Saturday, October 12, 2013

Learning How To Play Bowed Psaltery

By Megan Landry


Incorporation of melodious instruments into the musical part of life is an amazing thing. Bowed psaltery is a good example. With its existence dating back in memorial, it is a tool that has a small similarity to the violin in different aspects. It comes in a triangular shape accompanied by a wooden bow for stroking in order to produce sound.

It has a wooden body with a number of strings running on it to the side which has a large base. These are the strings which are stroked using the bow to produce sound. One of the most amazing thing about this instrument is the quality of sound produced. The only drawback is that only a single key can be played at a time.

As a learner, the first step is to know how to hold it comfortably as it is suppose to be. Here, the tip faces away from the body while the base comes to rest on the tummy. The left arm provides support by holding the area beneath the tip while the right one gets hold of the bow. This is the one used to cause movements of the bow across the strings and produce a sound. Playing is always done in a sitting posture with legs crossed.

Once a person is comfortable, production of melody is a stage that follows. Here, the bow is moved across the strings within the spaces in between the pins from left to right. The movement should be maintained in these spaces and the striking should be consistent. Later on, this learner will be taught on how to use two bows at the same time.

Once a learner has known this, the tuning aspect comes into play. This one is quite simple since one does not have to tune it every now and then because there is provision of a tuning wrench. Tuning depicts extend of care the owner has towards the instrument. Tweaking is the one needed quite often when one wants to practice in playing. Caution should be exercised in order to avoid breaking the stings.

At the end of this all, it is best to determine in advance where to undertake these studies in musical instruments. Joining a school where they are taught is one of the ways. The other is following the online lessons. On this one, it is quite easy to follow and where he or she has not gotten a thing, playing the video or reading once more helps to perfect where necessary.

The classroom one is offered by teachers on a private, and one on one basis. This one has truly been overshadowed by the online teachings. In choosing a reliable teacher, one should analyze different components concerning this individual. This is a cautious approach so that the learner does not fall for someone who is incompetent to handle such matter.

For better perfection in playing the bowed psaltery, learners are encouraged to be consistent in practice and try new ideas and styles on their own. The implication of this is a regular playing time on a daily or weekly basis. Through such practices, he or she is transformed into an expert.




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