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To Zanarkand (Guess how long I've been playing)
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xTaicho
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December 13, 2017 - 8:38 pm
Member Since: December 8, 2017
Forum Posts: 1
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Hello everyone!

I've "recently" started playing the violin and I must say, it's slowly but surely becoming a big part in my life now. I just love to practice and to play this instrument and i hope I'll become a good violinist one day.

This is my first thread here in this forum and I'm hoping I'll get some professional advice, since I've been learning to play the violin all by myself and with the help of some youtube videos. Let's hope I didn't develop any major bad habits...

I'd like you guys to guess how long I've been playing the violin judging by this video...(This will be a big hit for my ego, but please be honest anyway!)

By the way, ignore the third hand part, I haven't practiced that at all so yeah.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....Uvht0TUvZ0

Thanks in advance and have a nice day!
- xTaicho

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ryonass
Maryland
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December 13, 2017 - 9:53 pm
Member Since: November 17, 2017
Forum Posts: 126
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If I had to guess I would say 5-7 months. I didn’t see any major issues but I would say the fingers kind of raise too high. Keep them low to make placing them easier.

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Bella86
Sweden

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December 14, 2017 - 3:12 am
Member Since: June 12, 2017
Forum Posts: 84
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I don't really have an idea about the rate "most" people progress on the violin, and it's all SO individual with so many factors playing a part in it. So how long you've been at it shouldn't matter at all in my opinion. You seem to be doing well though,  especially since you're on your own. Left wrist staying straight. Bow is a bit crooked but it'll even out, do lots of open strings infront of a mirror, it helps a lot . :) The mirror is your friend! And video I suppose, which I would never do myself as I can't stand watching myself.

Your left hand seem very tense too and a bit low. I highly suggest that you get a much higher chinrest. ( shoulderrest too possibly, but everyone argue about this so you just have to decide for yourself what you feel most comfortable with.) You have a really long neck and right now you're bending your head down to hold the violin way too much and it can cause injuries on top of restricting your left hand. I too have a very long neck. I just got a 35mm SAS chinrest, also using a shoulderrest. This still is just a tad too low for me as I don't want to raise the shoulderrest any more as that just hurts my left shoulder, but it helped a lot with relaxing my left hand more as the violing feels more secure when holding it.

Although you don't go up to the frog much so we can see what your pinkie is doing, you do at the beginning and this is based on that. Your pinkie look like it's pretty much locked out straight, it should be curved. In the beginning the pinkie isn't strong enough to counter the weight of the bow. What helped me wih this is doing an exercise with just a pen, whenever I wasn't doing much else. Like infront of the tv or sometimes at work. Hold a pen like you would the bow, and then pull your fingers up, then down again and repeat. There are plenty of videos on exercises to strenghten your hands and fingers, I suggest you search youtube for them. I think Fiddlerman has a short video too on finger flexibility. 

The violin is a very addictive instrument to learn. Even on days when I don't really feel like practicing, but still do, at the end of the session when I have to stop I usually want to continue. :P  

Keep it up! Looking forward to seeing you progress. :D

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
December 14, 2017 - 11:58 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

Welcome to the forum xTaicho,

Thanks for the post and sharing a video so soon. I'm not even going to try to guess how long you've been playing but there are lots of nice things going on in your playing.
Intonation is a constant struggle for everyone and will get better if you devote time to it. One way is to mark the part with arrows up or down while listening to your own performance. I would devote a portion of your practice schedule to working on intonation. It's especially important in the beginning to not engrave bad finger placement memory.
I wonder if you have any neck issues. If not, keep on doing what you are doing but if you get real tired, or pain in your neck, perhaps try to find a shoulder-rest or higher chinrest, that will close that gap a bit more.
With time I want you to work on bowing flexibility but as a beginner you want to take one step at a time. :)
Keep up the great work!!!

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
December 14, 2017 - 12:00 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

Also, you get a critique badge. :) dancingcheerleaderbunny_pole_dancerbanana

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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