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(6 votes) 
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I’ve been in a massive slump lately with my violin playing , however there are a few things that are helping me make progress.
Firstly , working on articulation and bringing the finger down quickly onto the note ( hopefully ) and from a height and then an open string in between . . I’m sure it’s mentioned in a video somewhere .. maybe violin lab ? If anyone knows please can you let me know ? I think working on articulation has helped a lot because my fingers were feeling really heavy and stiff. But now I’m practicing scales with an open string between notes ? Is this ok ? Maybe that’s the video I’m thinking of ?
Also I’m tying to think of holding the violin up with my upper body rather than my shoulder head clamping etc.
Another thing to mention , I’ve been practicing with a fingerless glove on my left hand. Think this maybe helping me stop squeezing .
I have definitely improved in the last few practice sessions just from working on articulation and playing an open string between notes .. but is it ok to practice like that .. that’s basically what I’m asking .
Oh and one other thing , I can move my thumb around when I play. I’m sure I could never do this before so I must be making progress. I’m sure my hand is feeling much more relaxed .
Thanks
Katie 😀
p.s we have a new rescue kitty called Pepper .. an absolutely lovely cat !!
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I think whatever you do for less tension can be helpful. For me, I like something like exercise #5 in this video. I did similar type of things to get over excessive grip/tension playing the guitar. Oddly enough for me, even though this is left hand exercise only, it made my right hand and wrist loosen up as well.
But, it is progress and not a destination, so I am still always working on this, and on guitar too (which has been a long time on guitar).
I find it works best for me to just go straight to this when learning new pieces, at least when I can exercise the patience to do so. Just train the muscle memory to be nice and relaxed for the start. Much easer than un-learning the tension later.
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@Katie L -
Nice to hear from you!
You know I'm no expert, but if what you are using helps - GREAT!
I use a thin/stretchy guitar practice glove on my left hand ALL THE TIME (fingertips included) - fits like a second skin! It just feels good, supports my hand & protects my skin (which is very thin). Fiddlerman made a video about trying a special biking glove (not great results, but it did look bulkier than what I use).
Exaggerating finger movement to begin with is one thing, but don't think you really need a lot of height to drop/lift your fingers. I think too much height can work against you when you start to play faster passages. The finger 'speed/timing' IS important... but I don't want to hit so hard I'm 'pinging' all the notes while I play. 😄
Have you found some new little tunes you enjoy playing?
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Thanks for the replies Sasha and Emily !
Yes I’m finding that I don’t need the height although I am doing practice from a height and then playing normally . It just seems to be working at last !! Oh by the way , no vibrato practice for me for months and months…… yes I was getting obsessed ok I admit it 😂
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Years ago I was a classical guitar player. Like fiddle, guitar presents ergonomic challenges. I got help from a book called The Natural Classical Guitar: The Principles of Effortless Playing, by Lee F. Ryan.
One fundamental idea, as I recall, was to play with the least necessary effort to produce good sound. Just enough pressure on the fingerboard to keep the string from buzzing. Just enough weight on the bow to produce the sound you want.
Another was to find opportunities to relax muscles and positions, even if only for brief moments between notes. This is particularly helpful for me. It takes a little practice to get used to it but then it becomes automatic and it definitely minimizes tension and fatigue.
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Yes I like the brief moments of relaxation idea.. I find I can relax and move my thumb when I play at f# it’s lovely feeling relaxed I’m like I want more of that !!!!!
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If I remember correctly, the book recommended a simple exercise: Put your finger down to stop a string on the fingerboard, then immediately relax that finger and let it lift off the string. Repeat the on-off sequence, making sure to notice the lack of tension between the pressing actions.
After a few repetitions the entire hand begins to feel loose and relaxed. Also, it becomes easier to manage the pressure on the string.
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