Learn How to Play the Violin - 6 Violin Tips

[Terrence Richardson]

There is a lot to learn about how to play the violin before you have
even played a note. The way you hold the violin and bow are crucial to
being able to play the violin properly, it can take quite a bit of
practice to get your positioning correct when you are starting to
learn how to play the violin. Here are some great violin tips to show
you how to play the violin.
* Firstly, you need to prepare the bow. If your bow is not properly
cared for and not prepared, it will not produce a nice sound. You need
to tighten the bow by turning the screw clockwise. Make sure you don't
twist it too tight so that the hair is parallel with the wooden part
of the bow. Similarly, make sure it is not too loose. To play the
violin, you should be able to fit a pencil between the wood and the
hairs.
* Next, add rosin to the bow. Slide the rosin along the length of the
hairs about three or four times. Don't add to much rosin, this can
produce a screechy sound when you play the violin. If you play every
day you should put more rosin on your bow every few days.
* Then, hold the bow by placing your index finger on the grip of the
bow, rest your other fingers on the same side of the bow at equal
distances from each other. Your ring finger should be covering the
pearl circle on the bow and your little finger needs to be slightly
bent and resting on the lower edge. Do not grip your bow to tightly as
this will impede your violin playing.
* Now for how to play the violin, pick it up and place it on your
shoulder and rest your jaw on the chinrest. The end of your violin
should be held out straight from your body and not pointing towards
the floor. Make sure you are standing straight when you play the
violin, it is acceptable for the violin to be angled upwards slightly
towards the ceiling but only a little.
* Hold the violin at the base of its neck with your left arm on the
right side of the violin's neck. Curl your fingers over the strings,
you should be able to see your thumb. If your elbow is pointing too
far to the left you will surely produce a sound that is flat when you
play the violin. Make sure you fingers are relaxed and curled loosely.
You will probably feel very uncomfortable in your violin playing at
this point, but don't worry you will get used to it.
* Place the bow about halfway between the bridge of the violin and the
fingerboard. Relax your wrists and tilt the bow slightly, this should
produce a noise. Practice sliding the bow along the strings whilst
keeping the bow parallel with the bridge. Be gentle and don't apply
too much pressure, you will be able to tell if you are because you
will make a very unpleasant scratchy sound during your violin
playing.