Basics

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Violin Tuning

Title: Mastering the Art of Violin Tuning: Essential Tips and Techniques

Tuning the violin is a fundamental skill that every violinist must master to produce beautiful, harmonious music. Proper tuning ensures that each string resonates at the correct pitch, allowing for precise intonation and a balanced sound. In this guide, we’ll explore the process of violin tuning, from basic techniques to troubleshooting tips for maintaining optimal tuning stability.

What to Do When Tuning the Violin: Tuning the violin involves adjusting the tension of each string to achieve the desired pitch. Here’s a step-by-step guide to tuning the violin:

  1. Prepare Your Tuning Device: Before you begin tuning, ensure that you have a reliable tuning device, such as an electronic tuner or tuning app, to assist you in accurately adjusting the pitch of each string.
  2. Start with the A String: Begin by tuning the A string, which is the second string from the left when holding the violin in playing position. Play the open A string and use your tuning device to adjust the tension until the pitch matches the designated A note.
  3. Tune the D String: Next, tune the D string, which is the third string from the left. Play the open D string and use your tuning device to adjust the tension until it matches the designated D note.
  4. Continue with the G and E Strings: Tune the G string, the fourth string from the left, followed by the E string, which is the rightmost string. Use your tuning device to adjust the tension of each string until they match the designated G and E notes, respectively.
  5. Check Your Tuning: Once you’ve tuned all four strings, double-check your tuning by playing open strings together or playing simple scales to ensure that each note is in tune relative to the others.

Tips for Troubleshooting Tuning Issues: Even with proper tuning techniques, violin strings may occasionally struggle to stay in tune due to factors such as temperature changes, humidity, or string age. Here are some tips for troubleshooting tuning issues:

  1. Stretch Your Strings: New strings or strings that haven’t been played in a while may need to be stretched to settle into their proper tension. Gently pull and stretch each string along its length to help it settle and hold its pitch more consistently.
  2. Use Peg Compound: Apply a small amount of peg compound to the pegs if they are slipping or sticking. Peg compound helps lubricate the pegs, making them easier to turn and helping them hold their position more securely.
  3. Adjust the Fine Tuners: If your violin is equipped with fine tuners, use them to make minor adjustments to the pitch of each string. Fine tuners provide greater precision and control over tuning compared to the pegs, especially for small adjustments.
  4. Monitor Environmental Conditions: Keep your violin stored in a stable environment with consistent temperature and humidity levels to minimize the effects of climate on tuning stability. Extreme fluctuations in temperature or humidity can cause strings to expand or contract, affecting their tension and tuning.

Tuning the violin is a vital skill that every violinist must master to achieve optimal sound quality and performance. By following proper tuning techniques and troubleshooting tips, you can ensure that your violin stays in tune and produces beautiful, harmonious music. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced violinist, regular tuning practice is essential for maintaining your instrument’s sound and playability. So, grab your tuning device and your violin, and embark on your journey to perfect tuning mastery!

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Violin String Notes

Violin String Notes

This article will attempt to explain how the violin string notes work. The violin strings each have basic notes and more advanced notes, but for a beginner violinist, it’s important to understand the basic string notes and how they work with sheet music.

Your violin strings are the notes G, D, A and E. And on each one of those strings, each finger you place on a string represents another note. I highly suggest that you have a look at my article on finger positions to familiarize yourself with the violin finger positions before attempting to understand the violin string notes and how to read them.

The notes on the music scale are written in the trebble cleff, and for a basic violin lesson, in D Major. The violin string notes will therefore look like this on paper except that there are two sharps, not three:

Each string’s finger position has been marked above the note. So for the G String, you will have G, A, B and C# (keeping in mind that the basic violin scale is in D major. D major has two sharps. The image shows it as three sharps, but take the G sharp out, it’s only F and C sharp that you need to deal with.

For D, you have D, E, F# and G. In the same way, you can read the other two string notes. There are more notes on each string, still following the basic violin scale, but those are notes in position which we will not deal with in this article. For all our purposes, the notes we are dealing with here are for the first position of the violin.

It is also important to note that the music stave has lines and spaces. Therefore, some of your notes fall on lines, and other s fall on spaces. An easy way to remember which notes are on the lines are to say the sentence “Eat good bread dear father” and the spaces being “F A C E spells Face”. That way, if you need to know which note is on the third line, you just say the sentence, counting from the bottom line as you go, “eat good bread”. The third line falls on B for bread, therefore the third line’s note is bread.

Those are the violin string notes. for more info on these, please remember to go to my YouTube channel or browse my articles about this topic on violin string notes. It is important to grasp the violin string notes before embarking on playing the violin.

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How to read violin notes on sheet music

An Easy way to learn how to read violin notes on sheet music

If you are looking for an easy way to learn how to read violin notes on sheet music, I can provide one. Violin is one of the most complicated instruments to learn but with enough concentration, determination and practice, you can start learning relatively fast.

The way we learn how to read violin notes on sheet music is by starting to learn the actual notes. Musical scores have different clefs. You get the trebble clef, base cleff and the F cleff. Violas use the F Cleff so we are going to ignore that one. Instead, we are going to focus on the base cleff and the trebble cleff. You need a basic understanding of the base cleff to understand that some of the trebble cleff notes on the violin are borrowed from the base cleff. So without much more to say about this, let’s dive into how to read violin notes on sheet music.

Your trebble cleff has five lines and four spaces. But some of the notes of the base cleff extend on the trebble clef, making the trebble clef the only cleff that violin sheet music is written in.

The five lines on the trebble cleff is easily remembered by a sentence, “eat good bread dear father”, each word representing a letter, in other words, E, G, B, D, F. In the same way, the spaces (those places in between the lines) are named “F A C E spells Face”, each note on a space being F, A, C, E. See the image below.

