Violin Techniques / Resetting the Left Hand

[@childofdestiny2811]

I am conservatory trained, and didn’t get a lot of these lessons. I really feel like I should be paying you a lesson fee every time I watch your videos! Really really grateful.

[@peterspagnolo2505]

Better than a thousand days of study - one day with a great teacher.

[@FiddlerNick]

I've been playing violin as an amateur for 55 years, but in the last few years playing folk music a lot with bands. After playing a non-stop 2 hour set in a gig recently I was experiencing fatigue and cramps in my left hand and decided it was high time to go back to basics with my technique and posture and do a bit of "re-setting". Your videos are really really helpful! Very clear and well explained . Excellent! Thank you!

[@cristiansicilia1286]

As a beginner i never heard my violin ringing so well after watching this video, that low Eb blown my mind away... I just feel that it is a different type of resonance from the one I'm used to listening to, it doesn't seem to come from the strings themselves, but from the instrument itself! (For example with the sixth D-B(flat or not) I expected to hear the D string vibrate out of sympathy, but that G with the major sixth and that Eb with the minor sixth do not seem to come from the vibration of the G string, it is a sound I had never heard!). Thank you so much for all your wonderful videos❤🇮🇹

[@comparticello]

I am cellist and have been learning a lot with your videos. It’s very rare to see people who think about technique and explain it clearly. Thank you very much! Best regards from Berlin.

[@edmonda.9748]

Great great video. I wish I knew about this technique 10 years a go. It puts your fingers, wrist ... in the positions I had been looking for for years. Great job.

[@zenbright9213]

As a beginner i find this helpful and beneficial to me playing in the correct form

[@nb7524]

Hello, thank you so much for creating this video. Watching this video showed me the challenges that I have and exactly how I am hindered in my playing. My left hand definitely needs to be reset. I have had problems from the beginning starting with tension, improper hand placement, articulation and speed. As you mentioned in the video these problems have prevented me from being able to make good progress; I’ve been stuck for a long time. I have never been shown the techniques you mentioned in this video. It has been very frustrating knowing that my left hand is wrong, yet not being able to correct it despite seeking instruction from my previous teachers. Even though I am only an enthusiastic hobbyist in my skill level, I truly love the violin and I still want to play as best as I can. I look forward to going back to the previous videos you referenced to learn from them. Thank you again!🙂

[@danieltran9634]

Wow, we get this kind of content on KZbin, for free. Thank you!

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Hope you are a subscriber :)

[@sm9846]

Thank you so much for your explanations ! Warm greetings from Iran

[@letrasimperfectas]

Very helpful as always, thank You so much Julia

[@irmtrudagnoli3551]

great video - I got a samll hand it just makes a lot of differences but the basic is similar great video thank you

[@DigitalBibleSocietyChannel]

Very Nice DeLane!

[@MichaelCCB]

Awesome! Your videos its so good, help a lot to learn and to teach to our students, Thank you very much :)

[@michaelblaney4461]

Having training available to you must be a great thing . Most have no access to it unless your in a wealthy school district . The exclusivity of viol instruments will eventually be their undoing ( in the US).

[@ViolinClassUSA]

You are right, unfortunately...

[@BiplabGhosh]

Nice lessons mam

[@abcc02]

As a fellow teacher, my question is: do you consider her position of violin might be slightly to much to the left, and weather you will consider to change it slightly? I understand she's quite tall and it might not affect her performance to much.. Sometimes it works just fine, when it's natural. Kind regards, Andrej

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Thank you for your thoughtful comment and for being a subscriber. I have not thought of adjusting her violin position as nothing seems to bother her on a physical level... I do not like changing things when they work :)

[@deperonnet]

Thank you Professor. I listened carefully to your video. Could we think that if playing at an increasing level at a conservatory and training some hours by day WITHOUT any pain, our hand-fingers-elbow-shoulders-cervical rachis positions might probably be good efficient and accurate ?

[@ViolinClassUSA]

I am not sure I understand the question... Would you please rephrase it?

