Solo A Musical Journey III

[Kelski]

Timestamp: 55th of Fall, 518 A.V.

Continued from: A Musical Journey II

Then, Mosa showed Kelski the tuning forks and how to strike one and hear the note. Kelski had a great deal of fun taking them out of their little fabric sleeves then striking them to hear the notes ring out. It was literally the first time she’d heard each note identified. Her hearing was good and being Kelvic, it wasn’t hard to relate the names of the notes to the actual sounds. She could do this! Kelski knew it. And she was sure Little Rhaus would help, though she’d have to find him to ask his help. Where in the blazes was he? Kelski was starting to move past worry and into irritation because she kept hearing little huffs and grunts and even snorts. More and more she was starting to think he was closer than she knew. She didn’t need LR’s input as well as Mosa’s to confuse her learning the violin. Once she was well and truly playing she decided she’d bug Little Rhaus on some instruction.

“There’s also another device called a pitch pipe. I brought one for you to practice with. The notes go from highest to lowest, and it’s always in tune. I can use it to keep your violin in perfect tune." The old woman handed the pipe to Kelski who noted the labeled holes and blew through it experimentally producing a perfect C. She grinned, nodded, and set the pitch pipe down. So, there were choices? Pitch pipes or tuning forks. She got it. Music was turning out to be harder than she expected.

“What’s next?” Kelski asked slightly puzzled, glancing at the violin and wondering if she could start sawing away at the strings anytime soon. Mosa broke off Kelski’s train of thought.

“What’s next is talking about posture and how we hold the violin. First, you can play the violin all sorts of different ways. You can play it nestled under your chin standing, seated, or even with the scroll resting on a foot, or along your forearm with its body along your rib cage. But regardless, most players hold the violin upside down, chin resting on the chin rest, with the lower body of the instrument tucked between the left shoulder and the jaw." Mosa regally picked up her violin, demonstrated, and looked pointedly at Kelski.

The Kelvic mimicked the action, liking how the instrument tucked neatly under her chin. Mosa tsks tsks at her body, straightening her shoulders, pushing her back into more of a straight line than a curve, and nudged her feet apart with her cane. Kelski sighed, thinking Mosa might be as big of a tyrant as Darvin was when she got this fussy.

"Holding the violin is up to the individual. Each person should search for their ideal position because oftentimes playing a violin is a lengthy and demanding art form and one must be comfortable. But I won’t let you ruin your posture by picking a bad position right from the start. You need to maintain a balanced comfortable position, with your spine straight, and your neck held high. Don't twist your body unnaturally or strain your muscles by holding your head awkwardly. Now move around, find that most comfortable position. Get used to it.” Mosa advised as Kelski rose, instrument still tucked under her chin, and moved around a bit. She didn’t really find an uncomfortable position unless she slouched. And Kelski didn’t like slouching at all.


Count: 574

[Kelski]

"While standing or sitting, you should have your left foot firmly planted slightly ahead of the right one, resting lightly on the ball of your other foot. Lean forward a bit, relax your back, flex... this way you don't cramp up which means you can play longer." Mosa said before she continued. "Now, lets talk about your wrist, specifically the left one. It need to stay straight so your fingers can really move. Also, if you keep repeating the same movement, you can strain your wrists and arms fairly easily. So be careful. Sit or stand straight, be conscious of your posture, and watch new players to see what works for them and what doesn't. Never ever collapse the wrist to support the violin with the heel of your hand. It’s a bad habit. Bring your left elbow to where you can see it. If you can do that it that means you can reach the lower strings fairly unobstructed. No raising your shoulder! It’s a bad habit and it limits your freedom of motion. You could get hurt. Keep shoulders down! Your back needs to be straight.” She said gruffly, finding the Kelvic’s posture all wrong. She took a few moments to rise, adjust Kelski’s body position until it suited Mosa. Kelski was relieved when it was decided she was standing correctly. The process was repeated sitting down as well.

The Kelvic called a break then and there, using the excuse that she needed to check on the downstairs to quickly search the training room. She found in heading downstairs that Ebon had closed the retail section of The Gem and was downstairs working out. “Have you seen Little Rhaus?” She asked him. The Night Lion shook his head, continuing his skipping jump rope on one of the workout mats. Kelski nodded, kept looking a few minutes more, then pounded up the two staircases and rejoined Mosa.

She was none to soon either. Mosa was growing restless and was found tapping her cane looking annoyed at the Kelvic’s distraction. “Kelski, playing the violin is called... producing some pitch. To do this and attain good intonation, you must practice long hours to train your ifngers to land in the right spots automatically. You must train your ear to hear when a note is out of tune and you must above all cultivate the ability to correct the pitch rapidly and automatically as you are playing the notes." Mosa added.

“If you like to sing, singing the note mentally often helps to land the note on the right pitch. Although adjusting to the pitch you want after landing the finger is possible, the amount of adjustment needed will be reduced by training the fingers to fall properly in the first place. Beginners, Kelski, make many mistakes, but their mistakes wouldn't be heard if they correct their notes before anyone notices. But for you to be able to do that, it will take hours if practice and lots of patience. “ The old woman said, looking thoughtfully at Kelski, as if she wondered if after all this the Kelvic could learn to play.



Count: 521

[Kelski]

“So, I mentioned fingering…. to play the notes on a violin, you must depress the strings with one hand while you run the bow across the strings together with the other. It takes coordination. Luckily, your fingers are conveniently numbered from one – being your index finger – through four – being your little finger.” Mosa said, wiggling the appropriate gnarled digits. Mosa demonstrated, laying her fingers on the strings, and Kelski followed suite. She laid them where she was instructed as Mosa continued. “The second finger is either high or low corresponding to the G or G# on the E string in the first position. While the first finger may reach a half-step down for the F, and the third and forth finger can reach up for the A# and the C respectively.” Mosa paused, shook her head, and carefully explained which strings were which.

Mosa also produced a small piece of paper with all the strings and fingers laid out on it. It was carefully labeled in the old woman’s shaky hand writing. Kelski studied it and smiled. Such things were perfect for her geometric thinking so having a diagram really helped her tremendously. She studied the diagram and took advantage of it to place her fingers on different notes, silently studying the fingering.

“Now, listen up. Violins have four strings... the G D A and E. Each of those strings have multiple notes. usually A B C D sometimes E F and G. You can play A on any string. Or two A's at once on multiple strings. Get it? Now, that diagram show s the arrangement of notes you can reach in the first positions with your left hand. The marks on the sides of the chart represent three of the usual places you make little charcoal marks on the neck for beginners... it’s the first, high 2nd, and 3rd finger positions.” Mosa paused to see if Kelski understood.

The Kelvic followed the old woman’s instructions and nodded, wanting her to continue on. "Now, the way you place your fingers on the fingerboard is called 'positions' You work your way through positions as you advance in levels and skill. Beginners usually start at the first position which is nearest to the scrolled end and furthest form your face. You can see it easily enough, and you don't have to play by feel at first. In this position, we play standard tuning to G, which is the lowest note available. The highest note in first position are made with your fourth finger on the E-string, sounding a B, or reaching a half steup up to the C. Understand, Kelvic?" Mosa asked, looking thoughtfully at the Kelvic.

Kelski swallowed, getting a little lost, and started again, thinking back on what Mosa had said and nod. “Yes… like this…” She demonstrated, then started through the positions as Mosa had explained them. Mosa stopped her and went slower. “The first position means that the first finger is placed on the E string and gives us an F#. See? That’s the string facing forward on the right side when the violin is in position. Pressing the first finger instead of the G (still on the E string) is called the second position... third position is the A, forth is the B. Sharps and flats don't count. All except the lowest and highest notes can be played on multiples strings in different positions."


Count: 570

[Kelski]

Then she threw Kelski for a loop. "Sounds can change though. That high B played on an E-String will have a clear sharp sound while if that same note is played on an A or D string, it will sound warmer. It’s all in your personality.” Kelski had no idea a high B could be played on an E string, A string or a D string… but evidently it could be. She shook her head, set down her violin and needed a moment to process all that Mosa had told her. Kelski went through all that she had learned, restringing, tuning, maintenance, positions, postures, the parts of the violin, and finger placements, it was a lot to think of and almost made her head spin.

Kelski had just assumed one simple thing. “I thought to make music from this instrument, all you had to do was pull the bow across the strings… there is so much more to it.” Kelski said, with something of awe in her voice.

