Content

• Part 2 of 2: Basic Technique
• Tips
• Warnings

1 Buy a violin. If you are just getting started with this instrument, you do not need to spend a hefty amount of money to buy a violin, however, as is the case with most other musical instruments, the quality of the violin usually increases with the price. Expect to spend over £ 10,000 on a beginner-friendly violin.

• Pay attention to the size. The violin is a small instrument, but smaller versions are also available for children; in short, be sure to buy an "adult" size tool. The seller can help you with advice if you are not sure about something.
• The salesperson can measure your arm length to figure out what size violin you need. Take the violin in the position in which you will play it, and have the seller hold it that way, and you extend your left hand. Your fingertips should be almost flush with the top of the curl. If they go much further, the violin is too small for you.
• Buy a violin from a trusted location. Musical instrument sellers do well if their buyers don't find any flaws in their instruments. As a beginner, you won't be able to get any pleasant sound out of your instrument for a while, so you may not find a flaw in a hand-bought violin until it's too late to complain. Buy a violin from a store or someone you trust.

SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

Dalia miguel

Experienced violin teacher Dahlia Miguel is a violinist and violin teacher from the San Francisco Bay Area. Studying music teaching and violin playing at California State University, San Jose, has been playing the violin for over 15 years. Teaches students of all ages and performs with various symphony orchestras in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Dalia miguel
Experienced violin teacher

What do the specialists do: “I usually recommend that parents rent a violin for their child until the child grows up. If you buy a violin for a young child, you will have to replace it every two years as the child grows, which will be very expensive. ”

2 Check the completeness of your purchase. The violin must be accompanied by four strings, a bow, hard case, bridge, chin rest and bow rosin. In most cases, the violin dealer will be happy to tune it for you, allowing you to double-check how the tuning pegs fit the tuning box.A hard case is necessary because the violin is an extremely fragile instrument.

• There are three main types of strings: strings - expensive and difficult to maintain, but with a multifaceted sound; steel - sounding loud and bright, but sometimes a little rough; and synthetic - the sound of which is soft, clear and not as unpredictable as that of the veins. Speaking about the material of the string, we mean the core, around which there is always a layer of metal winding. For most beginners, strings with a synthetic core, such as nylon core, are best suited.
• The bow must be new or fitted with a new string. How new is the string on the bow can be checked by eye: the color of the fibers (white or white with a metallic tint) should be uniform and bright along its entire length. The width of the string must be the same throughout its length.
  • Bows wear out over time. You can string a new string onto your bow for a small fee at many record stores.

3 Purchase missing accessories as needed. Almost all violinists use a chin rest - an inexpensive plastic fixture, usually black, for additional chin restraint, which is attached to the opposite side of the body from the neck. In addition, you will need bow rosin, a music stand, and a beginner's manual, preferably in a format so that the book can be left open.

• Some violinists, especially beginners, also acquire a bridge - a support plate the same width as the violin that attaches to the bottom of the violin and makes it easier to hold while playing. Many people start playing the bridge violin and stop using it after a few years of playing. If the violin bumps into your shoulder while playing, consider purchasing a bridge.
• Violinists performing folk music often rest the butt of the violin against their shoulder when playing, and they usually do not need a chin and a bridge.
• A tuner is a small piece of equipment that attaches to the head of a violin. It is useful for beginners who are learning to play on their own by making sure you are playing the notes correctly. But when you have already learned how to play notes, the tuner is no longer needed, except for tuning the instrument itself. Be sure to film it before live performances as it looks unprofessional.

