Clarification

November 24, 2005 at 10:13 PM

The magic coatrack is real.

Naturally, what followed the amazing bow sound would be the discovery of intonation. I haven't made such a breakthough discovery since the magical dawning of vibrato one day in junior high.

I found the gooey centers of my notes. All of them. When you find this certain specific sound, you know you have it. And when you're not on it, it's obvious. It's so obvious, I feel like I'm playing the piano now, where all the notes lie in the black and white keys, right and wrong, with no in between.

It's the sound! I'd been missing it my whole life and searching in vain for two years now. Two years I've been tortured by this hunch that I was missing something and couldn't quite get it there, no matter how hard I tried.

Okay, this was probably happening before, but it was spotty and uncontrolled, and when the sound was good, I couldn't quite put my finger on what caused it.

My apologies for the shoddy description. I simply cannot write now. All I want to do is play. I'm more excited about this than Hawaii. It's the sound! When you have it, you can whirl it into a ball of energy and bellow into the rafters. Or you can direct a whisper across a stadium. A touch of vibrato, and it sings like a diva.

I have years of practice to get this all together, but I'm so encouraged by this monolithic "aha!"

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on November 24, 2005 at 10:16 PM

Sounds like you're "gelling" as they say. I hope you're taking your fiddle to Hawaii so it sticks. I'd go out on the balcony and play. Instead of throwing crackers from the bar to the seagulls and watching them catch them in midair which what I usually do.

From Danielle Gauthier
Posted on November 25, 2005 at 2:43 AM

Wait, what magic coatrack? What did I miss?

From Demetrius Glew
Posted on November 25, 2005 at 6:42 PM

I bet it sounds amazing, well done. Apart from being pleased for you, I want that sound too!!

Its interesting that you said about finding the gooey centres of the notes. I've tried to roll the finger forward or backward to try to find the soft centre. Sometimes I get it, but I need to keep doing this and keep refining my ears. Any other tips Emily?

From Keith Johnson
Posted on November 26, 2005 at 3:33 AM

I've know this feeling you describe. It is a good feeling.

From Emily Grossman
Posted on November 27, 2005 at 8:03 AM

Danielle, refer to my last entry. Sorry I don't make sense! While I was trying to explain, I may have caused further confusion, which was not my intent. It's just that now, when I play scales, I get the sensation of hanging each note on a specific intonation point in an orderly fashion, where before, I wasn't zeroed in on that specific glowing sound that the note makes when it's just right. Without that reference point, they kinda float here and there.

Demetrius, one tip is to let the fingers hang back on the pads a bit, for a meatier contact point. You might want to focus on a really fine bow stroke first, since this is the source of your tone production.

From Demetrius Glew
Posted on November 27, 2005 at 6:20 PM

Thanks Emily.

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Clarification

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