Thursday, November 13, 2014

Tips On How To Hold A Violin Correctly

By Christa Jarvis


Watching violists play or using their image to practice the right position is deceitful. This is mainly because you or the camera may be positioned at an angle that does not provide vital details. Fresh learners are encouraged to learn how to hold a violin correctly through private tuition. This makes it easier to achieve professional standards as a 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.

It is necessary to align the first and thumb finger to enable you play the full length of the nut. Keep short nails and ensure that they are curved as you play. Long nails prevent your fingers from striking the board properly. This will affect how you play.

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.

The body should remain straight when performing with a stand. The stand should be eight inches to the right and ensure that you do not twist the upper torso. The scroll remains at the level of the nose. The use of shoulder pads makes it easier to achieve this position. Your left hand will not be overburdened when holding the violin while your shoulders will feel relaxed. A low position appears very distasteful.

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.

Bending the left side of your face or having it lie on the chin-rest affects the ease with which you play. It is sometimes taken as appearing like a virtuoso, but it affects your professional prowess. Remain relaxed during practice and performance. A mirror can be very helpful in achieving the right position.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment