June 12 - My favorite teaching tool this spring.
Why this everyday household item was the most effective tool in my violin studio.
My favorite teaching tool this spring has been a paintbrush I bought at my local hardware store. I kid you not–it’s one of the best multipurpose props I’ve ever used in violin lessons!
The paintbrush came out of lessons with one of my younger students who was struggling with the “Run Pony” bowing pattern we use for the Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star variations. His arm would get super tense and locked up around the elbow, and the alternating rhythm pattern confused him. None of my normal teaching strategies seemed to help, and after a few lessons, it was clear that he dreaded playing it.
I knew we couldn’t move on to more challenging pieces without addressing the bow arm tension, and Run Pony is such a fundamental bowing pattern used in classical and fiddle repertoire. So I decided to trick him.
I told him we were taking a break from Run Pony. Instead, we started painting practice! I brought in a brush and had him practice two wavy brushstrokes on a wall, sans paint. I told him it was bow arm flexibility practice (totally true), but not what the two wavy lines were approximating.
My student was both excited by the new activity and a little suspicious at where it was eventually leading… This isn’t the first time I’ve tricked him into learning a new piece or technique. But I’m finding that some students have a lot of self-doubt and overwhelm when it comes to tackling new and challenging things. The paintbrush bypassed all of those negative emotions, and a few weeks later, he was stunned to find out he’d been practicing Run Pony all this time with a beautifully fluid bow arm as a bonus.
So why the paintbrush?
Playing an instrument is a kinesthetic activity. As teachers, we’re continually finding new ways to help students internalize the physical elements of playing–either translating our internal experience of movement or helping a student to embody anatomically informed technique.
Props make that task easier. In the Franklin Method, we use all sorts of props–including household items, toys, and craft supplies–to explain how specific joints and muscles work. This is a form of imagery, which is an evidence-based somatic tool you can use to change the way you move.
When we use everyday items to help students move in a different way, we’re using metaphorical imagery. Music teachers use it all the time–if you’ve ever asked your student to imagine a light shining out of their head or a string suspending their head from the ceiling to change their posture, you’ve used metaphorical imagery. We’re borrowing the quality of movement we want from the prop or metaphor.
When I was brainstorming an activity my young student could practice at home to help with his bow arm, I thought of painting almost immediately. When we paint on a vertical surface like a wall, there has to be movement throughout the joints of the hand, wrist, arm, and shoulder. It’s a great way to make students aware of specific challenges like stiffness or limited range of motion. If one of those joints is locked, you’ll immediately notice the difference on the wall.
I’ve also had my older and more advanced students paint their musical phrases in the air or on a wall with a paintbrush. It’s a great way for students to figure out their bow distribution or find more fluid arm movements. I’ve been a huge fan of singing and air-bowing for years to work on phrasing, and this is a nice alternative for students who might prefer more visual images like painting or sculpting sound.
So what should you do if you want to incorporate more metaphorical imagery and props into your teaching or home practice?
Think about a specific instrumental technique or body position you use when playing. Can you find any similarities between the movements you use with your instrument and basic movements you do in everyday life?
Can you think of any other activities from your daily life that require you to move in similar ways? For example, painting a wall mimics the fluid movement in the wrist needed for smooth bow changes.
Are there any objects you can use as a prop to influence posture or the way a student moves? Be creative–for example, a balloon is a great way to help students imagine their head floating on the top of their spine!
The challenge is to make sure the movements and props we use correspond to biomechanical function–that’s where anatomy courses and movement education methods like the Franklin Method come in! Next week, I’ll share how I use anatomical imagery in music lessons to help students move with more ease.
And if you’d like to learn more about embodying healthy movement, please check out my Franklin Method page and musicians’ wellness resources! I’m hosting online workshops in July and August on injury prevention and shoulder health for musicians–more information coming soon!
If this is the first time we’re meeting virtually, hello! My name is Erika, and I’m a violinist, teacher, and certified Franklin Method Educator. My mission is to rethink traditional teaching approaches to help musicians play with confidence and ease. If this resonates with you, here’s how you can connect with me:
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