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.
Currently working on getting badges to show up horizontally. Should hopefully figure that out within a week. Thanks for your patience.
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
(0 votes) 
New member
Offline
Hello! I'm fairly new to the violin. I started playing when I was 6 or 7 but only played for a year or so. Now in my 30s, I'm starting again (I've had three lessons so far). I'm determined to stick with it, despite getting frustrated over how horrible I am! 
One problem I'm having is that my right pinky finger is double jointed. So for the life of me I can't keep it curved on the bow. It "locks" down in a flattened position and I can't get it back up into a curve again without stopping and shaking my hand out.
Is this really the end of the world? Or, does anyone have any tricks or suggestions?? I'd appreciate any help! Thanks!
Offline
My fingers are a bit double jointed too and I had the locking pinky trouble when I played flute for a couple of years in high school.
Now playing the violin Teach helped me by having me keep my knuckles down or flat, hidden. Also reaching down a bit further on the bow with your middle and ring finger helps.
Welcome to the best forum and violin family ever!!
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
Offline
Well, It isn't the end of the world in my book.
I injured my little pinky a few years back and it won't extend or bend down a lot but I figured out how to get around it. I slide a lot! LoL. Of course I'm stuck with a left hand that fingers the notes. A bow hand in my opinion is a LOT more flexible. Just substitute your ring finger for the pinky, let the pinky do what it wants, forget about it.
I don't have a lot of feeling in it so I can't tell except by looking at it if it's touching a string or not. There's always ways around these small inconvenient things.
Give it your best shot and consider what you play and keep it within your abilities like I do. I bow with three and a thumb often so a pinky isn't mandatory to play violin.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
Offline
I actually worked with violinists that are double jointed on their 3rd/4th fingers. It's not as easy as one would think but if you can manage to keep the finger nicely curved, you will have a much easier time. One way is to come under the fiddle a bit more and the other way is to begin less erect. Put down the finger with a little bit of flatness on the string. Lastly, but not least, apply more pressure to the left side of your finger (when looking at the bent finger in playing position).
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
New member
Offline
Thanks, everyone! Guess it's a work in progress.
Fiddlerman - it's my right (bow) pinky, not my left. So the problem is keeping it curved on the bow. It stays curved for one or two bows and then flattens and hyper-extends and locks up. Any tips?
Offline
At what part of the bow does it lock up on? Towards the frog right?
I suppose you can make a splint to keep it curved for a while.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Offline
I found a video that shows the position that helps curve your fingers. See how her knuckles are hidden when her fingers are curled and then pop up when she is straightening her fingers? Or is it that she pops out her knuckles and the fingers straighten!?! LOL!!
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
Offline
Great tips. I like the idea of a splint.
Welcome to the forum and welcome to rejoining the violin world. Never give up.
Happy to have you here.
Cheers, Toni
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
1 Guest(s)
Mouse
Fiddlerman
ELCBK
Strabo