Now, below the line, the notes go down. You get D and then middle C. Middle C is the note that separates the two cleffs, Base and Trebble. Now you are going to borrow notes for the violin front he base cleff. Go down with the lines as in the image to get to G.

The next image will show you the finger positions associated with the violin notes on the sheet music.

This is how the violin notes on sheet music works and how to read them. If you are still wondering more about how to read violin motes on sheet music, feel free to browse the rest of the site for information pertaining to how to read violin notes on sheet music and so on.

Click here to see my lesson on how to do finger positions on the violin

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Violin Luthier in BC Canada

Looking for a violin luthier in BC Canada?

What is a violin luthier? A Violin luthier is someone who fixes violins. It’s an art they specialize in and have spent many years perfecting. Violin luthiers are also well trained in violin making, often making the best instruments around.

If you are looking for a violin luthier in BC Canada to make you a violin, to repair a special violin or re-hair your violin bow, you need to look no further. Below, I have a list of luthiers based in BC, Canada and their addresses.

Why choose a luthier and not a musical store? Most musical stores will have someone trained to fix minor issues on a violin. But they often outsource to a violin luthier in any case. But if you have a highly specialized violin or specialized things that need to be done on the violin, the best is to get yourself a violin luthier. Below is a list of violin luthiers based in BC Canada that can help you fix your violin problems!

LuthierAreaWebsite
Kim Tipper: Victoriahttps://tipper-violins.com
Julian VitekVictoriahttp://vitekviolins.com/
James HamVictoriahttp://www.hamstringsmusic.com/
Warren BailyVictoriahttp://www.warrenbaileyfineviolins.com/
Laura WallacePowell Riverhttp://wallaceviolins.ca/
Raymond Anthony NicolComoxhttp://www.anthonyviolins.com/
Zak StolkHoneymoon Bayhttp://zakviolins.com/
Grant WicklandSaltspring Islandhttp://wicklandinstruments.com/
William OkosSummerland BChttps://williamokosmusic.com/
Herman JanzenMission BChttp://www.janzenviolins.com/
Michael AltschulerRichmond, BChttp://www.houseofviolins.com/
Vintage ViolinsVancouver, BChttp://www.vintageviolins.ca/
Chris MatyjaVancouver, BChttp://www.kcmluthiery.com/
Gerard Ivan SamijaVancouver BChttp://www.luthier.ca/
Bob LaughlinVancouver BChttp://www.laughlinguitars.ca/
Poesis ViolinNorth Vancouver BChttp://www.poesisstudio.com/

It is always nice and special when you are looking for that special someone who can look after your violin and know your violin next time you go back. My suggestion is to find a violin luthier in BC Canada or your area that you can keep going back to.

Not looking for a violin luthier in BC Canada? Perhaps this website can help you find one in your area.

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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.

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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.
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    Violin Fingering Tape

    Violin Fingering Tape

    Violin fingering tape is something that beginner violinists use to get to learn the different finger positions and help train their musical ear. It is important to get some assistance with finger placement with the use of violin fingering tape as new violinists don’t know where to put their fingers and don’t yet have a trained ear when it comes to playing the violin.

    A trained ear is knowing and hearing when you are playing something wrong. Over time, you develop this sense of knowing where to place your finger and what it will sound like. But beginner violinists usually don’t get this right at the start and need some sort of aid such as violin fingering tape to help them get started.

    Violin fingering tape is used to place markings on the finger board of the violin so that the beginner violinist knows exactly where to place their fingers. Standard notes are marked so that there is a base from which to start working. Exact positions are marked out to place the fingering tape at so that the violin finger board is marked correctly.

    To find out more about the measurements and where to place the violin fingering tape, please click on this link: Violin Finger Positions It will take you to my article on violin finger positions etc.

    An alternative to violin fingering tape is to purchase a fretboard sticker for your violin. This is a sticker that you place on the fingerboard, marked clearly with the different positions for the fingers. It helps if you are a beginner and you do not know what you are doing, to have a sticker to mark out the positions for yourself. At the bottom of this article are links to the violin fretboard stickers on Amazon.

    To find out how to place violin fingering tape, check out my article on “how to place violin fingering tape”

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    Violin String Notes

    Violin String Notes

    The violin string notes are written across two octaves, three and four sometimes. But for basic beginner violin, you will play across three strings only.

    As with any music, musical notes go from A to G only. So A, B, C, D, E, F, G and then it starts again with A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C etc. In between these notes, there are half tones as well which makes up sharps or flats.

    The violin string notes are ordered according to standard music theory. In other words, your notes are still A B C D E F G, but you start on the G string. Each finger is a different note. The notes on your strings are as follows:

  • G String: G, G#, A, A#, B, C, C#/li>
  • D String: D. D#, E, F, F#, G, G#
  • A String: A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#
  • E String: E, F, F#, G, G#, A

    • Of course if you are a beginner player, your violin string notes to start with will be in the scale of D Major. And for that to work, your fingers will be placed in the standard violin finger positions. To find out more about the finger positions, click on this link or watch my video here.

    It is advisable to get a fretboard or mark your violin so you have the correct string positions to learn with the correct placement for the violin string notes to begin with.

    In this case, your string notes will be as follows:

  • G string: First finger, A, second finger B, third finger C#
  • D string: First finger, D, second finger E, third finger F#
  • A string: First finger, B, second finger, C#, third finger D
  • E string: First finger F#, second finger G, third finger A

    • These are the basic violin string notes and names. Some of these are sharps because the first basic violin scale that everyone learns is D Major. D Major contains two sharps namely F and C. Thus, your violin string notes to start with will have these two sharps.

