It is a challenge to devise a structure that can suitably describe a subject as vast as violin playing. While I have chosen the Left …read more
Violin Left Hand
Holding the Violin
“Hold the violin firmly in the right hand. Swing it up and snuggle it into the neck as closely as possible. Lower it down onto …read more
Angle of Bow in Relation to Violin 1
“Place the violin to suit the length of arm. Too far to the left and the player won’t reach the tip of the bow easily. …read more
Angle of Bow in Relation to Violin 2
“Place the violin to suit the length of arm. Too far to the left and the player has trouble reaching the tip. Too far to …read more
How to Put on a Shoulder Rest
“Freedom in the ball and socket joint is important in violin playing. Angle your shoulder rest on the back of the violin so that this …read more
Example 3
“Some players prefer just to use foam. Choose a dense foam and you can sculpt it into the shape that you need.” While foam does …read more
Playing without a Shoulder Rest
“Think about why you may need to use a shoulder rest. You don’t need one for basic finger patterns. You don’t need one to cross …read more
3rd to 5th Position
When playing without a shoulder rest the left thumb needs to be more active than when we play with a rest. These compensatory movements often …read more
Example 1
“Some players use chinrests that sit over the tailpiece but also extend over to the left.” This chin rest allows you some flexibilty in whether …read more
Play without Head on Chin Rest
Here Fintan demonstrates an active release of the head from the chin rest while playing. Paul Rolland discusses at length the notion of static tens… …read more