All technical demands of a programme must be captured. They do not, however, need to be captured in the most difficult way possible.

Technical Sensations

Technical sensations occur when the mind assimilates the violin as an extension of the body. They originate as basic feelings of technical easiness. The violinist then refines them with musical ideas. Technique must remain simple, lots of instructions confuse the mind with centipede dilemma. Some violin technique books are larger than the bible.

Sample Exercises: 

Sensation of string crossing. Using a whole bow, play an up bow on the E string, and then let it fall to the G string feels easy. Doing the opposite feels uncomfortable.

Sensation of shifting. Doing any type of shift in the upper half of the bow feels easy. Doing it at the heel feels uncomfortable. 

Sensation of listening. Play scales of the same intervals. Play on an untuned violin.

There are sensations for all violin techniques. They make violin technique feel natural and easy. They build on and are applied to traditional use of scales, caprices, and etudes. The same as students may play an etude with different bowing, they can also play an etude, or technical passage, with the use of an appropriate sensation. Solo violin repertoire allows the performer the freedom  to solve their own technical problems in a way that is easy, and musically valid.

Musical Value

Consider: If everyone plays the same technically, then it sounds the same. Do we all need to play like everyone else? Is copying someone else simply musical plagiarism? 

Technical Logic

Technique is best captured when it includes the logic of the mind. Historically, however, technique has been taught as simple to complex muscle exercises using marked fingerboards, finger patterns. Consider, if it is logical to hold the fingers down, if a candidate has a short fourth finger and is physically unable to stretch to the note?  Is it logical to not include listening as a fully definable process? The result is that the majority of violin candidates do not play in tune, and struggle with co-ordination. Using Intunation (c), as an example of a mental technique that can create a technical sensation, for instance, resolves the problems of intonation and co-ordination. 

Elsley Intunation (C)

This is a new pedagogical term. It is a technique of the mind, that physically captures intonation security, and defines the exact moment of co-ordination. It does this by using a timeline, in which something must always be done, in order to get a guaranteed result. It also provides a teaching process, that includes active listening to control physical movement. Teaching the mind how to think as a violinist is the fundamental technical exercise that captures talent.

THE EXERCISES EXPLAINED;

1) While bowing an existing note, and before playing the next note, the mind THINKS in which direction the finger needs to move, in order to capture the accurate physical placement of this new note. This is simply a mental awareness, the same as if a string goes flat, the violinist is aware that the fingers need to adjust towards the bridge.

2) While still bowing the original note, the finger for the next note then touches, and CONNECTS to the string, slightly out of tune

3) The next stage is the FIRST PRESSURE POINT. During this first pressure point, the finger moves, and tunes the note, by listening. This is done with only enough pressure applied to the string, for the performer to hear, not the audience. It is like a magic trick. The bow stroke retains its artistic integrity, it is not lightened.

4) The next stage is the SECOND PRESSURE POINT. At the moment of the bow change, the finger presses down to the fingerboard. This is done with timing precision. note clarity, and beginning of the bow technique. The next stage is the follow through of the bow stroke, which is the time for musical ideas. The process then repeats itself.

When the mind understands the physical sensation of the second pressure point, and that it must have already tuned the note, it gives speed simply by applying a physical sensation on the note value. Schools of playing are consulted for increased facility. The book fully details the physical process, for ascending, descending, and string crossing moments.

Principles of Talent

Traditional violin pedagogy has created the world's greatest performers. There are, however, many students who do not progress. This book is intended for the those students. It invites them to still embrace their traditional training, but to explore, also, the many enigmas of intuitive violin technique. Natural abilities, that capture virtuosic technical security.

In the past, their violin journey is definable. In their early grade examinations, they are awarded honours and distinctions. These awards, however, trend towards credit and pass, from fifth grade onwards. For the few who persevere to diploma levels, grappling with the technical demands of their programme becomes a significant challenge. There are many No Awards. The elusive nature of technical talent persists as an unresolved mystery. In the exam room, their brick walls cast a shadow over their performances.

The Enigma of Talent

Talent is the final frontier of music education. For many, it is considered a miracle from God. It creates a church of the fortunate few. Talent, however, is only a word, that has a very broad reference. That is why the research in this book focusses on only one aspect of talent. Defining in exact detail, the intuitive technical abilities that differentiate between the Award, and No Award diploma candidates. These new techniques, when added to traditional pedagogy, remove the historical vagueness that necessitates the input of natural talent.

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