    Click here for my video on the violin finger positions

    Click here for where to place the finger positions.

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    Easy Violin Lessons

    If you want easy violin lessons I have good news and bad news for you. There is no such a thing as an easy violin lesson. Violin is one of the most difficult instruments to play, and easy does not come into it.

    For some people, playing violin comes much easier than for others, but there is still technique to master, basic concepts to master and hours of practice to do, even just to play a simple little song. Therefore, I don’t believe in the existence of easy violin lessons.

    However, I have done the best I can to simplify violin lessons to the point of what I could call easy, even if you do not find it easy. Some people will find it easy, others will not.

    I recommend that when you start watching my YouTube videos on violin lessons, start with the basics, and don’t move on until you have grasped the one lesson well. Only when you have mastered what the one lesson teaches, will you be able to progress to the next lesson.

    The lessons are structured in an easy way so that even the most musically challenged people can learn. I would not call them easy violin lessons though.

    Basic easy violin lessons that I have on my YouTube channel are:

    How to tune a violin

    How to get your bowing right

    Violin bow exercises for absolute beginners

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    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.

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    What are the violin string names

    What are the violin string names and where are they?

    If you have recently picked up a violin or you are wanting to learn to play, you may be wondering what are the violin string names and where they are on the violin. In other words, which string is which string.

    The violin has four different strings. The strings are called from left to right, G, D, A and E. G is the lowest, deepest sound and E is the highest sound. If you are still wondering what the different violin string names are, a picture below indicates the names of the strings.

    Violin string names

    On the piano, the violin string names match up to the G just below middle C, the D next to middle C, the A above middle C and the E one octave above middle C. An octave is 8 notes. These are the string names you will be using to tune your violin. An image below indicates the different violin string names and where you will find them on the piano. The C next to the note marked D is middle C.

    Violin String Names on the Piano

    The other thing is that once you know the violin string names, you need to tune the violin according to the right pitch. You can use a piano to do this with a trained ear, but if your ear is not yet trained, it’s best to use a violin tuner that will tell you if your strings are on pitch and in tune. The violin tuners are usually programmed to the violin string names and the correct pitch. A list of violin tuners available on Amazon are below:

    The thickest of the violin strings is named G. D is a little less thick, A is less thick and E is the thinnest string. This information will come in handy when you need to replace your strings. Also how to trouble shoot the tuning pegs or how to replace violin strings. You can see an article on how to troubleshoot the tuning pegs here called “When the tuning pegs keep popping off”.

    The first thing every new violinist needs to know is the different violin string names and where they are placed on the violin. It is also handy to know where they sit on a piano. I hope this article has informed you of the different violin string names and that you can now go ahead with tuning or starting to play the violin!

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    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

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    Beginner Violin Lessons

    Beginner Violin Lessons from home

    Starting a new instrument is always a bit challenging. Especially when you are a beginner with violin lessons. After all, its not the easiest instrument to learn.

    Before you start, there are things you need to do. You need to find a teacher, you need to get a violin and some accessories for the violin and you need to psych yourself up for doing the beginner violin lessons.

    The good thing is, you are never too old to start beginner violin lessons. People start at the age of 7 or 70. It really does not matter what age you are. If you feel like starting violin lessons, even if it means you will be an absolute beginner, it’s perfectly ok. There is no such a thing as “I am gtoo old to learn”. That is a myth.

    The other think you need to consider is, are you going to do online lessons, get a course that you buy or see a violin teacher in person? This is all part of what you need to consider when you start beginner violin lessons.

    Another thing to consider is what type of violin you are going to buy. Are you going to get a professional one or start out with a student one? It is highly recommended when starting with beginner violin lessons that you start out with a student violin. After all, you do not know if you will like playing the violin or not. Best not to invest in a very expensive violin until you know that you are going to like it, going to succeeed and going to take it further.

    I hope this has been useful information on beginner violin lessons and what to consider. It is a fun instrument to play and with enough hard work and dedication, I believe anyone can make a success of the violin.

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    Can I teach myself the violin?

    Can I teach myself the violin is a frequently asked question

    Many people wonder this exact question. Can I teach myself the violin. The answer is hard to give. It is yes and it is no.

    Violin is a very difficult instrument to master. For some, it will be nearly impossible. For others, it will be as easy as pie to learn. But whether you can teach yourself the violin depends entirely upon you.

    My answer to the question “Can I teach myself the violin” is a definite yes. I do believe it is possible. With enough dedication and an online tutor, it is possible. It is not the best, but it is possible. If you just want to learn for the sake of playing for your own enjoyment, then my answer is definitely yes, I believe you can teach yourself the violin. But if you want to learn to play professionally or you want to enter for violin exams, then my answer is no, I don’t think you can teach yourself.

    Of course, to further answer the question “Can I teach myself the violin?” one needs to look at your own dedication and commitment. How much endurance do you have? How easy is it for you to grasp a new concept? How much time do you have to practice?

    My answer is yes to the question. You can teach yourself the violin. I, myself have learned how to ride a horse just by watching others. You won’t get exam ready, and you probably won’t get qualified, but I do believe the answer to the question “Can I teach myself the violin ” is a yes. With correct help along the way, such as good course material and videos to watch, it is possible to teach yourself just for the fun of it.

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    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)

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    Violin Bow Exercises

    Violin bow exercises for beginners

    Violin bow exercises are incredibly important to correct your violin bowing technique. Especially when you are a beginner and you are struggling with balancing the bow on the strings and hitting different strings at the same time.

