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Violin Tips

Violinist.com readers submit, and vote on, violin advice.

Click the "Yes" buttons on advice you agree with, and "No" on ones you don't like.

Click the button at the bottom of the page to submit your own tip.

Most Recent Tips

Practicing: [2 + / 1 -] For better results, practice for at least 30 minutes every day, run through the scales at least 5 times, and think "PERFECT." Strive to make each note better.

Health: [1 + / 0 -] Stretch your fingers before practicing or performing! Fingers tend to tighten, especially on cold, winter days. NEVER crack your knuckles though!

Buying and Selling: [0 + / 0 -] Its okay to negotiate when buying a used violin. They may ask too much for it; My first violin was up in the attic for 8 years... Luckily it was only like $75.

Buying and Selling: [0 + / 0 -] If you are ready for an upgrade, don't make an immediate buy. Find out what kind of violin fits you best. If you are selling a violin, just put an ad in the newspaper, don't sell it on eBay, you probably won't get your full price on there.

Readers' Top 20 Tips

Practicing: [210 + / 4 -] It's better to practice every day than to practice for a long time on one day a week.

Practicing: [135 + / 6 -] Practice one difficult part to perfection rather than playing through the whole song many times to try to make it better.

Practicing: [79 + / 1 -] Practice performing. Play your piece for your dog, your mom, your friend, your family before you have to play it for a concert.

Practicing: [69 + / 5 -] Start every session with a goal and plan. Subject them to constant review.

Practicing: [59 + / 8 -] Practice your 3 octave scales and arps daily to perfection. Practice them with varying articulations. You can learn lots of bowing techniques while practicing your scales at the same time!

Practicing: [48 + / 0 -] Find a chinrest that works for you. Some go in the middle, some are higher, and so on, depending on your neck.

Practicing: [42 + / 1 -] always remember sleep is of paramount importance for the brain to learn what you've practiced

Care and Maintenance: [37 + / 0 -] Wipe off your violin with a cotton cloth every time you put it away, so the rosin dust does not build up and become difficult to remove.

Practicing: [36 + / 3 -] You will have off days when nothing sounds quite as good as its been. Don't worry! They happen to everyone. Set it down for a day or two and then pick it up where you left off!

Practicing: [38 + / 5 -] Learn your etudes: Mazas, Kreutzer, Rode, Fiorillo, Gavinies, Dont and so on.

Performing: [35 + / 2 -] Always have a piece ready to play at a drop of a hat, preferably without accompaniament.

Practicing: [30 + / 1 -] Althogh many people neglect a good bow technique and control is the key to become a good violinist as most of the tone colouring is related to good bow control.

Practicing: [30 + / 1 -] Always study the score to the piece you are learning and be able to hear or sing the accompaniment.

Performing: [29 + / 1 -] Enjoy yourself when playing the violin -- otherwise there's no point.

Care and Maintenance: [29 + / 1 -] Remember to loosen your bow when you stop playing and to tighten it when you start playing.

Practicing: [29 + / 1 -] Stay relaxed and focused. If you're not able to, come back to practicing when you are ready.

Care and Maintenance: [24 + / 0 -] Change your strings and rehair your bow on a regular schedule. The time varies with the amount of time you play.

Practicing: [22 + / 2 -] Always set aside a day or two to practice the endings, last page or two, etc., of a piece. The ending sections are always the most neglected, and we all tend to practice the start of a piece a bit too much.

Health: [21 + / 1 -] Stretch after practicing. It's just like doing exercise - your muscles worked for hours at a time and need to be stretched. I find this helps to avoid problems.

Health: [18 + / 1 -] Use a balanced body while playing, breathe freely and release excessive tension before, during, and after playing. Reset the psycho-phyical gauge before picking up the instrument.

Other Tips for All Topics

All topics: [2 + / 0 -] If you believe you played poorly, don't apologize or appear disappointed. You may not have played as well as in your rehearsals but your judges may have liked it!

Get, and vote on, more tips about a variety of topics, including those not related to the violin, at TipReel.com.

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Interviews

In his books, magazine columns and teachings, Simon Fischer cuts a path straight to the issue at hand, whether it's wobbly vibrato or out-of-tune scales.

At 16, Sam Weiser performs on a new jazz/folk CD to benefit the Daniel Pearl Foundation.

Losing a violin sent Dylana Jenson into a tailspin that lasted longer than anyone could have imagined.

More interviews...

Editor's Blogs

Laurie Niles
Violinist.com's editor is a professional symphony violinist and former newspaper reporter who interviews top violin performers and pedagogues, as well as reports on her experience in violin music and education.

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