You don’t have to use finger stickers or fret decals to know where to place your left hand fingers. In this short video, I’ll go over left hand basic finger technique and several songs to help you place your left hand fingers without the use of any stickers or decals!
Slides are a wonderful, and fairly easy ornament you can add to your fiddling. Although they sound pretty simple, there is a lot going on. So I’ve got some tips and tricks for better slides!
First off, make sure you are practicing slides in your scales and warm-ups. This not only helps your slides, it helps your left hand form and technique. Playing slides as a regular part of your warm up with help you reduce tension in your left hand and get you prepared for more advanced techniques like shifting into higher positions and vibrato.
When playing slides you also want to remember a few other things:
Find medium pressure with your left hand. You don’t want to be too heavy, nor too light.
Don’t reduce the pressure with your bow. Just because you're sliding with your left hand doesn’t mean you should reduce any pressure with your bow. Keep that weight into your bow for a good, strong sound.
Decide whether you need to shift your whole hand back for the slide or if you can just reach a finger back.
Don’t over-slide and slide past your target note (resulting in being too sharp).
Make sure you start the slide low enough so you have plenty of room to slide up into your target note (aim for about a half step below the target note).
Alright, have fun practicing slides!
Happy Practicing!
Recently, I decided I needed yet another violin for a very specific mission. I don’t have a local luthier or string shop within a few hours of my area so I knew I would have to use an online violin retailer. Even though I have some retailers that I trust and enjoy working with, purchasing a good quality, intermediate or advanced violin online can be tricky.
How do you find the best violin for you? How do you know what it will sound like? How does the in-home trial process work? If I can only try two or three violins for an in-home trial, how do I narrow it down to those? Why are some violins called “bright” while others are “warm?” What’s the difference with all of those terms for describing violin sound?
Which all brings us down to a basic question of violin sound production. How can you have two instruments that look more or less the same and yet sound completely different?
Let’s tackle those basics of violin sound production, the overtone series, describing violin sound, and where to purchase a violin online in this first video.
It’s pretty fascinating, isn’t it? Now that you understand a little bit more about sound production, let’s discuss how to understand the differences between violins as you get ready to start comparing violins.
Now that you know a little bit about how to compare the differences, start listening and comparing! Remember to go with your gut feeling, take breaks in between listening sessions, and enjoy the process!
Bonaparte’s Retreat is a popular fiddle tune. It’s often played fast like a hoedown, but when I heard this gorgeous slow version, I had to learn it.
While the notes are relatively simple, there’s lots of opportunity for building a strong tone, using lots of bow, and incorporating ornaments!
This is a basic tutorial on the song, but if you’d like to learn how to add all of those ornaments, I’ve got lots of lessons on that inside of my studio!
Enjoy learning this slow version of Bonaparte’s Retreat!
Being able to play violin comfortably is a crucial factor to your progress and enjoyment of playing in general. The violin chinrest plays a big part in your level of comfort, but choosing the ideal chinrest can be quite overwhelming.
There are seemingly endless varieties of chinrests and unless you are able to visit a shop that has a wide selection of chinrests in stock, it’s hard, if not impossible to know which chinrest would work for you.
Just like shoulder rests, choosing the right chinrest is a very personal choice. What works great for someone might feel terrible for you. There’s definitely some trial and error involved when choosing a chinrest, but this guide can help give you some ideas about what might work for you.
Let’s talk about a few basics before we dive into the intricacies of choosing a new chinrest.
First off, it is chinrest not chin rest. I know, your auto correct won’t like it and I apologize if you find a few “chin rests” sprinkled throughout this article. I tried to catch all of those little free radicals, but I’m sure a few slipped through.
And while it technically is a chinrest, it’s really where your jaw goes, not necessarily your chin, but I generally use these terms interchangeably.
There are a few important terms I’ll be using. Chinrests usually have a hallow space where the jaw rests. I call this the “cup” or the “dip.” The tailpiece on the violin is important to know since chinrest placement is either to the left or centered over the tailpiece.
Last of all, chinrests come in many types of materials: ebony, rosewood, boxwood, plastic. What ever style you eventually choose, you usually want it to match your other hardware. So if your tailpiece and pegs are black ebony, you want an ebony chinrest to match.
Tool for changing the Chinrest
Absolutely! When it comes to violin maintenance and upgrades, this is one of the easiest changes to make.
Chinrests have little holes on the mounting hardware clamps. Your new chinrest may or may not come with a small wire tool to help you change the chinrest. You can purchase an actual chinrest tool, or if you have a small screwdriver set, or even a paperclip, this can work too.
Simply insert the tool or small screwdriver and turn to the left to loosen the two cylindrical clamps until your old chinrest is loose enough to slide off. While you have your chinrest off, I often find this is a good time to clean off any dust or rosin that’s been hiding under your chinrest!
Next, place your new chinrest on your violin, insert the tool into the holes and turn right to tighten. Tighten until the chinrest is snug. You don’t won’t the chinrest to vibrate as this will cause buzzing sounds, so make sure it is snug enough so that it isn’t moving. You can make adjustments as necessary.
Now let’s talk about how to choose the right chinrest for you. First let’s talk about the two main types of chinrests.
While there are several types of mounting clamps, there are really two types of mounts: center mounts and side mounts.
For center mounts there is a little hole in the bottom of the chinrest where the tailpiece goes, allowing you to mount the chinrest over the center of the violin. While the chinrest may be center mounted, this does not necessarily mean the place where you put your jaw is centered over the tailpiece. With center mounts your chinrest has only one place it can be mounted: directly over the tailpiece.
Side mounts are secured to the left of the tailpiece. You have a few more options with side-mounted chinrests because you can mount the chinrest in various places along the left edge of the violin to match where your jaw would be placed.
*Note: The placement of the chinrest can affect the sound. While this is an important factor, if you are just trying to find a comfortable fit, focus first on figuring out what style works for you. Then you can experiment a little more with chinrest placement (if you have a side mount) or visit a luthier and have them make some adjustments for the best possible sound.
Next, let’s talk about three variables of chinrests: violin position, height, and contour.
Your chinrest determines where you will place your jaw, which will in turn determine the violin’s position on your shoulder.
Try this experiment. Place all four fingers on the G string and then position your jaw to the right of the tailpiece (where there is no chinrest). This places the violin much higher on your shoulder. Note how your left hand fingers, arm, and shoulder feel. Now move your jaw to the center over the tailpiece. Evaluate your fingers, arm, and shoulder again. Last of all, move your jaw to the left of the tailpiece (this may or may not be where your chinrest already is). Evaluate the left hand, arm, and shoulder again. Try this in different variations, with and without a shoulder rest, turning your head to the left and looking straight forward, or with your left hand on different strings.
Do you see how changing where your jaw contacts the violin makes a big difference in violin position?
If your jaw is to the left of the tailpiece, the violin will be slightly slower on the chest, which can be helpful for people with shorter arms. If your jaw is more over the tailpiece, the violin will be higher on your shoulder, which might be better for people with longer arms. With your jaw to the right of the tailpiece, it probably feels pretty uncomfortable! But that’s a feeling you want to understand so you know how to correct it!
As you consider the variable of violin position and how that might affect you, it’s worth discussing some common chinrests and why they don’t work for a lot of people.
The most common chinrest that comes standard on most violins is the Guarneri style chinrest. It’s probably common because it’s relatively low and has quite a bit of real estate over both the tailpiece and the cup part, allowing for both a jaw position to the left of the tailpiece and over the tailpiece. But just because it has a couple different possibilities for jaw placement doesn’t mean any of them are very comfortable. In fact, I find this chinrest pretty uncomfortable for most people. Why?
Since this is a center mounted chinrest, you can’t adjust where that cup is, and often it’s not going to match the shape of your jaw. You can try to place your jaw lower, but the rigid bump over the tailpiece can feel pretty uncomfortable under the chin.
If you want to place your chin to the left of the tailpiece, a side-mounted tailpiece will give you more options for placement. And if you want to place your chin lower over the tailpiece, a chinrest with the cup area closer to the tailpiece will be more comfortable.
After teaching hundreds of lessons and helping countless students find the right setup, I’ve found that many people prefer to place their chin lower than what the Guarneri allows.
If you have this type of chinrest, and you’re not sure if this is your problem, try this. Place your jaw lower, more over the tailpiece. For now, ignore how uncomfortable that wooden bump may feel under your jaw. (If it helps, place a towel over the bump in the tailpiece). Just focus on the placement of the violin on your shoulder and how it feels to play with your chin lower.
You don’t want to have to bend your neck down or crane your neck up to reach your chinrest. Ideally, all you have to do is turn your head slightly and rest your jaw right on your chinrest. But the violin can’t magically float there at perfect height. The problem is solved through both the shoulder rest and chinrest.
By extending the feet of your shoulder rest, you can bring the violin up closer to your face. It’s perfectly fine to extend the feet to customize your shoulder rest, but eventually as the violin gets further and further away from your shoulder, you introduce some other problems.
As the violin moves away from your shoulder, it will cause your left hand and arm to move up to reach the violin. While you may not be able to tell a difference on the E or A strings, it becomes more obvious on the G and D strings and with 4th fingers. If the violin is far away from your shoulder (due to a very extended shoulder rest), it makes it harder for your elbow to pivot forward to allow your hand to reach the G string and the 4th fingers on the D and G string. This problem just becomes more exacerbated if you have shorter arms.
I experienced this phenomenon myself recently. I bought a new violin with a different chin rest than I was used to. I had my shoulder rest adjusted fairly high to compensate for the lower than normal chinrest. I was fairly comfortable, but as I would play, I would persistently have trouble with my pinky on the G and D strings. I have pretty short hands so pinky stretches have always been an issue for me. I didn’t think anything of it, other than the fact that I probably need to work on my pinky intonation. Eventually I thought, “My fourth finger just sounds awful on the G string. I don’t ever recall being so disgusted with my little pinky.” Then I started investigating. I brought the shoulder rest down about a half of an inch and voila! It was instantly easier to reach the pinky which allowed me to play it more in tune.
