Have you recently bought your own violin? Have you already enrolled at any violin class? You need some formal lessons to be able to learn how to play this musical instrument. Although it has strings, it doesn’t have any frets like the guitar. Therefore, you can’t trust on any plucking skill alone to be able to produce the sound.

In playing this instrument, you have to use the bow. Hence, you should know how to use it. It is not all about moving it to and fro. You must learn the necessary positions to employ so that you can properly execute the appropriate bowing technique. At the same time, there are certain positions of the instrument which you should also practice.

So, how do you play the violin when in fact you are yet to learn a lot of things? What if you are a beginner, can you still play if efficiently? Perhaps the difference will lie on the confidence of the musician. The pros are certain to play with all of their skills, mastery, and of course, their confidence. If you have been playing the instrument all your life, then, it only follows that you are more self-assured as you face people. On the other hand, an amateur is likely to have the mindset that he is not yet as good as anybody else. With constant practice, you too can be the master of your craft.

The following are some of the very essential tips for those who are just beginning to unravel their own prowess in playing the violin.

Learn the basics. If the basics have been wrongly grasped, then, the execution will also be done wrong. If this happens, one is sure to happen and that is you will not be able to produce the right sound for your music.

Learn the parts and maintenance needs. Your instrument is made up of a myriad of parts. Thus, you should know each of them and what they do. Most importantly, you must know how to take good care of your musical instrument to ensure that its life is going to be prolonged.

One of the best skills that you have to develop is that of using both of your left and right hands. Your left hand’s main use is that of fingering. There are techniques that you must be familiar with regarding the use of your hand to properly hold the instrument. The proper position actually lets you express the sound in the right way. Meanwhile, the right hand is mainly used for holding the bow. One effective way of bowing is by firstly playing the violin in a very slow motion. This will train you to learn the various angles that your bow can go to. That is, from one end to the other.

Practice your active listening skills. The ears should be trained to listen intently as to whether the right notes are being played. The ears are also used to know if the violin is in the right position and if the hand is in the correct place.

Most amateurs think that starting out with the fundamentals of violin playing is such a daunting task. Every beginner must understand that it is the burning passion that makes things easy. Furthermore, discipline and training are two of the vital factors that are to be developed so that it will be less complicated to learn the pertinent skills and techniques.

How do you play the violin? What is the experience like?

Learning how to play the violin can be a difficult endeavor yet it is a rewarding experience. Playing this musical instrument actually takes a lot of knowledge and skill. One should know the proper way of holding it, using the fingers to execute the notes, and then sounding the notes. All of which are garnered through a formal lesson. Taking up violin lessons is one of the best ways to learn the efficient way of holding and playing it. Although workbooks and online tutorials are already popular these days, it still pays off to have a teacher to assist you every step of the way.

This article is meant to enhance your knowledge on how you can effectively play it.

Holding the Violin

Holding the violin in its right position is very vital. An incorrect position of the instrument leads to the difficulty of playing it. It is not only uncomfortable on the part of the musician but it may not likewise produce a good sound.

The left arm is supposed to be curved at the base of the body of the violin and must be placed around and over the neck. This will allow the hand and the fingers to position over the strings. The chin rest is then placed in between the chin and the left shoulder. Meanwhile, the right arm should be situated in front of the face so the bow will be able to pluck the strings accordingly.

This knowledge in proper positioning of the violin then leads the musician towards fingering the right notes. In contrast with the guitars, violins don’t have frets. Therefore, as the musician, you should train yourself to listen very well to the notes. Your ears should be sharp in taking note if your bow is plucking the right notes on the fingerboard.

Positions of the Violin

The violin is held in four different positions. The first position is actually the farthest from the musician’s face. It is the position used to sound the low-pitched notes. The fourth position is the one used to sound the highest notes. The violin is then placed further up the neck.

The strings of this musical instrument are tuned according to the lowest towards the highest. They are placed in order as G, D, A, and E. The violinists can also play the open strings which mean that they can play the string even without pressing on it. More so, they can also change the tone produced by the string by means of applying pressure.

Sounding the Notes

When the fingers touch the notes, they create the sound. Therefore, there are various ways of sounding them. The bow can be dragged across the strings that need to be played. Doing so creates a long and steady sound. The musician can likewise play the pizzicato which means plucking the strings with the fingers using the right hand. This creates the staccato sound.

Playing the violin is not just about knowing how to play the notes. It is more of understanding the right position of the instrument, using the bow, fingering the notes, reading the notes, and playing the music by ear. These tips are sure to help you understand your instrument more. Hence, start learning these basics now!

Burnout. That could be the exact word to explain what you are feeling after years of playing violin. It is understandable because a lot of people experience the same thing in their daily endeavors, even those who are playing instruments aside from violin. Perhaps, you are starting to feel exhausted from daily practice, thus you find playing it more like a chore now than something which is fun to do. Although that feeling is understandable, you can always find ways on how to regain your desire to play the violin.

First, you have to remember the very reason why you attended violin lessons. Was it because you were fascinated with how violinists play in the orchestra? Was your family inclined to music, your dad playing the guitar, your mom playing the piano, and your siblings playing other instruments as well? Or was it because the moment you first held a violin, you knew for a fact that playing it was meant for you? Whatever that reason, you must think about it real hard because that will probably make you feel good and regain your enthusiasm to play.

Second, you have to go back in time and think about all those things that you have learned so far on playing violin. Go back to your first day of attending your violin lesson and remember how you felt the first time you held the violin and the bow. Was it good? Then, think about the first note you played, then the next, and the next, until you completed playing one song. Also, remember how you thought it was difficult at first and almost gave up in the middle of your lessons.

All these memories will make you realize that you have done so much for learning how to play the violin, so now is not the time to lose that passion. You’ve invested not only your time and skills but also your effort for this. So, do you think it will make you feel any better if you put everything to waste just because you’re burned out?

Third, to really get your desire back, why not listen to the music of great violinists? Listening to the music of great masters like Paganini may bring your motivation back and once again, be inspired to be like those masters. But if you have videos of their performances, better watch them because these will sure have a positive effect on your thinking, making you want to play that violin again.

And lastly, if all those three mentioned above do not seem to work, then what you must do now is sit back, relax, and take that much needed break. Forcing yourself to play even if you don’t feel like will just make you feel worse. So perhaps, what you need is a new atmosphere for the meantime. Spend a nice vacation out of town or better yet stay home and bond with the family or your friends. Just stay away from the violin for a while, but make sure it won’t be that long. Resting for two weeks is recommended, but beyond that, it’s a no-no.

So there. Those are the things that you can do to regain your desire to play the violin. Remember, don’t force yourself in doing something that your mind and body don’t feel like doing for the meantime. Divert yourself to other interests first, until you find yourself having that urge to play again.