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I'd like to know if anyone has ideas of how I can practice playing violin without actually playing. I know this sounds ridiculous, but here's my predicament: It's 4:00am and I have this urge, this need to practice playing my violin. However, I don't want to wake the neighbors and do not have the luxury of a silent violin. What can I do that will better my playing without... well, playing.:-/ Is there something productive to do? I'm new so ANY creative ideas are helpful. I tried gently laying a finger over the strings hoping that it would result in a dulled sound, but it sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard. Yikes! Any ideas? Do you think an air violin would actually do me any good? Lol
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Not sure if I am goig to get the spelling correct but watch fiddlermans video on piccatio (sp) its where you pluck the strings and he has a method of plucking that produces a very muted sound. By utelizing that method you can practice your fingering to get the correct tones without making alot of noise.
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Good idea Bob,
Pizzicato 
If it helps you at all play some of the games. The newest game will be SUPER cool but I am having troubles with accuracy. Stay tuned
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Not sure if this will help you or not. I Drive a lot and found a way to practice vibrato without holding the violin. I have a 3 lb weight. I hold it with my left hand in the same position as I hold the violin. Move your arm or hand the way fiddler man shows in the videos, at the same time bend the first knuckle on each finger. This has really helped my coordination with doing vibrato. It also builds those mussels needed to do it smoothly.
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I have one idea.
Take the violin, but skip the bow. Create an "airbow", simply have the hand empty.
And just practice as usually, but HEAR all sounds inside your head instead of producing them from the violin. Try out fingerings of pieces, you will be impressed by how your brain fills in the lacking space, such as sound.
If you have headphones, play with a recording. Use the Force
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Wow, these are ALL awesome ideas. I will try all of them. Definitely the pizzicato helps. This way I can hear the sound to make sure that I DO have my fingers in the right spot. Once I've got that down, lenasv's idea would be awesome. I could even try without the violin and with the bow. Ha, and I thought I was doomed. A little creativity is all I needed
Paul, I really like your weight idea. Definitely not something I ever would've thought of on my own. I will be doing that.
Fiddlerman, my hand is so STIFF. I cannot get my hand to move so swiftly like you show in the video. I practiced for quite some time and I cannot get it down. If I even try to make them move like that, I lose grip of the whole bow. What's up with me? How can I fix that? 
I also have a game idea! 
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Just hold the violin like a guitar, sit back in your easy chair and pluck the bow area with your thumb and practice your left hand scales, patterns and songs. It's fun and works great for TV night.
Like to also add that you can sit back and practice bow in hand and go through the strokes. To me though that doesn't work so well. I need the violin in hand too to get the right angles for each string.
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KewKewKatchew said:
Fiddlerman, my hand is so STIFF. I cannot get my hand to move so swiftly like you show in the video. I practiced for quite some time and I cannot get it down. If I even try to make them move like that, I lose grip of the whole bow. What's up with me? How can I fix that?
I also have a game idea!
As far as the right hand exercise is concerned, I do it fast on the video to shorten the video. Like anything in life you need to start slowly. Need to start with the foundation..... The time you devote to these exercises will pay off later.
You mean that when the notes float by a person should actually play the note on the violin instead of locating the correct fingering on the screen? It might be complicated since there is the intonation element that could destroy the feasibility somewhat. I'll think about it though. Love the idea though. I kind of wanted to develop games that could help people learn to play violin without needing the violin in their hands at all times.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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A light plastic tube. Like from a set of window blinds or maybelike what bow hair is shipped in. Used as a bow but makes hardley a whisper yet you can still hear the note. I have the same urge and have two children that need sleep. Even a heavy rubber mute wasnt enough. Hope this helps
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