"The Quest For String Playing Mastery" (pages 1-18)

Game Structured

Layer Learning System

Element Focused

Ensemble

Arrangements

Technique Exercises

Original Compositions

Game Structured


Element Focused

Ensemble

Arrangements

Technique Exercises


Game Structured


Element Focused

Ensemble

Arrangements

Technique Exercises


Hi! I’m Q, the Quest Maestro.

COMPLETE METHOD

Game Structured


Element Focused

Ensemble Arrangements

Technique Exercises

Mastery Checkpoints


Greetings! I’m Q, the Quest Maestro.

It is my pleasure to serve

as your guide and narrator.

Over a dozen of my musical friends

will be joining us as

Quest Faculty Characters.

by Adam Crane

All Levels -- from Newbie to Advanced Players

Enjoy Creating Your Own Best String Playing Game!

TEACHER’S GUIDE for VIOLIN VIOLA CELLO BASS

Game Structured


Element Focused

Ensemble

Arrangements

Technique Exercises



COMPLETE METHOD

Game Structured


Element Focused


Technique Exercises

Mastery Checkpoints





Many of my musical friends






by Adam Crane

Game Structured


Element Focused

Ensemble

Arrangements

Technique Exercises



COMPLETE METHOD

Game Structured


Element Focused


Technique Exercises

Mastery Checkpoints





Over a dozen of my musical friends



by Adam Crane




Game Structured


Element Focused

Ensemble

Arrangements

Technique Exercises






Many of my musical friends






by Adam Crane

Game Structured

Layered Learning System

Element Focused


Technique Exercises

Mastery Checkpoints


COMPLETE METHOD

Dedication

Inspired by a lifetime of enjoyment and experience gained from performing,

teaching and practicing, my quest for creating the Quest is now a reality.

In tribute to the exceptional mentors, teachers, colleagues, students and their

families, with sincere gratitude and appreciation, I thank all of you.

Most especially, I wish to dedicate the Quest with admiration and honor of the

tireless, consistent and stellar guidance shared by:

Mom -- Your creativity is timeless! In appreciation of your impeccable and

experienced editing eyes, youthful charm, consistent optimistic encouragement

and your loving patience with my endless comma challenges. Thanks, Mom!

Dr. K -- Inspired by your brilliant mind, consistent quest for clarity, spirited

grammatical guidance, and fond memories of you being my most enjoyable and

challenging professor from conservatory days years ago -- Thank you, Chuck!

Now, decades later, again allow me to express my gratitude and admiration.

Julian -- For your energy and enthusiasm, always improving on your quest for

being the best teacher for your middle school kids, and your unyielding desire

to keep music as a meaningful experience for students and their families, along

with your insights and friendship.

Brian -- For your dedication to the artistry of string instrument eminence, that

which ascends the human spirit. Gratitude to all in the “Adult- Kid class” too!

Key -- Thank you for “Q” and putting up with “Quest-creating insanity” at all

hours, your priceless silent glances at many not ready for prime time character

prototypes, genuine wisdom, brilliant suggestions, jovial perspective, for loving

me as your husband, and sharing tear-inducing laughter together while editing!

Your humble violist, maestro and author, Adam

All content, concepts, characters, artwork, materials, music compositions, arrangements

and intellectual properties are solely owned by:

Adam Crane – artistic director

Crane Classical Music Society www.craneclassical.com

© Copyright 2013 Reg. #18-36Q-18Q “The Quest for String Playing Mastery”

BECOME AN ACCOMPLISHED STRING PLAYER.

INCREASE YOUR MASTERY LEVEL

BY ENJOYING FOCUSED PRACTICE.

GAIN AND APPLY KNOWLEDGE,

CONSTANTLY STRIVING

TO ACHIEVE YOUR BEST PERFORMANCES.

ALWAYS TO MAKE CONTINUOUS FORWARD

PROGRESS IN YOUR STRING PLAYING GAME,

REACHING HIGHER AND HIGHER SUCCESS LEVELS.

PLAY WELL AND SHARE YOUR LOVE OF MUSIC.

CREATE MEMORABLE PERFORMANCES.

