work will help to regain balance.
Minimum finger pressure is needed if the bowing is solid. I like to use all four fingers, singing first and then lightly placing the fingers. This gives a proper hand shape and sets things up well for quick progress.
Try using octave harmonics to allow students to ‘feel the weight needed’. Or sliding up and down (‘polishing the strings’), which gives the correct left-arm angle and creates a terrific feeling of freedom. This also helps with early vibrato and removes the fear of shifting that often affects progress around Grade 5.
At this early stage, I use basic solfège on a movable Do and interchange it with other options. For example, Three Blind Mice: Me, Re, Do; C, B, A; or 2, 1, 0. You can play the same tunes on different strings or in different positions. However, beware of just using numbers as students think everything’s okay if the ‘correct fingers’ are going down. Under pressure, this can create the wrong key.
Encouraging Performance
Playing with friends and feeling proud of their achievements is vital for students’ development. Start small by asking them to play a few favourite, easy bars while the next student is unpacking. Gradually move up to a whole piece, then to playing for a small group, in an assembly or informal concert. Finally think about competitions or exams.
At each stage monitor and observe your students’ playing. If they don’t play in tune, is more singing needed or is their left hand stiff? No dynamics? Is it bow division/speeds or characterisation?
Involving Parents
I encourage parents to leave the violin out at home for easy practice, loosening the bow each time and leaving the shoulder rest on. I teach them how to use the fine tuners (never pegs), singing the notes from a piano or tuner on their phone. You could also invite parents into lessons occasionally to quietly take notes.
A quick call home mid-term can help to keep parents’ awareness high. You can highlight potential ability, talk about expectations from both sides and give details of concerts. Building relationships in this way helps with student motivation and increases practice. Remember, however, that we, as teachers, have the biggest influence on our students’ love of music.