The lesson is, a little bit of height in one way or the other can play a big role in your left hand technique.
So you want to keep the shoulder rest as close to your shoulder as possible, but if you have an average or longer neck, this will force you to bend your neck down to reach the violin, which is very uncomfortable. That’s where a taller chinrest comes in!
A taller chinrest can allow you to keep the violin closer to your shoulder, but places the chinrest right under your jaw. A perfect combination!
Many, but not all chinrests styles will come in extended versions. For instance, you can get a Guarneri in various heights. Although some models allow for taller heights than others. Height is measured in millimeters.
Keep in mind, you don’t have to have a very tall neck to still deal with these sorts of issues. I would say my neck is average height, but it’s an issue that’s taken a lot of trial and error for me to understand.
If you are always feeling like your neck is bending down to reach the violin, or if you have a very tall shoulder rest, a taller chinrest could be the answer to your problems.
Contour is a wild variable. You’ll see all sorts of shapes and bends and curves out there. Which one is right for you? Some chinrests have a very definitive cup where you jaw is placed, others are less defined. Some have a very obvious lip on the edge, some have barely any lip at all.
If the cup is less defined, you may have a little more freedom with where exactly to put your jaw. A more defined edge can help you feel like the chinrest is secure under your jaw, but it may also feel uncomfortable and sharp under your chin. A more rounded edge or no edge at all may feel smoother and less awkward.
I’m going to simplify contours into three main shapes. Flatter contours, symmetrical contours, and countours with a rise and a dip.
Chinrests with flatter contours include: Dresden, Kaufman, Huberman, Wittner, and the Berber. The Berber looks pretty wavy, but the edge is relatively flatter. These chinrests with lower profiles can be great for people with shorter necks. If you constantly feel like something is jabbing and poking you, you may want to try a flatter contour, or look for a softer rise, or look for a chinrest with a softer edge, like these chinrests.
Chinrests with symmetrical cups includes Flesch, Wittner, or Guarneri to name a few. Players who are more forward-looking when they play usually like these types of chinrests.
When it comes to contours with a rise, you’ll often see a dip on the left side of the chinrest followed by a slight rise to the right over the tailpiece. The amount of rise will vary as will the sharpness of softness of the rise.
This contour can affect the tilt of your head. The dip on the left side can allow your jaw to “escape” while the rise towards the tailpiece gives your chin a place to rest. Some people like this, some people don’t!
Chinrests with an asymmetrical dip and rise include Tekka, Stuber, and Hamburg. Players who are more left-looking when they play may like these.
Now that you know a little bit about chinrests variables, I want you to determine what current chinrest you have, and why it’s not comfortable.
The more you know about your current chinrest and what specifically makes it uncomfortable, the easier it will be to choose a chinrest that will be a better fit.
Here are some things to consider when trying to determine why the chinrest is uncomfortable.
Does the shape of the chinrest force you to hold your jaw or face in an uncomfortable position?
Is the head tilted uncomfortably, turned, or thrust forward?
Is the jaw free to balance the violin and move, or is it stuck in one place and one position?
Do you feel a certain part of the chinrest jabbing into your neck or jaw?
Does it feel like the contour of the chinrest does not match the contour of your jaw?
Do you have to bend your head down to place your jaw on the chinrest? Do you have to reach up with your neck to place your jaw on the chinrest?
Does the violin feel heavy? (The further away the violin is from your neck, the heavier it will feel.)
Before I recommend some chinrests, I need to give a caveat again. Everyone’s body type is different and therefore everyone’s chinrest preferences will be different as well. Just because I use and enjoy some types of chinrests, does not mean that’s what you should go buy! Use these resources and suggestions as a basis for further research and trial and error!
It’s also worth noting that there are certain styles of chinrests and but many makers and variations on these styles. For instance, there is no one company that makes Guarneris. So you’ll find slight variations in contour and height across these styles depending on the maker and who you buy from, so shop around to see all varieties.
Why it’s different: These styles of chinrests have a cup that is centered over your tailpiece, allowing you to place your jaw right on the centerline of the violin. Most center chinrests have a fairly well defined cup and lip, but are fairly uniform and flatter without a sharp rise.
Why it might be for you: If you’ve found you like to hold the violin with your chin placed a little lower, this might be a great option. The defined lip hooks securely under your jaw and the flatter shape won’t feel like something is jabbing awkwardly into your jaw.
Why it might NOT be for you: This will place the violin higher on your shoulder, which may be a problem if you have very short arms. If you’re used to holding the violin higher to the left of the tailpiece (with a Guarneri or other side mount) this chinrest might feel like a big change. Keep reading for some other options that split the difference.
Center chinrests come in various styles by various makers. If you’re interested in a fully centered chinrest, look at Flesch, Wittner Augsburg, or Berber.
Why it’s different: The Stuber is a side mount positioned to the left of the tailpiece, but it has a gentle rise that continues over the tailpiece. It’s got a smooth, rounded edge. It general, everything is very smooth allowing for a comfortable fit without anything jabbing into your jaw. But there’s also a lot of real estate to the left of the tailpiece, so you’ve got lots of comfy options. You can place your jaw higher or closer to the tailpiece, so it’s a good mix between a Guarneri and a Center chinrest.
I used a Stuber chinrest for years and absolutely loved it. I only moved on when I realized I need a chinrest with more height and Stuber models didn’t come in extended versions.
Why it might be a good fit for you. If you want smooth contours, but a little bit of a rise for your chin to rest, Stuber might be a good fit for you.
Why it might NOT be good for you. If you need more or less height, keep reading for more options.
The Hamburg is a similar style chinrest worth investigating as well.
Why it’s different: The Teka has a similar shape to the Stuber. It’s a side mount and there’s a slight dip on the left followed by a rise over the tailpiece. The Teka’s edges are a little more defined than the rounder Stuber, which may feel more pronounced under the jaw. But what the Teka has in abundance is height. This model also comes in Extra Tall with various heights of 30 mm, 40 mm, and 50 mm! For reference, I currently use a 30 mm Teka.
Why it might be a good fit for you: If you need height, this model has it!
Why it might NOT be a good fit for you: The more defined edges can be a bit sharp under the jaw. If you have a bony chin, or if your neck is shorter, keep reading!
Why they’re different: The Dresden, Kaufman, and Huberman are three similar types of side-mounted chinrests. They have a fairly low profile without a lot of lip, contour, or edge. While some of them are fairly small, you can find versions with a little more real estate for bigger jaws. There seems to be a lot of variation with height with these styles, so shop around to find the height that works for you.
Why it might be a good fit for you: If you have a shorter neck and always feel like something is jabbing into your neck and jaw, these options might be a good fit.
Why it might NOT be a good fit for you: If you need more more contour, the previous chinrests will be better options.
With all of these options, you may be thinking, “I wish I could customize my own chinrest.” Well you can. There are a few customizable chinrests options.
Wittner Augsburg
Wittner chinrests are made in Germany. They’re plastic, hypo-allergenic, and come in both center and side mount options. Their molded plastic cups are smooth, comfortable, and light. Augsburg and Zuerich models are both height and tilt adjustable.
The kréddle is well, everything. Literally every angle is adjustable. You can get center or side mounted options and it can be adjusted to various heights and pretty much any contour. Some people call it “infinitely adjustable.” It’s not cheap, but if you’re of the “buy once cry once” mindset and would rather pay for one chinrest that does it all as opposed to 3 or 4 chinrests that aren’t quite right, this might be for you. I have some students that love it. Others find it a little overwhelming.
Why adjustable chinrests might be a good fit for you: If you have a taller neck, these adjustable chinrests can help you find the perfect height. These are also great if you love experimenting and want to understand exactly what your jaw shape needs. However, all of those options have a downside…
Why adjustable chinrests might NOT be for you: Some people find all of the customizable options overwhelming. If you just want a “plug and play” option that you can stick on your violin and be done with it, then opt for a more traditional chinrest.
It’s also worth noting a few special chinrest companies.
The WAVE
The WAVE is a chinrest company that produces some slightly unusual, yet beautiful looking chinrests. I think one of their lines from their website describes what’s different about this style of chinrest. “What if instead of forcing the chin over to reach the chinrest, the chinrest came back to meet the chin?” They offer two models of chinrests in various heights. What’s great about ordering is that they will send you four models to try out for 30 days. Send them all back if you’re not happy, or keep the one you love!
Frisch and Denig
If you’re tired of doing all the research and buying lots of chinrests, and you just want someone to tell you exactly what you need, then Frisch and Denig offer a truly personal approach to chinrest fitting. You can arrange a fitting at their store or find someone near you who does chinrest fitting. Then they create a custom chinrest just for you!
===>Visit Frisch and Denig’s website
There are lots of accessories you can purchase to make your chinrest more comfortable. Cushions like the Impressionist form-fit to your jaw for a custom padding. Be aware when you are adding cushions. This adds height to your chinrest. If you need height or you need to lower your shoulder rest anyway, great! If you’re already reaching up an over to get to your chinrest, you’re going to have to reduce your shoulder rest height or get a lower chinrest so you don’t overreach your neck with the new cushion.
Chinrest covers can soften all of those hard edges without adding a lot of height. And if you find the mounting hardware or clamps irritating against your neck, you can purchase covers just to cover the metal clamp area.
A simple small towel or handkerchief placed between your neck and the chinrest can also do wonders when it comes to reducing marks left on your skin from the chinrest, or any other irritation.