PRACTICE TO UNLOCK YOUR PERSONAL BEST!

Quest Wall Poster

INTRODUCTION

Dear Reader,

What is more important to you?

Doing better than your competition or challenging yourself to do your best?

How is True Success Achieved?

As a professional musician and teacher, I have encountered this question in

personal experiences consistently over decades. With all confidence, I share that

the value of the outlook discussed below, will be the most important part of your

learning experience – on your Quest for Success.

You may be a teacher who has taught for a lifetime, or a student who is first

starting out. You may be a brilliant scholar, or an experienced classical musician.

You may be the parent of a budding teenager who will grow to become an adult,

parent, or possibly a teacher. Everyone can gain perspective on how to appraise his

or her own personal success at any level, including this author.

Most textbooks are subjected to painstaking editing processes. Stating things in a

textbook-correct fashion, seeking to present concepts in precise and clear ways, is

always the goal. On these pages, I share this important quest for precision and

clarity, but in addition, you may notice a more personal style in which the material

is presented. I wish to give the reader food for thought on a creative level. You will

notice the use of expressions, analogies, friendly concept-characters, word play,

and on occasion, I will share a fond memory or even a joke or two.

It is important to know that string instruments existed before there were written

instructions on how to play them. Over centuries, the dedicated love of musicians

for their instruments has encouraged discovery. Master composers, players, and

teachers gathered hands-on knowledge and then experimented with and improved

their know-how. This traditional wisdom continues to evolve and has been handed

down from generation to generation. Let us continue the tradition.

Maintain realistic expectations and recognize that playing a musical instrument is

unlike any other activity in the sense, that it is much more than simply knowing

what to do. Once you have acquired this knowledge, your goal is to apply it to

controlled, polished, physical action. Studying and improving how knowledge is

applied to and then guides physical action, requires patient and focused repetition –

practice! It takes training to acquire knowledge of performance techniques and

then be able to successfully apply this learned wisdom to your own performances.

Playing an instrument is a very personal activity. My experience has proven to me that

the most successful students put forward their best efforts while enjoying the process.

There is great value in remembering to have fun while working hard. Fun brings

enthusiasm, which increases motivation. Motivated students stick to it and want to

improve. Pleasure-giving and dedicated practice brings improvement, which is personally

satisfying, thus furthering your interest in persevering and advancing.

Back to my earlier question: How is True Success Achieved?

Here are some answers to that question. Consider filling an old restrictive way of learning

with an improved perspective. The result may bring to you a much broader and more

fulfilling life lesson. Choose to replace the importance of competition with others in order

to find the best performance solutions for yourself, rather than seeking simply to do it

better or faster than a colleague. Embrace the idea of a healthier and more productive

personal standard. Individuals have more success when they learn and improve by

challenging themselves, to realize their own personal best. Always practice to fine-tune

your personal best, and work to make it even better! Encourage your fellow musicians to

strive to find their own personal best as well. Mutual success will be the result.

This way, you will all perform together in top-notch harmony – on many levels!

Orchestral playing is teamwork!

The music field is a competitive one. The skill levels of musicians who perform with the

world’s finest orchestras are equivalent to those of Olympic level athletes. As you

advance, you will need to perform well at auditions in order to gain the opportunity to

perform with more-advanced orchestras. Healthy competition occurs when participants

present their own most polished and confident performances, which then challenge other

competitors to reach for their own higher levels of abilities.

For Thine Own Self, Improve!

The Quest for String Playing Mastery is not about my life and my personal

accomplishments. However, I do wish to share perspectives that I have gained as a direct

result of enjoying a world-class education. Even more importantly, I wish to offer

perspectives from lessons personally learned from a career in classical music as a

performer, teacher, and music advocate. In the Quest, I wish to share helpful know-how.

Simply put, I wish to tell you in my own words what works and to give you pointers from

a pro’s perspective, striving to choose the most effective words in order to describe

concepts and opinions about many things. Playing a string instrument is a physical,

hands-on activity. Descriptions of tactile sensations are tricky. They require you to focus

your imagination and apply common sense in order to achieve success.

