Violin Forum/Message Board

[Ode to Tragedy]

I have been doing finger practices on the E string the past couple days and I find this one the hardest to hit notes so far though I'm not sure why.

I think part of it is it's the thinnest string so it requires a more gentle bowing technique from my minute experience. Another thing is that cos the pitch is higher I'm finding it harder to decipher when the note is in tune or not. The hardest one I've found is the 4th finger of the E note...

I sort of figured out where my finger should be placed on that string by finding the equivalent finger positions on the lower strings and checking if I had them right by playing the open string of the next one up. I then placed my little finger on the E note where those others would be but when I played it I still couldn't really tell that it was in tune or not distinctly like I can with the other strings.

I guess I'll get it with some more practice just thought I'd put it up there for discussion.

[Benedict White]

Are you sure you are hitting the string in the right place?

What you need to do is to move your elbow under the neck, so that your hand and fingers rotate around the neck and finger board.

This would mean that if you are playing a note on the G string, then your elbow is a little forward of the centre line of the neck, and on the E string a little to the rear.

I hope that makes sense, as I am a little unsure of the best way to describe it.

[Ode to Tragedy]

No that just confuses me.

Diagrams!

[Lemuel]

Ode,

The note you are trying to play on the E string with your 4th finger is really note B, not E. Since you mentioned on another post that you have a pretty good ear, are you able to hear octaves? That is, can you tell whether a note sounds one octave higher or lower than another note? If so, then you can check whether you are in tune by playing note B using your 1st finger on the A string and comparing it with note B an octave higher on the E string. Once you find the right spot, you may want to put a small white sticker on the fingerboard to mark it.

The 4th finger is as you have discovered the weakest finger. The common mistake most beginners make is pressing the fingerboard with a straight pinky as opposed to a rounded pinky. To accomplish this, you need to rotate the left hand clockwise until the palm is more parallel to the neck of the violin rather than bringing the elbow more in front of you.

To get a feel for this, hold the violin in playing position and place all four fingers over the entire fingerboard like you are grabbing the entire neck. Notice at this point that the middle of the palm is touching the neck. Notice also how the 4th finger is rounded over the fingerboard. Then slowly relax your fingers and let go of the fingerboard while maintaining most of the rotational position of your hand so that the palm stays parallel to the neck. You'll also notice that the 4th finger stays rounded. This is the correct position of the fingers over the fingerboard.

[Ode to Tragedy]

Thanks that is helpful, will give it a go in my next practice.

[LSOviolinist]

Another note on the intonation of the E string. If you are having trouble hearing the correct pitch, try playing it an octave lower. For instance, the fourth finger B on the E string is a first finger B on the A string. Figure out the note on the E string and find its lower octave. This will help immensely in determining the correct pitch.
_________________
- LSOviolinist

[Ode to Tragedy]

^ as I said above I was using that technique already.

Playing on the E string seems alot more challenging than on the other strings. It seems to require a different bowing technique, lighter or else it scratches and also different fingering technique due to the string being skinnier.

[LSOviolinist]

[quote="Ode to Tragedy"]^ as I said above I was using that technique already.

[Ode to Tragedy]

Actually today I remembered I use an autotuner for tuning so set it on my music stand while I played. This really helped alot since I could now tell for sure if I was hitting the right note. Even once I got the note it still sounded weird- G# being the troublesome point.

Anyway I will keep at it and report back. I have this sheet music I downloaded of the tune I linked in another thread. I think I'll make a separate thread for tips on it as I go cos I'll prob have quite a few things which come up while learning it.

[Benedict White]

G# is odd. It does not turn up all that often in beginner style music.

[Ode to Tragedy]

Well this isn't a beginner tune, it's the sheet music I downloaded of a youtube tune and am giving a go.

[Benedict White]

What key is it in? (As in where are the sharps/flats)?

[Ode to Tragedy]

Let me write a new post with a link to the sheet music so we can discuss it properly in one place and I'll add questions as they arise. I'll do it now.

[Benedict White]

OK, though you could just put a link here...

[Ode to Tragedy]

Here.