Click on each image to browse chinrest cushions and covers.
The Impressionist Chinrest cover
Leather chinrest clamp cover
Sattler strad Pad chinrest cover
Finding the perfect chinrest is no easy task. It can be overwhelming and sometimes downright frustrating. But the process of choosing the right chinrest is also a process of discovery as you learn more about your own body type and its specific needs. That special understanding of your body can help you immensely when it comes to playing. So even failed chinrests are not complete failures if you learned something about yourself!
I’ll leave you with some final thoughts about trying to find that absolute perfect setup with your shoulder rest and chinrest. It’s a very worth endeavor to keep at it until you find something that’s comfortable for you. But keep in mind that even professionals are always experimenting and learning and tweaking our setups. It’s a gradual process, so don’t be upset if you don’t get it on the first try.
But you also don’t want the search for the perfect setup to completely dominate your practicing and rob your joy of playing. While you can find something that works for you, a perfect, totally tension-free setup might not really exist. There are moments and times in our life when playing violin is just not the most comfortable thing in the world. And if you’re a beginner, it’s all going to feel awkward for a while. Be aware of your body and places of tension, but don’t focus on it 100% of the time. Remember to take some time to just enjoy playing the music you love!
Happy Practicing!
A good warm-up routine is essential to a good practice session. It all starts with the warm-up. If you rush through your warm-up or skip it all together, your practice session will suffer too.
Playing violin is a very physical instrument. There’s a lot of moving parts and coordination. A warm-up period is a time to get your muscles tuned up and ready to play. But it’s also a great time to get your mind in the right space as well. Turn off any distractions. Find a quiet place. Let your mind know it’s time to shift gears and focus on a new task.
Always start with some simple stretches. There are no necessary stretches. Since playing violin really involves the whole body, I like to do stretches that work all of the muscles, with a focus on neck, back, and arms.
After that, tune your violin. And then it’s time for some warm-ups! Watch the video below for 5 warm-ups that will get your left hand, right hand, and mind ready to play violin!
A double stop on the violin occurs when we play two strings at once. While this may seem fairly simply on paper, there’s definitely a lot going on when we play on two strings.
If your double stops on the violin are sounding scratchy or sloppy, here are my top 3 tips for better double stops!
Your right elbow height changes when you change to play on a different string (or it should). If you’re playing on two strings, you need to find an elbow height in between each of the strings. You can often think of playing on two strings as splitting the difference and playing on an imaginary string in between the two strings.
When you’re playing double stops on the violin, there’s a lot to think about. It’s easy to focus entirely on intonation and getting those left hand fingers in tune. But this can cause you to ignore the bow and slow the bow speed down, which can actually make your problems worse. Yes, you can play double stops with slow bow speed, but when you are first learning to play double stops on the violin, use lots of bow and very fast bow speed. This will make it much easier!
Mastering double stops is really about understanding the role of the elbows in violin playing. Adjusting your left elbow forward and back changes the angle at which the finger contacts the string. Try placing a finger down on any string and keep it there as you swing the elbow forward and back. Watch how rotating the elbow brings the finger closer or further away from the adjacent strings.
If you’re playing on two strings, you want to make sure the fingers aren’t accidentally touching strings that they shouldn’t be touching. Bringing the elbow forward slightly can help rotate your hand so that you are playing more on the fingertips, which will help prevent accidentally touching the wrong string.
Now that you know what third position is, let’s talk about how to shift up there and play in third position on the violin! I’ll show you how you can quickly shift to third position and then a simple song. Let’s get started!
Learning exactly where to place that first finger in third position can be tricky. The rest of the position hinges around that one finger. It’s your anchor point and your reference for the other fingers. If it’s sharp, the other fingers will be sharp. If it’s flat, your other fingers will be flat. So use this simple ear training technique to find the exact spot to place that first finger!
Now that you know how to shift up to third position and how to get that first finger really in tune, it’s time to learn your first song in third position! Do this completely by ear, don’t worry about notes right now. In this lesson, I’ll show you how to play Hot Cross Buns in 3rd Position.
If you’re considering teaching yourself vibrato or if your violin teacher has finally deemed you ready, you may be wondering, “is there a wrong way to learn vibrato?” The answer to that question is a resounding yes. While there are lots of ways to get an oscillation in pitch (which is essentially what vibrato is) there are only a couple of movements that will result in that beautiful, natural, consistent vibrato.
So while there is definitely wrong ways to learn vibrato, I think the main reason people have trouble learning violin vibrato lies in how they practice it.
Practicing vibrato the wrong way can lead to frustration and creating bad habits. Learning violin vibrato takes time. It won’t happen overnight. It might take months or years, and that’s totally normal. So if you’re going to learn vibrato, you’re in this for the long haul, so make sure you are practicing for longevity!
Here are my 3 Rules for Effective Vibrato Practice!
Can a beginner on the violin learn vibrato? It’s not necessarily a question of can they, but should they?
Learning violin basics is tricky enough. You’re focused on where to put your fingers to play in tune, plus you’re trying to to make a decent tone with your bow. And if you’ve played violin for more than 5 minutes, you know I’m simplifying things quite a bit.
Vibrato gives the violin that beautiful, flowing quality, so it’s understandable why beginners want to learn it. However, learning violin vibrato too quickly can set beginners back or just make them frustrated. You need to have the time to dedicate to learning violin vibrato, and many beginners have enough on their plate already. Plus, it helps to have some technique and skills under your belt. And you want to make sure you aren’t doing any bad habits. If you want to learn more about how to prepare for learning violin vibrato, click here.
With all that said, I do think beginners can start the basic vibrato motion exercise. This is a simple exercise done without the bow, just to train your left hand. Incorporate of few minutes of this exercise into your daily warm-up and when it’s time to really learn vibrato, you’ll be ready!
Sign up for my studio and get access to my complete vibrato course!
With this simple universal scale finger pattern, you can play any scale anywhere on the violin fingerboard. D major or D# major, it doesn’t matter!
Simply memorize this easy pattern and you’ll see how sheet music and key signatures can often make it much harder to play in tune. Think in terms of finger patterns and free up your mind to play more in tune!
Ever wondered why some notes on your violin resonate longer than others? If you're having trouble with intonation or tuning, thinking in terms of wavelengths or frequencies can help you visualize the sounds you are producing and achieve a better sound. Learn about the fascinating world of sound physics and learn how thinking in terms of wavelengths can improve your tuning, intonation, and sound production.
Links: Helix Tuner: http://helixtuner.com
TUNIC Unisono: https://apple.co/3Oun8ph
This video is from my course, the Art of Tuning. To get access to the complete course, join my studio!
If you’re starting to learn violin, or if you’ve been playing and struggling to get comfortable with your current shoulder rest, you may be wondering, “do I need a shoulder rest to play violin?”
The answer is…it depends.
If you are considering whether or not you should use a violin shoulder rest, you need to consider two things: your body type and your level of playing. We’ll talk about these in a moment, but first let’s discuss how holding the violin works and the pros and cons of playing with and without violin shoulder rests.
To hold the violin level and stable, you have to think of the violin as a simple machine: it’s a beam with a fulcrum, just like a see-saw.
Think about another lever: balancing a knife on the edge of your dinner plate. The knife is the beam and the plate is the fulcrum.
Take a look at the picture above and notice where the fulcrum (plate) is located. All the way at the edge of the knife handle. If the fulcrum (the dinner plate) is very close to one side of the knife, you create very lopsided lever. You’ve got to have a lot of weight on the side closest to the fulcrum to balance it out. This is how holding up your violin works. The knife is your violin, the fulcrum is your shoulder, and the force your thumb exerts on the knife is the force your jaw exerts on the chinrest.
What if we had something to help support the weight at the tip of the knife? Then we wouldn’t have to use so much force with our thumb! This represents what it’s like to hold the violin without a shoulder rest, using both the left hand and the jaw to keep the violin stable and balanced.
HOlding your violin without a shoulder rest requires left hand support and jaw weight
Take a look at our lever diagrams again.
Holding the violin works the same way. The violin is the beam and your shoulder is the fulcrum. Try to hold the violin up on your shoulder, without a shoulder rest and without supporting the violin with your hands. You have to use quite a bit of force with your jaw to keep the violin from sliding off. Now take your left hand and place it where you normally do, to support the violin. Now you don’t have to use quite as much force with your jaw. Keeping the violin in the right place is a balancing act and balancing the violin on that pointy, bony, knobby fulcrum we call a shoulder can be tricky.
Let’s go back to our knife and dinner plate. The fulcrum in this case is the edge of the dinner plate. That edge is round and hard. Not ideal for keeping something steady.
But what if we changed out our dinner plate for a little box? Tada! With our new fulcrum, the knife balances so much easier. I don’t need excessive force or anything else to help balance the tip. Actually, the knife can balance completely on its own, without any input from my finger or support at the tip.
Keeping a violin balanced with a shoulder rest
A shoulder rest functions the same way. It offers a bigger, more stable fulcrum to help keep the violin level and balanced with minimal input from our jaw or our left hands. That’s the idea at least. Achieving that sort of balance with a shoulder rest does take trial and error.
Now that you have an idea for how shoulder rests function, let’s take a look at many professional solo violinists, especially from the 20th century and you’ll discover that many of them don’t use a shoulder rest. How do they do it?
They’ve simply become experts at the balancing act.
To play violin without a shoulder rest, the violin rests on the shoulder, the jaw keeps it gently in place on top of the chinrest and the left hand helps support the violin. Sounds simple enough, right? But there is a lot of nuance and some room for things to go wrong here.
