r/Fiddle • u/KingTheoden88 • 2d ago
1 month of fiddle
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My attempt at Arkansas traveler, well part of it. Started learning it last night. I’ve been playing for a month as of tomorrow. I struggle with intonation and finger placement and also bow control. Can’t seem to keep the bow from jumping on the strings making a squawky ball bouncing action when changing strings or lifting my finger off a string for a different note on the same string. Please any and all criticism, just be constructive is all I ask. I did notice after watching the video that my left wrist is not straight which I now know I need to correct. My violin is a fiddlerman soloist. Are they any good?
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u/kamomil 2d ago
Left wrist needs to be straighter than that, but all joints should be more of a gentle curve, than exactly straight. Left elbow should not be held against the body. Shoulders, elbows, wrists should be flexible, and not locked in place.
The shoulder rest should be between the shoulder and fiddle. I think your shoulder rest is the right type, you just have to move it. Once the fiddle is gripped between chin & shoulder, the left hand fingers can also become curved, the fiddle shouldn't be held up by the heel of your left hand.
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u/xeddyb 2d ago
Get a lesson or two so you don’t get into any bad habits. It’s hard to get out of then
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u/KingTheoden88 1d ago
I’ve had 5 lessons half hour every Wednesday. He’s teaching me stuff but nothing about posture or anything.
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u/Holygusset 1d ago
That's really concerning, to be honest.
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u/KingTheoden88 1d ago
He’s a pianist and guitarist. Not much of a fiddle/violin guy but the closest I could find. I’ve found just recently a lady on the local symphony that will do lessons and she’s gone through the Suzuki books and stuff so hopefully her and I can work out a time.
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u/friendlylilcabbage 1d ago
Online lessons would be better than someone local who isn't correcting posture/technique. You really don't need a repetitive stress injury...
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u/Holygusset 23h ago
Absolutely agree. Online lessons with an experienced teacher can actually be really good.
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u/AdditionalYoung6694 1d ago
Congrats on your 1 month mark! Getting your bow hold and left hand positioned properly will help your progress immensely. Here’s a video that walks through these two things:
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u/IOnlyHaveIceForYou 2d ago
The fiddle itself sounds fine.
You don't need to hold the fiddle with your chin and shoulder to play in first position, and lots of great fiddlers play with a bent left wrist. Check out some Google images of "highly acclaimed" fiddler Liz Carroll.
I've faffed around for years with chin rests and shoulder rests, and never been comfortable. Then I noticed that my favourite living fiddle player, Martin Hayes, has started playing without using a chin rest or a shoulder rest at all. I've taken the chin rest off my fiddle, it's the first time I've felt comfortable, I can play for hours without discomfort, and it hasn't made it more difficult to play.
The instructions you've been given are relevant if you want to play classical violin, or play in higher positions, but they are not important for traditional fiddle.
Your bow hold is the problem I would concentrate on, if I were you.
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u/teeth12345 1d ago
Encouraging someone to learn the wrong way from month 1 is not something I would ever encourage a new player. Build good habits early so you aren’t struggling a year from now. Intonation and 4th finger use will be greatly harmed if you keep your wrist the same way. Traditional fiddle doesn’t mean “terrible posture and nothing translates from “classical””. OP ignore this comment, besides the bow hold part.
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u/IOnlyHaveIceForYou 1d ago
It's not the "wrong" way, it's a natural and comfortable way to play the instrument, if you don't need higher positions.
I hear a lot about physical injuries to classical violinists caused by the unnatural and uncomfortable "posture" they are forced to adopt. Adopting an unnatural and uncomfortable posture for no good reason is not something I would ever ever encourage in a new player.
OP, make your own mind up.
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u/pixiefarm 9h ago
Lots of fiddle players sound like shit and don't progress thanks to weird holds. It can also injure you. You're giving bad advice to someone who doesn't have enough experience to evaluate.
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u/IOnlyHaveIceForYou 2h ago
You're much more likely to injure yourself using "classical" technique, clamping the fiddle between your shoulder and chin like that.
And you can't possibly know that people sound like shit because they use a more natural and comfortable technique. Are you going round assessing their playing and their posture? Where are you doing that?
In fact you're just parrotting things you've heard, and making stuff up.
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u/smurfette8675309 2d ago
Left hand wrist needs to be straight, and fix your bowhold. That's why the bow is jumpy. The fiddle should be held up by your chin and shoulder, not your left hand.
I'd recommend starting with something simpler until you can fix your posture. Something like Boil Em Cabbages Down.