April, 2021 | Alex Laing

Apr 30
0

Violin Warmups

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These videos were originally recorded for the Benedetti Foundation.

It is really important to activate your body and hands before playing the violin. It is never a good idea just to launch into playing – especially something fast and tricky.

Here is a video guiding you through some simple warm up ideas for your bow hold. It will help you activate your right hand fingers.

Here is a video that guides you through warming up and activating your left hand – especially that tricky “fiddly fourth finger”. It will help with ideas on improving the speed and ease of movement.

Apr 30
0

The Secrets of Violin Bowing

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THE SECRETS OF VIOLIN BOWING

How does an aspiring violinist learn the art of violin bowing? I always suggest to my students that they go to as many concerts as they can. More importantly, and in the case of violin concertos especially, I advise that they try at least once to get as close as possible to the solo violinist. Seeing and hearing the student’s reactions when they experience a great player like Pinchas Zuckerman or Maxim Vengerov at close quarters is always very telling, because every time it causes a major change in perception.   None of them can believe how big the sound is, but most interestingly, they all report that they hear a huge amount of extra noise or grit in the sound.  The students, listening in close proximity to great violinists, are experiencing how much articulation of the bow is required to make a soloistic sound.

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