The violin with its smooth, curved back can be pretty slippery on your shoulder. This can cause people to inadvertently clamp down with the jaw to prevent the violin from slipping (like the painting above). A sponge or towel attached to the bottom of the violin can alleviate the slipping tendency and provide some traction to grip your shoulder. The sponge makes your fulcrum (your shoulder) not quite so pointy. However, you still need some pressure with the jaw or more support with your left hand to balance everything out.
One common issue I see with students playing without a shoulder rest is excessive tension in the jaw, neck, shoulders, and left hand. This can be a problem particularly for people with average to longer necks. Think about it: if your violin is on your shoulder and you have to bend your neck down to reach the chinrest, you’re going to cause a lot of pain and tension in your crooked neck. To compensate for that issue, some students hunch the shoulder to bring the violin up, but this will cause tension, pain, and fatigue in your left shoulder as well. Other students compensate by holding the violin and supporting it entirely with the left hand. Sometimes they even allow the neck of the violin to lay there in the crook between the left index finger and the thumb. Holding the violin this way will tire out your left hand and it virtually eliminates any possibility for flexibility, vibrato, or quick-moving fingers.
So can you play violin without a shoulder rest? Absolutely, but you have to know how to do it correctly and it helps iff you have the body type conducive to playing without a shoulder rest.
If you have a normal or long neck, small shoulders, or bony shoulders, I would highly suggest playing with a shoulder rest.
A taller chinrest can help
A shoulder rest can help bring the violin closer to your jaw, so you don’t have to crane your neck down to get to the chinrest. You can also use a taller chinrest, but often a combination of a taller chinrest and shoulder rest is what you need.
As someone who would typically be categorized as short (5’4”) I’ve always thought I must also have a short neck. But it doesn’t work that way. When I finally realized my normal size neck required a taller chinrest and a taller shoulder rest, I experienced a significant improvement in playing and a reduction in tension.
If you’re just starting to learn violin, you’re learning a million things at once. How to hold the bow, how to produce a decent tone, where to place the left hand fingers, etc. You don’t want to add to that mix by also struggling just to keep the violin level which is why I always recommend brand new beginners learn violin with a shoulder rest.
A shoulder rest might not be perfect, it might not be super comfortable, but it will help you keep the violin stable as you learn the basics. Remember, even if you are doing everything right and your shoulder rest is set-up perfectly, it will still take time to get comfortable with the violin. So don’t be surprised if it just feels awkward for a few months.
As you continue playing, you’ll be able to become more aware of your body and what your specific needs are. Start experimenting with different set-ups. There are lots of different shoulder rests and lots of different ways to customize them. As you progress on the violin, continue experimenting with different settings with your shoulder rest or try different styles of violin shoulder rests. You can also experiment with different styles and heights of chinrests as well. And if you think you have to body type that would benefit from playing violin without a shoulder rest, try it out!
Is it better to play violin without a shoulder rest?
Not necessarily. It all depends on your body type and your specific needs. You will often hear that violins sound better without a shoulder rest since the shoulder rest reduces vibrations. While this may be true, the difference in sound quality will be very minimum if even detectable at all. If it’s easier for you to play violin with a shoulder rest, you’ll produce a better sound with a shoulder rest than if you were struggling to play without a shoulder rest.
What shoulder rests do you recommend?
Shoulder rests can be a very personal accessory. It might require trial and error to find the right one for you (if you need one at all). Here are the top 3 shoulder rests I recommend that fit most body types.
Happy Practicing!
Congratulations! After the somewhat overwhelming process of deciding what instrument to get, you now have your violin. Now what? Let’s talk through the process of getting your violin ready for the first step: tuning!
There’s usually a few steps you’ll tackle first!
If you were mailed a violin, let’s get it unboxed! Go ahead and open your violin and get the case or violin box out. Open it on a flat surface like a couch, bed, or table top.
As you open your case for the first time, just take a moment to enjoy the smells and the beautiful sight of your patiently waiting violin. It’s a moment that will always stick with you!
We’ll get to the violin, but first let’s just talk about a few parts of the standard violin case since there are often some items you might have questions about!
First, there should be a soft violin cover. Keep this over your violin anytime you put the violin into its case.
You’ll often find the next three items in your case, although they aren’t in all cases.
A hygrometer: This dial. tells the relative humidity. You want to store the violin between 40-60% humidity so this little dial is pretty important. To learn more about how to control the humidity level, visit How to Take Care of Your Violin.
A case humidifier: If you have a small tube with some type of screw top, that is a violin case humidifier. Add water if your hygrometer is indicating low humidity.
A clear string tube: If you have a long clear tube with cork stoppers at the top of you violin case, that is a spare string tube. This tube is for gut strings which are better stored elongated and not coiled up. With our modern day synthetic strings, you can keep your spare strings coiled in their packages.
A violin case Humdifier
A Violin String Tube
Hygrometer
I’m going to be talking about some different parts of you violin, so let’s review those now.
Before your violin is ready to be tuned, there may be a few shipping wrappings and cushions you’ll have to remove. Every company does this a little bit differently. When I received a violin from Fiddlershop, it had a cardboard bridge protecter over the bridge. Simply remove or unscrew the little toothpicks and take the bridge protector off.
You may also have some sort of wrapping around the bridge or around another part of the violin. Carefully remove this.
Notice the violin is missing a bridge? See that little white package underneath the Tailpiece? Yep, that’s your bridge. Some assembly required. This is not how violins should be shipped! If you see this, you probably have a VSO on your hands.
*Note: the bridge should be upright and in place. There is an unlikely possibility that shipping could have knocked it loose. If that’s the case, get in touch with the company that sent you the violin. Most major violin retailers from respected violin shops know how to ship their violins so that it arrives in good conditions, but sometimes things happen.
Once people learn about VSOs (violin shaped objects) they immediately start to wonder if their violin is a VSO. Well, if you open the case and find the bridge neatly wrapped in its own wrapping waiting for YOU to install it…then you have a VSO. This is something that should be done by a luthier before being shipped to you. A luthier will know where to place the bridge for the best sound. A violin is not a “some assembly required” sort of item.
Let’s take a break from the violin for a moment and move on to the bow.
How to Take the Violin Bow out of the Case
Let’s talk about how the violin bow is stored in your case. When you first receive your violin, there may be a rubber band around the bow latches. This is to keep the bow in place during shipping. You can remove this and throw it away (or put it in your stash of rubber bands—they come in handy for various aspects of violin playing!)
The bows may be encased in plastic or some other type of wrapping. You can remove this and throw it away as well. There’s no need to put your bow back in this little plastic bag every time you put it away. The case will keep it well protected. Watch this quick video to see how to take your bow in and out of the case.
The violin doesn’t need to settle before you can play it. If it has new strings, the strings will take a few days to settle into place. This simply means in may go out of tune more frequently. Keep tuning the strings and within a few days they will stay closer to being in tune.
New violins or violins that haven’t been played recently will open up more as you play them. So if your violin sounds a little stuffy, give it a few days of playing to let it open up.
Now that you understand the parts of the violin case and have everything unwrapped, it’s time to tune!
Now that you have your new violin, you may be wondering, “how do I care for the violin?”
You want to keep your violin looking new and in tip-top playing condition and violin maintenance plays a big part in how your violin sounds.
Before we get into my violin care tips, I want you to remember one thing. While the violin is a delicate instrument and does require some care and maintenance, don’t be afraid of the violin. Yes, you want to take good care of it, but don’t be so terrified of hurting it that you are afraid to use it. Aside from bashing your violin against the wall, any minor things that happen to your violin during daily use can be fixed!
Before we get into the details about violin maintenance, first let’s talk about some general violin care tips when handling the violin!
Always wash your hands before handling the violin
Hold the violin by the neck when you can. This is the safest place to hold the violin and allows you a good grip around the instrument. Avoid placing your hands all over the body of the violin since the oils on your hand can eventually hurt the varnish. Now, you will occasionally have to touch the violin body. Don’t worry, it won’t disintegrate. Just don’t make a habit of rubbing your hands all over it.
You also want to avoid touching the violin bow hair since the oils on your hand aren’t good for the hair. Again, don’t worry too much if you accidentally touch the hair.
Don’t rest the violin upside down on its front. The bridge could crack!
Don’t rest the violin like this!
Keep an eye on the Hygrometer in Your Violin Case
Your violin is made of wood and glue: two materials that don’t respond very well to excessive temperatures or drastic changes in temperature. So when considering violin maintenance, temperature and humidity should always be on your mind.
What does heat do to a violin? Excessive heat can make the glue melt. The wood will also expand, making the pegs swell, which means your pegs may stick and be hard to tune.
What do cold temperatures do to a violin? Cold temperatures will make the wood shrink. This can cause cracks to form in your violin. With cold weather, we often get drops in humidity, which is another important factor when it comes to violin care and maintenance.
How does humidity affect a violin? The violin needs to be kept in a place with a relative humidity between 40% and 60%. If it’s too dry, cracks can form. Too humid and mold can form. Neither of those things are good for violin care!
To control the humidity level around your violin, you can use in case humidifiers or humidifiers that fit into your violin body. I live in Arizona for a good part of the year so I use both! Here’s what I use:
You can also use humidifiers for the room where you keep your violin or dehumidifiers if it’s too humid.
The humidity level can also affect the bow which we’ll talk about when we discuss violin bow maintenance.
While the case is safest place for your violin, as long as the temperature and humidity are in the correct ranges, I’m a big fan of leaving the violin out during the day. This makes it much easier to just pick up the violin and start playing. If you have pets or young children, make sure the violin is in a safe place. I love violin wall hooks for this reason.
Avoid leaving the violin case or the violin itself in direct sunlight.
Keep the violin in a temperature controlled room. If it’s too hot or cold for you, it’s too hot or cold for your violin.
