Sunday, August 17, 2014

The Correct Violin Hand Posture

By Tanisha Berg


Playing an instrument takes time. The violin is an instrument that especially requires a lot of practise and dedication. However a big part of getting the most from the instrument is knowing how to position your body and your hands. With the right violin hand posture you can get the most from your instrument.

One of the reasons this takes time is that it is not always easy to position your hands properly. Sometimes people can try to develop their skills themselves. This results in them practising the wrong position. Over time this becomes a muscle memory and it can be very hard to correct bad habits.

The reason this can happen is because some people can develop poor habits. This can be as a result of getting the wrong tuition. However sometimes it can be as simple as someone trying to learn an instrument and trying to do it for themselves rather than going to a teacher or getting private tuition.

In the first position the thumb has to be around an inch from the nut. If you have done this in the right way then there has to be some open space between the lower part of your thumb and at the base of your index finger. In theory there ought to be enough space to move a pencil up and down in that area between the thumb and base of index finger.

Another thing to be aware of is that your thumb and first finger is aligned when playing a step above the nut. It is also important that you curve your fingers as you play the instrument. Remember to keep your fingernails trimmed because you strike the fingerboard with the tips and this is more effective with trimmed nails.

As you play your wrist needs to be straight. It is important that your wrist does not turn inward while you are playing. Your left arm needs to be placed under the back so you cannot see it when looking down at the top of your instrument. As you play look down rather than looking to the left.

As you play you need to pay attention while you are doing it. A mistake people often make is positioning their chin on the left side of the chin rest. While some people think this is the way a violinist plays in reality it does not look good and will affect the quality of how you play.

There are various ways you can improve how you play. One of the simplest ways is to find a private tutor or teacher in your local area. The best ones will ensure that you improve your posture and give you exercises to improve it between teaching sessions. With the right approach you will be able to get the most from your instrument.




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