V.com weekend vote: Have you ever had to 'rebuild' an aspect of your technique?
Over many years of violin, I've occasionally had to "start from scratch" on an established technique. Because this instrument involves so many different physical systems, I don't think this is unusual, but I am curious about people's experiences with this.
My first biggie was as a teenager: I was gripping the violin with my left thumb and needed to straighten the thumb and thereby change its functionality. Considering how long ago this happened, I remember very vividly, the moment when I finally understood what my teacher had been trying to get across to me for at least a year or two. He tried a new approach and described it to me in a tactile way: "You should feel the violin on this part of your thumb," he said, and with that one instruction, I made the change and it stuck.
The next one was much more difficult, my college teacher wanted me to change the way I held the violin on my shoulder. Ugh! This was annoying and uncomfortable, and it made me feel like I couldn't play. Basically I needed to straighten my spine and get everything a bit more upright, and changing a 10-year habit was very hard to do. However, he was right, and I remain thankful that he persisted in (and insisted on) helping me make that change!
Lastly, in graduate school I had to do a months-long re-working of the entire mechanics of my bow arm. This started from my own dissatisfaction, I went to the new teacher saying, "I need you to fix my bow arm." The combination of his method (he had kind of a reputation for helping people with this problem) - and my willingness to stick with the program (open strings, for months!), really helped.
Have you ever had to take on the project of fixing an entrenched technique or habit in your playing? What was the issue, and how did you fix it?
If you've been playing a long time (as I have!) you might have done this a few times - if so, just vote on the one that was the most involved, and then tell us about it and any other experiences you wish to share, in the comments. If you have never done so, perhaps tell us about something that you wish to "rebuild" in your playing. And if your technique never needed any revision - you are living the dream!
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Replies
I've had to rebuild two of these things. My bow arm/hand needed a complete rebuild when I first took lessons after 16+ years of self-teaching. More recently, I had to rework how I hold my viola. This was not so much a result of self-teaching as from many years of playing viola with a too-tall chinrest that didn't allow me to rest the viola on my collarbone. After getting a custom-made, ultra-low chinrest, I had to unlearn the habits that had been forced on me by my prior setup.
I had to rebuild after coming back to the violin after a hiatus of 15 years or so. specifically it was the independence of the pinky. initially I thought that would be an impossible mission, but actually, with dedicated practice and exercises off the violin (on a pencil, basically, and also on my computer keyboard, I'll tell you the trick if someone is interested) it worked out well.
I'vd had to rework my entire bow hold after 7 years of playing (and still ongoing!) and the mechanics of my left hand fingers - in terms of how they go down on the string. That was, surprisingly, an easier fix than expected for my teacher.
I’ve had to rework all of the above! I think many of us who take lessons over many years might find the same.
I voted right hand because I remember vaguely my new teacher assisting me when I was about 12 with the bow hold after my having a swan neck wrist for a very long time.
But I want to share about how when I was a relative beginner I couldn't keep my left wrist straight. I have a short thumb and my teacher when I was an absolute beginner had put my thumb in a certain spot. It was impossible for me to have a straight wrist when my thumb was up so high. I remember one day in a lesson either with that teacher or maybe another one, saying do you mean to say that I'm allowed to have my thumb down here so that my wrist can be straight?? It was a total revelation and my left hand skipped ahead enormously once I was able to put my thumb where it should have been all along.
Another memory I have is of studying a picture where various violinists were holding their bows towards the frog. I worked hard to match the angle of my wrist to what theirs looked like. This was a leap forward in my bowing also.
I guess you could say these are an example of when the student is ready to learn then it will happen if only the teacher provides the information that the student finds accessible.
I tore both right shoulder tendons some years ago and was not able to raise my right arm at all for about 6 months. Even now, years after the operation to reattach them, I still do PT and playing for long periods or a lot on the G and D strings, will require some convolutions, or at least an ibuprofen. I think that working with young and especially older students with (in some cases) years of posture and technique issues forced me to focus on my own good posture and technique and it helped pull me through some of the more difficult "reeducation" of my own playing.
I know many pros and amateurs (strings and winds!) who come to a point in their playing life that they step back and consciously do a reevaluation of their playing --and work with a teacher. I think everyone should!
What's the definition of a rebuild? I never had to take steps backwards in a major way, but I had to continually refine and build my technique: left hand position, bow grip, bowing in general, for years through 3 teachers. So, of course I was doing some things wrong but the refinement process gradually improved them. I never went to someone, however, who said something to the effect of "We must step back and work on this...." before we can resume.
I remember many years ago the second violinist of the Delme Quartet commenting "You know you change position all wrong?". He was dead right but my technique always served me well enough so it still is what it was.