Make sure the humidity level stays between 40% and 60%
Avoid leaving the violin in the car, especially if the temperatures are warm. Remember, however hot it is outside, it will be even hotter in your car. Now let’s face it, you will occasionally be somewhere where you just want to leave your violin in the car for a bit so let’s talk about that.
While many people say NEVER leave your violin in a car, let’s be practical and talk about when it’s okay and when it’s definitely not okay to leave your violin in a car. Over the course of playing violin for a few decades, I’ve definitely left my violin in a car a few times with no catastrophic results. So if you want to leave your violin in a car, there are a few things to consider.
How expensive is the violin? I’ve got a lot of violins. If I’m carrying around Maria, my REALLY nice violin, I’m much more hesitant about leaving it in the car for any reason or for any amount of time. If I’ve got one of my $200 budget violins I use for traveling, I’ll be more likely to leave it in the car if the following factors look good.
What’s the temperature? If I’m hot (around 90-95 degrees) the violin can only stay in the car for short trips. As in 5-10 minutes. If I’m in Phoenix in the summer (as in 95-115), the violin goes with me everywhere or just stays at home. If it’s comfortable but warm (80-90 degrees). I’ll be okay leaving the violin in the car for slightly longer periods, like eating a quick meal or doing some quick grocery shopping. If it’s cool and comfortable (55-70 degrees) I’m okay leaving the violin for a longer meal, a walk, or a little hike. If it’s getting colder (30-55 degrees), I’m back to just leaving it in the car for short amounts of time. If it’s really cold (30 and below), it’s going to go with me or stay at home.
Is it a safe place to leave the violin in the car? Another reason you want to avoid leaving your violin in your car is theft. While you never know exactly if it’s safe or not to leave your violin in the car for this reason, if you do leave it, make sure it’s concealed or in the trunk.
Taking Your Violin With You
There’s really nothing wrong with taking your violin with you when running errands if for some reason you’ve got the violin in the car with you. If I stop to eat while on a road trip with my violin, I simply take it into the restaurant. No one ever says a thing. Just don’t forget to take your violin with you when you leave!
Now let’s talk about how to care for your violin and bow after you are finished playing.
If it looks like you’ve been eating powdered donuts over your violin, you’re probably using a little too much rosin. Just make sure you wipe all of that off!
A big part of daily violin maintenance and cleaning has to do with rosin. Rosin is sticky. It’s good for getting the bow hair to grab the string, not so good for the varnish. You always want to remove any rosin dust from the body of the violin. If left on, over time the rosin dust will harden and become more difficult to remove. Eventually rosin left on the violin can damage the actual varnish. So make sure you…
Always wipe the rosin off of the violin with a microfiber towel. Make sure you get under the strings in between the bridge and the fingerboard, but also wipe the end of the fingerboard where rosin often collects. Simply thread the towel underneath the strings and use both hands to wipe the towel back and forth.
Wipe the rosin off of the stick of the bow (note, this may be something I do once a week. There’s not always enough rosin on the bow stick to justify wiping it down every time. If you do find there’s a lot of rosin on the stick after you play every time, you’re probably using too much rosin.
Always loosen your bow hair before storing the bow. There’s no need to unscrew the the hair, simply loosen the hair just enough so that the hair starts to touch the stick.
Every week or month, use a second towel (not your daily rosin towel) to wipe down the entire body of the violin, removing any dust that collects around the body and under the tailpiece.
If you have significant rosin build-up on the strings, you can use a small cotton pad with alcohol to remove the rosin for the strings. Just make sure the alcohol doesn’t get on your violin. If you’re worried, place a towel underneath the strings to catch any alcohol that might drip.
The type of towel you use for cleaning is very important.
I keep two cleaning microfiber towels for my violin. One is for wiping off rosin, and the other is for wiping off the body. Make sure you use an absorbent type of material like microfiber so the cloth actually picks up the rosin. For a while I was using some cotton cloths and cotton handkerchiefs. What I didn’t realize is that the cloth was just spreading the rosin up the fingerboard. So after a few months I had a very obvious rosin streak that my luthier had to clean off.
You may also want to vacuum your violin case every month to keep dust and debris at a minimum.
At least once a year, replace the strings and get the bow repaired. You can replace the strings, but you’ll want to take the bow to a luthier to get it rehaired.
It’s also not a bad idea to get a yearly violin checkup at your local luthier once a year. The luthier can give your violin a deep clean and make it look like new. It’s also a great time to see if your violin needs any adjustments or fixes.
When you are finished playing, wipe the rosin off of the bow stick (the wooden part).
At some point, you’ll open your case and realized we never loosened the Bow hair.
Always loosen the violin bow after playing. If you occasionally forget to loosen the bow hair, it’s not the end of the world. We’ve all done it from time to time. But if you keep the bow hair tight, it will reduce the life of the bow hair and cause the hair to stretch out over time.
Humidity can also play a part when it comes to the bow. When it’s humid, the bow hair is more elastic and it will take lots of turns to tighten the bow hair. Be careful if you take your violin and bow from a humid place (like outside) to a drier place (inside an air conditioned room). Make sure you loosen the bow hair, otherwise when the hair meets the drier air, it will tighten ever more. If the bow hair becomes to taunt, eventually it will start to snap.
How Much to Loosen Your Bow When you’re finished playing
About how much you want to tighten your bow to play
You may occasionally get single bow hairs that break or become loose. This is very common and totally normal. Simply take fingernail clippers and clip the hair as close to its base as possible. You can yank the hair out, and if you are in a performance setting, that’s usually your only option. It’s not the end of the world, but you could accidentally put too much force and yank all the hair out. So use clippers whenever possible.
Last up in our discussion of violin maintenance: moving around with your violin. This isn’t topic that is often discussed when talking about how to care for your violin, but the closest my violins have ever come to complete destruction always involved me moving around. So here are my tips for keeping your violin and bow safe if you’re walking, climbing, or otherwise on the move with a violin in your hands.
Be wary of stairs
Recently I was walking up the TWO stairs in my RV with my violin. Somehow I tripped but luckily fell on my side. Meriwether, my violin was unharmed but it was a close call. My recommendation? If you have to go up and down stairs, no matter how few, put your violin in its case, ascend or descend, and then get the violin out.
Be wary of doors
Or rather, doorways. Doorways and bows are eternal enemies. When walking through a doorway with your violin bow, you may keep the violin close by your side, but you may forget the bow extends several feet from your body and then all the sudden...whack! Your bow gets snapped in two.
So a word to the wise, be mindful of doors and stairs!
If you’re learning to play violin, you might also be wondering, “how do I play violin quieter?”
The violin is meant to project. While that’s great for a concert hall, it’s not ideal when you’re playing violin in an apartment building or trying not to disturb a family member or neighbor.
Or maybe you’re practicing in a smaller space, and the violin is just too loud for your own ears. Is there a way to tone it down? Yes! While the violin doesn’t exactly have a volume button, you can reduce your volume greatly with mutes!
Sound waves travel from the vibrating strings, down the bridge, into the body of the violin, and then out the f-holes. You can’t keep your strings from vibrating, and you don’t really want to stuff a towel into your violin body, but you can put something over the bridge! That’s exactly how a violin mute works. It’s a material placed on the bridge to dampen the sound by reducing sound frequencies.
An orchestral or Slide-On Mute
If you’re wondering how to use a violin mute to play quieter, you’ll want to be aware that there are several types of mutes and some work much better than others!
First off, there are orchestral mutes also known as slide-on mutes. These are smaller mutes that don’t cover very much of the bridge. They are used in orchestral settings when a composer wants a more muted sound. The composer will denote this by writing con sordina (with a mute) in the music. Violinists usually keep orchestral mutes below the bridge where they don’t affect the sound. They can be easily moved on an off the bridge by sliding the mute up and down the strings below the bridge (hence the name “slide-on” mutes). While orchestral mutes dampen the sound, they are more for affect and aren’t very effective at turning down the volume of the violin.
If you want to turn the volume down on your violin and make it quieter for practicing, what you need is a practice mute. A practice mute is a piece of rubber or metal that covers the entire bridge and reduces the volume of the violin for quieter practicing. But there are different types of practice mutes as well!
There are three types of violin practice mutes: metal mutes, metal mutes covered in rubber, and all-rubber mutes.
An all-metal practice mute will be the quietest option
The heavier the mute, the more it will dampen the sound. So all-metal mutes will give you the greatest reduction in volume. However, metal mutes can also damage your bridge and if you accidentally drop them and it hits your violin body? Eek! Some types of metal mutes are also quite tall, making it difficult to see over the bridge.
I use an all-rubber violin practice mute when I don’t want to be too loud. I actually use one of these quite often (hey, I live full time in an RV!) Sometimes you find yourself parked pretty close to another camper at a campground. Or maybe you want to play outside but you don’t want everyone in the campground to hear you practice. Or sometimes my ears just need a break from a really loud violin in a really small space. I’ve found that all-rubber mutes reduce the volume but don’t mute the violin so much that it’s not enjoyable to play. With an all-rubber mute, it still sounds like a violin, not a toy.
Metal mutes encased in rubber are a good go between all metal and all rubber violin practice mutes. You’ll be able to play quieter than an all-rubber mute, but it’s a little safer than all-metal practice mutes. If you’re nervous about sharing walls, waking up your neighbors or family members, this can be a good route to go.
Can playing with a practice mute help your playing? Actually, yes it can. The violin produces a lot of overtones. That means it’s very resonant and ringy. When you play one note, you’re not just hearing that one frequency, you’re hearing all of the overtone frequencies as well. That resonance can help when it comes to playing in tune, but sometimes it can make it more confusing.
I’ve had students say practicing with a practice mute helped their intonation immensely by cutting down on all those ringy overtones. That allows them to just hear more of the fundamental frequency and make adjustments as necessary.
