Play music with games

Keeping calm when you sing or play is important, and by calm  I mean keeping your muscles relaxed.

To help get in the relaxed frame of mind I have made up a few games.

For Violin, I often find people are tense in their neck holding the violin and in the wrist holding the bow.

The game is called  PICK UP and PLAY!

So starting with you violin tucked under your bow arm you are going to bring out the violin and tuck it under your chin. As soon as your violin is under your chin you bring up your bow arm and play two DOWN bows -

that is down bow, lift down bow

on the low G string.

Then you are going to put your violin back under your arm and take two steps.

After the two steps repeat putting your violin under your chin and proceed to play 2 down bows on the
D string.

Repeat the game through the 4 stings, then go in the opposite direction.

Starting on E string play two UP bows, tuck away take two steps and then two UP bows on A string

If space is small, just tiny steps.

The idea behind this game is to get your muscles moving quickly into position but with fun and not too much thinking!

Remember to shake out your hands after you play this game!