Achieving The Right Violin Hand Posture


By Ora Dickson


Perfecting all instruments highly depends on attaining and maintaining the professional posture. All string instruments heavily rely on balance. The basic principle is to ensure that when standing, all your weight is distributed evenly on both feet. Achieving the right violin hand posture affects vibrato, intonation, shifting, tone and bow stroke, among other aspects of instrumentation.

Balance is fundamental for movement and the duration you can stand as you practice or perform. When in a standing position, the distance between one foot and the other should be shoulder width. This allows you to stand tall and lengthen your spine. It will increase the hours of practice and keep you off fatigue.

Slouching causes numerous problems including poor bowing and positioning of the instrument. A professional will guide you as you learn any musical instrument. If a professional is not available, graphical directions can be followed with the assistance of a mirror. The caution given at this point is to avoid practicing the wrong thing using a mirror. It will be counter productive.

Students should understand the importance of the right pose before learning to hold or even play the instrument. These are the basics that will eventually affect how easy you hit your professional targets. It also is advisable to learn the standing position before the sitting one. It makes it easier to associate the other basics with attaining a professional level.

Playing the violin at a standing position gives you a lengthened feeling. It is easier to achieve balance as you play. Balance is a major challenge for students during instrumentation. Learners who make this a priority find it easier to attain professional level of instrumentation.

Learners of violas, basses and violins make a common mistake of crossing their legs during practice or performance. It is common to see others overburdening one foot by using the wrong position. The aspects that will suffer due to wrong positioning include the length of bowing, finger movement and duration of practice or performance. You will easily get tired during performance. Slouching is another mistake that mainly affects the upper body. Any skill, and especially instrumentation, is easy to master when the basics are right.

The trick to achieving a professional pose is to consider musical instrumentation as a physical skill before anything else. Emphasis is on achieving the professional position during initial sessions or for the first month. This will be followed by the central role of sound in instrumentation. The rush should not be to learn the first song at the expense the correct pose.

Though the weight should be distributed evenly between the two feet, the right foot carries more than the left. This is done by placing it slightly to the front. If the session is long, weight shifting is advisable where you alternate the leg that is in front. It helps you relax the muscles and therefore play or practice longer.

Achieving the right position makes it easier to learn the other skills. The maiden songs, that are the primary focus of most parents and teachers, will be easier and rapid to get. This is the easiest way to master advanced skills. It forms part of the basics upon which all the other aspects are built.




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