Just wondering if stamina while playing is something that comes with time.
Whenever I practice I start strong and everything goes well and then towards the end it all goes sloppy. Should I just keep going or stop. So far I have been stopping because I dont want to learn to play sloppy, so when I get tired I just take a break and go at it again after a min.
I just though that by now I should be able to play at full pelt for at least one bloody set without things going sloppy towards the end.
(Please try to keep the sexual inuendos to a minimum )
I just started playing fiddle in May, and I'm playing in the 2 to 3 hours a day range. My fingers had the callouses from playing guitar and bass, so at first instead of playing until my fingers hurt, I was playing until I had a sore neck or my wrist wore out or something.
But since I play in the evenings after I'm back from my bicycle riding, I sometimes get to a point where I start dozing off with my fiddle!
I must look like a wind up toy whos spring has wound down because my bow starts slowing down, and then it moves less and less, and then the neck of my fiddle starts to droop and I have to catch myself and put it away before I completely nod off and use the silly thing for a pillow or something.
Sounds like might not be relaxed enough and the effort required to keep hands, arms, and neck constantly tensed up is catching up with you. It's a tough habit to break, especially if you get anxious performing.
Just like any form of physical activity, you have to build up stamina and concentration. Sounds like you are doing the right thing by taking a break. monkey440's made a good point as well - tension is the enemy.
I think monkey440 is right on the money. I've played violin since I was 6, but fiddle only for a few years, and I used to get all sorts of headaches, neck aches, shoulder aches, etc., and would get exhausted after practicing when I played classically. I've been taking lessons for the past few months, and one of the strongest points of my lessons is learning how to relax and not hold tension. I have to say the better I'm getting at relaxing, the fewer headaches, shoulder aches, etc., I'm getting from playing AND the
easier my playing is getting (although by no means easy -- hahahaha!). I still consider myself a beginner in Irish music, but I have to say the relaxation thing is a biggie for me. Hope that helps.
Is your fiddle responsive enough? Has it been set up properly? Tension can also be a reaction to a fiddle or bow that doesn't do what it should. For example if the string action is too high you 're losing loads of energy to just keeping the strings pressed down.
If you think that's out of the question try to analize where any tension is built up. The left arm? Try to avoid the so called death grip with your hand and see to that you don't pull up your shoulder. These are common mistakes. The bow arm? Avoid bow strokes that are too long for the purpose of fiddling and avoid trying to grind your bow into the string. Think of pulling the tone out of the string instead.
Fiddle stamina.
Fiddle stamina.
Just wondering if stamina while playing is something that comes with time.
)
Whenever I practice I start strong and everything goes well and then towards the end it all goes sloppy. Should I just keep going or stop. So far I have been stopping because I dont want to learn to play sloppy, so when I get tired I just take a break and go at it again after a min.
I just though that by now I should be able to play at full pelt for at least one bloody set without things going sloppy towards the end.
(Please try to keep the sexual inuendos to a minimum
# Posted on July 31st 2008 by session savage
Re: Fiddle stamina.
I just started playing fiddle in May, and I'm playing in the 2 to 3 hours a day range. My fingers had the callouses from playing guitar and bass, so at first instead of playing until my fingers hurt, I was playing until I had a sore neck or my wrist wore out or something.
But since I play in the evenings after I'm back from my bicycle riding, I sometimes get to a point where I start dozing off with my fiddle!
I must look like a wind up toy whos spring has wound down because my bow starts slowing down, and then it moves less and less, and then the neck of my fiddle starts to droop and I have to catch myself and put it away before I completely nod off and use the silly thing for a pillow or something.
# Posted on July 31st 2008 by Nate Ryan
Re: Fiddle stamina.
Sounds like might not be relaxed enough and the effort required to keep hands, arms, and neck constantly tensed up is catching up with you. It's a tough habit to break, especially if you get anxious performing.
# Posted on July 31st 2008 by monkey440
Re: Fiddle stamina.
Just like any form of physical activity, you have to build up stamina and concentration. Sounds like you are doing the right thing by taking a break. monkey440's made a good point as well - tension is the enemy.
# Posted on July 31st 2008 by c.g.
Re: Fiddle stamina.
I think monkey440 is right on the money. I've played violin since I was 6, but fiddle only for a few years, and I used to get all sorts of headaches, neck aches, shoulder aches, etc., and would get exhausted after practicing when I played classically. I've been taking lessons for the past few months, and one of the strongest points of my lessons is learning how to relax and not hold tension. I have to say the better I'm getting at relaxing, the fewer headaches, shoulder aches, etc., I'm getting from playing AND the
easier my playing is getting (although by no means easy -- hahahaha!). I still consider myself a beginner in Irish music, but I have to say the relaxation thing is a biggie for me. Hope that helps.
# Posted on July 31st 2008 by swillybay
Re: Fiddle stamina.
Is your fiddle responsive enough? Has it been set up properly? Tension can also be a reaction to a fiddle or bow that doesn't do what it should. For example if the string action is too high you 're losing loads of energy to just keeping the strings pressed down.
If you think that's out of the question try to analize where any tension is built up. The left arm? Try to avoid the so called death grip with your hand and see to that you don't pull up your shoulder. These are common mistakes. The bow arm? Avoid bow strokes that are too long for the purpose of fiddling and avoid trying to grind your bow into the string. Think of pulling the tone out of the string instead.
Hope this helps.
# Posted on July 31st 2008 by Henk Bos
Re: Fiddle stamina.
The soft overcomes the hard,
The yielding overcomes the strong;
Every person knows this,
But no one can practice it.
# Posted on August 1st 2008 by fedorastain
Re: Fiddle stamina.
How true .... but is it very helpful to session savage?
# Posted on August 1st 2008 by Ebor_fiddler