This pool focuses on mastering some of the typical building blocks of a piece: the motives. A motive could be defined as a short, recognizable group of notes. It is useful to analyze, study and vary the melody and intervals of a motive. Another possibility is to analyze, study and vary the rhythm.
The choice of the most recognizable or typical motives of a composition is based on the previously made analysis. In the experiments below, the motives are transformed in different ways to expand the vocabulary.
It is a good idea to practice them in a creative way by varying dynamics and sound color. This way the improvisational mindset is already turned on.
A. Focus on melody
1) Transpose the motive chromatically up and down on the whole range of the instrument, keeping intervallic relationships consistent within the motive as it is transposed.
On the violin this is not so complicated. Once the frame and fingerings are remembered, the fixed hand shape just has to shift a half tone up or down. To create even more possibilities this exercise can also be done without a fixed hand shape whilst staying in one position. This way the fingerings change all the time and the transposing becomes more by ear. This creates new color possibilities, since different strings and positions are used.
Repeat this exercise with all chosen motives of the piece.
To demonstrate this exercise (as well as exercise 2 until 6) a motive from Bordel 1900 from l’Histoire du Tango by Astor Piazzolla is used. From now on this motive is called motive A. For clarity the triplet ornamentation is omitted in some recordings.
2) Repeat exercise 1, but move up and down by whole tone steps. Also a combination of half and whole steps can be studied by first moving up a whole tone and then down a semitone, keeping intervallic relationships consistent within the motive as it is transposed.
This exercise can also be done with a fixed hand shape. To create even more possibilities this exercise can also be done whilst staying in one position.
Repeat this exercise with all chosen motives of the piece.
Whole tone steps (motive A with ornamentation):
Combination (motive A without ornamentation):
3) Repeat exercise 1 and 2, but play a different motive on each step of the scale (chromatic scale, whole tone scale or combination scale), keeping intervallic relationships consistent within the motive as it is transposed.
This exercise can also be done with a fixed hand shape. To create even more possibilities this exercise can also be done whilst staying in one position.This way all the chosen motives are practiced in one exercise.
To demonstrate this exercise (as well as exercise 4 and 5) the motive A from Bordel 1900 from l’Histoire du Tango by Astor Piazzolla is again used. Two extra motives from the same piece are added. Following motives will be called motive B and C.
6) Using a tool like The Random Scale Machine to spit out random notes, you can also practice random transpositions of all your motives. This can be done both with chromatical transpositions (as in exercise 1 through 3) or with diatonic transpositions in a certain key (as in exercise 4 and 5).
B. Focus on rhythm
7) Write down a few recognizable rhythmical motives. Firstly, focus on one chosen motive. Use this rhythm as an ostinato whilst improvising the notes.
To demonstrate this exercise (as well as exercise 8 and 9) motives from the second movement from Four Landscapes by Bernard van Beurden are used.
4) The player goes up and down starting from the different scale degrees of a chosen key or from the notes of the different important arpeggios of that tonality. This exercise is to be practiced in a certain key. Diatonic transpositions are practiced.
This can be done with fixed fingering (like in exercise 1 through 3). However, the half and whole tone steps will vary each time the motive is repeated. There is not a fixed hand shape.
To create even more possibilities this exercise can also be done whilst staying in one position.
Repeat this exercise with all chosen motives of the piece.
This exercise as well as exercise 5 was done in A major with motive B. The tonality of Bordel 1900 from l’Histoire du Tango by Astor Piazzolla.
Scale:
Arpeggios (I-IV-V-I):
5) Repeat exercise 4, but play a different motive on each step of the diatonic scale or arpeggio. This way all the chosen motives are practiced in one exercise.
Arpeggios (I-IV-V-I), Motives B-A-C repeated:
8) Write down a longer rhythmical phrase consisting of one or more chosen rhythmical motives. Play this sentence several times, every time using different notes. This exercise is inspired by one of the exercises of violinist Sarah Stiles.
Example of such a rhythmic frame:
