Accessories

by

Can I play violin without a chinrest?

Can I play violin without a chinrest?

Many new violinists have asked the question, “Can I play violin without a chinrest?”. The answer to this question is not a simple one. Yes, you can play violin without a chinrest, but there are many factors involved in why a chinrest is necessary. There are also alternatives to using a violin chinrest that I will describe below.

A Violin chinrest is necessary to play comfortably. If you are planning on playing violin without a chinrest, you may feel sore, the violin won’t sit well on your shoulder and could slip while you play. The other thingt to remember about a chinrest is that it prevents the violin from hurting your colar bone as it’s placed right there. Playing violin without a chinrest can hurt your colar bone and be extremely uncomfortable.

Violin chinrests are expensive. Make no mistake. Playing the violin in general is an expensive instrument to play. Everything costs money. From the instrument itself to the accessories needed. Strings cost a small fortune. A chinrest costs a fortune. Rosin costs a fortune. Books cost a lot too. Many people don’t have the kind of money to keep up with getting the necessary accessories for the violin.

For this reason, teachers often encourage younger students who will still outgrow their violin size to not purchase a chinrest straight away. For starters, you can get a big round sponge that you tie around the violin at the bottom with an elastic. This will prevent the colar bone from getting hurt and will make it slightly more comfortable to play the violin. It is a temporary option while you save money to buy a chinrest or wait it out to upgrade to a bigger size violin.

So the answer to the question “Can I play violin without a chinrest?” Is two part. Yes you can, but it will not be comfortable. But, you can also make a temporary solution of a sponge with an elastic. This is not permanent though and you should start saving up to purchase a violin chinrest.

Below are some options for violin chinrests from Amazon. Not every violin chinrest costs an arm and a leg and I would really encourage you if it is within your means to purchase one. Just make certain you get the correct size. And if you cannot purchase a violin chinrest right away, you can play violin without a chinrest until you can afford to purchase one. Just follow the advice above.

by

How do you tape a violin fingerboard?

How to correctly tape a violin fingerboard

There are several ways and methods to tape a violin fingerboard. So if you are asking the question “how do you tape a violin fingerboard?” you have come to the right place. In this article, I will attempt to show you how you tape a violin fingerboard correctly.

The measurements for finger taping a violin fingerboard needs to be absolutely correct. Even being off by one mm is going to make you false. The violin strings have very little space for error. Therefore, it has to be exactly correct. There are two ways you can tape a violin fingerboard correctly so that you won’t make mistakes while playing. The first way is to just buy a fretboard sticker or download one for free. This is by far the easiest. But if you feel more adventurous and would not like a fretboard sticker covering up your entire fingerboard (this is not necessary), you can measure out the exact measurements on the violin fingerboard and place the tape on the fingerboard, correctly. I will explain how to do this in the paragraphs below.

Firstly, you need the measurements to get the exact positions to tape the violin fingerboard correctly. These you can get by clicking here or just look at the bottom of the article for the measurements. Carefully measure from the nut, which is the end part of the fingerboard right up against the neck of the violin that stands up a little and potrudes a little. From that corner in the fingerboard where the nut is, is where you start your measuring. Measure each position and carefully make a light pencil mark.

The next thing to do to tape the fingerboard correctly is to slowly insert your first finger sticker or fingering tape underneath the strings and place it on the pencil mark you made. Do this for each of the measurements. You should be placing three pieces of tape / stickers.

The last thing you do to ensure that you have taped the violin fingerboard correctly is to test it. Find someone that can play the piano and with the violin tuned, press your finger on each placement while bowing the violin or plucking the string. This will tell you if it’s in tune. you can also use a tuner app to do this.

The notes should be the following:

  • G String: Open G, First finger A, Second finger B, Third finger C#
  • D String: Open D, First finger E, Second finger F#, Third finger G
  • A String: Open A, First finger B, Second finger C#, Third finger D
  • E String: Open E, First finger F#, Second finger G, Third finger A

    • I hope this has been helpful in how to tape the violin fingering correctly. Please ensure that you measure correctly and test it to avoid learning wrong finger placement.

    Check out how to tune your violin here on this video
    Check out how to bow correctly on this video

    How do you tape a violin fingerboard? Measurements for violin fingerboard taping / marking.
    by

    Violin Tuner Online

    Violin Tuner Online

    In this page, I have included a violin tuner online! Yes, you can just get the violin tuner here and tune your violin. Alternatively, you can go to the YouTube channel and get my violin tuner free and online to help you tune your violin.

    Click here to go straight to the violin tuner online

    To use a violin tuner online, you need to be certain that the violin tuner is on pitch. This particular violin tuner has been used from an electric piano which means that the pitch is correct.

    A violin tuner is something that every violinist needs when he or she goes to play at a concert, band, worship team or just for fun at someone’s home. However, how you use the violin tuner and whether you use an online one or an app on your phone depends on you. Many people don’t have the space for apps on their phone and thus uses a violin tuner online from YouTube or the web.

    Violin Tuner Online:

    The way you use a violin tuner is string by string. Start with one string and work your way towards the next string. Never try to tune two strings at once. Online, there are some videos on how to tune your violin. I have a link on this website to a page on how to tune your violin.

    As you tune your violin more and more, you will start finding that using a violin tuner online becomes less and less difficult. And with time, you will even be able to do your violin tuning with only the A note of the piano or a violin tuner. Enough practice and your musical ear will start to develop.

    If a violin tuner that you find online is not going to work for you, you could always look at some of the violin tuners that they have available on Amazon or in a music store. Those are not online but physical tuners that you either plug in or clamp to a violin. Below, are links to some physical violin tuners.

    Your other option is to ask someone to play the notes on the piano and tune according to that. The problem with this is that pianos are not always in tune and on pitch unless it’s an electrical piano.

    The safest is to use a violin tuning app or a violin tuner that you find online. I hope this has helped and provided you with a violin tuner online that you can use anytime, anywhere to tune your violin to pitch.

    by

    Violin Finger Chart

    Violin Finger Chart for finger placement

    When starting out with a violin, it can be quite hard to know where to do the finger placement. Especially if you have not had your ear trained yet. The violin fingerboard has no frets. For that reason, it could be a good idea to get a violin finger chart.

    What exactly is a violin finger chart? This is a sticker that looks like a fretboard of a guitar, that will help guide you on how and where to do the placement for your fingers.

    The reason that you need to know exactly where the finger placement needs to go is that when you put your fingers down on the violin, even if it is just slightly out, even by just 1mm, the sound will be off and you will sound false.

    A violin finger chart will help you have the correct finger placement every single time. It is clearly marked with each note’s position so that you can do an exact finger placement. Some charts only use beginner positions, but other violin finger charts use more notes and options.

    When looking for a violin finger chart, it would be useful to know that it is also sometimes called a violin fret board sticker. Also a violin finger placement sticker. If you do a search on Amazon for violin finger placement, the violin finger placement or violin finger chart stickers will come up. Below is our violin fretboad print out that can be downloaded for free.

    Violin Finger ChartDownload

    by

    Violin Finger Positions

    Violin finger positions

    Having the correct violin finger positions on the violin is crucial to successful violin playing. If you place your finger on the fingerboard and it is just slightly off yes even 1 mm, you will get a false sound. It is important to get the right finger positions when playing the violin.

    This involves both how and where you place your fingers on the fingerboard. First we will start on how you place your fingers on the fingerboard.

    To get your violin finger positions right, your fingers need to be curled and the tips of the fingers need to press down as in the image below. But, since the violin does not have a fretboard, it makes it quite hard to put the fingers in the right place, even if how you position your fingers on the violin is correct.

    Violin finger positions

    The next thing you have to do is to make certain that you know where the fingers need to go. With a trained ear and many hours of practice, knowing the correct violin finger positions will come naturally. But for beginners, it is important to have markers to show where the finger positions are. Teachers will generally place these on the violin in the form of stickers. But in the case where you are attempting to teach yourself, you will need some help.

    You can place the stickers yourself, but you need to know that it does have to be in exactly the right position. The measurements are at the bottom of this page, but they are measured from the nut as in the image that is also below.

