MUSE 355 Final Project

Directions
Each student will develop a basic pedagogical handbook to assist in
their teaching a future strings class. List, and describe in detail, five
teaching methods that you will use with a future class. Turn the
document into Bb as a Word Doc.
Required Topics
Violin and Viola Set-Up
1. It is easiest with young students to begin playing the instrument
in the guitar position; this will help the students learn the left
hand positions better.
2. Make sure that students have a proper shoulder rest/pad so
that they can bring the instrument to them and not vice versa.
3. To make sure students are using good posture, watch the back
of their head to make sure their spine lines up with their head.
4. Instrument should be help parallel to the floor and at eye level.
5. Make sure students keep the palm of their left hand
open/extended as to not smash their rat.
Cello Set-Up
1. Instrument should slant to the left slightly for optimal playing
position, but make sure that the student does not tilt their head
with the instrument. This also allows them to bow all of the
strings effectively.
2. When adjusting the endpin the scroll of the instrument should
be just below eye-level.

3. Keep the endpin an arms length away on the floor to ensure the
right angle for playing.
4. There should be space between the neck of the instrument and
the neck of the student.
5. The left hand wrist should be loosely fixed against the arm, not
creating tension.

Double Bass Set-Up

1. Rosin can only be used in one direction as opposed to other
string instruments, as moving the bow in both directions can
damage the hair.
2. Teach students the Bass Salute or K shape as a way to
ensure the proper hand position.
3. Peg should be set so that the bottom of the scroll is at the top of
the head and the endpin is approximately one arms length from
the body on the floor
4. Instrument should rest on the body and balance without holding
it with the hands.
5. Left elbow should not rest on the back of the Bass but should
still remain weightless so that tension is not created.
Violin and Viola Bow Hold
1. The best way to teach bow hold is by example with constant
reminders and observations by the teacher.
2. Have the students hold the bow upside down (strings facing up)
so that they can feel the weight of their pinky V.S. the weight of
their pointer finger.
3. Finger tips should be curved inward
4. Thumb fits snug against the tip of the frog
5. Part of bow hairs near the frog will eventually get a grease spot
where the finger frequently touches.

Cello and Bass (French) Bow Hold

1. Fingers remain flat against the frog
2. Thumb rest behind the second finger
3. Arm should remain relaxed and bow placement on instrument
should fall naturally.
4.
Dtach
1. Have students bow through a paper towel like tube to practice
bowing in the exact same spot of optimum sound production
and quality.
2. Elbow should do most of the work, working as a hinge.
3. Allow students to experiment on the placement of the bow, like
closer or farther from the bridge or fingerboard.
4. Have students stand with their bicep against a wall to practice
bowing without moving the entire arm.
5. For Bass the frog should always stay parallel to the floor.
Staccato
1. Staccato means spaced, not short.
2. There should be an accent or weight on the beginning of the
note that is quick and immediate.
3. Use the analogy of turning a doorknob to show how to use the
bow for staccato.
4. Explain the difference to students that short does not always
mean light and airy.
5. You can also pinch the string or bow to create this sound.
Spiccato
1. Bounce the bow on the hair
2. Use a heavy accent

3. Make sure the hand position does not change, thumb bent.
4. Practice in different directions (up, down)
5. Heard but not seen
Lour
1. This is when all of the notes are played in the same direction
similar to staccato but without the separations
2. Have the students play scales using various bowing types
3. Using a dipping motion
4. Use the index and pointer fingers to create and release weight
from the bow.
5. Have the students press on the bow as they play to create a
wave of strings.
Slurred Staccato
1.

Retake
1. A retake is when the bow is lifted and you begin again at the
frog of the bow
2. They should be silent if the bow is rested on the string.
Hooked Bow
1.
Slur

1. A slur is when you play 2 or more notes with the same bow
stroke

2. Tell students its like two notes riding the same wave, the
bow must move in a continuous motion while the left hand
plays several notes for a smooth, connected, legato sound.
3. Have the students hook notes in different directions, then in
the same direction so they can get used to the feeling of
keeping the bow steady in one direction.
4. Have students practice bowing from the frog all the way to
the tip, they are probably used to using only a small amount
of the bow until now so this exercise will help them and
need lots of work.
5. Students can also work on slurs while trilling so that they
can get used to moving the left and right hand
independently.
Tremolo
1. Can be done by creating tension in the arm and wrist and
moving the bow many times on one string or between
multiple strings
2. It is important to only us a small amount of space on the
bow when doing this.
3. Have students practice tremolos in every section of their
bow so that they can learn where they can play them more
quickly and effectively.
4. It is important to practice these on all dynamic levels but
start with forte so they can get used to the sound and
feeling of the Tremolo
5. Have the students start slowly and explain that they wont be
professionals over night and that they will have to work their
way up to playing fast tremolos.
Sul Tasto

