Aaron Rosand on Practicing

There is no short cut to fine playing; only logical, intelligent and concentrated practice will yield results, writes the American violin virtuoso

When beginning a practice session, keep in mind that you have to warm up the fingers of both hands. You cannot begin by trying to regain the sound or facility that you had after three to four hours of practice the day before. There must be a warm-up period before you attack the repertoire or you can severely strain your hands. In any physical sport, the muscles have to be exercised to perform well. This applies to your right hand as well as your left hand. The right hand makes the sound, and control of the bow requires coordination of arm, hand and fingers. It is interesting to note that Kreutzer Etude no.1 is devoted to bow control. This etude is often overlooked in present day teaching methods.  

The left hand requires a reawakening process. Begin slowly with minimal vibrato and light finger pressure. The third and fourth fingers are the weakest and need more.....

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