Violin Forum/Message Board

piacenza · Junior Member Joined: 30 Jan 2008 Posts: 2

Hi all,

I'm a late starter and started lessons 2 months ago. I love it and practise every day. However i have a couple of questions you might be able to help me with:

My teacher reckons that i am doing well and have got all the fingering down for 1st postition so wants me to concentrate on the sound i make. She reckons that i am using too much pressure, and hence my rather alarming squeaks, scratching, etc Laughing

How do i fix this? She has told me to relax and i really do try not to push into the strings when bowing, but i cannot honestly tell why i do it sometimes and not others - it is driving me nuts Very Happy

I am practising the Bach Minuet in the old grade 2 syllabus and i thought it sounded good, then my teacher suggested taping myself so i could hear and learn to adjust myself - i'm awful Shocked

I shall have to practise harder.

Anyway, enough ramblings & hope to talk more soon

Shirley · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 2:44 am Post subject:

Hello, Piacenza - there are many of us "late starters" here, so welcome! (Listening to yourself recorded is simply awful, isn't it? But a good learning tool!)

Some thing that might help with pressing too hard on the strings: First, you might try not pressing at all, but letting the weight of your arm act as the pressure on the bow, and perhaps giving a little pressure with your index finger if necessary.

Also, sometimes it helps if you were to think not of "pressing," but of "pulling" the sound from the strings with the bow. "Pulling" upbow, too, in your mind. This really seems to help. Your teacher may then tell you that you are not applying enough pressure! Then you work on getting it right. At least that is the way it worked for me.

Good luck! Please keep us posted on how this particular challenge is going.

Shirley

piacenza · Junior Member Joined: 30 Jan 2008 Posts: 2

Hi Shirley,

Thanks for the reply Smile

I shall try your tips and let you know. These last couple of days i have been trying various things to improve the sound - and sometimes it works - and then it doesn't !

I guess patience will be a great teacher, huh Laughing

Thanks again

Shirley · Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2008 8:23 pm Post subject:

"I guess patience will be a great teacher" - Boy, you said it, Piacenza! Good luck!! Shirley

Gizmo · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:00 pm Post subject:

Listening to your own recordings is a ruthless but accurate was to judge your playing and your teacher gave you good advice.

But listen carefully to the recordings and decide on what you don't like and how you will correct it.

Learning the violin is often quoted as "Practice, practice, practice.
It is also "Think, think, think."
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mapleleaf_gal · Member Joined: 24 Mar 2007 Posts: 73 Location: tucson, az

do not keep pressure on the bow, but let your natural arm weight carry the sound. also, you want to start each down and up bow with a "sticky then relase" sort of method. where the bow grabs the string, but then you let up on the pressure with your hand. kind of like pulling taffy. "sticky, relase" just practice that over and over again on an open string. that is how you get a very good even tone.
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