If you always have to play with a practice mute, you may struggle with learning all of the intricacies of tone production, dynamic contrast, and tonal shading. That’s really where the fun comes in when learning violin.
So if you find yourself in a situation that requires using a violin practice mute for months on end, I would also suggest finding a place where you can play without the mute occasionally.
If you don’t have a place where this is possible, I suggest calling around to local churches. Oftentimes churches are staffed and open during the week, but they don’t necessarily have something going on in all of the Sunday School rooms. Call around and explain your situation, it might take a few tries but you’ll probably find a church somewhere that doesn’t have an issue with someone practicing violin in one of their empty rooms. I’ve taught many a violin lesson in a church Sunday School room during the week myself!
Happy (Quiet) Practicing!
If you’re thinking about learning violin, you may be wondering if it’s better to buy a new or used violin? Are used violins cheaper? Will used violins sound any good? Are old violins better than new violins? Maybe you found a cheap violin at a thrift store and you’re wondering if you’ve discovered a treasure?
Let’s dive into the details when it comes to buying a used violin!
If you were to ask me, “should I buy a used violin,” the next question I would have for you would be, “where are you buying it from?”
If you are buying a used violin from a reputable violin shop or luthier, yes, it’s probably fine. If you are buying a used violin from the thrift store, an antique store, Ebay, Facebook Marketplace, or any other private seller, I would be wary of purchasing the violin unless you are really sure of what you’re getting. Keep reading to understand why it pays to be a little hesitant!
To put it simply, probably not. A good, basic beginner violin will cost you around $250-$300. (Those cheap $60 violins you see on Amazon and Ebay aren’t really violins. They’re VSOs--violin shaped objects. So they don’t really count.) The issue with used violins is that even if the violin is in good condition, you will want to put on a new set of strings and get the bow rehaired (if it comes with a bow). Since you don’t know when the strings were replaced or how much playing the strings and the bow hair have endured, you’ll want to just put on a new set of strings and rehair the bow. Old strings and old hair can affect the sound and make playing downright frustrating. A new set of strings will cost you $40-60 for a good set and a bow rehair will be $50-75. When you are considering these replacement costs, it’s often cheaper just to buy a new violin with new strings and new bow hair.
If the violin is NOT in good condition, then you will have to pay a luthier to fix whatever issues are making the violin unplayable. While some things can be fixed, some things can’t.
We’re missing something here…I guess this is a do-it-yourself kind of violin set-up
If you aren’t familiar with violins, it will be very hard to know if the violin is in good condition. Even if it looks okay on the outside, there could be cracks or warping that aren’t always obvious.
Violins do require some special care and attention. They need to be protected from extreme temperatures. If it’s too hot, glue will start to melt. Too cold and the wood will start to shrink and form cracks. They also need to be stored where the relative humidity is between 40% and 60%. Too humid=mold. Too dry=cracks.
The problem with buying used violins is that you don’t know its history. Has it been stored in an attic for years? Is there mold hiding inside of the body?
Cracks and mold can be very expensive fixes, so make sure you purchase used violins from a reputable dealer to avoid hidden costly repairs.
Oftentimes, used violins will be missing some critical parts, like a bridge. Or maybe the soundpost inside is loose and rattling around (or gone completely). These will all equate with things that need to be fixed to make the violin playable.
If you are brand new to the violin, I would encourage you to buy a new violin unless you are purchasing an older violin from a reputable string shop or luthier.
You can tell a lot about how a violin has been cared for based on the pictures. Please, don’t rest a violin upside down on its bridge!
Learning violin has its own set of challenges. You don’t want to be struggling with violin maintenance issues or make it harder on yourself by playing on substandard equipment.
If you are purchasing the used violin from a reputable string shop, you know the violin has been checked over for any issues and probably had the strings replaced. In that case, it’s perfectly fine to buy a used violin. And it may even be cheaper than its new counterpart.
If it’s a good quality violin that has been well-cared for, yes, it will sound good. It will probably sound even better with a new set of strings. If it’s a poor quality violin to begin with, age won’t help it much.
The problem is knowing if the violin was good quality to begin with. If you are familiar with violins brands, it may be possible to know what’s a good deal and what isn’t. Nowadays, there are hundreds of cheap violins being sold on the internet. Even though they look new, that does not mean they are playable. Many “new” violins are VSOs (violin shaped objects). They may look like a violin, but the similarities stop there.
DOn’t be fooled by new-looking used violins. They may be VSOs (violin shaped objects) and poor quality to begin with
While some of the best sounding violins in the world are old, that doesn’t mean that a violin has to be old to sound good. Just because a violin is new doesn’t mean the wood is new. Even with new violins the woods has been aged for years before it is carved into a violin. (Unless of course, the “new” violin is a VSO, in which case all bets are off.)
Well made, new violins can have marvelous sounds (all of my violins have been new). Oftentimes new violins are cheaper than a similar sounding old violin. Old violins have a certain allure, and violin dealers know that and price their violins accordingly. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting a violin for its history and charm, always use sound as the primary comparison when purchasing violins!
A Strad I found on Facebook for $1,000! A bargain considering the going price is a few million!
Did you find a Stradivarius violin for $1,000? An old, antique violin for $399? Go ahead and pass. Thousands of student violins were produced in the nineteenth century with the label “Stradivarius.” This was a simple marketing ploy, so don’t fall for it now. The violin may or may not be worth something, but if the person you are buying it from believes it is a Stradivarius, it’s definitely not worth what they are asking.
I often see antique violins being sold on Ebay or Facebook Marketplace for exorbitant prices simply because they are “old.” These are often being sold by someone who has little to no understanding of violins and thinks that a violin has worth simply because it is old. It might be worth something, but rarely is it worth what they are asking.
Yes if…
You are buying from a reputable dealer, violin shop, or luthier
Have an eye for what you are buying and know how to look for things that will be costly to repair.
I would be hesitant about buying a used violin if you are…
A brand new player just learning violin (unless you purchase from a good string shop)
Buying from an antique store, thrift store, or other private seller.
Don’t know how the violin has been taken care of.
I’m no stranger to antique stores, thrift stores, flea markets, and Goodwill. I love a good find. However, over the course of playing violin for around 20 years, I have yet to spot a violin I would pay more than $5 for. And I would NEVER pay for what people were asking.
A violin that has been…Well Loved or not loved at all?
While I’ve never found a good deal or anything even worth playing, I’ve had one student who found a great deal at a thrift store. She spotted a violin worth around $400-$500 in good condition for around $45. However, she had been playing for about a year and knew what to look for. The more you play, the more familiar you will become with violin. And just maybe, you’ll find a great violin at a bargain price!
While used violins may be a good deal if you can find them at string shops or luthiers, be wary of violins sold by private sellers unless you know what you are looking for.
If you’re just starting to learn violin and you just need your hands on an instrument, check out the following links to help you make a decision.
-Should I Rent My First Violin?
Happy Practicing!
Looking for good gifts for violin players, gifts for fiddlers, or violin teachers? Enough with the worthless knick knacks! Let’s talk about real gifts for violin players—gifts that violinists will actually love.
After years of giving violin gifts to friends and receiving gifts from students, I know exactly what gifts musicians love! If you aren’t a string player, your string-player friend will think you are if you purchase them something off this list. Whether you are looking for a gift for an orchestra partner, a fiddler, a music teacher, or a child, or maybe something for yourself, here is my ultimate guide to the top 25 gifts for violin players and teachers.
You can also visit the Meadowlark Violin Shop for all of my recommendations for violins, books, and accessories.
*Wait for the end to see my list of what gifts to NOT buy.
Don’t buy your violinists just any rosin. Get them swanky rosin. Expensive rosin. Posh rosin. Trust me. They will love you. Rosin is like candy for violinists. If you are looking for a nice gift that is also wallet-friendly, I recommend Sartory Rosin which comes in a beautiful wooden box.
My personal favorite rosin is Holstein Reserve Rosin. It produces a wonderful, clear, crisp tone and is relatively affordable.
The Jade L’Opera in a violin shaped box is always a big hit. Hurry though! It sells out early every Christmas.
If anyone of my special loved ones are looking for something to buy me for Christmas or birthday, I will gladly take this Cecilia Rosin or I will even settle for this Leatherwood Bespoke rosin….thank you!
No one is too young for Magic Rosin. Magic rosin comes in a variety of different styles like sparkles, glow in the dark, dragons, unicorns, and much more. If your child is always losing their rosin, giving the gift of Magic Rosin might just fix that!
Rosin makes for a great stocking stuffer too!
These are essential tools for practicing, which is why I call them “practicing” mugs. Fuel your practice time with tea and coffee in a fun violin design.
For chilly mornings, a practicing tumbler will keep your beverage nice and warm. I call these "1 Hour Practice Tumblers” because they’ll last you an hour of practicing.
It’s great for when you’re on-the-go!
A practice tumbler and a violin is how I start every morning!
Violinists should change their strings at least once a year, more if they play frequently. A good set of violin strings can be pricey, so any violinist will appreciate a gift of strings. Obligatos and Evah Pirazzis are some of the standards for top-quality violin strings.
If you are looking for gifts for violin teachers and you know what type of strings your teacher plays, I’m sure they would love a set of strings! Strings are a meaningful gift for violin teachers that they will use and appreciate!
(Best and Worst Strings for Beginners: A Violin Teacher’s Honest Review)
You are much more likely to practice if your violin is out and easily accessible. Encourage your string player to practice more with a violin stand. This violin stand is wooden and velvet-lined, making it a perfect addition to any music room.
Keeping your violin out and visible makes it so much easier to pick up your violin and play. This wall mount keeps your violin away from pets or children. Your violin can also double as decoration when it’s hanging on your wall. This is one of the handiest violin accessories I have. I can’t believe it took me years to install them. If you want to subtly encourage your child to practice—this is the gift!
