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The right hand thumb placement

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 5:28 am
by Musicmaker
Hi all.
I am trying to accomplish what Tom has advised in that with striking the strings with the right thumb, it must always rest on the next adjacent string.
I find this really difficult.
I can play the notes by raising the thumb but if this is totally unacceptable i would like to know please.
If so then its back to the drawing board to rid a habit.
How vital is this?
Pete

Re: The right hand thumb placement

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 6:11 am
by NutmegCT
Pete - note that I was just quoting instructions in your Darr method book.

You leave the thumb (ring) on the adjacent string just until you need to use the thumb again.

Try this: play the open A string once, so your thumb ring moves across the string and stops on the D string.

It's called a "rest stroke" in several music vocabularies. You play a note by plucking sideways onto the next string. According to Darr, that's what you should be doing in Darr section 23, numbers 4 through 13.

Play that open A string ten times in a row like that. If you keep raising your thumb up in the air, it takes more time and effort than just lifting it from the D string and back to the A string.

Tom M.

Re: The right hand thumb placement

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 9:29 am
by Musicmaker
Hi Tom.
Yep I have got all that and I do realise you are qouting A.Darr.
That exercise I find fairly easy.
My difficulty starts with exercises like Darr 6.
Its not the three crotchets that are the problem.
I can strike them using the rest stroke.
It is the combination of ....
After having struck the bass string with the 4th finger and resting it on to the next string and THEN to play the two chink chinks with the 3rd and second fingers whilst at the same time doing two chink chink rest strokes with the 1st fingers.
Its doing the 1st finger rest stroke and striking the 2nd and 3rd fingers at the same time that I find almost impossible and unatural to do.
Bear in mind my 4th finger is still resting on the adjacent bass string.
The chink chink bits I am referring to are the other two parts of the walz rythmn....ie...boom chink chink, boom chink chink. Etc!
Pete

Re: The right hand thumb placement

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 9:46 am
by NutmegCT
Thanks for the details!

So your problem isn't doing the rest stroke with thumb ring - it's doing all the movements (melody, accompaniment, bass) at the same time. Sounds exactly like me!

How 'bout making a short video showing *just* the boom-chik-chik without the melody, followed by the same thing but adding the thumb.

Might give some clues. I'm still working on getting just boom-chik-chik right! I can do bass note without problem - but adding the "chik chik" I just brush the strings.

Edit: What is "Darr 6"? You mean section 23, number 6, on page 15?
Tom M.

Re: The right hand thumb placement

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 3:22 pm
by NutmegCT
Here's a zither group I've always enjoyed - Kerschbam.

Take a look at the right hand positions. They hardly move at all, and the fingers stay very close to the strings. Left hand fingers are often up in the air - but right hand fingers don't go airborne.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acsnaLCTPSk

I should be at their level in 50 or 60 years ...

Tom M.

Re: The right hand thumb placement

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 4:34 pm
by Rudy Mueller
My favorite group also. Andi"s shop is right outside of Miesbach, essentially in the heart of a lot to be seen in Bavaria. We have had the privilege to visit Andi twice (web-site address and visits reviewed elsewhere on this site).

In the past, Andi has been a most gracious host, but his group does a lot of gigs. Their talent is unbelievable...♪♫Engeln sehen oft wie Menschen aus♪♫...

Check first before visiting (with a list of questions and 'agenda' so as not to waste time) and make sure he has time and is available, or better yet, when and where (exactly, gps) his group is performing.

rudi

and if you get to Cheimsee, stop by at Sel'n Hub'n, just to the west.

Re: The right hand thumb placement

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 5:59 pm
by Musicmaker
Hi Rudi , Hi Tom.
Thanks for your replies.
Tom.
Yes Darr ex 6 page 15.
Good idea about sending a vid showing my difficulties.
I will do a " struggle " vid and then you can see exactly what i mean.
On another note!
Yipee hooray. I have an Adolf Meinel Zither on the way from Germany.
He wanted €499 for it .
I told him i was a pensioner with limited funds and asked if i could have it for €350.
I was not expecting an answer at all till suddenly a message came through to say that he agreed on my meagre offer.
Cannot wait.
I still do not blame my lovely Framus but other people have two Zithers so why not me?
We only have so many days left so jump on it i thought.
Well not literally of course!
Pete

Re: The right hand thumb placement

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 1:05 am
by Musicmaker
Tom had a good idea in asking me to post a video of what I am struggling with trying to rest stroke the right thumb every note.
If anyone can help then all contributions gratefully accepted.
https://youtu.be/Wo07icXx_Ug
Pete

Re: The right hand thumb placement

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 6:29 am
by NutmegCT
This latest video shows you're just barely raising your thumb. It's not going up in the air as in the previous video (Darr #5). That is progress!

When you play the piece all the way through, it really looks and sounds quite good! This may be because in your previous video (#5) you were playing minim (half note - two counts) and crotchet (quarter note - one count) per measure. In this video you're playing three crotchets (half notes) per measure, so there's less time to raise up that thumb.

Let's hope someone with experience posts a video of the same exercise, with the same camera angle, so we can compare.

Without a face to face teacher, seems the best way to make progress is making these short videos and getting comments and suggestions.

Tom M.