Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Tips On How To Hold A Violin Correctly

By Christa Jarvis


The appearance of violinists on photos or during life performances could be deceiving. They are likely to be captured holding violins from an angle that gives the wrong impression of how to hold it. This makes it necessary for fresh learners to know how to hold a violin correctly from professionals. It will transform your artistry when playing and make you a more successful violinist.

An inch should be left between your thumb and the nut. Ensure that it is bent slightly and touches the neck at the middle joint. Enough space is required between the bottom of your thumb and the index. You may use a pencil to identify this space and make sure that the pencil moves freely. Do not clench the thumb under any circumstance. This will stop free movement between different positions during performance.

Align the first finger and the thumb if you need to play a whole step over the nut. Curve all fingers and keep the nails short. This is necessary if you have to strike the finger board with the tips.

The wrist should remain straight at all times. This ensures that the neck is not contracted. Some violinists play with their wrists bent. This contraction is mainly attributed to wrong positioning of the left palm or base of your thumb. This is one of the positions that hinders excellent performance at professional level.

The left arm should remain under the back. This makes it difficult to see the arm when playing. It will be concealed by the instrument. The feet should be shoulder width apart and ensure that you are standing straight. The finger board and neck must be in line with your left leg and foot.

A violin that is placed further to the left is difficult to draw a straight bow. You also can not bow to the tip. Learners make this mistake often which obscures the score when reading. The only way to see the entire score at this position is to move further left. This will complicate your ability to play.

When facing the stand, keep the body straight and about eight inches to your left. The upper torso must not be twisted under any circumstances. The position of the scroll should be about the nose level. There are shoulder pads to help you achieve the right position. This will relax the shoulders and take the burden of lifting your instrument from the left hand. It is distasteful when the instrument appears low.

Tone projection and smooth movement during bowing are determined by positioning. Your left hand can easily move as you play. The position prevents obstruction of the music score as you play ensuring that you bow smoothly. The eyes should look the strings at a straight angle.

Playing with the left part of your face lying against the chin-rest is not recommended. This does not make you look like a professional either. The above positions still apply when you are sitting on a chair. It is important to relax at all times when playing. A mirror is very resourceful during practice.




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