Can my left hand ever be relaxed?

February 15, 2008 at 3:57 PM

I am constantly being reminded to be relaxed, right arm, left hand, shoulders etc. I'm fairly okay with my bow arm being relaxed, but my left hand especially my thumb is KILLING me.

I find myself gripping when the fingering is difficult. E.g. I'm working on the A major scale right now, so on the G string, I have to use high 3 finger which is completely new to me. Teacher told me to turn my hand more towards the left, and it helps a bit, but I'm still cramping up. Just playing the scale is okay, but playing those fingering exercises that goes from A to D# is a PAIN (literally)!!

It's funny how I would read an old(er) blog of mine (granted i've only started a little over a month ago), the problems I had before has for the most part been resolved!!!

I really hope this is another usual beginner problem that a week later I look back would just laugh.

From Stephen Brivati
Posted on February 16, 2008 at 4:19 AM

Greetings,
to improve the a to D# problem go back to somethign I mentioned i think insomeone elses blog. The hand stretches back from the fourth finger not forward form the first. So begin by establing where the d 3 is. Get a nice curved fourth finger with the hand relaxed and the elbow situated under the 4th. Pay attention to how that position feels. Now begin your exerixcse from the firts finger but do not alter the primary set up you have established. You may notice that you now have to have a feelign of stretching back for yhe first and perhps second finger. This is correct.
To work on the gripping problem place a bit of foam on the wall and rest the scroll of the isntrument on it so it is supported or use a striong musci stand or your husbands shoulde ror whatever. Now practice with the thumb off the instrument and slightly close rot your nose than usual. Learn the sensation of relaxtion from this and try and play with the same feeling.
Also, learn where your thumb cooncet to the bones of the hand, it is very near what we erroneously call the wrist.The thumb is diffenrt from your fingers. If you do this you will see that your whole thum is very long indeed. Longer by far than all your fingers. try roatating -the whole thum= from the absolute bottom as one unsit.This little rotation is useful to stop and do when you are praciticng.
Cheers,
Buri

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on February 17, 2008 at 12:57 AM

Thanks for your advice, Buri. I'll try it on one of my students.

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Can my left hand ever be relaxed?

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