[@deperonnet]

@@ViolinClassUSA practicing several hours by day since 2015, If I had no pain at all , does it mean that the positions of my body (cervical rachis, shoulders , elbows , hands and fingers are correct? (From 8 years old to 16 years old I have had an excellent violin professor)

[@guillermomaciel3689]

GREAt Video! Ms. B

[@pluutoop]

Incredibly helpful video. I have short chubby fingers and in order to play with my 4th finger in first position I have no choice but to stretch it. Is there any specific thing I can do to make it more flexible or do I just push my elbow inwards. Thank you ❤️

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Try to position your 4th finger first and then 'stretch down' from its place to place the other fingers. With the degree of bringing the elbow "in," you will need to experiment. If your hand is very small, you may need some wrist help (something that I do not recommend to bigger hands). Hope this helps.

[@pluutoop]

@@ViolinClassUSA thank you so much dear teacher ❤️

[@tachikararules]

@ViolinClass If I may, what are the name of the exercises that you mentioned in this video and how can I find it? I am an adult student and I recently experienced the pain that you described in the video related to a tight left hand and wrist. I believe that is what occurred when my instructor introduced me to double stops. I articulated to her some beneficial feedback as an adult student with immense use of my hands prior to playing the violin and not having the flexibility in my hands as someone younger. There was no encouragement to physically prepare and Warm up prior to picking up the instrument. I am a prior collegiate athlete and personal trainer so I understand Warm Ups and cool downs. Now, I Warm up my hands, wrist, shoulders, and everything else before practicing. I believe that it is so overlooked by many instructors as she stated she hadn't thought about it in that way. So I really really am taking the time to be present with this experience. I'm so grateful for your videos. If you can provide that information, I would be immensely grateful. Thank you.

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Hello- One of the exercises is "The Milstein Exercise." I have a video on it - please find it on the channel. The other ones do not have any names to them :) Just use them from the video. You are very right about the importance of the warm ups. Your comment gives me an idea for the video with all possible warmups that can/should be done before playing. Thank you for your feedback.

[@8Phoenix8]

I found out there's a hidden joint below the bottom joint that stops the double jointed problem. :) for me I have a double jointed pinky.

[@saeedehjavadi1375]

😍very useful

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Glad to hear that.

[@enealiviu4797]

I can't do the Milstein exercise my fingers are so uncomfortable on the fingerboard.😢

[@KMARW]

IS it possible to have french traduction? i love those advices but a part IS Lost because of my poor knowledge

[@jujuekviolin]

Let me ask one question please. I want to know the height of violin bridge because my electric violin bridge has problem that I thought. Thanks

[@ViolinClassUSA]

I do not know anything about electric violins :)

[@otismcfeely6401]

You need to see a luthier if your bridge is too high.

[@juleslemelle9027]

My acoustic violin came with two bridges; a tall and a shorter. I've found the taller one produces a twangier (🤠) sound. The shorter one sounds more conventional. Hope this helps.

[@gregsanford3848]

I'm having great trouble getting my fingers onto the g string

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Ask yourself where your elbow is

[@yeaung6484]

You should show view closely.

[@gregsanford3848]

Left fingers just won't come across to the g

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Make sure your elbow comes 'in' - or 'toward the middle of your chest'

[@violinow1673]

Hello prof, when I play 2343 fast, it is not even. I realised when I lift the pinky, the 3rd finger joint gets flattened slightly ( I guess to lift the pinky quick) and there is a time delay. Can you please advise what to do?

[@ViolinClassUSA]

If I understand correctly, you are double-jointed and the joint collapses slightly?

[@violinow1673]

ViolinClass I don’t think my fingers are double jointed but maybe it collapses with finger pressure(counter pressure to lift pinky quick).It is a very flexible joint though. I will look through some of your other videos thank you.

[@shadrackadem2091]

If this is your freshman 😢! I gave up

[@ViolinClassUSA]

Yes, she was at the time (2 years ago.)

[@philipbarrett3675]

It is with great concern that 'your' Russia invades Ukraine. Please show your revulsion to all your playing friends, showings this is completely wrong.

[@ViolinClassUSA]

I hope you watched my latest video