Learn Violin your way with a TakeLessons expert

By Chris R.-Orlando Violin Teacher

As a violin teacher in Orlando, I often tell my students that the left hand position in violin playing can be tricky. Finding the perfect placement of the thumb, keeping the wrist unbent, and placing the fingers in a 90-degree angle with the fingerboard all go into a left hand, which is both elegant and efficient. One of my students, Debra, was having a difficult time understanding this concept.

“But Chris, it feels more comfortable like this!” Debra exclaimed, collapsing her wrist flat against the neck of the instrument. She had just stopped in mid-piece as I reminded her of her wrist.

“From that angle, your fingers can't stand upright. You also can't move your hand up the neck of the instrument,” I explained to Debra. “How are you going to hit the high notes, if you play everything in that position?”

Debra looked unconvinced as she said, “I would find a way.”

Knowing what I did already about Debra, she was probably right. At age 49, Debra decided she was going to learn to play the violin. She had no previous musical experience and seldom sung, but when Debra set out on a mission, no one would stop her. The violin was Debra's mission.

Figuring that logic wasn't working here, I decided to try a new approach. “Imagine that you had a tack, right there, sticking down off of the neck of your instrument.”

Debra looked at me, startled.

“Don't worry, I'm not actually going to put a tack there.” She laughed and said, “Okay, so there's a tack there. Now what?”

“Straighten your wrist and remember, if you let it collapse, your hand will get stuck by the tack.”

Debra looked at me as if I was crazy.

“C'mon,” I encouraged, “humor me.”

Debra closed her eyes, and straightened her wrist.

“Now begin again.”

Debra began to play her piece once again. This time, the wrist stayed perfectly straight. Visualization was such a powerful tool and for Debra and I, the road to better violin playing.