    Violin is not an instrument that can be learned overnight unless you are a super musical genious. There is a lot involved in learning the violin. A lot of technique and also musical knowledge goes into it. Part of the technique is getting the bowing right from when you are a beginner. For that you need the right kind of violin bow exercise for the particular issue that you are struggling with.

    There are several exercises that you can try to correct your bowing. The most important one is learning how to bow. I have outlined some exercises below that you can use to get your violin bowing right.

    1. Try to bow a long full bow on just one string. This would be from the end of the bow to the tip. This should have enough pressure to make a nice sound, but not so much that it scratches. If you hear a scratchy sound, you will know that the bow is being put down too hard. You will also need to balance the bow so that it only touches the string you want to play. Do this exercise going up and down several times at 60 beats per minute (use a metronome) on each string. Count four. After you have done this on each individual string, do it on different strings eg A D G D A E A E
    2. Do the same violin bow exercise again except this time, use only half the bow.
    3. The same exercise can be done again using a quarter of the bow and counting one count per note.
    4. When you get the balance right, do a down bow, full bow. Pick up the bow and put it down for another down bow. Just do down bows.
    5. Do the same as no 4 except now its an up bow.
    6. Try two strings on a bow. Move from A to D on the same bow without stopping. If this is an issue, try stopping in the middle of the bow first and switching. When you get that right, you can try the switching without stopping.

    These violin exercises will help with the basics of the bowing. If you can get these right, you should be good with beginner violin bowing.

    You can see more on my YouTube video regarding beginner violin bow exercises. Below is a link to the video on violin bow exercises.

    Link to YouTube video: Violin Bow Exercises for beginners

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    Violin finger placement

    Violin finger placement woes

    So you have started violin lessons and have gotten to the part where you learn where to place your fingers on the fingerboard. But the violin finger placement is quite tricky and you don’t always get it right.

    Many times it’s false when you play and you just struggle, especially with that third finger.

    A big part about violin finger placement has to do with your ear and how in tune you are to the pitch of the notes. That’s why developing your musical ear is important. I believe that this is possible, even if you are completely tone deaf. With enough practice you can definitely develop enough of a musical ear to deal with these challenges.

    Another part of correct violin finger placement is how you hold the fingers on the fingerboard. Are they curled or flat? A flat finger is not going to give you the correct sound, even if your finger is in the right place. But a curled finger on the other hand, will give you a better tone and have more of a correct placement too. It is important to remember how to hold your fingers on the violin fingerboard. The placement needs to be correct and the fingers need to be curled.

    There are aids that can help you with the finger placement, although these aids should only be used right at the beginning. We do not recommend using these aids for more than a couple of weeks. If you keep using violin finger placement aids, your finger placement will not develop on it’s own as you will start to rely on the aids instead of your tone and yourself. Below, I have linked to some aids on Amazon that can help you with violin finger placement.

    Getting the correct finger placement right from the start is incredibly important to having success with learning how to play the violin. In the video linked here, I share some insights into the correct finger placement and where to put your fingers, as well as which note each one of the fingers represent. I hope this helps you with your violin finger placement and that you can finally overcome those woes that get you down.

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    How to effectively practice violin

    How to effectively practice violin

    The secret to practicing an instrument is not how many times you practice the same exercise over and over. The secret is in playing the same thing over and over again, but in different ways and with different methods.

    For example, if you are going to practice Mary had a little lamb effectively, first analyse the piece of music. Look at the time signature, Look at any ornaments, volume indications and other symbols etc. Then play it through on the violin once.

    The second time, practice it with counting out loud as you as you play the piece on the violin. The third time, play it in perhaps playing each note four times. Make sure you practice it in different ways, at least three different ways.

    The key to how to effectively practice the violin is in variation in your playing through of the music.

    Another important thing to do is in any piece of the music that you are struggling with, play just that one piece, that one bar or one line slower and over and over again until you get it right. then add it into the rest of the piece again. This is how you effectively practice the violin.

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    Violin Bow Hold

    Correct violin bow hold

    Playing the violin is not just a “pick up the bow and play” like a plug and play device that you can do with a kitchen or computer. Playing the violin is a combination of technique and the effort that you put into it. Part of this effort is the violin bow hold that you have.

    If your violin bow hold is not correct, your bow stroke and your violin sound may sound bad. It will look off and just be wrong. You will bow skew (yes you will) which will NOT help your sound and your general playing. The bow can fly out of your hand during fast music and in general, your playing will be bad.

    So to get your violin bow hold right, you need to put the time and effort into practicing the bow hold so that your violin playing ultimately becomes professional. It is hard practice and many people struggle getting the correct violin bow hold right from the start.

    Howdo you hold the bow? Your ring finger and middle finger needs to be around the frog. Your pointing finger needs to be around the finger grip and your pinky needs to be on the top of the bow. The image below shows you how to do a correct violin bow hold.

    Violin Bow Hold
    Violin Bow Hold

    It does not stop there though. The back of your fingers over the bow also has to curl. Below is a picture from a different angle on the correct violin bow hold and what your thumb is supposed to be doing.

    Violin bow hold
    Violin bow hold

    Several aids can help in how to hold the violin bow. It can help your fingers get used to the position the bow has to be held in. This is a known fact, it’s hard to hold the bow in the way it’s supposed to be held. Especially if you’re new at this. That’s why the aids are useful. Below, you will see some aids to help you with the bow hold.

    There are other factors involved in holding the violin bow correctly as well. Your upper arm needs to be still as you attempt the bowing and you need to go straight between the bridge and the finger board. Check out my YouTube Video on how to bow straight and have the correct violin bow hold.

    I hope this article has been helpful in you learning more about the correct bow hold for the violin. Remember, with a lot of practice your fingers will eventually get used to holding the bow. If it feels like the bow is about to fly out of your hand, you are probably holding the bow correctly!

