The 15-Minute Workout (or, the practice regime for violists da gamba)

Posted by David Morris

15-Minute Practice Regime for Violists da Gamba

1) 3 minutes: Long tones (About 5-10 seconds per bow)
Start on a mid-range open strings, and concentrate on consistency of tone.Visit all the strings and notice how they respond differently to bow speedand pressure.

Hint: a slow bow, closer to (rather than farther from) thebridge is the key to a full, concentrated tone.

2) 3 minutes: The same, but with your eyes closed.

Ooh! Do you know when you're playing on which string? Can you take the bow off and put it back onthe string you intend to find?

3) 5 minutes: Scales
Start with C major; choose one flat key (F, Bb, Eb, or Ab) and one sharp key(G, D, A or E) and mix them up from session to session. Always play with slow, full bows, and connect one note to the next (i.e., don't stop between notes-- rather, think of how one note connects to the next).

4) 4 minutes: Patterned "vocal warmups"
Choose a simple pattern and make a sequence out of it which takes you upthrough the octave. Here's an example using "1-2-3-1", in C major:
C-D-E-C;D-E-F-D; E-F-G-E; F-G-A-F; etc.

Remember: Sequences can descend, as well as ascend. Try it going up anddown the scales. The goal is to get to know your way from the top to the bottom of the instrument, in all kinds of different keys. This kind of work really fills in the gaps and prepares you for better consort sight-reading.