Ahh thanks Mouse ! 

A lot happened in my practice session this eve !!

So the first thing was I started using my new note book and writing stuff down ! I was watching a video on the left hand frame and in particular the thumb before I started practicing and there were some good points so I wrote them down.

I’ve always thought my left hand is pretty lousy with my thumb right up at the nut and kind of underneath the neck. II did some open strings moving the thumb up and down the neck . Really happy that my thumb was moving really well wasn’t stuck to the violin and I was really comfy. Then did some scales wasn’t at all in tune I’m guessing because I’ve moved my thumb. But I feel like I can get a better fourth finger. 

So then onto vibrato and oh nooooo Mouse if you are reading this I’ve done what I said I wouldn’t do !!! I found another exercise 🤦‍♀️ I put a tennis ball between the violin shoulder and my wrist and I think it’s a really good position for the arm vibrato and everything and I can do it I can do vibrato ( really slow) when I take it away I get really close to the neck with my index finger and very close to squeezing there however since I’ve moved my thumb … no tension at all no pressing hard !! No black fingers and no stress !! I can’t do it unless I have the tennis ball , without the tennis ball I still can’t vibrate … this is a load of nonsense isn’t it !!? But I’ve made progress. There is no tension but thumb has a mind of it’s own now I’ve unglued it from where it was ! It’s all over the place !

I can’t even get it straight in my head what happened tonight ! When I practice again tomorrow I will update !! But no tension which is huge !!!!

I practiced this evening even though I wasn’t it the right frame of mind. I think I did about 45 minutes. 

Started with scales and made sure my thumb was in the better more upright position . I think I was more in tune so maybe my hand and fingers are getting more used to the playing position.

Then vibrato hmmmm. Definitely not pressing anywhere near as hard which is a big deal however it feels alien in the new position and my thumb seems to go up and down now sure what that’s all about . The best exercise is with the tennis ball it puts everything in the correct position .. oh and I got the metronome out set it to 140 and got it going . I liked it felt comfortable . Took the tennis ball away and started squeezing !!! However if I take my thumb away I’m ok . So I’ve started to very gently add the thumb and keep my mind on not squeezing . 

Also just standing with arms down , bring hand up and doing a bit of hand movements tapping etc I think will help. I think it’s a case of staying with these exercises., get used to new thumb and making sure I don’t squeeze ! 

Hi I’m back 🤣just checking in to say I’m still here slogging away !! Been watching all the vids love Sharon’s foxes !!

I have been away to Holland and stringy’s party came out I should have tried to play Tulips of Amsterdam !! 

Anyway not a lot to report . I was offered a lesson this Saturday but I’m away again !

think I have turned a corner with the tension struggles with my vibrato ! Nowhere near good enough to share yet but hopefully I’ll carry on improving 😀

Hi Grandpa fiddle , Mouse and Emily … I’ve been lurking as they say 😀

Maybe I’ll do Tulips of Amsterdam I do feel like I need a new piece .

forgot to say in my above post about Basics by Simon Fischer. It’s really good. I bought it a while ago but so many diagrams etc and things I didn’t understand but I think it’s actually really good. Lots of light bulb moments . I’ve mostly been working on finger pressure ! So many exercises so if I don’t like it I move onto one I do like .