It is fair to state that building an extensive learning project as this one, demands time and

detailed thought. Some may ask why I gave myself so much homework. The reason is

that I love what I do. It is a true blessing to be a part of the quest for higher knowledge in

the profession that I chose to pursue. This project is never ending, and I continue to enjoy

working on the further expansion of the Quest, leading it to the concert-artist level.

Through dedication and hard work, musicians may attain a professional level, but they

should remain amateurs in their hearts. Although I have attained the status of a seasoned,

professional musician, I see myself as a “professional amateur.” The origin of the word

amateur means, “To love” and I use it in this context with that meaning: for the love of it.

I wish to instill this love of learning in you, show you what works, and how to make this

knowledge yours to explore and enjoy. Be positive and engaged in your learning.

You will love it!

Even though I thought that I really knew a topic, the more detailed research I put into it,

the more I realized what I did not know and what I could question with a refreshed

perspective. I have gained a deeper appreciation of the evolution of thought processes

that span multiple centuries and of the effect that worldviews of past days had on ideas,

concepts, terms, and their definitions. It is always challenging to transfer thoughts and

spoken words into clear and precise writing. Individuals use language in different ways.

Therefore, it follows that expressing concepts in your own words, helps you to

understand them more vividly, making the concepts solidly your own.

Throughout the Quest, concept-characters will be talking to you on my behalf. All of the

characters were created to trigger your curiosity about how proficient a musician you

wish to become. They will challenge you to practice hard in order to get there! You will

get out of the Quest what you put into it! At first, you will make some “creative” sounds

that will not be ready for the stage, but everyone will learn how to improve.

Keep in mind that there are erasers on pencils for a reason. Make beautiful mistakes,

erase them in your mind and hands, then practice properly in order to make progress.

The goal is to enjoy performing music with confidence!

Always remember the expression is to

“PLAY an instrument.”

Thank you for reading; now - Let’s go make music.

Focus, work hard, and play well! – Adam

Welcome to the Quest!

The Table of Contents lists Quest Main Sections

with more chapter details shared later on.

You are about to enter the exciting world of creating string music!

String instrument mastery is the goal.

On your journey there is much to learn, discover and practice.

Remember to have fun, work hard, and always try your best.