    Violin finger positions are measured from the nut

    The alternative to get your violin finger positions right is to get a violin fingerboard sticker or sometimes called a violin fretboard sticker. This is easy to put on and a quick fix. There are links below to these on Amazon.

    Whatever you decide to use to get your violin finger positions right, you need to remember that the measurements or fretboard stickers need to be placed in exactly the right spot, measuring from the nut.

    Always remember that practice makes perfect. I know that violin finger position aids are unsighly but in time, your ear will get trained and you will be able to remove the stickers.

    Full Size Violin (4/4)
    Tape 1 – 35mm (1 3/8 inches)
    Tape 2 – 66mm (2 5/8 inches)
    Tape 3 – 80mm (3 1/8 inches)
    Tape 4 – 106mm (4 1/8 inches)

    3/4 Violin
    Tape 1 – 32mm (1 1/4 inches)
    Tape 2 – 61mm (2 3/8 inches)
    Tape 3 – 75 mm (2 7/8 inches)
    Tape 4 – 100 mm (3 7/8 inches)

    1/2 Violin
    Tape 1 – 28mm (1 1/8 inches)
    Tape 2 – 54mm (2 1/8 inches)
    Tape 3 – 68mm (2 5/8 inches)
    Tape 4 – 91mm (3 5/8 inches)

    1/4 Violin
    Tape 1 – 25mm (1 inch)
    Tape 2 – 48mm (1 7/8 inches)
    Tape 3 – 60mm (2 3/8 inches)
    Tape 4 – 79mm (3 1/8 inches)

    by

    How to fix a loose violin chin rest

    Is it not just the most irritating thing ever? You just came home from your violin lesson and your violin has a loose violin chin rest? The worst is that you do not know how to fix a loose violin chin rest.

    Fear not, for in this article I will explain to you how to fix a loose violin chin rest. It is important to pay attention so that you do not scratch or damage your violin while tightening this piece of the violin. That’s right, all it is is a little bit of tightening on a screw that needs to be done. Easier said than done though.

    For fixing a loose violin chin rest, there are a couple of pieces of equipment that you need. The first piece of equipment is a speciality violin screw driver. You can find one on the Amazon link below. If you cannot afford to wait for the screw driver to arrive, you can use a simple safety pin or sewing needle if you have one close by.

    In the image below, you can see the chin rest. Also see the holes in the chin rest screws. The holes go through from the front to the back. You need to carefully insert your pin (or screw driver) into the hole. Don’t push it all the way through the hole. If the pin comes out the other side, you are liable to scratch your violin. You want to push it through just enough so that you can turn the screw, but not far enough that it will scratch the violin’s body.

    The simple thing is, all you need to do really, is to turn the screws until they are tight. This is of course after you have positioned the chin rest back in place. Sometimes to do that, one has to clip it back on the violin.

    Once that is done, your violin chin rest is back on, safe and sound. It’s so easy to fix a loose violin chin rest. Nothing to it. I do hope that this has been helpful. Do make certain that you do invest in a proper violin screw driver to avoid scratching your violin.

    by

    When the tuning pegs keep popping out

    Tuning pegs keeps popping out

    A violin is a great instrument to play. It can be temperamental though. It has a mind of it’s own. When the tuning pegs keeps popping out, it can make one fly through the roof with frustration, especially if you’re trying to practice for a recital, lesson or exam.

    When the tuning pegs keep pooping out, it’s usually easily fixed. The problem originates with the violin itself and the fact that the violin is made out of wood. Because it’s a woodwind instrument, it gets altered by the weather. Just like wood contracts and expands in hot and moist environments, so the violin does too.

    For example, if you leave the violin in a hot car all day, your violin will be very out of tune by the end of the day, and difficult to tune up again. It is because the heat has affected the violin. In the same way, the heat affects the tuning pegs. Sometimes it seems like the tuning pegs are too small for the holes they go through.

    When the tuning pegs keeps popping out, it’s easily remedied. All you need to do is to push them in quite hard. If that does not work, you will have to take them out and rub some rosin on. Once you’ve done that you can put them back in and you will find that they stick. Sometimes more than what is needed.

    The next time your tuning pegs keeps popping out, try this remedy and see if you can make it work.