Playing the violin: our tips for the right position
At first glance, playing the violin seems very fluid: you carry the body of the violin on your shoulder and dance the bow with your other hand to make the instrument's strings vibrate.
But then again, this bowed-string musical instrument places intense demands on several parts of the body on a continuous basis. Head carriage, back support, arm fatigue: your body postures when playing the violin have repercussions not only on your health, but also on the quality of your playing. So, if you're planning to invest many hours in violin practice, it's best to adopt the right gestures right away.
How do I hold my violin correctly? Is there one or more ergonomic postures? Newzik takes a look at all the tips you need to follow to adopt the right postures when playing the violin, both before and during playing. Follow the right gesture, and to your bow, maestro!
Learn to hold your violin: the basic rules
An instrument that involves the entire upper body, learning the violin requires special attention to body posture. Good posture not only allows you to practice with greater ease, but also to avoid muscular tension. Before you start playing, here are a few tips on how to hold your instrument properly.
Placing the violin on the shoulder
First, the violin rests on the shoulder*. The instrument is positioned at a slight forward angle. In concrete terms, the violin should be held between the jaw and the collarbone, without you having to exert too much force.
Positioning your hand and fingers on the violin
Placement of the fingers of the hand* on the violin:
The handle rests on the base of the index finger and the thumb is placed slightly in front of it without applying pressure.
The fingers should be relaxed and placed above the strings for easy playing.
Hold the bow with your hand
The hand holds the bow with suppleness, and the thumb is positioned against the frog and the other fingers. The other fingers are slightly curved over the stick. The little finger is placed on top of the bow to balance the weight. To facilitate bow movement over the strings, the elbow can be placed under the violin.
💡 Good to know: adopting vibrato right from the start makes it easier to learn and improves note precision.
*N.B.: use the left hand or shoulder if you are right-handed, and the right hand or shoulder if you are left-handed.
🎼 Dreaming of learning the violin? There's no age limit for to start learning music. Don't hesitate to introduce yourself to music theory or take music lessons to start with a solid foundation.
4 tips for preparing to play the violin
A good violin position is not just a question of holding the instrument, but also of the violinist's general posture.
1. Stand in front of a mirror
Positioning your violin and playing in front of a mirror is an excellent way of correcting your posture. By observing your position live, you can easily check the alignment of your violin and the position of your hands.
Start by rehearsing under normal conditions, with your eyes closed. Then open your eyes and analyze your posture: do you feel tense or tight in your shoulders and neck? If so, relax your limbs slowly and try to maintain a more relaxed posture when practicing the violin.
2. Stand up straight and relaxed
To play the violin correctly, it' s essential to keep your back straight, but not stiff. Relax your shoulders and bend your knees slightly, to ensure good stability. Avoid tensing your neck and arms, as this makes your playing tense and prevents you from playing the violin smoothly.
3. Setting up your violin and bow
Take the time to adjust a chinrest and, if necessary, add a shoulder rest to improve your comfort. These little tricks will prevent neck pain and make it easier to hold the violin in place over time. An advantage during long rehearsals or a concert during which you can't afford to take breaks.
4. Adjusting the pitch of your violin
The use of a cushion or shoulder rest helps to absorb pressure on the shoulder and adjust the height of the violin. The right fit of these accessories reduces muscular tension and facilitates better posture.
🎶 Busy with both arms and both hands, the musician is unable to to turn the pages of his scores when playing the violin. Good news: Newzik offers a feature dedicated to this task, accompanied by a special special page-turning pedal.
What are the best postures to adopt when playing the violin?
Hold your violin firmly and flexibly
To play correctly, the violinist must be able to hold the violin firmly while remaining relaxed. In fact, holding the violin too rigidly can impair precision, so you need to learn how to strike the right balance.
Here are a few tips to help you keep your instrument supple:
Dosing the jaw pressure on the chinrest: beginners tend to clamp their violin with their head to stabilize it, but this is not effective and causes neck pain. Not very strategic if you play for many hours. A word of advice: adjust your chinrest and shoulder rest to find a comfortable height to hold the violin without forcing it too much.
Vary the intensity of the fingers on the neck: to produce a clear sound, the fingers of the hand must exert sufficient pressure on the violin strings, without becoming tense. To test this, play a note, gradually reducing finger pressure until the sound becomes indistinct. This allows you to better perceive the degree of force to be expressed.
Keep your hand supple on the bow. It's important not to hold the bow stiffly.
💡 Our tip for practicing the violin: practice "empty" bow movements, gradually relaxing the fingers so you can feel the way the stick rests naturally on the hand. Don't hesitate to record yourself during your exercises and listen to yourself again afterwards to analyze the clarity of your playing. The audio recording feature of the Newzik application is just the thing! Make the most of it!
Aligning your body
To avoid premature fatigue and ensure good stamina during long sessions of violin playing, the musician needs to align his body well. A few exercises can help optimize posture:
Keep your head slightly tilted on the chinrest, without exerting excessive pressure. Our advice: get into the habit of playing the violin while relaxing your head at regular intervals. This is an excellent way to avoid excessive tension.
Keep your shoulders low and relaxed. One trick is to practice a few shoulder rolls before playing to loosen up the muscles. Feel your shoulders tensing up as you play? Take a deep breath to release the tension.
Keep your back straight and flexible. A posture that's too rigid limits the mobility of your arms. To practice, imagine that a wire is gently pulling your head towards the ceiling, and try to maintain this position.
Make sure that the elbow accompanies the bow movements without forcing. To get a better feel for the suppleness of the arm, you can practice bowing movements by imagining that you are holding a very light ball under your arm.
💬 Did you know? Every musician has his own way of holding his violin. It depends on his morphology and preferences. Some musicians prefer a higher chin rest, others a slimmer shoulder rest, or even no accessory at all. The key is to find a position that offers both comfort and freedom of movement, and that allows you to play the violin with precision.
Relax and breathe
Breathing is the basis for releasing muscular tension, and for musicians, it's also essential for improving endurance while playing. Holding your breath is to be avoided: it creates unnecessary stiffness. There are a number of methods that can help you breathe better when you play, especially the violin:
✔️ Synchronize your breathing with the movement of the bow. Inhale as you raise the bow and exhale as you lower it: this will naturally relax your body.
✔️ Practice breathing exercises to relax muscles before a gaming session. Inhale deeply for three seconds, hold for one second, then exhale slowly over five seconds.
✔️ Give yourself regular short breaks when rehearsing. Rest your arms and back every 15 to 20 minutes to avoid accumulating fatigue during long playing sessions.
🎻 Have you finally adopted your ideal posture for playing the violin? Don't bother with wearing a music stand during your rehearsals: take advantage of the technology of the Newzik application ! Read your scores from your tablet or computer with ease, without even having to turn the pages.
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