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    Violin bowing techniques

    When you look at violin bowing techniques, it is important to learn the correct technique and not the wrong technique. Now, while there are several violin bowing techniques out there, only one has ever worked for me.

    The different ways to hold the bow on the strings, the different grips etc can all be debated. This is an important part of violin technique that needs to be gotten right from the start. We do not advocate the “Russian” way of doing the violin bow hold as we feel this is going to teach you the wrong technique.

    Along with having the correct violin bow grip, you also need the correct bowing technique. Learning how to bow straight is a very important part of the technique that needs to be gotten right from the start. There is no point in learning the violin unless you have got this bowing technique down. It takes many hours of practice to get right.

    So what violin bowing techniques to you need to remember? There are several. When you go onto my YouTube channel, I explain the violin bowing technique in detail. But for the purposes of this article, let me take you through some of the important techniques that you need to know.

    Bowing straight is an important part of technique. This is obtained by keeping your upper arm still and bowing straight. Along with this, your eye needs to be on the bow to make sure that it’s moving straight between the bridge and the fingerboard. You cannot have the bowing go sideways. Straight upper arm, straight bowing.

    Another one of the violin bowing techniques is to have your pulse move up with the up bow stroke and down with the down stroke. This is also important to remember when practicing bowing techniques.

    Next, you need to remember to not bow too heavy and not to softly. The bowing needs to be just firm enough to get a sound, but not so firm that you are going to get a scratch out of it.

    Also remember when practicing bowing technique to make sure that your posture with the violin is correct. The violin needs to be up to your side and parallel to the floor. This is vital.

    The last thing to remember when practicing bowing techniques is to make sure that your bow is balancing between the two strings on either side of the string that you want to play on. Tip it if it’s touching another string you do not want it to touch.

    For more on violin bowing techniques, please check out my violin lesson channel on YouTube. The link is on your left at the top.

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    Easy violin lessons?

    Is there such a thing as easy violin lessons? This will be explored in this post. Do we get such a thing considering violin is one of the top ten most difficult instruments in the world to play. Easy? Really?

    Many people think that having a couple of violin lessons is easy. It may be easy in the beginning, but the more advanced you become, and the more you learn, the more difficult it becomes. Yes, while easy violin lessons are out there, it usually is not what you think. Violin is not an easy instrument to learn.

    Much technique goes into the violin. A lot of your lesson time will be dedicated to learning all about technique and practicing the technique. Another part of your lesson time will be dedicated to theory. And while it’s easy to take in information, it’s not so easy to apply the information into what we do ourselves.

    Mastering the technique of the violin depends on the dedication and effort you put into the violin. But also in how well you listen when you do start out learning how to play the violin. This is not easy and does not happen fast.

    Easy violin lessons is not something that really exists. But if you put enough time and effort into it, you may actually find that you are learning it relatively easily. For the beginner stages anyway. When you get to positions and more complicated pieces, easy goes out the window and that’s when hours and hours of practice starts to happen. No longer is it easy, now it’s downright hard and frustrating at times.

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    How do I clean my violin?

    The question every single violin teacher should answer and teach is “How do I clean my violin?” And sadly, many don’t. Many violin students go through their entire life, not having learned how to clean their violins or bows.

    Violin teachers are often eager at teaching students how to play that they forget and neglect the important question of how to clean your violin. In this page, I hope to answer your questions on how to clean your violin.

    The first thing you will need to clean your violin with is a violin cleaning cloth. It’s important that you have several of these cloths and not just one cloth. One cleaning cloth is not enough, nor is any cleaning cloth Ok. You need a special violin cleaning cloth or instrument cloth. These can be obtained from a music store. The violin cleaning cloths are made from soft fabric as to not scratch and damage your violin.

    The second thing you will need is a little bit of violin cleaning oil or just called violin oil. And the third….. that’s right. Rubbing alcohol with a 70% concentration.

    Now how do I actually clean my violin? You have given me information on all the things I need, but not actually how to get into cleaning my violin. That’s all coming in the next paragraph below.

    When a violin is played, the rosin from the bow leaves off a tiny bit of white residue. This residue needs to be wiped off the violin. Take your first cloth and around the bridge and fingerboard, just gently rub off any white residue you may see. This is usually enough, unless you have been lazy and not paid attention to clean your violin the way that it should be done. If that’s you, read further.

    The residue if not cleaned, can cake onto the violin. This means that it gets sticky and hard and pacts on to the actual varnish of the violin. This can damage the violin. Therefore, if this has happened to you, take your second cloth and just drop about 3 drops of violin cleaning solution onto the cloth. Gently rub and massage it in a circular motion around the area where the rosin has collected.

    You can also use your third cloth and clean your strings, fingerboard and chin rest with about 3 drops of 70% rubbing alcohol. Take heed though that you do not touch the varnish of the violin and that no drops of alcohol drop onto the varnish.

    I hope this has been helpful and informative on how to clean your violin and that your question on How do I clean my violin has been answered. You can check out my YouTube channel for more videos and information on how to clean your violin.

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    Is it ok to leave a violin out of it’s case?

    A question that should be asked. This is very important. Is it ok to leave a violin out of it’s case, and for how long can I leave it out of it’s case?

    Well that depends. The answer to the first question, is it ok to leave the violin out of it’s case is a clear and definite no. But the answer to the second question is a different question. Leaving the violin out of it’s case for brief periods of time is perfectly ok. There is nothing wrong with leaving the violin on stage during a concert as long as you pack it away after the concert is over.

    It is never ok to leave a violin out of it’s case because what will happen is that ruin and decay will set in.

