Ask Harry WimmerQ & A #1
		How to make chords ring.

Q. How can I play a succession ofchords without choking or scratching? A. A good repertoire example comes to mind: look at Menuetto I of Suite No. 2 in D Minor by Bach, meas. 7

First, the Musical Context: Dance-like, robust, chords well separated (but stillnote values) How to Make the Chords Ring: With bow well balanced horizontally and poised about 3 inches above and to the left of the strings, 1. let arm drop unto the middle string and rebound to its starting point in the air, each time describing a counter- clockwise oval.

2.As the bow drops down on the strings, it creates the illusion that all three strings are played simultaneously.

3. Stay near the fingerboard, where the middle string can be depressed more easily by the bow hair. The speed of the downward drop is much greater than the rebound. All the more reason to stay near the fingerboard for a more resonant sound during that brief contact. Bow Speed as one of the inter-related right hand Tone Factors is discussed at length in The Joy Of Cello Playing, Master Lesson 5. Master Lesson 5 available online from: sharmusic.com 4. Finally, the A Major chord in meas.8 could be made to resonate like this: a. Strike the bottom 2 notes (A&E) from the air. b. Roll to the A&D strings and sustain them, dropping the G String note "A." ______________ If you found this Q & A helpful, or for further questions and comments, e-mail Harry Wimmer. <hwimmer@wimmercello.com On toQ & A #2?Home For still more topics, return to Top 10 Q & A's or to Ask Harry Wimmer.

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