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Articles & Books From Katharine Rapoport
Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-16-2022
With all of its different parts and its beautiful, delicate-looking body, the violin can feel a bit intimidating at first. This Cheat Sheet helps you get to know your instrument by introducing the most important parts of your violin, provides some easy steps to keep it in tip-top condition, and takes you through the process of taking the violin out of its case for the very first time.
Take a (violin) bow and let your inner musician shine! You don’t have to be a genius to start fiddling around! Violin For Dummies helps budding violinists of all ages begin to play. If you’ve never read a note of music, this book will show you how to turn those little black dots into beautiful notes. Start slow as you learn how to hold the instrument, use the bow, finger notes, and play in tune.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Taking the violin out of its case (and putting it away again safely) is a skill; mastering the art ensures that your instrument will have a long and happy life. To open the case, follow these steps:
Place the violin case on a stable, flat surface, such as a table or a sofa, with the lid facing the ceiling, and then turn the latch-and-handle side to face you.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Playing sad music might make violinists feel like the weight of the world rests on their shoulders, but a good, comfortable shoulder rest can give some much needed support without that heavy feeling.
A shoulder rest is a bracket or cushion that fits onto the back of the violin and helps the player to support the instrument.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
If gravity didn’t exist, there wouldn’t be problems with the violin hold. Violins would just float around, and you would be able to play lightly on a lovely Stradivarius as it wafted by. However, the reality is that you do have to support your violin in the most practical and comfortable way possible, which can be tricky.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
A good time to start on vibrato is when your violin hold, bow hold, left-hand balance, and some shifting skills are comfortable and working well. Although it may seem almost magical when you see and hear a player making a beautiful vibrato, the approach to vibrato is logical and involves some step-by-step preparation.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Once you feel you have developed your skills to a comfortable level on the violin, you’re ready to move on to trying your left hand in different positions along the neck. Position refers to the place where your hand goes on the neck of the violin in order to play the notes.
Playing in third position
Playing in third position is violinists’ second favorite thing to do (after first position)!
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
More than 70 parts go into making a complete violin. This hourglass-shaped string instrument consists of several basic parts, including the 21 important elements explained here.
Back: One of the most important parts of the violin, for both aesthetic and acoustic properties. The back of the violin can be made of one or two pieces, and it’s arched for strength and tone power.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Violins are made of natural materials that are sensitive to temperature and humidity changes. Follow these tips to help your violin have a long and happy life:
Keep your violin at about room temperature.
Store the case away from high-traffic areas so that it doesn’t get knocked around.
Always close and latch the case when you finish playing, to protect your violin from falls.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
The most satisfaction you can have when playing the violin is when you know you’re getting the best-possible sound from your instrument. Now is a great time to take the violin you inherited from Uncle George’s attic to the string shop and make sure of the following elements:
The sound post is safely wedged in the proper spot inside the violin.