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hey everyone, new violinist here. i just started playing a couple months ago. i literally know nothing about violins and ive had to learn everything from the computer lol, but ive gotten pretty far. ive always wanted to play since i was like 3 years old, i dont know why but im just obsessed with the sounds it makes. anyway, now im 23 and i finally bought a violin and am learning the ropes.
now heres my issue, i have this weird problem with my wrists where i cant turn my palms up flat. because if it, i cannot physically play a guitar because i cant point my fingers straight up to reach the proper chords. i was really hoping that because of the way you hold a violin it wouldnt be an issue. well, my left hand is so bad, i cant even reach the A string with my pointer finger, so i switched the strings around and started playing with my right hand. now, i didnt think i had the issue in my right hand, but apparently i do. its a lot more minor, but its bad enough that i can only use my pointer finger and my middle finger. my wrist cannot rotate enough to put my ring finger a half a step next to my middle finger, and putting it a full step away is difficult, and my pinky finger cant reach any strings at all.
so my questions is, am i never going to be able to play complex pieces because i can only use two fingers? and are there tips or tricks that i can do to play harder pices with only two fingers? ive come pretty far and have learned how to play the fiddle song the swallow tail jig. i can quickly slur my second finger to the third finger spot, it works but it really kinda makes things sound sloppy, but i guess its the best i can do. any tips or suggestions would be greatly appretiated
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There are tricks to getting around the fiddle a little more to reach with your fingers. I would almost need to see you play to give you more advice.
I offer a free 10 min Skype lesson based on availability.
The only limits are the ones that you set yourself. Reach for the stars and you my get to the moon.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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yea its hard to explain, but trust me, im far from giving up. like i said ive only been playing for a couple of months and ive already surpased my grandma whos been playing since the 80's. but then again, she was never that good >.< i can give you my skype name if you want to see, but id hate to bother you, especially when you have people that actually pay for your time.
If I were you I would take Fiddlerman uip on his offer. He just might look at you and say do this and your problems will be solved
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If I did everything for money I might have a lot more money but I wouldn't enjoy life the same way I do. If I offer to help it's all cool. I won't help when I am too busy. I usually give the free 10 minute lesson when I am trying to relax, clear my mind, or taking a break from something else.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Welcome to the forum, barspin720!
I have not bad imagination, but hardly can imagine how You hold your violin 
... Maybe You could make a video-question about that problem? I'm really curious... And ofcourse take FiddlerMan's offer about a skype lesson! I guess there must be something wrong with your hold but not with your wrists...
It definitely sounds like you are holding the violin wrong. The other thing is changing the strings around. Under where the g string would normally sit is what is called a bass bar and under where the e string sits is a sound post. Switching the strings to me just seems wrong without rebuilding the inside of the violin and switching the bass bar and sound post.
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Exactly. With this in mind, you can always buy a left-hand violin from my site for $129.99 and free shipping.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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oh ive watched a lot of videos on how to hold a violin. its not that i dont know how, its that i cant. its a birth defect, something about a fussion in my joints in my arm or elbow or something. its rare but it really sucks. i have a right handed violin and play it left handed. i have the CVN-300 violin and because of the lack of knowledge i already snapped a brigdge when tightening the stings back down after swapping them out. luckily cecilio includes an extra bridge 
ill see if i cant make a video for you guys to see
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I think it is admirable that you want to learn anyway and that is why I would like to find some solutions to your physical handicap. Try to bring your right elbow around the violin as much as possible to overcome this problem while being careful not to strain your shoulder too much. Since you are using your right hand to finger, apply weight to the right side of your fingers, keep them curled as much as possible and real close to the strings for the lack of movement that you have in your joints. Let me know if any of these suggestions do not make sense.
Good luck
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Honorary tenured advisor
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Fiddlerman said
Exactly. With this in mind, you can always buy a left-hand violin from my site for $129.99 and free shipping.
My avatar plays a left handed violin!
No matter where you go, there you are!
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i tried making a video but its hard holding a camera and a violin lol
i tried moving my elbow all over the place and everything, i guess i just have to slide my second finger really really fast like a mo fo lol
Hmmm... now i see! But have You tried some physical therapy? When i was young, i was attending in a "special physical training" group, and it's unbelievable what conditions were they fixing there =)
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no i havent. since i was born like this ive always been this way so i didnt really know it was an issue. i mean ive always wanted to play the guitar since i was really little but couldnt because i cant reach the strings like other people, and i guess i just thought thats what made a good guitar player, being able to reach the strings lol. it never occured to me that i was "different". not till like the past 5 years or so ive really noticed its hard to get change back from people because i cant turn my palms up flat and stuff like that. i didnt realize how bad they were till about october or so when i got my violin. im not sure about therepy but i doubt it would do much. i heard something about a surgery but its like 50/50. either the surgery will be a success and i will have full movement in my wrists, or it will fail and my wrists will be perminately locked. so im not taking that chance
barspin720 said
.. im not sure about therepy but i doubt it would do much. ..
You can't be so sure, atleast without trying.. But it looks like not only the wrists problem - i guess there's something wrong with crossing of your forearm bones (radius & ulna), because the wrist by itself doesn't make all of those rotating movements !
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I can see that when you bring your elbow around that it is a little closer. Bring it around as much as possible and keep your fingers on the fingerboard and just hold it there without over stressing. If it hurts too much back off a little. Do that for about 30 seconds at a time, rest then do it again. When you are feeling pain or too much pain take a break and do it again later in the day. Do this every day for about a week and then analyze whether or not you are able to come further with your third and fourth finger. If after doing this for a long enough time you still can't use your 3rd and 4th finger, I will teach you to play with two fingers on a video.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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well, ive been practicing using my 3rd finger for a few hours each day. i figured out that if i put my cheek on the far right side of the violin i can tilt it more and reach a little better. only thing i dont like is that using my 3rd finger, i have to like relearn the spot with the third finger so its kind of like starting over, and i have very little control with my thrid finger. my wrist keeps getting tired very quickly as well. i use my third finger for a few minutes, then go back to using my 2nd finger so i can actually play what i want to play lol, till my wrist feels better, then i go back to trying to play the full scales using my 3rd finger. but ill be honest, i really dont like using my 3rd finger 
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