I had to unwind a lot of bad habits as a teenager. Most came from not using a shoulder rest and having really short chin rests. So my left shoulder would hunch up and my right arm had less mobility and authority than it should.
In college, after two frustrating years with a famous Galamian disciple, I landed with Carol Stein Amado, who had studied for a year in Russia with Igor Oistrakh. She had a few quite tweaks that loosened up my right arm enormously. Enough that when I found my first teacher after college, he said "you know, your right arm is pretty good. There are some left hand things we can work on." Major victory!
I had a major change as the result of a bicycling accident where I got a "forward displaced fracture of C2 & C3" that elicited the same response from every MD who saw the X-Rays -- "That is the worst fracture that I've seen where the patient lived."
I now have essentially no lateral rotation of my neck. I used to turn my head to the left. I had to re-learn/train everything.
I started while still in a hard brace playing the violin like a mandolin and using a pick to pluck the notes. I tried but utterly failed at trying to use the bow in a Cello like method.
Slowly rebuilding the neurological superhighway that connected my brain with my muscles. Interesting that my intonation improved. Bowing is still a challenge as I tend to revert to the long established pathways that now are at the wrong angle to the strings. I can't see my left hand while playing but the re-training in Mandolin Position helped.
Four years on it is still a work in progress. The new set of difficulties has also made me a better teacher. Also a lot more tolerant of mistakes - theirs and mine - particularly mine.
I voted no. As for the "no yet" part of it: I am 72 and it's more like "and never will".
Oh, come on. Eventually someone will figure out that you’re not perfect.
As from ~ "Apostle" of both Jascha Heifetz & Nathan Milstein ~ {#14} ~
When meeting Nathan Milstein living in London for a long time via an Auer Classmate of himself and of Heifetz along with Elman, Toscha Seidel, Efrem Zimbalist, Sr., N. Milstein, *Sascha Lasserson, the *Authentic Leopold Auer Assistant for Auer's Fabled Class in St. Petersburg, I had after JH original Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Class filmed studies moved to London, RX'd by Heifetz to "Liz! Lasserson in London," and began studying with Mr. Lasserson, Guru of Violin Artistry and Pedagogy as passed on to him by Leopold Auer building British Violin Playing far above any in Europe and Then ...
One gallant evening in the RFH, meeting the Great Milstein, introduced by the kindest mentor of all time, Sascha Lasserson, backstage, and had to be dragged by the Lasserson Hand, I was overwhelmed when Mr. Milstein invited me to come round to their newly moved to Home in London's Chester Square, and after chatting a bit with the very warm and personable Nathan Milstein, felt this might be providential yet not knowing Why!?
I came to play Bach's Chaconne to Milstein who listened with deep interest then after the Final long D, NM began by saying he wished to help my Bow Arm which had been initially taught by my first and brilliant mentor-Father, in the Franco-Belgian Style which was very lovely yet in one's inner mind I was frustrated not being able to project All musical ideas and delicate touches of artistry heard by both JH and NM and including David Oistrakh, when growing up. Mr. Milstein immediately addressed my bowing and most appropriately in the Chaconne of Johann Sebastian Bach which is nakedly apparent in revealing the strength or lack of control over one's Bow & Bowing with the consistent usage of Bach in a choral composed 4 Voices on One Lone Violin! Determined to do whatever it would take, my mind was fully open to any idea or ideas Nathan Milstein had to offer and offer he did playing specific examples of "sand traps" with all Three and Four Stringed Chords when needed and without Scratch in the "Bible of Violin Playing" of Johann Sebastian Bach! NM proceeded to right-there and- then gift me a first Violin 'Tutorial' in his Chester Square lounge watching every false move I made and patiently correcting my for a first time example of How he, NM, bowed the 3 stringed Chords and on to How he bowed 4 strings needed and all at once Chording which needed No Scratch or a Frog bumped bow. It was to be the Journey of my Violin Lifetime in Concert Playing the Violin already under London Major Concert Artist Management, and playing many concerts in the UK (a BBC signed London Radio/Television Artist and All Affiliates throughout the UK) yet nevertheless, this Gift of Providence took my thoughts and heart to the root cause of so much frustration upon hearing the Three Major Artists mentioned above able to easily traverse those little touches of Artistry which few could offer or think of. After many "Tutorial" twice weekly meetings and for minimum's of 3.5 to 4.5 and even 5 hours each time, I began to 'Get It' and realised the dire struggles I had had despite playing major concerts was in the past and I knew this Opportunity would Never come again ... Struggle, Yes I did, but finally beginning to overcome all vicissitudes of Violin Bowing with the Great Violin Mentor, Milstein, playing 3 feet away regularly to show me HOW he traversed All Four Strings and much information about the Bow and his Art (NM never termed his Bowing 'Art'; I Do!) of Bowing as learnt as a boy following his own DNA at birth with natural physique and inner instincts of How to Bow! He made it very simple which was the highest RX for following All NM did. Finally, after a Full Year with NM and preparing for a major Violin Soloist Debut in Spain, I was ready to address all entanglements in the Brahms Violin Concerto which in my good fortune, Sir Adrian Boult, Great British Conductor had invited & engaged me as his Violin Soloist to perform in a London Debut with himself on the Podium!!!