    The first thin you need to remember about a violin is that it’s a wooden instrument. The wood is adaptable to weather. In cold weather it swells and in hot weather it contracts. This affects the tuning, the strings and the violin itself. To keep it in tune and in good shape, never ever leave it in a hot car on a sunny day or in the cold outside the house for long periods of time. By long periods of time I mean even half an hour or more. Try to keep it in a constant temperature.

    This is another reason it is not ok to leave a violin out of it’s case. The case is designed to be a buffer for the weather. This does not mean be reckless and put it in a hot car, but rather that it’s there to provide a tiny bit of protection against the elements and weather.

    A third reason why it’s not ok to leave a violin out of it’s case is because people can walk past and bump or knock it down. This may chip and damage the wood.

    For the violin to stay in the best shape possible, it’s never ok to leave it out of it’s case and it should always be put away in it’s case.

    I hope this has been helpful. Please remember it’s not ok to leave a violin out of it’s case and that you always need to take good care of your violin. It’s an expensive instrument, and just as expensive to fix if it’s not maintained properly.

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    How to keep a violin clean

    Welcome. Today I am going to share with you how to keep a violin clean. It’s not a simple cut and paste method of taking a damp cloth and rubbing the violin with it. In fact, a damp cloth can damage the violin’s body. When you clean your violin, you want to make sure that you keep it in good condition.

    Before I share with you how to keep a violin clean, you need to stock up on a couple of supplies. Many of these supplies can be bought at a music store or off Amazon. The Amazon adds for these products are on this page. I do earn affiliate income from Amazon, so when you click on the add, I do receive a commission off of it.

    The supplies to keep a violin clean are as follows: you need some almond oil, some 70% rubbing alcohol and two very soft cloths. One for dusting and one for cleaning. In addition, some cotton wool would be helpful too. Right, without much more said, let me tell you how to keep a violin clean and in good shape.

    The first thing you want to do is after each time that you played, you want to take one of those duster cloths and just gently wipe away all the rosin dust on the violin. This will help that the rosin does not stick to the violin and prevent varnish damage.

    About once every month or two, I would recommend doing a thorough clean. How you clean a violin is a delicate process and needs to be done carefully. For the varnish part of the violin, after you have wiped away the dust particles, you will need to drop a few drops of Almond oil onto the cloth and gently wipe the varnish with it. Not too much or it could soak into the wood and damage the violin.

    For the strings, fingerboard and chinrest, use a few drops of the alcohol and rub it on the strings, fingerboard and chin rest. This will remove sweat particles from your chin and fingers off the strings and other parts of the violin that your body touches.

    So to answer the question how to keep a violin clean properly, I hope this has been easy to follow and understand. Always be very careful and take care that you do not damage the violin while cleaning it.

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    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.

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    Why is it important to learn to count with music

    Counting is one of the most important, basic things in life. And learning how to count with music is just as important. Imagine a simple song such as “Mary had a little lamb” but your tones were all the same length. This would sound funny. Instead, when the tones are stretched out, and the word “lamb” is held for a longer period than the “Mary had a” part, it involves counting, believe it or not.

    Counting with music is vital to provide the right kind of sound for the song that you want to play. It is important to avoid every word and every note being the same length. Counting can be challenging, especially in some orchestral pieces and some rock songs. Having a solid foundation in the basics of music theory and especially learning how to count with music is vital to the success of any music.

    There are several ways that you can learn to count with music. One is obviously learning the theory behind it. But once you have the theory under your belt, counting out loud while you sing or play for example: “one, two, three, one, two, three” is extremely helpful.

    Another helpful way to learn to count with music is by investing in a metronome. A metronome is piece of music equipment, or accessory if you wish to call it that, which helps you to count by having a beat at regular intervals while you count out loud and play the notes to the length that it’s supposed to be. There are several metronomes on the market. Some are manual wind up Metronomes and others are electrical. You can even download a metronome app if you don’t want to pay for a Metronome, but apps tend to be softer and less audible.

    I hope this has answered your questions as to why it is important to count with music so that next time you encounter music notes and theory, you know the answer to this vital question.

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    Why is it important to bow straight on the violin?

    This is the question many new violinists just starting out ask. Why is it important to bow straight on the violin from the start. Why do I need to get my technique right first before I can start learning how to play?

    The answer is simple. Violin is not just any instrument that can be picked up and learned in a couple of hours. There are people claiming that it’s possible to learn in a couple of hours, but these people are actually just giving you information. To learn the violin takes hours and hours of dedicated practicing. And to learn how to bow straight on the violin is of vital importance for technique.

    Why is it important to get my technique right, specifically for bowing straight? Well the answer is “acoustics”. If you are not bowing straight on the violin, your sound will be all wrong and you will run into problems later on when you get more advanced. Bowing straight on the violin and getting it right from the get-go, is very very important and vital to the success of violin playing.

    Not only is it important for getting your tone and sound right, but it’s also important for not hitting your bridge, fingerboard and damaging your violin. Bowing skew can cause all sorts of problems, along with playing well later on. It is best to get your bowing right from the start to avoid all these problems.

    I hope this has helped to answer the question; why it it important to bow straight on the violin from the start. Any further questions, you are welcome to check out my YouTube channel.

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    The different violin strings

    Different violin strings

    When you are just starting out with violin, you may wonder what the four different strings on the violin are. What are the different violin strings called and how do they sound.

    The first violin string is the G string. It is the G below middle C. That is the lowest note of the violin. The Google string in first position is played and ends at middle C or even D. Further positions can take it up to E or even F in the second octave above middle C.

    The next violin string is the D string and ranges from the D above middle C to the A. In different positions it can even go up to the second octave above middle C.

