Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.
Private messaging is working again.








Advanced member

So, I know the FM has said he does not have his student use tape to mark first position and instead has them learn through listening. However, for me, having no real music background, I am finding it very difficult to find those subtle differences with my intonation. Unless I am using the Tuner, I dont hear it.
I was looking at the Applique for the finger board as a way to help me build muscle memory with my fingers and wanted to see if anyone else has used these and what the thoughts are.
To me it seems a good learning tool to start out with as it would provide positive tactile reinforcement on finger placement and then could later just be removed, but since I don't really know what I am talking about, I figure I should ask.

When I started out on this journey I used an applique called first frets. There was no raised frets but just lines in the applique. It made it easier for me to start to find where to put my fingers. If you didn't look at it than it was like not having anything there. I think since it did not have any tactile assist when you take it off you notice no difference.

Honorary advisor
Regulars
I also used the First Fret for a few months, but I found that as my ear became more developed the lines on the applique were not quite on the note. I took the FF off and applied regular tapes which were positioned using an electronic tuner - much cheaper and they come off easier, too.
Mary in Springfield, Oregon http://www.thefiddleandbanjopr.....dpress.com

I was amused with my wife and her cello appliques/tapes. She was initially very glad to use them but then realized that watching the sheet music was very important. Something had to go and she very quickly ignored the markers.
I think that markers are initially reassuring when the fingerboard looks so unfriendly at the start. I needed no assistance with notes but I sure would welcome the reflexes and coordination of a (much) younger person.

Hmmm... I never used marks on fingerboard . And never saw anybody with them (i mean off line). In the school where i have my violin lessons nobody use them too. Even those little beginners (children 5-9 years old), no tapes/dots/frets... But if You think that it could be useful for You, why just not to try them? Many people start with them and find very helpful!! I don't think that there'll be any harm if You try!!

I am glad you asked this question as a brand spanking new to music and violin student, I wonder if my ear is giving me the correct feed back. If I had a live teacher saying. " you are a bit off.." then I would feel reassured. My family tells me my c major one octave scale is getting better.... But....
I see some of the fret applique products and it seems like there would be less guess work...well of course less .
I have a tuner coming today....so once I am confident that my instrument is in tune I think I will be more confident with my fingering.
I would rather learn without....but I really would like to make more progress ..faster.
So far it is love at first sight with my violin, playing and practicing.....I am obsessed...
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato

Advanced member

Coolpinkone.
Each person learns different and I am one who like to try things till I find what works for me, so I asked this and now.......after I gave this a lot of thought and the feed back I received. I opted to use the Online tuner. http://www.seventhstring.com/t.....r.html ( So if you have a mic on your PC this works well ) and what I did was just used some painters tape and cut it into really thin strips and then placed in on the finger board. Then I would play Twinkle twinkle with long bow strokes and watch the tuner more than the Tapes and found that initially the tapes helped for a general reference, but I really quickly was having better luck just doing repetive scales using a long bow stroke and watching the tuner. This not only is helping me build muscle memory for my finger placements, but also keeps me from always looking at the finger board and just seeing where my fingers were.
I found that with tapes. I was always looking at my fingers and moving them based on sight and not sound. Using the tuner actually helped me focus on the sound.
Don't know if that helps you, but it is my experience


Fiddlerman said
Do you mean that the one note "B natural" sounds bad or the B drone?
B natural sounds bad not the B drone!! i beleve drone can't sound bad by itself LOL =))) XD =) But it's all about my ears.. i can't find the way to make B sound good with A drone - wherewer i put my finger and no matter how i try to correct it - it's ugly =) The same thing with D drone and E natural =/ i cant make them sound good whatever i do <8/

Thank You I will try harder! But i do it, especially trills =) and still cant get the right sound - it sounds bad even on synthesizer (like E+D or A+B together) so i can find a good B and E single or E+C or B+#F because they sound fine together, but when they are with something else i immediately lose it . I noticed it when started to learn double stops. and that why i still can't play them......wwwwwww
LOL! /went to play intonation game...again/

Fiddlerman said
... You just don't like the sound of a major 2nd. ...
Is there a way to like it?
Or i just have to get used to hear this sound? Or i started to learn double stops too early and have to improve my intonation skills first - to be insured and don't worry about those sounds? =)
Thank You! =)
1 Guest(s)

