Reach the Bow Tip EVEN With Short Arms | Customizing Your Violin/Viola Setup

Are you a violinist or violist with short arms and have trouble reaching the tip of the bow while keeping it parallel to the bridge? Playing the violin or viola with short arms requires some tweaks to have a more comfortable instrument hold and improved bow control. This video offers two adjustments to consider in your instrument setup. Please keep in mind that all of our anatomies are different so you will have to experiment - it's never a one-size-fits-all solution.
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Inna Langerman
•Violin teacher
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•Assistant concertmaster at Manhattan Opera Studio
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[@claudiacorrea3919]

Thank you Inna! Love your videos dedicated to small hands/short fingers-arms violin players.

[@Violinna]

You're very welcome! 🙂 Thank you for watching

[@donstine5233]

Inna, I saw your video on "short arm bowing" so I had to watch it. I am an adult man but I have short-ish arms as well as stubby fat fingers. I should have taken up bass guitar instead. I had already switched to a center-mounted chin rest but still struggled, and then I saw your simple solution of moving the instrument more to the front. Problem nearly solved. I just need to work on it but I can reach the tip. Now if I could just solve the problem of "lifted pinkie" when fully extended. Meh, one thing at a time.

[@Violinna]

Hi, glad you're making progress with this! By lifted pinky you mean that it goes off the stick when at the tip? If so, it isn't really a "problem" as long as you can put it back down curved going back up :) (Of course, can't answer 100% without seeing a photo, but this is my guess)

[@ViolinHobby]

Great analysis. Brilliant as usual Inna.👍👍👍🙏

[@Violinna]

Thanks Tony! 🙂🙏

[@carinamifuel9312]

BLESS YOU. I've felt like a freak my entire life and figured I was just a bad violinist until I watched this.

[@Violinna]

Be kind to yourself and happy practicing ;)

[@JimmyQuango]

Great work Violinna! Love to watch your clips. Maybe one day i will start playin' this wonderful instrument. Big like from Hamburg and greetings, Jimmy

[@Violinna]

Thank you so much Jimmy!

[@AprilClaytonflute]

Such a great resource as always!

[@Violinna]

Thanks so much, April!😊

[@michaelhull2053]

Streaming marathon tonight!

[@darlenerivest148]

Great video! I had tried having my instrument more in front of me, but found that my should would roll forward. I like the higher position on the shoulder for both of the reasons that you mentioned. Thank you for another great video Inna!!

[@Violinna]

Thanks Darlene! Glad we can both relate🙂

[@kayaviola]

Such a helpful and clear video! 🎻🎻🎻🎻 love it!!!!!

[@Violinna]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you =)

[@MichaelWHull]

Great instructional video as always!

[@Violinna]

Thank you, Michael!

[@movingtargetschannel]

Not "short arms!" cute and petite! 😉🙂❤️

[@Violinna]

Same thing😊

[@momoma533]

Hello Inna, nice video! I am short, too and trying a lot with my violin holding. I also tried bringing it higher on the shoulder, but I found, that the violin has not so much stability there and it always wants to slip down or more: by bringing it higher on the shoulder the contact/fixing angle between chin and violin is different and it kind of causes a rotation of the violin to the middle. Do you have any thoughts/ideas? Btw: I am playing with shoulder rest. Best Myriam

[@Violinna]

Hi Myriam, thank you for your comment. It's difficult to give specific suggestions without seeing you, as setup details become individual. Often shoulder rests are shaped a certain way, so their design causes fewer adjustment options to be available. Chinrests also affect results in setup quite a lot - maybe even more so. Sometimes change of chinrest is what creates better stability, but honestly, it's really best to get fitted with a professional. In any case, button of the violin should make contact with the neck.

[@davedonnie6425]

I don't have short arms but I'm having this issue. My teacher told me to move my right foot forward a little bit, and that helped at my lesson, but now I'm practicing by myself and can't figure out how to do it again

[@Violinna]

Thanks for your comment! Maybe you can do a video recording of this part at your next lesson so you can use it as a guide at home =)

[@dbingamon]

Where did you get the center chin rest?

[@Violinna]

The one in this video is a standard Berber model that I got at Shar, but not too long after, I actually got custom fitted for another version of it. Chinrests.com is a great place for custom fittings!

[@newstyle81]

Can you make video for how to keep your bow middle of strings, my bow is more in fingerboard side :(

[@Violinna]

Yes!

[@shiragoldmusic]

Thank you so much! Could you please make a video about small hands bow hold and right hand tips in general?

[@Violinna]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching. There will definitely be more bow videos. Meanwhile, check out my "Violin Technique' playlist for what's already there. :)

[@shiragoldmusic]

@@Violinna thanks!

[@CarolruizNlpiano]

I have short arms too...😅

[@Violinna]

🙏😁

[@dariuszpotka1281]

0:33 von.immo

[@thanospizzaman4021]

You speak, speak, speak..no play 😁😁😁

[@Violinna]

Welcome - if you want to listen to me play or practice instead, that's in a different playlist, and also on my Instagram. This channel is primarily for education purposes.