CONTENTS

Learning Focus and Outlook 3 - 6

Materials: Layered Learning System 12 - 18

Practice Tutorial: Sound Answers 19 - 22

Foundation Layer: Weight in Motion 23 - 30

Mechanics Layer: Class Exercises 31 - 38

Officially Meet “Q” the Quest Maestro 39

Violin and Viola Accessories 40 - 45

“V” Skilled Position Trainer 46 - 50

Violin and Viola Playing-Position Set-up 51 - 62

Cousin “Spike” with Cello Position Information 63 - 71

“Scroll” Knowledge Character 72 - 77

“Peg” Teaches Instrument Information 78 - 80

The Modern Day Violin Family 81 - 88

Mechanics Layer: Cello Playing-Position 89 - 94

Mechanics Layer: Bass Playing-Position 95 - 105

“Bridge” Teaches Instrument Information 106 - 122

Playing-Position Exam Preparation 123 - 133

Notation Layer: Music Notation 134 - 137

Tempo: “Constance the Metronome” 138 - 160

Rhythm: “Cal the Rhythm Calculator” 161 - 163

Scroll Tale: The Origin of the Staff 164 - 167

Notation Layer: Rhythm Laboratory 168 - 175

Common-Time and Time Signatures 176 - 193

Beat Accent and Conducting Patterns 194 - 199

Rhythm Work-Outs in Common-Time 200 - 203

Beat Sub-Division 204 - 211

Triplets 212 - 214

Compound-Time 215 - 217

Rests and Note-Rest Equivalents 218 - 233

Level One Rhythm Exam 234 - 246

Level Two Rhythm Exam 247 - 255

Level Three Rhythm Exam 256 - 266

Foundation Layer: Sound Production 267 - 269

Artistry Layer: “Dyna” Teaches Dynamics 270 - 283

Foundation Layer: String Sound Creation 284 - 288

Scroll Tale: Introduction to Clefs 289 - 292

Notation Layer: Clefs and Note Reading 293 - 305

Note Reading Exams 306 - 318

Mechanics Layer: Pizzicato 319 - 325

Pizzicato Exercises, Repeats and Endings 326 - 341

Bow Introduction: “Painting with Sound” 342

The Parts of the Bow and Rosin 343 - 349

Bow Hold Preparation: Stick Exercises 350 - 355

Notation Layer: Bowing Terminology 356

Mechanics Layer: Bow-Hand Set-Up and Thumb 357 - 363

“Arc” Teaches Finger Details and Bow-Hand Taska 364 - 374

The Bow-Hand Cast 375 - 378

The Bow-Wrist: The Clay Smile Exercise 379 - 382

“Angle” Teaches the Bow-Arm Box and String Levels 383 - 388

The Bow’s Contact-Point and Bowing Lanes 389 - 393

Bow-Segments and Contact-Point Exercise 394 - 397

Moving the Bow and Bow-Arm Box Triangles 398 - 399

Level One Bowing Exercises 400 - 411

Level One Mastery Checkpoint Playing Test 412 - 418

Level Two Bowing Exercises and Workouts 419 - 428

Level Two Mastery Checkpoint Playing Test 429 - 433

Level Three Bowing Exercises and Workouts 434 - 451

Level Three Mastery Checkpoint Playing Test 452 - 460

“Steps” Introduces Music Theory and Intervals 461 - 468

Step Patterns and Major Scale Construction 469 - 472

Key Signatures, Circle of Fifths and Order of Sharps 473 - 479

Class Exercise: The Major Scale Walk 480 - 481

Major Key Signatures with Flats 482 - 487

Major Key Signatures Displayed in All Clefs 488 - 491

Note Creation and Instrument-Tape Preparation 492 - 495

Finger Mechanics: Numbering, Position and Intensity 496 - 498

Hand-Position Principles 499 - 501

D Major Scale Pitches on the D-String 502 - 505

D Major Scale Pitches on the A-String 506 - 508

“Guide” Introduces Shifting and Bass Notes on G 509 - 510

D Major Training Exercises 511 - 517

Left Thumb Logic and Knuckle Leverage 518 - 520

D Major Etudes and Arpeggio Patterns 521 - 528

D Major Mastery Checkpoint Playing Test 529 - 534

Finger Terminology and D Major Notes on All Strings 535 - 548

Orchestra Pieces, Harmony and Technique Building 549 - 567

Dynamic March Theme and Variations 568 - 590

G Major Pitches, Pinky Power-Ups and Skill Boosters 591 - 611

Music in 3-4 Time, Melodic Minuet and G Major Waltz 612 - 617

Bach “Minuet” and Strauss “Blue Danube Waltz” 618 - 625

The Minor Mode: Forms, Accidentals and Related Keys 626 - 631

A Minor Drills, Cut-Time and “La Cinquantaine” 632 - 645

Pieces in C Major and Brahms Symphony #1 Theme 646 - 651

Cal and Constance compose the “Syncopation Song” 652 - 658

Mozart’s “Divertimento in C Major” 659 - 664

Shifting Exercises for All Instruments 665 - 670

Tuning Your Own Instrument 671 - 672

A Major Pieces, Haydn and Telemann Arrangements 673 - 683

3- 2 time, Purcell, Vivaldi and Beethoven Pieces 684 - 694

Vibrato, Harmonics and Ornaments 695 - 713

Additional Notation Abbrieviations and Mutes 714 - 717

Ensemble Traditions, Protocol and Etiquette 718 - 720

Teacher Resources and Program Development 721 - 732

Practice Tools and Note Reading Answer Grids 733 - 737

Dynamic March Theme and Variations Full Score 738 - 747

Q’s Epilogue - Quest Character Poster Finale 748 - 750

Quest Components

Comprehensive Teacher’s Guide

Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass Student Workbooks

Rhythm Workouts, Theory Exercises and Music History

Practice Guidance, Checkpoints and Mastery Exams

Element-Focused Original Compositions

String Ensemble Arrangements of Concert Repertoire

Quest Rehearsal Room Wall Posters

Layered Learning System

String Playing requires players to use vast amounts of reasoning

skills in order to achieve performance mastery.

