Stephen Benham: Yes, You Can! Guide for String

Contents

• Forword....................................................................................4
• Introduction............................................................................5
• Chapter 1: What you already know:
• Fundamentals of learning are the same..........................7
• Chapter 2: What You Already Know
• The Importance of Fundamentals and Technique......12
• A short note about learning:........................................12
• Basic Tone Production: Acoustics..............................12
• The Harmonic Series
• Notated....................................15
• Chapter 3: Fundamentals of Tone Production
• The Role of the Right Arm/Bowing Mechanism.........17
• Comparison of Tone Production Principles of
• Winds
• Voice
• and Strings.......................................17
• Bowing Lanes (aka
• Bowing Channels).....................21
• Exercise for Bow Placement .......................................22
• The Interaction Between Weight
• Angle
• Speed
• - and Placement .........................................................23
• Creating Sound: The initiation of the pitch
• - the sustaining of the pitch and the release
• of the pitch................................................................24
• Fundamentals of Tone Production: The Role of the
• Left Arm/Fingering Mechanism............................24
• Body/Kinesthetic Motion: You CanÂ’t Fight Physics
• - Newton Said So. .......................................................25
• NewtonÂ’s Laws of Motion ............................................25
• Understanding the physiology of the hand...............27
• Three Simple Bowing Exercises for Learning How to
• Control Weight
• Angle
• Speed
• and Placement....30
• Construction of the Bow and Why It Matters...........31
• French Bow vs. German Bow for Double-Bass.........33
• Articulation and bowing technique............................34
• Executing the articulation............................................36
• From Articulation to Bowing Techniques.................36
• How do I know which bowing style to use?..............40
• Exercises for Bowing Styles
• - and Why They Must Be Practiced Separately.......40
• And
• just to keep it interestingÂ…string crossing!.....41
• Why does all of this matter?........................................41
• Rhythm and Bowing.....................................................42
• Bowing Markings..........................................................42
• The Fourteen Basic Principles of Bow-Direction.....43
• Additional resources already at your disposal..........44
• Chapter 4: Fundamentals of Tone Production:
• The Role of the Left-Arm Mechanism..........................45
• The Importance of Relaxation and Balance...............45
• Understanding Fingerboard Geography....................47
• Forward or shifting extensions....................................51
• Shifting...........................................................................52
• Types of Shifts................................................................55
• Shifting and Aural Skills...............................................55
• Vibrato............................................................................55
• Performing with vibrato...............................................56
• Answering the question about why certain keys are
• better than others.....................................................56
• A final thought on technique......................................57
• Chapter 5:Developing Aural Skills.....................................58
• The supremacy of aural skills......................................58
• Using Tonal Patterns to Enhance Aural Skills...........59
• Using Folk Songs to Enhance Aural Skills.................60
• Effective “Ear Tunes” for String Ensembles
• including
• both simple and more complex tunes....................61
• Other resources for aural skills training....................62
• Tuning the Orchestra....................................................62
• Preparatory Sequence #1 (single pitch approach) ...64
• Preparatory Sequence #2 (double stop approach) ...64
• Importance of the Tuning Pyramid............................65
• Chapter 6: What you Need to Know About Conducting
• a Band/Choir vs. Conducting an Orchestra:
• Rehearsal Planning
• Score Analysis
• and
• Building the Ensemble....................................................68
• The Development of Master
• Teacher-Conductors................................................68
• Characteristics of Outstanding
• Teacher-Conductors................................................70
• Applying Instructional Delivery to the
• Teacher-Conductor..................................................73
• Developing Effective Rehearsal Routines..................75
• What the best teachers do in the classroom
• and studio..................................................................75
• Fostering Artistry and Passion in the
• String Ensemble........................................................77
• Planning to be an Effective Teacher............................78
• Rehearsal Preparation—Preparing the Score............79
• Moving from the Analysis to the Rehearsal..............92
• Rehearsal Planning — Structuring the Rehearsal
• and Planning for Success.........................................92
• Rehearsal Techniques—Predictive Success
• - |Preventive Maintenance.........................................98
• Rehearsal Techniques—Solving Musical Issues........98
• Rehearsal Techniques—Solving Technical Issues.....100
• Special Notes on Adaptations for
• Middle School Ensembles.....................................101
• Teaching Techniques
• Principles of
• Learning
• and Instructional Delivery..................101
• Models of Effective Middle-School Level
• Instructional Delivery............................................101
• Effective Middle School Teacher Behaviors
• - Rehearsal Planning and Techniques....................102
• The Use of a Chamber Music Program to
• Teach Ensemble Skills............................................103
• Chapter 7: Organizing the String Program.....................111
• When to begin instruction........................................111
• How to schedule instruction.....................................111
• Expect that you will teach heterogeneous
• string groups. .........................................................112
• Recruitment and Retention will continue to
• be key issues............................................................112
• The value of community and school mentor
• programs..................................................................113
• Choosing the right method book.............................113
• What do I teach at the beginning?............................113
• The String Ensemble vs. the Full Orchestra............114
• Ensemble leadership...................................................114
• Orchestral Seating.......................................................115
• Tuning the orchestra...................................................116
• Chapter 8: Equipment and Materials...............................117
• Choosing an instrument............................................117
• Choosing a bow...........................................................118
• Instrument sizes..........................................................118
• Essential Equipment for String Players....................119
• Developing your orchestral library...........................124
• Educational Arrangements or Authentic Music?...125
• Chapter 9: Professional Resources...................................129
• Professional Associations...........................................129
• Other Professional Development Opportunities....129
• Publishers of Educational Orchestral Music...........128
• Bibliography........................................................................129