How do I relax my shoulders to play violin?

Let gravity do its job. The shoulder and chin rests should allow you to support the violin without either dropping the head too far or raising the shoulder….Exercises:

1. Shake it out. Whenever you feel yourself tensing, stop playing and shake out your muscles.
2. Slow Down.
3. Baroque Bow-Hold.

How do I relax my bow arm?

Vaning-Rosen suggests: “Press your first finger (using tension) on the bow before playing the staccato note, and release it immediately when the bow stroke starts, to get a good ‘bell-tone,’ ‘ka’ sound. Continue to press and relax for each staccato note.

How do you relax your hand when playing violin?

Take your left thumb, where tension is often stored, and tap it gently three times on the neck. Then place your first finger on the fingerboard and tap three times again. Continue this process with each finger on each string. Practice pushing your fingers down without gripping in your thumb.

How do you hold a violin correctly?

Summary: The violin should rest on the collarbone and be supported by the left hand and by the shoulder. Gentle weight from the head, with a relaxed neck, stabilizes the violin on the collarbone. The chin rest protects the top of the violin and adjusts for the length of the player’s neck.

Where should your thumb be when playing the violin?

The thumb should be touching the neck roughly on the pad, just below the nail. Without Squeezing the violin should just rest between the wedge made by your thumb and side of your index finger. There should be a space big enough for a finger between the webbing of your thumb and the neck. The wrist should be straight.

How can I make my violin more comfortable?

A chamois skin or other non-slippery cloth may be used to cover the collarbone for comfort. The violin resting lightly on the collarbone and the jaw resting gently on the chin rest establish two stable points of contact with the instrument. The violin is also supported, but not held tightly, by the left hand.

How to keep the bow straight while playing the violin?

When you are just starting to learn how to keep the bow straight while playing the violin, it takes a lot of concentration and precision to get it right. You have to make sure that you are only moving your right arm from the elbow down. The only time you will move your whole arm is just slightly when you are switching to play on another string.

Should you switch to a violin without a shoulder rest?

This is the most important thing to remember when switching how you hold the violin. Holding a violin without a shoulder rest will allow you to play better in tune with less practice. It will also allow your sound to become richer, deeper, and more natural.

What should violin teachers do to improve violin performance?

Violin teachers should tell students that the way they bow their instruments is critical to their health and performance. Incorrect bowing ways such as poor wrist-hand-arm alignment, incorrect motion, and incomplete/over extension, can cause chronic physical issues.

Should you watch yourself play the violin in the mirror?

Watching yourself play the violin in the mirror could help you with the correct bow placement when working on the skill of playing with a straight bow. It is sometimes hard to tell if your bow is staying in the middle of the fingerboard and bridge while watching from the side of the violin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnSJIUd6DrE