Lead Tips for Beginners
To get started to play the violin, here are some main tips for the beginners to take note of to be able to master your violin :)
1) Relax
In playing and learning any kind of instruments, it is always important to relax when playing. If you are too tense, you are more likely to make mistakes.
2) Tapes for your fingerboard
Unlike guitars, violins are fretless as it is too small to have frets. Thus, to assist beginning violinists, beginners are encouraged to use thin straps of colored tape to mark the position on the violin fingerboard where they should place their fingers to train their fingers in playing the violin.
3) Violin Tuning
It is very important to make sure that the strings of the violin are in tune so that the music produced from the violin will not go out of tune. The four strings on the violin are tuned five notes apart from the one next to it: G, D, A, and E (Lowest note is G, highest note is E). Digital tuners are frequently used for tuning, as they are able to detect the note has matched the desired pitch. Pegs (as shown below) on the violin is used to adjust the tune of the violin. The tune is adjusted by turning the pegs right or left until the desired tune is matched.
4) Bow Practice on your open strings
After knowing the proper way to hold the violin and the bow, it is important to start bow practicing to work on your bow control. Bow control is especially important, as the playing of violin requires you to play long, sustained notes. Bow control can be exercised by practicing bow pushes and pulls while moving between the open strings. Bowing should be done from your wrist and elbow, and the bow should not be clenched when playing. You can ask your violin teacher to guide you in the correct way to bow or learn it from online videos.
5) Bow Pressure
Besides having bow control, bow pressure is as equally important to minimize the crunching, squeaky, and awful sounds coming out from your violin. Applying the right amount of pressure on the bow requires practice and patience. Balancing the control and friction of the bow is one of the hardest skill to master. Thus, practicing bowing from the very start is essential!
6) Shoulder Rest
For beginning violinists, it may be uncomfortable to rest your violin on your shoulder as it may cause collarbone pain in long term practicing. A shoulder rest is thus encouraged to use so that holding and playing the violin would be easier and less tiring.
7) Finger Hand Posture
To play the violin fluently, it is important to get your finger hand posture correctly. Your wrist should always be curved slightly with your thumb being opposite from your index finger. There should be an open space between your thumb and index finger.
8) Fingers and bowing in sync
Consistent practice for bowing and fingering respectively is vital for mastering the techniques for playing the violin. After individual practices, you can start to try to synchronize both skills together. Slow playing at the start is recommendable for beginner to pay more attention to the timing and sound of the note, thus getting more familiar with them.
Practice and practice is the most important key to success in playing the violin. It is also recommendable to have a violin teacher to guide you to improve faster.:)
If you are keen to take up violin learning and looking for a Singapore violin teacher, our agency is most happy to help you to find one through our Student-to-Violin Teacher matching service that is free of charge!
Do feel free to contact us if you are interested! Hope these tips have helped you!