Chris, I would suggest you print this out https://fiddlerman.com/wp-cont.....%80%9D.pdf It is fiddlerman's sheet music for Twinkle. Then print this out https://fiddlerman.com/wp-cont....._chart.pdf This is the fingering chart.  The way you are trying to play this, you are going into fith position but don't worry about that now. Check these two things out and I'm sure you'll get it.

For the bowing, try to keep your shoulder steady and bow from your elbow. This will help to keep the bow perpendicular to the strings.

RosinedUp said
First I would focus on intonation--that means being able to play the correct pitch.

0) Play Fiddlerman's intonation game: https://fiddlerman.com/fiddle-.....g-tools/  Go no farther until you are scoring at least 12000 out of 15000 at beginner's level.

1) Get a chromatic tuner if you don't have one:  http://fiddlershop.com/accesso.....ric-tuners seems to has some good ones.  It will be able to tell you the pitch of any note you play.  Make sure you know how to use it.

2) Learn how to tune your fiddle.  Plenty of stuff online showing/telling how to do that. Make sure your fiddle is tuned whenever you play.  Have an experienced player or teacher check your tuning and that you are using the tuner correctly.

3) Make sure your tapes are placed properly: play notes into the tuner and be sure they are close to the pitch that they are supposed to have.  Then you will start to know what the pitches should sound like and where your fingers should be going.  Don't plan to keep the tapes forever.

4) Play!  Scales, Twinkle, anything, including whatever your teacher assigns.

5) Get feedback on your playing.  That could be from some teacher or competent musician who will tell you the truth.  I find that my tuner is always truthful ...  If your teacher contradicts your tuner, find a different teacher.

6) Learn some basic terminology: semitone, octave, major second, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, etc.

7) Have fun playing your fiddle.

JuanFiddler said
Nice going Chris

It really reminds me of the first time I picked the violin lol ... at first even the easiest seems like the hardest Chris. When I started playing that song, I had entonation problems, bowing problems. I had the lot LOL. But I got stubborn and said "this is not gonna beat me", so every day I tried to make twinkle twinkle sound better when I played it. That's what you have to do.

 

Here are some tips.

1) Try to play twinkle twinkle standing up. You may find it more comfortable.

2) Since this song is in D major, it means that your second and third finger will be pushed together on the fingerboard because from the note F (played with 2nd finger) to the note G (played with third finger) there is just a half step. So before playing the whole song, it's always helpful to play the scale it is in. So you may play D major scale starting on the D string: D    E     FG     A. Then you go to the A string: A    B     CD     E. When the scale sounds right to your ear, then work on the song.

3) When bowing, imagine that your elbow has a life of its own and your arm is completely relaxed. If you bow using your arm along with elbow, you will get an arch so that will cause your bow to go crooked. Try playing in front of a mirror.

I hope this helps Chris, I have faith in you ... you can do it bud

Keep it up!

 

JuanFiddler.

Ya got all that, Chris ?