Part 2 of 2: Basic Technique

1. 1 Pull up the bow. When you have set the music rest and the notes are in front of your eyes, open the case and take the bow. The hair on the bow should be loosened. Pull up the bow by turning the barrel clockwise until there is enough space between the hair and the reed so that you can freely draw a pencil between them from one end of the bow to the other.
   • The hair should not be too loose or pulled tight. It should not be parallel to the wooden bow reed - the reed should be slightly curved.
   • Do not use the little finger for this: if the hair is contaminated with sebum, the sound produced by the bow is impaired.
2. 2 Treat the bow with rosin. There are two types of rosin: dark and light. Both types are suitable for beginners, including for the price. Usually these are rectangular bars of solid translucent material in paper or cardboard packaging. Take the rosin bar by the wrapped sides and gently but vigorously run it along the entire length of the hair three or four times. It is necessary to leave some of the powdered rosin on the hair in order to make its surface more sticky.
   • If the rosin does not seem to produce "dust," take a key, sandpaper, coin, or something sharp and run the object over the block. With sufficient pressure, there should be a few streaks on the rosin.
   • Excessive rosin on the hair will cause the bow to cling to the strings, making a grating sound. If this happens, it's okay: after a few hours of playing, some of the rosin will be erased.
   • If the hair is new, more rosin may be required than usual. After three to four passes, run the flat side of the hair ribbon over the string to see how clean it sounds. If the sound is not clear enough, add more rosin.
3. 3 Tune your violin. Set the bow aside and remove the violin from the case. The strings, from lowest to highest, should be tuned to G, D, A, and E, respectively. In order to make it easier for yourself, you can purchase an electronic tuner for about 1000-1500 rubles, depending on the brand and quality. Much of the tuning is done with the tuning pegs in the tuning box next to the curl, but if the string is just slightly out of tune with the note you want, you can use the small metal tuning knobs built into the tailpiece, called a fine tuning tool, instead. or cars. When you are satisfied with the tuning, put the violin back in the open case.
   • To tune, you can also use a tuning fork or find a record of the desired note on the Internet.
   • Not all violins have a fine tuning tool, but you can install one at a music store. The tuning fork can only be set on the E string. On some violins, tuning forks are installed to tune all the strings, while on others, only to tune one.

   Here's a mnemonic trick to help you remember the order in which the strings are tuned (lowest to highest):
   withobaki Rcaustically ljubilee munits (s - salt, p - re, l - la, m - mi).

   
   
4. 4 Take the bow. To begin with, carefully place the middle of your index finger on the wrapping (the part of the bow reed wrapped in wire, usually a few centimeters behind the last). Place the tip of the little finger on the flat part of the cane at the level of the last, slightly bending the little finger. The ring and middle fingers should lie on the last itself, flush with the tip of the little finger, the tips on the side of the last. The thumb should be on the other side of the cane, against the last, next to or on the hair.
   • You may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but over time it will become a habit.
   • Your hand should be relaxed and your fingers slightly bent, as if you were holding a small ball. The palm should not be too close to the bow or touch it. This negatively affects the ability to control the bow and becomes more important, the better your playing skills.
5. 5 Take the violin. Stand or sit with your back straight. Take the violin by the neck with your left hand and place it with its end against the neck. Place the end of the backboard on the collarbone and hold the instrument in place with your jaw.
   • The angle of the jaw (under the earlobe) is not the chin! - must lie on the chin. This will help you avoid slipping the violin off your shoulder. This is why it seems like the violinists you've seen on TV are always looking down and to the right.
6. 6 Now take the violin properly. Place your left hand under the top of the neck and hold the violin with the curl facing away from you. Hold the neck firmly with your thumb on the side of the neck and your other four fingers on the fretboard.
   • Avoid the so-called "waiter's hand" where your left wrist touches the neck, as if you were carrying a tray. If this grip is not corrected, it can become a habit.
   • While you are just learning, your hand should be as close to the tuner box as possible; at the same time, you need to be able to descend the bar with your index finger. Eventually you will learn how to slide your hand up and down the fretboard and hit high notes quickly.
7. 7 Play the strings. Place the flat section of the bow hair approximately midway between the bridge (the fragile, upright piece that holds the strings taut) and the fretboard parallel to the top.Move your bow along the strings, keeping it straight, parallel to the stand, applying slight pressure. You should get a sound. Now try the same thing with the bow tilted 45 degrees towards the base.
   • The harder you press on the strings, the louder the sound you make, but if you push too hard, the sound will come out grating. By lightly pressing on the bow and sliding it along the strings from one end to the other, you should make a continuous sound; if the sound is interrupted, you will need to apply rosin to the bow again.
   • If you play too fast towards the stand, the sound can also be squeaky.
   • Tilting the bow towards the neck will produce a clearer sound.
8. 8 Practice playing open strings. Open strings are strings that you don't pinch with your fingers. The bar should rest between your thumb and forefinger. The wrist, elbow, shoulder of the right hand and the point of contact between the bow and the string must be in the same plane. You can change the string you are playing by raising or lowering your elbow and thus changing the bow. Try to play with short strokes, passing 15 centimeters across the strings in the middle of the bow; then try playing half the bow from the block to the middle of the bow in both directions. As you develop your movement, increase the amplitude until the entire bow is playing.
   • Short and long bow movements are equally important for violin playing, so don't feel like you're wasting time practicing short bow techniques.
   • Keep practicing until you are comfortable with one string without hitting the rest. It is important to be able to control your movements so that you do not accidentally play an extra note where it is not needed.
9. 9 Practice playing other notes. It takes a lot of practice to be able to adjust bow pressure and finger placement to produce a clear sound at a certain pitch. Start with your strongest index finger. Press down on the E string (highest sounding) with the tip of your index finger. You don't have to press the string as hard as if you were playing the guitar: press lightly but firmly. Move your bow along the E string - the sound should be higher. If you are holding the violin correctly, your finger should hit an inch or so below the nut at the end of the fretboard by itself. You should have a F note.
   • Add new notes. Now that you've learned how to play a clean note, try holding the same string with your middle finger slightly lower. Hold the string with both fingers and play a different, higher note. Then, place your ring finger behind your middle finger and play another note. The little finger is also used for playing, but it is much more difficult to adapt it for playing the violin. For now, keep training your index, middle, and ring fingers.
   • Play other strings. Try playing four notes (open string gripped with index, middle, and ring fingers) on all four strings. Notice how hard you have to hit each string to get a clear sound.
10. 10 Try playing scales. Gamma is a sequence of notes in which the notes go in ascending or descending order (usually 8, sometimes 5), which starts and ends with the same note in different octaves. A suitable scale for beginners is the D major scale, which starts with an open D string. Place your fingers in the above order and play the notes in the following order: D (open string), E, ​​F sharp, G (hold with your ring finger). To complete the scale, play the next highest open A string and then use the same pattern to play that B string, C sharp, and finally D, while holding the string with your ring finger.
    • A correctly played scale in D major (and any major scale) should sound the same as the well-known vocal scale “do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si-do”.If you have no idea what this is about, search the Internet or watch the musical "The Sound of Music": the song "Do-re-mi" presented in this film will help to clarify the situation.
    • If you can't get the sound right, remember: your index finger grips the string a finger's width from the nut, your middle finger grips a finger's width from your index finger, and your ring finger should touch your middle finger. If you want, you can ask the salesperson at the music store or your teacher to mark the necessary places on the fretboard with paper tape - this way, you will have a visual clue.
    • There are also other types of scales such as minor, overtone, and pentatonic (five-note) scales, but these can be learned later.
11. 11 Practice every day. Start with short workouts (15–20 minutes) and increase each day until you get to an hour a day, or as long as you can. Professional violinists practice violin playing for at least three hours a day, but they receive money for playing the violin. Practice as much as you think is sane, and don't slow down. Even playing a few simple songs may take months of practice, but in the end you will succeed.

