If I had a dollar for every time I had to rectify this problem, I’d be a millionaire by now! This disaster is easily identifyable becuase it closes off the mouse hole, something that I talk about so often in my posts and videos. It happens when students try to move across to higher strings and instead of moving their fingers over to the correct string, they lean their wrists out to the left and sort of lie their fingers down.
Take a look at the above picture:
You’ll see exactly this! Looking at the fingers on the strings, it would be difficult to tell whether this student is playing on the A or E; their fingers tips are more on the A string, but the fingers are also lying across onto the E.Β Now take a look at the wrist and hand position; it’s jutted out to the left. Although you probably can’t see it in this picture, the mouse hole is closed.Β
Now look at the picture below:
This shows what we want to see. Notice that the fingers are standing up nicely (third on more of an angle as discussed above) and it’s obvious that they are on the A string. The mousehole is maintained and the left wrist and hand are loose and relaxed.
Boh. That is what I meant in my comment on the previous article. I would break my fingers; it sounds so complicated, but practice makes the master with everything. So I really believe if we all would practice playing the violin, we get used to the movements of our fingers. It is always practice! Thank you very much, Marketa! Excellent explanation!
Thanks so much, Sylvia π
In the first pictures of each wrong finger placement the fingers looks strained and tense, in an uncoomfortable position. In the second photos where it is corrected, the fingers look more relaxed and less tense. The difference is very clear. I can imagine that someone may not notice while playing. Does having short or long fingers also make a difference? Is it easier to place your fingers when they’re long? I was just wondering about it …
Hi Christine,
Most of the students I’ve dealt with have been able to find a comfortable strategy to play well. Sometimes students with particularly short fingers find double work or high positions difficult but… as the saying goes – where there’s a will there’s a way!
Have a great day and thanks for your input π
Good evening, your article has been such a help that I’m now incorporating it into my scales and arpeggios at the start of my practice, I find it helps with bow control as well. I do apologise for not replying to you after my first comment in September last year, I really struggled with the pain I was getting and I was very ill with other stuff going on but since then I have been doing exercises every day to strengthen my tendons in my hand and fingers which also helps. I find the G and the E strings the most challenging but with your advice and this great informative post I’m positive that it’ll become easier every day……Kateπ
Hi Kate!
Thanks so much for getting back to me about this. I’m so glad that my article has helped you and that you’re finding it easier. Please do let me know if there’s any other technical areas you’d like me to write on; I’ve been MIA since COVID hit but back to it now π
Hello there! I find your website really educational, thank you for the pictures, they help a lot.
My finger placement doesn’t really give me problems with intonation but I have a hard time descending scales: A minor, for instance, in first position, requires replacement and adjusting of the fingers during it, which makes my tone bad on some notes:
On A string, for instance, it will sound:
E(4th)- okish, but a little weak not due to muscle stregth only, but to placement as well;
D (3rd)- good- 3rd always sounds way better than any other;
C (2nd)- terrible. 2nd gets on the string on a weird angle, partially on the fingernail. So I always have to replace C and C# right before I play it, because I can’t leave D (3rd) and C(2nd) on the string at the same time. Hence, there is always a bump in the begining of my Cs, like I’m shifting, when I’m actually on first position.
And, finally, B (1st)- it’s not as bad as C(2nd), but it feels wrong and unconfortable. I don’t have to replace it before playing a B, but the tone starts off weak and then I have the time to adjust it…
I really think this is an understanding problem, not a strength/ stretch problem.
My hands are small and my fingers are thin, but not remarkably I think.
Please send help?
Thank you so much!
Hi Oli!
I’ve been away for quite some time over COVID but back to it now; I hope my message won’t be too late for you. I’m thinking that you’re talking about the melodic minors where we need to do jump back fingers. You’ve just given me a great idea for my next article and video – jump back fingers! I’ll get onto that this weekend and send you a link. I feel that your issues are probably due to too much tension in your left hand and wrist. If your violin is the right size for you and your left hand and wrist have good technique, you shouldn’t have any issue with placing your fingers correctly. Let me get onto that video and article for you π
Good afternoon, I live your post on violin fingering as I find it quite hard as my fingers don’t spread naturally so at the moment I try and do exercises to help strengthen the tendons etc. The difficulty I really have is places like going from f sharp on the E string – g ( where the fingers are close together, the sharps are not so much as an issue. Also I’m not sure if your supposed to rotate your hand/wrist to reach other notes the higher or lower up the fingerboard you go. I get pain in my wrist sometimes and going up my forearm and not certain if this is to do with my positioning or not. Sorry for such a long post, kate
Hi Kate and thanks so much for your comment,
This is such a common thing but usually there are issues with the way you are holding your violin or too much tension in the left hand and wrist. If you can, please send me some photos to marketa@myviolinbff.com and I’ll take a closer look.
Have a great day and best of luck with your violin playing
marketa π
This is very good website. In fact my grand daughter play the violin. And a few of my daughters friends, their kids play so. I’m going to share this with them. You have a lot here to teach them. This could be very good for them, during this lockdown.
Hi Miriam and thanks so much for your thoughts,
Please do share with your friends and family members; I really hope that my experience and knowledge can be helpful to as many people as possible. Have a great weekend
marketa π
I noticed violin finger placement is very similar to playing the guitar, you have to place your fingers and your hand in pretty much the same position to receive the best sound.
I have a question for you my violin teacher, I am left-handed so does this lesson apply the same to me as for people who are right-handed for how to hold and play the violin?
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
All my students, both left and right handed over the years have still played violin the same way. There are left handed violins but I feel that the work you need with your left and right hands and fingers is approximately even, just different so you’d probably be best to just stay using a usual violin and your left finger work will be easier than the right π
Hi there,
I played violin when I was young but then stopped. Ive gone back to it recently and it’s way harder than when I was younger. I thought I’d just get right back where I left off, but it’s not really so easy. Do you know how I could improve?
Hi Kevin and thanks for your comment,
It is more difficult for adults and often it’s a case of trying too hard. Kids just don’t care as much. Their parents pay for lessons, they don’t usually have ideas about what they want to play or where they want to be in five years time and they are just loose and floppy in their hands and arms. Adults tend to be more tense and this creates a lot of issues. Try and really relax when you’re playing and take it in baby steps. Best of luck with your violin journey π
This is a really interesting demonstration of how not to position your fingers while playing my violin. I can imagine the pain of trying to play if your fingers are bent the wrong way. Yes, long nails would definitely make it impossible to play, and even damage the violin!
Hi Kathy and thanks for your feedback
I hope this post and others will help you along the way with your violin journey π
I have two left hands when it comes to music and two left legs when it comes to dancing. I am always jealous of people who can play music and or dance and worry about my children who are learning violin that they have inherited my lack of musical ability. I am sure such detailed articles will help them learning to play violin π All the very best.
Hi Prav and thanks for your comment,
Sometimes people think that they aren’t capable of learning to dance or play an instrument when really, it’s just that they never learned at all or correctly. I’m sure your children will do well provided that they are taught well and pay attention to correct technical development
Best wishes π
Hey there and thanks for this informative article. I really am struggling to get the high second and third to be close enough together. This is really helpful. I find it uncomfortable though. Do you have any other tips?
Hi Seith and thanks for your interest,
I actually know exactly what you mean and have students in the past who’ve had the same problem. Try reaching the second finger a little more from ‘below’. So, of course you want to stand your fingers up, but sometimes students do this too much and then it’s virtually impossible to get the third finger to be close. I hope this helps. Feel free to send me a video or photo at marketa@myviolinbff.com if you’re still struggling π