Ponticello
Coll
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

A short accented stroke

To play, place and lift the bow on the string
This should sound very light yet accented
Have students practice at various spots on the bow
Have students practice colle in short motions at the frog

String Crossings
1. Have students practice on the bridge lightly to get the feel of
rocking the bow
2. Have them rotate the bow on open strings
3. Use long bow strokes in the beginning and imagine a line
connecting all of the strings together.
4. Have students practice on a pencil with a bow type hold on the
pencil.
5. String crossings are different for moving from high to low vs. low
to high notes.
Hand Frames
1. Hand frames always remain the same until students begin
learning half positions or various keys.
2. Students should know which fingers are half steps or whole
steps for their instrument to help changing keys and learning
new strings easier.
Shifting
1. Thumb should move with the hand
2. Fingers should glide against the strings without pressing them
3. Hand shape should Always remain the same

4. Knowing where notes fall on the instrument before shifting can

occur is the most important factor to a good shift.
5. Have students try shifting to and from harmonics.
Tone Production
1. Bow Weight, Length, and Speed
2. Amount of Rosin
3. Placement of bow on instrument
4. Proper left hand position
5. Correct amount of tension on the bow
Dynamics
1. Bow weight is the main contributor to dynamics; a heavy bow
will be louder than a light bow.
2. Speed of the bow will also do the same thing.
3. Bow placement over f holes is where the instrument will sound
the best and produce the most resonance.
4. There is a difference between mezzo forte and forte, it is
important for students to understand the gradual changes in
dynamics with these two markings and other similar ones.
5. Students should also know that not all tempo markings must be
abrupt and that they can work their way up to them in the music
if necessary.

Phrasing
1. It is important to focus on phrasing from the very beginning so
that students know how to when it comes time to play literature.
2. String players should breath together at the beginning of a
piece just as wind players would to ensure that they all start
together.

3. Allow the students to suggest their own phrasing ideas other

than what the teacher has decided or what is wrote in the piece.
4. Describe phrasing as the waves of the ocean, always coming
and going in different sizes but always constant because
phrasing must always be happening.
5. Sometimes phrase markings can look like slurs so it is
important to distinguish the style of the piece before playing it.
Vibrato
1. Can be implemented either using the arm or wrist.
2. The length of the vibrato is determined by how high or low the
note is.
3. It is important to remain relaxed and not tense up when playing
vibrato
4. When using Wrist Vibrato you should use a waving type motion
while pressing the string
5. On cello and Bass vibrato is created by sliding the finger slowly
in a rolling motion on the string being played.
Five Elective Topics
1. Tuning
Tuning is something that should be taught from the very
beginning with strings because it is so crucial to good
musicianship. At first the teacher is going to need to assist all
of the students and help to tune instruments while the students
ears are developing. While it is important to help, I think the
students should hear a drone and be encouraged to use one
many times to help their auditory memory and tuning
processes.
2. Harmonics

 Students on bass should always tune with harmonics and using

wiggle strings. This is a great way for them to understand more
about how their instrument works as well as creates an opening
for them to explore more on their own to find various harmonics.
3. Minor keys
Teaching a minor key can be simple with teaching by rote or
demonstrating regularly in class. When demonstrating the
same major pattern scale every day the students will quickly
expect what to hear via their auditory memory. When you
demonstrate the lowered third it will likely catch them off guard
and many of them will not know the fingering for the new note
played hence providing the teacher a place to start the lesson.

4. Scales
Scales are not something that I find to be enforced well enough
in the beginning levels for band but I have noticed it strings it is
much more prevalent. I believe that all beginning players
should be learning scales from the start and that string players
in particular should know how to play various scales on different
strings than they normally would. It is important to know
everything about how your instrument functions so that when
the literature becomes more difficult you have a larger variety
and knowledge base of how to play them.
5. Method books
Method books serve as a great guide for lesson planning and
individual student practicing but I have realized that they cannot
provide the sole amount of teaching instruction for students.
There are many kinds of learners even in music programs and

varying the repertoire and how it is taught every day will only
help to solidify concepts within the students.