Tips

• Play slowly as you train, then increase your pace. As in the case of typing on the keyboard, the hands themselves will remember the necessary movements.
• The bow should slide easily over the strings. Otherwise, they are either not tight enough, or they need to be lubricated with rosin.
• Find a teacher and things will go much faster. Look for a teacher at local universities, conservatories, orchestras.
• Take lessons at least once a week. Even short classes once a week can be incredibly rewarding.
• Clean off any rosin residue from the violin after each session. Use a clean, dry, soft cloth to remove any deposits from the strings, from and under the fretboard, and from the soundboard around the stand. Do not remove rosin from the bow.
• If you have difficulty keeping the rhythm while playing the violin, use a metronome.
• If you don't have the money to buy a violin, you can always rent one. Rental violins always come with a bow, case and strings.
• Do not leave the bow taut after playing; this can damage the bow and a new bow can be expensive.
• Be careful when buying a violin online: you will almost never find a quality instrument, and the price of a violin may be lower than the price of repairing it.
• It can take years to perfect a violin, so be patient.

Warnings

• Always handle the instrument with great care. Do not drop or throw it, protect it from high and low temperatures, as well as from moisture. The same applies to the bow.
• If you are not too sure about the tuners, ask someone with more experience, such as a teacher, record shop employee, or violinist friend, to help you tune the violin for you. It is easy enough to break a violin string (especially a steel string) by turning the peg too far. Pulling on a new string is tedious and time-consuming.
• Usually, the price of a violin matches its sound, but this is not always the case. Don't be fooled into trying to get the best sounding violin. Let's repeat: expensive doesn't always mean good.