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rotex13
Philippines

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May 10, 2011 - 8:03 pm
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I'm a violin beginner for almost a week, why I'm always touching the adjacent string while bowing? and it produce screeching sound. Any advices?

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Pikachu
Pallet Town

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May 10, 2011 - 9:01 pm
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I've been playing for about two months now. I had the same problem (and still touch strings from time to time), but it got a lot better when I worked on my bow/arm levels. There is a different position that both arms should be in for each string. (Check out the beginning of "Learn to play a two octave C major scale" to see how his arms move up and down like crazy for the different string.). Maybe you aren't moving your arms at the same time, or not high enough? Maybe check a mirror to see if you're bowing straight?

I'm sure fiddlerman can provide better instruction. :D

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 11, 2011 - 1:08 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16537

Good question Rotex,

As Pikachu says, you need to find the correct right arm height for each string. Secondly, make sure that you are using mostly your elbow to bow over the strings and not your shoulder.

Obviously your problem will be greatest on the D and A string. To get better control over playing on one string at a time, play exercises or scales on the D string only for a while then the A string only.

One week is not much time. I think it's great that you are already trying to analyze and learn.Cool Let us know how it's going from time to time.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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rotex13
Philippines

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May 11, 2011 - 8:21 pm
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Thanks Pierre :))

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SanSkritA
Look up Sanskrita Dellerba on Facebook

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July 26, 2011 - 10:37 am
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When playing the violin I am finding that my bowing arm is not doing something correctly. When the bow runs across the string it shakes a bit and creates a warbly sound. This does not happen all the time, but seems to happen more on some days than others. Once I can pin point exactly what the problem is than I can overcome it by focusing on the solution. At this time I have not figured it out!  Does it have something to do with the height of my elbow or the flexibility of my wrist? Anyone have any suggestions!!!! ???

 

violin-student

SanSkritA

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
July 26, 2011 - 7:24 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16537

Check the following things

  • Use mostly the right arm elbow and next to no movements in the shoulder.
  • Check in the mirror to see that you are bowing straight parallel to the bridge.
  • Flexible right hand fingers for bow changes.
  • Even bow to string contact point somewhere in the middle of the bridge and beginning of the tailpiece for now.

Let me know how it works for you.violin_girl

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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rotex13
Philippines

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July 27, 2011 - 8:23 am
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@SanSkritA: weird though, why is it shaking lol?. Rosin your bow if your bow is sliding on your strings. then follow fiddlerman's advice, goodluck!

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SanSkritA
Look up Sanskrita Dellerba on Facebook

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July 27, 2011 - 4:23 pm
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Alright, thanks for the advice. I will see what happens! Cheers! pink-violin-girl

SanSkritA

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xoKoneko
Connecticut

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July 27, 2011 - 10:27 pm
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i learn most of my songs by ear and not by sheet music, and one problem i always run into is bowing. when i learn a song its hard for me to tell not only which direction i should be bowing, but also at what point in the bow i should be using or if i should be slurringdunno.

i was just wondering if anyone had any tips or tricks as to how to hear the way i should play. violin-student

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
July 28, 2011 - 2:25 am
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The easiest is to bow down-bow on the 1st and 3rd beat when in 4/4 time and try to use even amounts of bowing. For example if you have a half note followed by two quarters you may want to play up bow on both quarters. It's hard to give general tips but if you record something and post it I can help.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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xoKoneko
Connecticut

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July 28, 2011 - 3:05 am
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i cant send you a recording of me playing it because i have recently become violin-less. (my smaller cousin bashed it a few weeks ago) :/

but this is the song i was most recently working on (unholy confessions by avenged sevenfold)

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xoKoneko
Connecticut

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July 28, 2011 - 3:05 am
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oops heres the link

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David Burns
Winfield, Missouri

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July 28, 2011 - 6:23 pm
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Hey there xoKoneko,

I was born and raised in Connecticut. East Hartford to be exact. Lived there for 30 years. Welcome to Fiddlerman! Where in Connecticut are you from? Not that it is any of my business. lol

 

Dave

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July 28, 2011 - 7:29 pm
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25 years in Shelton and I don't miss it.  Lot less snow in NC ! 
I do miss the Yale Music School scene.  Badly.

cry

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xoKoneko
Connecticut

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July 28, 2011 - 9:02 pm
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i live in Beacon Falls, not many people know of my town though. but i live in the valley smile

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July 28, 2011 - 9:07 pm
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Used to pass Beacon Falls every day on my way to work. 

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xoKoneko
Connecticut

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July 29, 2011 - 7:36 pm
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what town did you work in??

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July 29, 2011 - 10:32 pm
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Waterbury.

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February 5, 2015 - 4:52 pm
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i have been practicing for 2 years now...i know i still have problems with bowing....not always smooth...especially while reading a new piece...sometimes due to pressure change on the string the sound becomes crackly or dull....any good advice about how to bow with a good pressure on the string to make a better sound

Thanks...by the way i practice now on fiddler-man concert violin and it is awesome.

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Uzi
Georgia

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February 5, 2015 - 11:43 pm
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4.5

Welcome to the forum. 

Good tone comes primarily from three elements. 1. the bow speed, 2. the bow pressure and 3. the contact point (the point where the bow hair contacts the string(s).)  

With more pressure, you must increase bow speed.  With less pressure you decrease bow speed. Playing closer to the fingerboard makes a quieter sound.   Playing closer to the bridge makes a louder sound.  Somewhere in the middle is the sweet spot that generally will produce the best tone. 

If you hear a crackly, dull sound that means that you are not moving the bow fast enough for the amount of pressure that you are applying.  Either, speed up the bow or decrease the pressure.  If the tone sounds light, like the bow hair whispering across the strings, then either slow the bow speed or increase the pressure until it sounds right. 

All of this requires a good bow hold and a straight (at right angles to the strings) and controlled bow stroke.  Otherwise the contact point between the bridge and the fingerboard will vary throughout the bow stroke yielding inconsistent tone. 

I wouldn't overly worry about the sound when reading a new piece though.  

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright

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