    The next violin string is A. It starts on the A above middle C and goes up to E in first position. Different position can take it up to F in the third octave above middle C.

    The last violin string to mention is the E string. It’s the highest string and starts on the E in the second octave above middle C. It can go all the way up to C in the third octave above middle C.

    So in other words across the different violin strings you can reach about three octaves. Your basic beginner will only be able to play the basic position though which will allow two octaves. More advanced players will be able to reach three octaves as they know how to navigate the different violin strings.

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    Choosing an online violin teacher

    Online violin teacher

    Choosing an online violin teacher can be tricky. How do you know that the online violin teacher that you’ve chosen is actually going to teach you the correct stuff?

    Violin is not like other musical instruments. It takes a lot of physical training to play the violin correctly. Sometimes the violin teacher will adjust the grip on your bow and assist you with the bowing physically. This makes having an online violin teacher really complicated. The online violin teacher is not able to help you physically with the bowing or holding of the violin.

    When looking for an online violin teacher, the best thing you can do is to find someone that will teach you the comprehensive techniques to playing the violin, but also someone that is willing to put in the time to help you over Skype or Google Hangouts. This person will have to sit and assess your playing via the computer screen and then give feedback. You would then need to go back and practice this hard, hoping that you understood correctly.

    The online violin teacher would also have to be someone who doesn’t progress fast but keep to the pace that you set. There is no use moving along fast if you haven’t practiced the previous work. After all, an online violin teacher is there because you don’t have time to physically go to lessons right?

    Another thing to look out for when looking for an online violin teacher is to make certain that this person has violin experience and also some sort of qualification. Depending on the genre that you want to learn, a qualification can be very important.

    For modern music, qualifications aren’t really that needed. But when you are looking at classical or orchestral training then you would need someone who has at least a grade 8 or above. In Canada this would be about about level 10-12.

    I hope this article is useful in your search for an online violin teacher. Remember to find the online violin teacher that will be suitable to the style you want to learn.

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    Violin Bow isnt’ making a sound

    My violin bow isn’t making a sound

    My violin bow isn’t making a sound. I often here this from new students who have just bought their first violin. Especially when it comes to a new violin.

    Yes, when you unpack a new violin, the bow isn’t going to be making any sound. Especially not if you’ve just taken the violin bow out of the plastic. The bow is new, it has not been used and not been treated. Therefore, it won’t be making a sound.

    You may wonder if your violin bow isn’t making a sound because there is something wrong with the strings or the violin itself, but this is not the case either. The violin bow isn’t making a sound because it has never been rosined. It has never had any Rosin rubbed onto the bow.

    For a violin bow to be making sounds, it needs to be treated with Rosin. A violinist always has to have some rosin with them. If not, this is going to be a problem later on. The violin bow needs a thorough rubbing of Rosin before any sound come from it. Especially if it’s new. If it’s brand new, you would have to put a tripple dose or even more of Rosin on for the violin bow to be making any sound at all.

    Another reason that the violin bow isn’t making any sound could be because you’ve touched it with your fingers. Remember, fingers are oily and the rosin that you’ve put onto the bow could have come off onto your fingers. This means that the hair of the violin bow is no longer covered in Rosin and therefore the violin bow isn’t going to be making any sound. A new coating of Rosin is needed to correct this problem.

    You need to remember that a violin bow is delicate. If it’s not been tightened to the correct tension and it does not have the right amount of Rosin on, the violin bow isn’t going to be making any sound, it doesn’t matter how hard you try.

    I hope this has helped you determine what the problem could be when your violin bow isn’t making any sound. It most likely is a Rosin problem.

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    Having the correct violin posture

    Having the correct violin posture

    Playing violin has a lot to do with having the correct violin posture. From the way you stand to the way you hold the violin and the way you rest your violin on your shoulder.

    If you do not have the correct violin posture, you will find yourself struggling to play correctly and also in some cases have aches and pains in places you did not know existed.

    When standing, it important to stand correctly. Lessons from a Suzuki violin teacher or professional private violin teacher would help you and teach you the correct posture. It is very possible that your posture would have to be corrected the first couple of times as you get used to this new way of standing with the correct violin posture.

    The same goes for holding the violin. There is a correct violin posture that needs to be maintained when holding the violin and the bow. If you fail to maintain this correct violin posture, you will find that it affects your playing and your sound.

    The correct violin posture is something that needs to be sorted out in the first couple of lessons. Failure to address posture problems will result in difficulty later.

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    Starting violin lessons

    Starting violin lessons

    The essentials to starting violin lessons are described below. If you are new to violin or want to start learning violin, you might be wondering now what. What do you need to know? Do you need any previous musical experience? Do you need a violin? In this article I will explain everything you need to know about starting violin lessons.

    Violin is a complex instrument. Having a solid musical understanding can be extremely helpful. This means, having a background in Piano is a good thing. I always recommend that students have a year or so of piano lessons before starting violin lessons. The reason is that the piano gives a solid and good foundation of music, the different keys and a bit of theory. Once you understand the piano, you understand music basics. And the basics will help you when starting violin lessons.

    The next thing to determine is whether you want to learn professionally, and what you want to learn? Do you want to learn classical for orchestral and classical music or do you want to learn rock or pop? If you want to be starting violin lessons with the purpose of just playing contemporary, you could probably go to any violin or music school in your area and they will be able to help you. But if you are looking at classical training, you would have to look at starting violin lessons with a Suzuki teacher or a private teacher. These will help you to get a thorough understanding of music and a thorough and complex training of music. If you can play classical, you can play anything. Church bands, pop, classical and others – nothing will be too difficult. But if you learn contemporary, you will find difficulty with playing classical and other genres.

