How to approach Sevcik Op.

October 26, 2008 at 11:37 PM It seems that Sevcik's op. 8 is essential material
for mastering positions, especially the higher ones, as well as changes between.
However, I'm having trouble getting anywhere with these studies. It takes me a lot
of mental preparation to shift up to an unfamiliar position and then back down
again, which mainly involves noting where the semitones are. The slow progress with
these studies in particular means that I avoid them, but I know this isn't the
answer. So I guess my question is how long should I spend on this per day and what
should I do?

Thanks, Russ.

Replies (11)

mendys
Member
Mendy Smith
October 27, 2008 at 12:39 AM I spend about 10 minutes max on shifting studies.
New positions can start tensing you up which is counter-productive to the exercise.
I'd leave out the higher positions at first, esp. on the lower strings. When you
start, take them very very slowly, keeping a relaxed left hand. If you start to
tense, do the slidey thing up and down the fingerboard to loosen up again. If
shifting is new to you, be prepared for several months on just one exercise.

Buri
Member
Stephen Brivati
October 27, 2008 at 01:01 AM Greetings,

actually thesematerials are not essential for mastering the higher positions.

It is importtant to remember that you are actually trying to deal with two problems
in the left hand. The firts is getitng there and the second is playing the notes
-in the psoition-. It is importnat to get this distinction clear in your mind.

In order to master differnt keys in the various positions oyu might be better of a)
with Galamina scales exericse s number 1 and 2- basically two octave scales in all
posiitons and all keys plus various one stirng scales.

I have also found it more efficnet to work on the handpattern approahc that forms
the bedrock of both `The Art of Practicing`P and Drew Lecher`s book. That leaves
you with the issue of shifting and frankly I don`t think you need to work so hard
on all the permutations. There are good shifting execises in the latter book that
ought to be enough if use dintellignetly.

In particular the one in which a finger pattern is played in a lower psoition and
then an octave higher. Daily practice of this exericse is one of the keys to left
hand master, improving technique all over the finger board a swell as increaisng
confidence in big shifts.

Sevcik has stood on its many merits for years but modern tehcnique has given us new
materials to master the violin more efifcinetly in a shorter time.

Good luck,

Buri
russmach
Member
Russ McKenna
November 1, 2008 at 11:27 AM "Sevcik has stood on its many merits for years but
modern tehcnique has given us new materials to master the violin more efifcinetly
in a shorter time."

I'm glad to hear it! ;-)

Thanks for the advice.

Organfreak
Member
Scott Hawthorn
November 1, 2008 at 03:22 PM I prefer to approach Sevcik with a lighted match.

theboundless04
Member
Charlie Caldwell
November 1, 2008 at 06:53 PM I remember a good rule for Sevcik put forth by a
popular teacher. He said something along the lines of never more than 5 exercises a
day and never for more than 20 minutes daily. I don't think Op. 8 is a good book
for learning how to shift. For me, the book was better for reinforcing good
shifting habits once I had already figured out how to shift. However, as soon as I
figured out how to shift, I didn't really need this book.

As for learning how to play higher positions on the fingerboard, I would suggest
something very simple as an alternative to this book. Try doing a one octave scale
on one string.

raullaprida
Member
Raul Laprida
February 24, 2013 at 09:42 PM My teacher told me the biggest benefit I get from
these exercises is to get familiar with interval distances, and not so much to
learn "how" to shift. I remember I couldn't pass from exercise maybe 8 or 10 with
ease until I started thinking of intervals instead of shifting to a specific note.
Now sometimes I don't even remember which note I'm playing I just remember the
distance (interval) from the previous note, and of course at that stage reading the
exercise is unnecessary. Do I need to get a fifth higher? OK, problem 1 solved
(going up usually presented just this problem for me). Do I need to get down a
major third with my third finger? OK, problem solved, now..should my 1st finger be
a minor third from my third finger? OK--> downshift a third but keep (actually
transform) the hand frame for a minor third in that new position and your 1st will
be in tune.

The approach of first placing the first and then put the third finger (Im using the
example of exercises with shiftings not based on 1st finger) didn't work for me. I
could do it but that didn't help at all when I finally added the actual 3rd finger
shift, specially if the last note before downshift is the 3rd of 4th finger)

It is also true that once you play a lot in a position going from one to another
becomes almost automatic and you don't think much of the interval you need to jump.
That explains why jumping from position X to 1st is always much easier in the
beginning that jumping from that X to 5th or 4th... (Student's opinion -Mine- )

So basically for me these are great for:

-> Learn distances with all the fingers.

->Learn how to keep a good hand frame when going to lower positions (also higher of
course)

-> Notes distribution in the position I believe scales are the best thing for that
and not these exercises. Actually doing scales makes playing the notes once in the
required position almost trivial for sevcik op8.

->Learn how to play relaxed. There's almost no way to successfully play these
exercises without a relaxed left arm, at first I was practically glued to the
fingerboard before a complicated downshift.

-->Useful for left/right arm coordination when shifting (shift up/down->bow up/down
coordinations, playing with shift/bowing variants, etc).

One daily exercise in a different key I believe is a must. I usually choose the key
of the next etude/exercise specially if it is a complicated one.