Feeling my strings vibrate

June 20, 2016 at 04:45 PM · Hi Mariko, you probably got over the beginner's "death grip"

June 20, 2016 at 04:56 PM · @Mariko

"Now, since two days I sometimes feel the strings vibrate below my fingers (which never happened before). Why would that be? Is that maybe because the notes are more in tune? "

Well, I'm not sure what you mean by vibrate under or below your fingers? Maybe if you are not making the strings touch (lightly) the fingerboard you may feel them vibrate. Playing in tune is with the ear, and checking again notes which are known to be in tune, such as the open strings or harmonics. (As long as the instrument is tuned accurately).

June 20, 2016 at 05:47 PM · Hi Peter, yeah I didn't know very well how to explain it. I was never aware of this before. When I play I feel this slight buzz under my fingers, as if I can feel the vibrations of my string. And I didn't know why this suddenly happened. But indeed I think it's that I'm touching the strings more lightly then before. I guess it's a good thing then?

Hi Steven, I hope so! I've been trying to play more relaxed too lately, so I think that's finally working. :-)

June 20, 2016 at 08:49 PM · I notice it sometimes, especially when I don't press really hard but it's nothing bad.

June 20, 2016 at 09:46 PM · Yes, I see. Maybe it was a stupid question of me... I understand now that it doesn't have anything to do with intonation. I was working a lot on intonation lately, so I thought it had something to do with that.

But I think now that I feel the strings buzz because I'm not pressing down so hard on the strings anymore. :-)

June 20, 2016 at 09:57 PM · Mariko, have you started practicing vibrato yet? It really loosens things up, but don't practice it with intonation.

June 20, 2016 at 10:24 PM · I did start learning vibrato but haven't been working much on vibrato lately. My vibrato is in complete beginner phase. :-) So you suggest I practice vibrato without focusing on intonation. So just vibrato on whatever spot on the string?

June 20, 2016 at 11:25 PM · Well, essentially do scales for intonation, then scales for vibrato. Don't do one scale for both.

June 21, 2016 at 09:19 AM · For me... feeling the strings vibrating while pressing on it is quite normal... Specially when you add vibrato on the note. But I dont see why you never noticed it before and just happened to be two days ago that you noticed it.

June 21, 2016 at 11:19 AM · The string has to vibrate along with the violin, to produce sound. But you should not feel the vibrations in the left hand and this also has NOTHING to do with vibrato.

A lot of issues are getting confused here and there is a lot of dubious advice floating around.

Listen to what people like Buri and Mary have to say, to name only two, and of course there are others. But I get a little worried when people with good intentions but only a year or even four or five years of playing experience start giving advice, no matter how well meant it is.

If you have a good professional teacher ask them. If you have not yet found a teacher, look for a good one, otherwise you will do a lot of damage to your playing and even to your body.

June 21, 2016 at 07:37 PM · I am not a pro but I do know that if you stop the string without actually pressing it fully firmly on the fingerboard, and use full bows giving the string its maximal vibration for the soundpoint you are using, then yes, you do feel the string vibrating under your finger. As long as the sound is good I don't think this is a problem?

June 22, 2016 at 03:51 AM · If the string is not held in contact with the fingerboard with the finger, the sound cannot be any good as it then sounds throttled. As long as the fingers are light but making the string contact the board then the sound is good, but of course the bow is 85% of the sound.