    Starting violin lessons also requires you to make a commitment to practicing. Violin is not an easy instrument. You need to dedicate time and effort into it to master the violin. The time and effort you put into it will determine your progress. If you put ten minutes a day in, you won’t get very far. But if you put an hour in every day, you will get a lot further faster, and master it easily.

    Starting violin lessons also requires you to have your own violin. You can rent a violin from a music school or you can buy your own. There are good second hand options out there, or you can buy a brand new one. Amazon has some nice violins, as well as music stores. Once again, when starting violin lessons you do not need a professional violin. A good student violin will do. To know more about violins and the types of violins, see my article on the type of violins there are and determine what you would need.

    I hope this has been helpful in determining if you are ready for starting violin lessons. Hopefully you have the determination and want to move ahead. Starting violin lessons is a great hobby or art to learn and will bring many hours of enjoyment and relaxation.

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    How to clean your violin

    Knowing how to clean your violin

    Many people learn how to play the violin but they never learn from their violin teachers how to clean their violins. Your violin is something that needs to be kept in tip top shape at all times.

    If the violin is not cleaned, eventually residue from the Rosin on the bow will settle on the violin and cake onto the violin, making it hard to get off. Then it needs to go to a luthier to fix. So before it happens, here are some helpful hints in how to clean your violin and keep it in good shape.

    The first thing is to get a soft dust cloth. Each time you have played the violin, you should softly and gently clean your violin and wipe off all dust or residue from the rosin and bow. This step is important to maintain the violin in mint condition.

    The second thing you can do to clean your violin is that if you have neglected cleaning your violin and you see the rosin starting to cake on the violin’s body, is to take a damp (thoroughly wrung out) cloth and gently wipe it across the violin. It must not be dripping or you can cause damage to the wood. It must be decently wrung out.

    This is how you clean your violin and maintain the violin. Make sure you do this on a regular basis so that the violin stays in good condition.

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    Holding the violin bow

    Holding the violin bow

    Holding the violin bow correctly is a skill that needs to be mastered over time. It takes many many hours of practice before the skill is properly mastered.

    To hold the bow correctly, one’s fingers are stretched in an abnormal way, making it feel like the bow is about to fly out of your hands. If it feels like the bow is about to fly out of your hand, the bow is held correctly.

    Many people struggle getting the hold of the bow correct. There are several methods, but the most popular method is the one I will show below. To hold the bow correctly, you need to curl your thumb into the frog, hold your ring finger and middle finger together over the frog on the side, and point your little finger at the top of the bow by the little mechanism that winds the bow. Your pointing finger kind of just rests over the bow. The following image illustrates holding the violin bow correctly.

    If you do not hold the violin bow correctly, you will find that your sound will be affected as you play. You will also find that when you play fast, you might actually have the bow fly out of your hand. These are the two main reasons you need to hold the bow correctly. But there are more reasons too.

    Holding the violin bow correctly also influences how you bow. Every good violin student is taught to bow straight. But if you are not holding the violin bow correctly, you will not be able to bow straight without huge effort and it will affect your performance.

    There are several ways that you can practice holding the bow correctly on the violin. On Amazon you can buy a bow grip which you attach to your bow to help you grip the bow correctly. Or some of my students have actually used elastic bands to train their middle finger and ring finger to stay together.

    There are many ways that you could practice holding the violin bow correctly, but whatever you do, make sure that you practice it right, and don’t practice holding the violin bow incorrectly. This is a very important part of playing the violin.

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    Most difficult instrument to play

    Violin is the most difficult instrument to play

    Yes, that’s right. Violin is the most difficult instrument to play. Google and you will find that out for yourself. But why is violin listed as the most difficult instrument to play and master? Surely it can’t be that complicated!

    Well the truth is, it is a difficult instrument to master and play. There are so many aspects of the violin that is just practically impossible to learn in one day or lesson. Some do, but those are people with a lot of talent. For the most people, it takes years to master how to play the violin.

    One of the reasons the violin is the most difficult instrument to play is because holding the violin and the bow incorrectly can alter the sound a big amount and it will no longer sing. Sometimes people can still get away with it but it will never sound as good as it can and professional unless the posture and holding of the violin and bow is correct.

    Another reason is that if the violin is not held correctly, the bow will not go straight and that will also alter the sound. It will also make it very complicated to actually play it, especially later on when more advanced work is done.

    Violin is the most difficult instrument to play because of all the technique that needs to be mastered to make it work. It can take years to master the technique that is needed to be a good violinist.

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    Holding the violin correctly is important

    Why holding the violin correctly is important

    Many people start out with the wrong posture and learning how to hold the violin incorrectly. They practice the violin, sometimes for years, and then realize that getting further is going to be complicated. This is why holding the violin correctly is VERY IMPORTANT to playing correctly.

    When you hold the violin the wrong way, not only do you not make a beautiful sound, but you also hamper your progress in the long run. Later on, when you get to more complicated pieces to play you will find one of the following scenarios if you have not held the violin correctly from the start

    • Your sound will be horrible and won’t sing
    • Your bow will be playing skew
    • Your fingers won’t be able to reach the fingerboard properly
    • You won’t be able to play in position correctly
    • You muscles and bones will hurt
    • You won’t be able to play vibrato

    The list goes on. But I cannot stress enough how important it is to hold the violin correctly from the start. This is paramount to any successful violin playing in the future.

    Many students have arrived at my music lessons holding the violin incorrectly. I then need to first teach them the basics again of how to hold the violin correctly before I can move on and proceed to continue teaching them where they left off. This is why holding the violin correctly is such an important part of getting the basics right.