All violinists practice with a metronome (or they should!) Make practicing with a metronome fun and classy with an old fashioned metronome. It’s also a great, sophisticated touch to your violin studio or music room!
Geared pegs are one the best upgrades you can do for your violin. These geared pegs look like traditional wooden pegs, but they work like the tuning pegs on guitars, making tuning a breeze. No more stuck or slipping pegs. No more loose strings from changes in weather. Once installed, tuning only takes a few seconds. You will rarely, if ever, need to use your fine tuners, even for your E string. A great gift for beginners or advanced players. I use geared pegs on all of my violins. I will never go back to traditional pegs! If you are handy, you can install these yourself. You’ll need this tool and some advice. Or, take your violin to a luthier and have them install the pegs.
Better yet, purchase a violin from Fiddlershop and ask to have Geared Pegs installed before your violin is shipped! Perfect solution.
No more scrubbing away at that rosin with a handkerchief. Any violinist will be in awe of this nifty little tool to help you clean your strings.
Everyone loves a little something that is classy and fun that says, “I play violin!” Including me!
I personally love theses shirts because…I designed them.
For years I looked for a t-shirt with a simple violin design and I could never find exactly what I wanted. So I started making my own! I always get a ton of compliments.
You can also get these with any background color, in long sleeves, short sleeves, sweaters…
What a gift to actually be able to see your music! When I practice, I like to create the right atmosphere for creativity. That means a hot cup of tea, no overhead lights, and some soft lamps. While that makes it really cozy, it’s not ideal for reading your music.
That’s where a stand light comes in handy. I use mine every night. It’s also great for orchestras or gigs.
Most string players have to get creative with holding books open. Paper clips, clothespins….This music book holder will keep those pesky pages flat with style! It’s a great stocking stuffer for a violinist or a thoughtful gift.
They also come in a plainer version for you purists.
You might think this is simple, but your violin friend will LOVE this gift. When you need to mark something down, you can never find a pencil. It’s either buried under piles of music, in your case, or in another room. This pencil holder is magnetic so it sticks to any metal stand. A great way to encourage violin students to write down what they’re learning. This is another great stocking stuffer for violinists. I wish all of my students had one of these!
Visit Mozart’s birthplace in Salzburg, Austria and you’ll find these delicious candies in every shop window. They are made of almond and pistachio marzipan and hazelnut praline. They come in many boxes and varieties but this violin-shaped gift box is sure to be a hit for any of your violin friends. This would be a great gift for violin teachers—trust me, I know. And a perfect gift for any string player!
Normally microfiber violin cleaning cloths are itty bitty. It seems like in a few weeks of cleaning they’re saturated with rosin and just smudge it around your precious violin.
This cleaning cloth is massive and super soft! It’s by far the best I’ve ever owned. My violin is much cleaner and happier now!
For the fiddle players out there, or those violinists looking for something new and exciting to play, fiddle books are a great gift idea for violinists. From French fiddlers, to Appalachia, to Celtic jigs, check out my top picks for beginner and intermediate fiddle books.
Violin cases can all start looking the same during orchestra rehearsals or jam sessions. Help your violinist always know where their case is with the gift of a personalized violin case tag.
You can customize these case tags with your name. And they also function as luggage tags for when you're traveling.
Another great stocking stuffer for violinists!
Always lugging around music books? Is your case breaking under the strain? Give your violinist a helping hand with those endless scales and etude books, like this adorable violin tote.
Instead of a case tag, how about a brand new violin case? Cases get worn-out quickly, making this a great gift for a violin player. For an ultra-lightweight, protective, modern, heavy-duty case, try BAM violin cases. BAM violin cases are some of the best in the industry. You can also opt for a budget model like the Fiddlerman’s Oblong Violin Case.
Using a drone (a pitch that keeps sounding) function on a metronome/tuner can be extremely helpful when learning to play in tune. However, most metronome/tuners and tuners on phone apps can be impossible to hear while you are playing violin. A good metronome/tuner combo like this Dr. Beat will last you forever.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly portable tuner metronome, my pick would be a Korg.
If your violinist is using a cheap wire stand (or no stand at all), then this lovely wooden stand would make a perfect gift. Brahms, Beethoven, and Bach deserve to be played on something beautifully crafted! (But please don’t place your violin on the music stand like this…)
For something not quite as decorative, a good quality stand like this will literally last a lifetime. Mine is still going strong after several decades of practice!
Bonus: Save your eyes and stop squinting! Gift your violinist a Mighty Bright Stand Light as well. Well-illuminated music is a gift that doesn’t get old.
If you are wondering what the best gift for a violin player is, well, it’s the best violin! If your violin player is playing on a cheap, budget violin, giving them a better quality violin will help their playing considerably. Whether your violinist is just starting or ready for an upgrade, check out my top picks for beginner and intermediate level violins.
A better bow can make all the difference with playing. It will make difficult bow strokes easier to manage, it will be easier to produce a better tone or create different dynamics and tonal shading. It’s one of those things where you don’t know what you’re missing until you try a better bow. An upgraded bow would make a great gift for a violin student (or for yourself!)
I’ve reviewed several beginner and intermediate bows and you can find my recommendations below.
Some of my best musical memories are from musical festivals and camps I’ve attended. I made great friends, wonderful progress, and got motivation to last me the rest of the year. I’ve made a list of camps around the U.S. and the entire world that are great for adults or families. Styles range from fiddle to gypsy jazz and everything in between.
Sign yourself or that special someone up for a violin/fiddle camp and give them memories for a lifetime!
Give the gift of violin instruction with my online studio membership. No gift compares to knowing how to play your violin well!
I offer monthly, quarterly, or yearly subscriptions and you can also purchase gift certificates!
Now that you know what some of the best gifts for violin players are, let’s talk about some gifts to NOT buy.
Don’t buy a violin just to see if your special someone will like it. Trust me, no one likes VSOs. Spend a few more dollars and get a real violin instead.
Shoulder rests come in many varieties and styles. This is a very personalized choice that is generally best left up to a violinist themselves. If you are a violinist looking for a better shoulder rest, check out my recommendations here.
Portable wire stands can be very frustrating. Frustrating is too kind. Wire stands will make you have to wash your mouth out with soap. Skip the wire stand and buy a nice, stable stand.
Happy Practicing!
~Lora
Choosing the right violin bow is just as important, if not more important than the violin itself, especially for beginners. A good violin bow will make it easier for you to play multiple bow strokes, have smoother string changes, and produce a better tone. You might not realize how a cheaper violin bow is holding you back until you try out a better bow.
Picking out a violin is all about sound, but choosing the right violin bow is all about feel and ease of playing. You really can’t tell how a violin bow will play until you hold it, tighten up that hair, and play! Which is why I am only recommending beginner and intermediate violin bows that I have personally played and tested using my own Better Bow Analysis scoring system.
I’m not going to recommend a bow to you that I haven’t personally played!
In this ultimate guide to choosing the right violin bow, I’ll be discussing the following topics. Skip ahead if you like!
Best Bow for Advancing Beginners
Fiddlerman Performance Series Carbon Fiber
Richer Tone
Advanced bow strokes
Keep reading for more detailed reviews of all of these bows!
As you go up in price, better violin bows will be made of better materials and will have better quality craftsmanship. While qualities vary, better bows will have quicker response as you pull the bow across the string. The weight will often feel more balanced in the hand, as opposed to being tip-heavy. Better bows will also be much more responsive to your muscle inputs, which means you don’t have to make large muscle inputs to get a response. Kind of like a well-trained horse!
When searching for the best violin bows for beginners, you might often see violins and bows divided into categories of beginner, intermediate, and advanced. As you go up in category, you’ll also go up in price!
But can a beginner violinist use an advanced bow?
When it comes to violins, a beginner can play an advanced (more expensive) violin. It will only make your life easier. However, with violin bows, it can go either way. Sometimes the more expensive bow will be harder to control, because it’s more responsive. If your muscles aren’t trained to make those fine adjustments, the violin bow might seem like a sports car with a mind of its own!
But this isn’t always the case. And this is where it comes down to feel. You just have to try out bows to see which ones are best for you. Don’t be afraid of bows that are very responsive. You will never learn those fine motor inputs if your bow is slow and unresponsive.
As I review beginner violin bows and intermediate violin bows, I’ll tell you which ones are good for beginners, and which ones might require a more advanced skill level.
Bows range in price from whatever bow-shaped-object you might find on the internet to $700,000 for a Tourté bow, the Stradivarius of bows!
I would avoid buying any bow cheaper than $50. A good beginner violin bow will cost anywhere from $70-$200. An intermediate bow will take you from $200-$500. I would consider $500-$1000 advanced and $1000+ will take you into a very advanced or professional quality violin bow.
Bows are made out of different materials and the two big options are wood or carbon fiber.
Bows have been made out of wood for centuries and there are different hierarchies of wood with pernambuco being the most desirable. Other woods include brazilwood or sandalwood.
Now you might be wondering is carbon fiber better than wood. If you’re looking at bows under a hundred dollars, yes, I generally think carbon fiber is better. As you get into higher price ranges I don’t think you can say one is better than the other. It’s more of a case by case comparison and will vary depending on your needs.
Carbon fiber is more durable but that shouldn’t necessarily play a factor in your decision unless you’re buying for a child who’s going to be using the bow for sword fights at school. When it comes to sword fights, yes carbon fiber will beat out wood every time. So if you want your child to win that sword fight, go for carbon fiber.
Now if you’re not using your bow for sword-fighting then this isn’t a huge factor. The only reason you might want to side with carbon fiber for the durability factor is if you’re playing outside a lot or using it for camping and you want a good, sturdy back up bow.
