Isolation – Quick Tip

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Hi! I’m Vi Wickam, and this is another quick practice tip.

This practice tip applies to all of the different facets of your playing. That is- you can only focus on one thing at a time.

I know it’s hard to believe because you are a very smart person, and you can do everything, all at the same time! But I can only do one thing at a time- so I would encourage you to try breaking things down, so you’re only practicing one piece at a time.

You’re only focused on one thing at a time, because I think you’re human just like me. And you can only focus on one thing at a time too ;)!

So, a good example of this would be if I’m playing a jig, and I’m playing a song like Irish Washer Woman, or Swallow Tail Jig, and it has a bowing pattern… and if I’m having trouble with the fingering and having trouble with the bowing… and I’m not getting that part down, I think it’s a good idea to break it apart.

I could play the fingering (silently playing, pressing fingers down on strings…) and not play the bow at all. I can then be thinking about what are my fingers doing, and at the same time- there’s this bowing pattern that’s prevalent.

I can also do just the bowing. I can practice that bowing pattern. So break it apart, take the tricky stuff and then really isolate it down- just practice the bowing.

Just practice the fingering. Just think through it. Hear it in your head.

I can think that song in my head, without touching either the string or the fiddle- but I’m not going to drop them on the floor! You can sing those songs in your heard too, because if you can sing the song in your head, you have it memorized.

Isolate, isolate, isolate!

If you’re having trouble with your bow arm, practice just that technique on your bow arm. Don’t try to play the whole song, don’t even try to play the whole phrase.

That’s your quick tip for today- have a great week!