In this text, music knowledge skills will be categorized and learned as Layers.

The Quest for String Playing Mastery teaches you to identify the layers involved in

the learning process. The goal is to make steady and consistent progress, by practicing

and combining layers with confidence,

The Quest teaching method is structured much like an enjoyable computer game.

This format was chosen in order to encourage players to have fun while challenging

their brains to focus and enjoy playing well.

Performing is just like running computer programs of what you practice, with the goal

of creating competent and confident performances. Every skill challenge in the Quest

may exist in one or more layers at the same time.

The Quest challenges you to use focused logic, in order to find masterful and

effective playing solutions.

Layered Learning is a System for Success!

Once individual layers are learned and practiced, they are ready to be unified,

ready to work as one in the artistic combinations that string playing demands.

You will achieve mastery by working with each layer and then practicing to

combine them successfully. Experienced string players utilize many combined

skills, and multi-task with ease while performing.

Musical Multi-Tasking By Combining Layers Productively = Success!

The teacher’s role in the Quest is to serve as a guide, encouraging students to

use focused common sense. As part of their personal quests, teachers should

always enthusiastically motivate their students to enjoy practicing and strive to

make continuous forward progress in their Total String Playing Game.

This is accomplished through hard work and by using logic and creativity!

Each individual knowledge layer is categorized by a Color-Coding System.

Mastery of the Layer System requires focused and consistently practiced skill

improvement exercises. As in a game, the more proficient you become in

practicing each level, the higher the level of success you will be able to reach.

In order to insure clarity and understanding, the Color-Coding

category families displayed below are utilized throughout the Quest.

UNIVERSAL

WISDOM

PLAYING

TECHNIQUES

MUSIC

NOTATION

ARTISTIC

EXPRESSION

EARTH

TONES

GRAYS AND

BLACK

PRIMARY

COLORS

PASTEL

COLORS

LAYERS ARE PRESENTED AS

COLOR – CODED

STRING PLAYING WORLDS.

Layers are like different worlds in an adventure-type game.

In each world, there are often different terrains where you explore

details within the level. This is where skills and tasks are practiced

and where you discover knowledge with which to progress to the

next level of the game’s quest.

You will need to practice individual layers in order to progress!

On Your Quest,

You Will Be Introduced To

Several Wise And Helpful

CONCEPT – CHARACTERS.

Q is the Quest’s main Concept-Character and our narrator.

Q and his many buddies each have their own distinct personality.

Q’s friends all have music skill-knowledge expertise,

and share professional pointers along the way.

Over a dozen Concept-Characters join together as the Quest Faculty

and help to guide you, while you develop your string playing game.

Successful utilization of the wisdom that these characters teach, help

you to reach higher levels of accomplishment on your path towards

string playing mastery.

Anagrams, Word-Plays and Analogies

are included in order to keep the adventure fun and effective,

making information easier to distinguish and remember.

Now to the Layers!

UNIVERSAL WISDOM LAYER

All layers involved in the study and use of Universal

Wisdom, are presented using Earth Tone Colors.

Nature, Physical Science, Outlook and Mental

Processes are members of the

FOUNDATION LAYER.

PLAYING TECHNIQUES LAYER

All layers involved in physical, hands-on-the-instrument

playing techniques are presented using Black and Grays.

All specific sound production components of left and

right-hand techniques are members of the

MECHANICS LAYER.

MUSIC NOTATION LAYER

All layers related to reading and understanding

written music are presented using Primary Colors.

Rhythms, pitches, and theory knowledge required to

comprehend music are members of the

NOTATION LAYER.

SCALES ARPEGGIOS

NOTE DURATIONS

CHORD STRUCTURES

ALL MUSIC NOTION

EXPRESSION LAYER

All layers related to musical expressions and moods

are presented using Pastel Colors. Dynamics, phrasing, articulations

and performance interpretation are members of the

ARTISTRY LAYER.

"The Quest For String Playing Mastery" (pages 1-18)

Entertainment & Humor

string playing

string playing

true success

major scale

quest faculty

professional

musical friends

bowing exercises