By Paul Stein: Musicians have a lot to think about when starting a piece or a passage. On their minds are the tone that theyre trying to set, the rhythmic quality, and the first note itself all of which can make them feel overly cautious. Violinists also have to move the bow without scratching. It makes us appreciate how so many musical parts become integrated. However, starting is often the most difficult part of this system. In fact, starting and stopping several times is a rather common problem.
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Preparing for Starting
Like the saying for carpenters, "measure twice, cut once," violinists should think, count, be confident, then bow spontaneously. Although its easier said than done, its still the recipe for a good beginning. What should your toolbox of thoughts consist of?
1. Have the first few notes clearly embedded in your mind. That would include bowings and rhythm as well. Because of the difficulty of starting something, have the first measure in your ear too. This means that youve absorbed the melody and the spirit of the music. Sometimes the mind alone doesnt include that.
2. Small mistakes sometimes happen on the first not because you havent yet established a flow of rhythm and bow movement. The reflex to stop kicks in, which is a good example of fight or flight syndrome. Flight may win, but fighting is preferable. The strategy here is to minimize the damage by ignoring the mistake, and instead keep going. If you stop, youll likely start again and stop again. By bravely not hesitating, your rhythm and your confidence will stay intact.
3. Much can be learned from a missed first note. Maybe the fingerboard wasnt properly measured in your imagination, the music wasnt in your ear, or you were confused by the bowing. After youve finished the phrase, go back and analyze what went wrong. Fix one thing at a time, and that sense of limited focus will sharpen the mind to make everything else sound better.
There are two culprits that crop up at the beginnings of a phrase: notes and sounds. A scratch may make you want to start over, and even a slightly out-of-tune note will seem worse than it really is. All said, its one tiny moment in an ocean of music and sound. It helps to expect that mistakes may happen, and to incorporate that knowledge into your general mindset. With a little analysis, that mistake probably wont happen again, and your playing experience will have been enriched.
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