Toy with it like a child.

The breathe bowing exercise is a great way to warm up. It's surprisingly hard to bow in time with a natural breathing tempo. Is there a tempo to a natural breathe. When we sleep do we breathe in time?!

Today i'm not bothering with a 'stop watch on my iphone' to limit each exercise. Just keeping an eye on the clock and enjoying it.

Keeping tabs on my general level of tension seems to be extremely helpful as I play. keep a diary helps.

15%

Watching the line of the melody, even when it's not necessary (because the music is too slow) is still relaxing and opening. There is no need to watch each note and get tense about having each one correct. The line is important because intonation is 'relative'.

10% (doing 10 minute exercises today. shoulders a bit tense - possibly too much stretching / yoga)

A bit confused about moving on from a study that is causing problems but not really teaching much < that doesn't make any sense. practicing the violin is 'solving problems'.

30%.

It's funny how following the line is difficult to remember. It's funny how breathing comfortably is difficult to remember. It's as though I actually want to play like the best violinist of all time, all the time?!

25%.


Playing the violin is fun. Playing the emotional violin can be a bit unnerving and the sound can catch you off guard. I sometimes get lost and a bit afraid of the power / tenderness of the sound and that becomes another wall to climb over.
Perhaps a solution to that is to be very pragmatic about playing the violin. Perhaps mathematical and physical. Perhaps not to get caught up in the 'frilly' emotional context of the music. Perhaps to smile and delve into the music like a curious scientist. To smile cheekily like Perlman. To be above the music. To toy with it like a child.

35%.