A tiny little ceramic sound could be heard. It echoed like a snort of human laughter coming from a magical throat. Kelski turned red, deciding once and for all that Little Rhaus was indeed close and listening in. She couldn’t see him which meant he was in something or under something, but still close. The Kelvic wanted to use magic, auristics, to see where he was because his absence was driving her crazy and distracting her from her lesson… but there was no time to concentrate, no time to focus.

Mosa laughed at Kelski’s assumption too. The laugh turned into a cough and it took a moment for the old woman to calm down. That distracted Kelski a great deal until Mosa took a sip of tea and seemed to sooth her throat. She carried on, correcting Kelski’s naivety.

"Now that you mention that Kelski, that’s what is done too at times. A special timbre results from playing a note without touching it's string with your hand, thus sounded the lowest note on that string." The old woman said thoughtfully. She grinned, knowing that wasn’t what the Sea Eagle meant.

Kelski was surprised to find that she was right, one can make a note, but it would be the lowest note and most likely barely heard. "These notes are called open string notes, still consisting of the notes G, D, A, and E, each having a very distinct sound resulting the lack of the damping action your finger brings. Go ahead and glide your bow across the strings, not placing your fingers on the strings." Kelski did so producing a low sound on her violin. It wasn't beautiful, but Kelski was happy all the same she had made music, the happiness showing on her face. "Open strings are normally used for special effects, except for the low G, it can be played in no other way." Mosa continued.


Count: 486

[Kelski]

"The repeated alternation of notes played on two or more strings, where one of the notes is usually an open string is called bariolage, a striking effect that employs open strings." Finally, they were actually getting into playing and such. "This string crossing is often rapid and is best executed with sinuous movement of the bow arm. One reason you want to be comfortable when you play. There are times the same pitch as an open string will be fingered on an adjacent string, so that the alternation is between the same note on two strings, one open and one stopped, giving the song a rhythmic pulsating effect." This might where things got difficult, so Mosa spoke slowly and went over it a few times, asking Kelski to try her hand at it. Kelski was finding the technique hard. "It takes time and practice." Mosa reassured, gesturing to the violin.

"Playing an open string simultaneously with a stopped note on an adjacent string produces a sound much like the drone of a well-played bagpipe, a lovely sound that appeals to most people. Sometimes the two notes are identical, for instance, if you were to finger an A on the D string against the open A string, it gives a ringing fiddle sound." Mosa said, gesturing.

Kelski checked her fingering chart, set up her fingers the correct way, and did just as Mosa asked. It was beautiful to her, though not sophisticated. It was more a relaxed merry sound.

"Now, let’s talk about Double Stopping. The act of double stopping is when stopped notes are played on two adjacent strings, producing a two-note chord. This process takes time to learn because it is more difficult than a normal single-string playing, as fingers need to be more accurately placed on the two strings simultaneously." Mosa continued, demonstrating this feature on her own violin since it was obviously something Kelski would have to work on. The old woman was slightly overwhelming Kelski, but it was definitely giving her a new respect for the instrument.

But the old woman was merciless. She knew Kelski was clever and determined. So, she pushed her, cramming as much knowledge into the Kelvics brain as she could. Mosa felt the pull of time and wanted the Konti taught before she died.

Kelski felt another pull though and took a break. This time she stretched, roamed the great room, and carefully searched her own master bedroom and bath. She couldn’t find Little Rhaus in any of the wardrobes which he often liked to sleep in, curled up on Kynier’s soft sweaters or her own silky night shirt. But he was absent, not even making use of the towels rolled up and artistically stored in the master bath.

The Sea Eagle returned to her lesson. Mosa raised an eyebrow and Kelski shrugged. They mutually and silently decided not to talk about it as Mosa continued her talk.


Continued In: A Musical Journey IV

Count: 487

[Kelski]

G R A D E S

Kelski

Violin +5, Investigation +1, Music Composition +1

Violin: How To Use Tuning Forks, Violin: The Use Of A Pitch Pipe, Violin: Proper Posture & How To Hold The Instrument, Violin: One Must Spend Long Hours On Where To Place Ones Fingers, Violin: Fingering Patterns, Music Composition: Sharps Verses Flats, Violins: How To Play Sharps And Flats, Violin: Open String Notes, Violin: Double Stopping, Violin: Open String Theory

PM me with questions or concerns.