Very cheap bows will be made of fiberglass and will feel very clunky and have a slow response on the strings. I would avoid fiberglass and instead go for a carbon fiber if you’re looking for a budget-friendly beginner violin bow.
Now that we’ve discussed the basics, let’s talk about the best violin bows for beginners!
This bow comes standard for some of Fiddlershop’s violin outfits and it’s an upgrade option for some of their more budget-friendly violin outfits. I would definitely recommend upgrading to this bow as it is much better than standard violin bows that come with most beginner violin outfits.
This violin bow is great for beginners. It’s stable and will allow you to learn all of the basics well. As you get into the complexities of sustaining weight to produce a good tone, or if you are learning more advanced bow strokes, you may begin to outgrow this bow. While that’s expected for a bow under $100, this bow will still give you ample room to grow as a brand new beginner.
The Fiddlerman Carbon fiber bow also comes in “Noir.” It’s the same bow but with premium black Siberian horse hair for better grip and articulation.
You can also purchase this bow with the frog in snakewood (image below).
Pros
-Great for learning the basics
-Stable
-More responsive than standard beginner violin bows
Cons
-Slightly heavier at the tip
This bow is a fantastic beginner or early intermediate violin bow. It has a very balanced feel with a lot of power and control.There’s really no cons to this bow for its price range. It does all of the basic bow strokes and some of the more advanced ones well. It’s stable so it feels easy to control. If I were recommending a bow for someone just starting off, this would be my number one pick. It’s going to help you master all of the basics and allow you to get into intermediate and some advanced concepts without any issues.
Pros
-Best violin bow for brand new beginners
-Good for advanced beginners and early intermediate as well
-Great control and feel
If you want a little bit more finesse, the Holstein Pernambuco 1-star is a great option. This bow is really light, agile, and lively. It definitely has its own personality, making it a lot of fun to play! It can take more weight than the Holstein Sandalwood bow and it’s a little bit cleaner on bow strokes like staccato. When you really start to think about producing a good, solid tone, this bow will help you do it. Because it is so lively and responsive, it could be harder to control if you don’t already have some right hand skills. But it will be great for someone looking to upgrade to get more nuance and finesse.
Pros
-Very Light
-Lively
-Responsive
-Great for advancing beginners or intermediate players
Cons
-Extreme responsiveness might make it harder to control for brand new beginners.
This bow feels a little bit heavier than the 1 star and because of that it tends to feel more stable. It does beginner and advanced techniques really well and I feel like it keeps good contact with the string. This is a good option if you want a more stable bow as it will help you produce a good, clean, focused tone. If you actually wanted to start off with this bow, you definitely could. It’s beginner-friendly but it also has that intermediate and more advanced capability.
Pros
-Very stable
-Brand new beginner-friendly but also great for advancing players as well
Cons
-Not quite as responsive as the Holstein Pernambuco 1 Star
This intermediate violin bow is definitely is a step up. It feels like the best of both worlds between the Holstein 1 Star Pernambuco and the Performance Carbon Fiber. It has the stability of the Performance Carbon Fiber even though it’s still light and responsive and has a more clear focused sound. It will take quite a bit of weight as well. It does string crossings a little bit better than the carbon fiber and overall it has more finesse. Out of all the bows I’ve talked about so far, this one did spiccato the best so if you’re getting into more advanced bow strokes this is a good bow for it. This bow would be great for you if you’re getting into more intermediate or advanced techniques or if you’re a beginner who wants to start off with a really good bow, this is a great pick.
Pros
-Combines stability of Performance Carbon Fiber with finesse of Pernambuco 1 star
-Suitable for beginners
-Great violin bow for intermediate or advancing players
-Does advanced bow stokes well
All of these bows were great for their prices but this Holstein 3 Star Pernambuco did outperform all of the other beginner and intermediate violin bows. It was very enjoyable to play and was actually comparable in many ways to my much more expensive German bow. I would be very happy using this bow on a daily basis. It’s actually a little easier to play than all of the other bows and that’s usually what you get when you spend more money. It’s very smooth, responsive, and it has good, crisp articulation when you want it. Any time you need fast bow speed with a rich, full sound, this bow delivers. It gives you good contact with the string and it will also take a lot of weight.
If you want a bow that you’re not going to need to upgrade for a really long time, if ever, this is a great bow. You could definitely play advanced techniques and advanced music with this bow and be very happy.
Pros
-Stable, but agile
-Very responsive but still easy to control
-Produces a wide variety of colors and dynamics very easily
-Creates a beautiful, rich tone
-Makes it easier to do advanced bow strokes
Here are some other common questions you might hav when shopping for the right violin bow.
This depends on your preference. A lighter violin bow will usually be very responsive and lively, although it might not produce as full of a tone. Heavier bows might feel more stable and make it easier to produce a full tone, but they may lose some responsiveness.
Regardless of whether a bow is heavy or light, it should feel balanced. Extremely heavy bows might also induce more tension or fatigue when playing for long periods of time.
You may notice that the stick of the bow will sometimes be completely round, and other times it will be octagonally shaped. Which one is better?
You will hear violinists say that a round bow is more responsive. Then you might hear an equally accomplished violinist saying an octagonal bow is more responsive. Which one is it?
Personally, I think the differences you may be feeling between bows will be more of a factor of material and craftsmanship over round or octagonal sticks.
If you could find two bows, one round and one octagonal, made of the exact same material, crafted by the exact same maker, using the exact same bow hair and the same rosin, sure, you might be able to tell some differences between the round stick and the octagonal stick. But when you’re comparing bows across different brands and different materials and different price ranges, don’t get stuck on whether or not the stick is round or octagonal.
Just choose the bow that you like the best!
Violinists have multiple bows because you always need to have a back up. You will need to get your bow rehaired every year. If you play frequently, you may need to get the bow rehaired two or three times a year. The rehair process might take a couple days or a week depending on your luthier. If you have to ship off your bow to get it rehaired, it could take even longer.
I don’t really want to resort to playing pizzicato for several weeks out of the year, which is why I have multiple bows!
Choosing the best student violin bow, or the best bow for intermediate and advancing players can be challenging. All of these bow options are good choices depending on your skill and preferences.
I hope this helps you make a decision when it comes to upgrading your violin bow!
Happy Practicing!
~Lora
Whether you’ve been playing violin for 10 minutes or 10 years, you’ve probably realized that being tense is the ultimate enemy to playing the violin. Playing with tension can impact everything, from your tone, to your left hand finger action, to your overall joy of playing. These 6 exercises will help you relax while playing the violin.
But first…set-up!
Having a good set-up is essential to staying relaxed. So If you’re not comfortable with your shoulder rest or your chin rest, that’s the first thing you’ll want to investigate. I have several resources on adjusting that shoulder rest and getting more comfortable
Our first exercise for tension-free playing is to play with your jaw open. It’s very common to hold tension in your jaw. That tension tends to trickle down throughs the neck to the rest of your body. So one way to practice is with your mouth open. Try it and you’ll realize that it’s actually hard to tense up your neck with your jaw open.
Walk around while you play! It’s very easy for your body to be locked and stiff if you’re stuck in one place. So try walking around your practice room while playing to help you relax. Try it with simple things like open strings or scales. Alternatively you can also try swaying a little bit to help you unlock any tense muscles.
While practicing and working hard on the violin, we often forget one vital element to our playing: breathing.
Consciously breathing in a certain way can not only help you to relax, it can also help your tone. During your warm-up period while you’re playing open strings, try inhaling on up bows and and exhaling on down bows. You can also try breathing in right before you play and then exhaling and relaxing as you play the first note of a song or scale.
Try playing something and tense up every muscle you possibly can. While this may seem conutnerintinuitve, often times we tense up muscles without even realizing it. So play super tense for a scale or song, and then follow that up playing “normally.” You might be able to identify specific areas of your body that you didn’t even realize you were tensing up. Your muscles will also enjoy relaxing when you resort to playing normally.
This exercise is specifically for left hand tension. It’s important to remember that we have opposing hands. Whatever tension is present with the fingers, the thumb will try to oppose and mimic that tension and vice versa. So if you’re pressing the strings with excessive pressure, the thumb will have to oppose that pressure resulting in what I call the “death grip.” Try this exercise to get rid of the death grip on the violin.
Play an easy scale or tetrachord with your fingers barely touching the string. It will sound bad.
Add a little more pressure with the left hand. Imagine that you’re pressing the strings down halfway to the fingerboard. Play it again.
Add just a little more pressure until you can lightly feel the fingerboard underneath your fingers. Play the passage again.
At this point, the passage probably sounds fine and hopefully you’ve noticed that you need a lot less finger pressure to depress the strings properly. Do this exercise anytime you’re experiencing tension or pain in your left hand.
The last thing you can do to help you to relax is to think about your body and tension awareness when you’re not playing the violin. If you’re tense in other areas of your life, you can’t expect to pick up a violin and have that tension magically disappear. So become more aware of your body. When you’re driving the car, are there some muscles you could relax? When you’re waiting in line are you subconsciously tense somewhere in your body.
Learning to relax your body when you’re not playing the violin will help you relax when you are playing violin. Becoming more aware of subconconscious tension was actually the key for me when it came to getting rid of uncontrollable tension in my playing.
Happy Practicing!
I’ve helped hundreds of violin students learn the most beautiful instrument in the world, overcome its frustrations, and enjoy playing the music they love! My journey to learning the violin made me passionate about teaching adult beginners. Enjoy violin lessons and resources made for adults!
If you enjoy all of my free resources and would like to support Meadowlark Violin, you can donate using Buy Me A Coffee or the PayPal Tip Jar. Your help allows me to continue providing free violin resources. Thank you a million times over! ~Lora
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