Suffice to say, some of the work put into my Brahms Violin Concerto Project had to be re-addressed with my newly becoming more natural NM style bowing and the smoothness it allowed! There will be always chording in major Concert Violin repertoire so it Is Imperative for anyone striving to achieve Concert Violinist status (I don't like the phrase, 'concert violinist' for one is a Part of The Whole Concerto for Orchestra and a large one plus the Violin Part which weaves In & Out for the duration of this magnificent work of Johannes Brahms!!!}
To finish up for now, my Brahms Violin Concerto Debut in a major city in Spain was beyond any public approval, aka, Ovation one could ever imagine and not do so! The Review by revered Spanish Critic, Federico, stuck in one's Mind and when back in London following what I guess Management would term 'A huge success,' Mr. Milstein read the Review in Spanish and suddenly hugged me also yelling upstairs for his wife to come down "to see what they wrote about my pupil, Elisabeth!" She did come down with husband, Nathan Milstein's excited voice yelling to come down to read the 'Over The Top' Review!!! They both hugged me and All Three of us took English High Tea in the midnight blue Den with Yellow Couches over yummy scones and cake their Cook had made in case I was upset over my Debut Brahms Concert! We three chatted a long time, gossiping on the agenda, and enjoyed Our Duo Success, for without Nathan Milstein, yours truly writing in could never have achieved the highest level I had always dreamed of and in a public performance in a major country I so Loved speaking the Language just enough to speak in rehearsal all in Spanish with the Spanish Conductor so accommodating musically ... My Violin Concerto had to have gone most well for the SO Audience to insist I play an Encore and btw, in over 104 Degrees of stifling heat then bowing and performing the Chaconne of Bach for my Encore offering ~ 'In Memory' of their just passed away Director of the Symphony Orchestra Board whom all were mourning in the Concert w/myself able to summon the strength to do so ...
Most on here cannot replicate my Providential great fortune in meeting *Nathan Milstein and then all events herein described but if you have Doubts try to find a known mentor with Concert Playing Violin experience with a violin pedigree from Master's for if lucky you might be able to lift your playing way up to dreams of such becoming your reality!!!
Thanking Editor, Laurie Niles, who knew my first teacher and I am so moved to have learned this, accept my extra Special Thanks, dear Laurie!
~ ~ ~ Musical Violin Playing Best Wishes from Chicago ~ ~ ~
............. Elisabeth Matesky, Daughter of RM .............
Fwd ~ dmg {#14} Composed 6th of May, anno 2025
My teacher helped me rebuild my vibrato from scratch some years ago. Just recently, I made a few "next level" type discoveries on my own that I think I can implement but they will take time. And probably I'll ask for help with it again anyway because my teacher is great at diagnosing issues.
Mine was a right-hand issue. Early, as a student, I got into the habit of leaning the bow stick against the 1st joint of the index finger. My teacher helped me break this habit and got me to lean it against the 2nd joint - the one closer to the tip - instead. It took a few weeks to adjust, but once I did, I felt much freer to get the tone and articulation I aimed for. To this day, the first exercises I do in a warm-up session are for the bow hand and arm.
I have had to fix aspects of my technique many times. The first time I remember was when I changed from my first to my second teacher. I had held the right thumb opposite the index finger, and my new teacher taught me to have it in between the middle and ring fingers. That made playing much easier, and it sounded better, too. Anothter time is now: after practicing too much on a difficult piece, I developed medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow) in my left arm. Since then I have become much more aware of the role of the left arm in preparing the best position for the left hand: I had been somewhat lazy in that respect.
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May 4, 2025 at 07:43 PM · I had violin lessons with the same teacher for just over 10 years, and since everything was going well I am very lucky to not have needed a technique rebuild. However, on piano, I did switch teachers twice before I was 10, and when I finally settled on the teacher I had from fourth grade to end of high school, I had to catch up on/rebuild/relearn some issues my previous teachers didn't go in depth with me on for the first little while.