Posted by fiddlebarb on Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Well it has been almost a month now since I have picked up the fiddle, and was thinking today about some of my accomplishments and also some of my trouble areas. I am getting better with my intonation every day, and when I played for family they commented that my bowing was sounding smoother. I have a few tunes that I am able to play although all of them still need a lot of work and I still stumble and sometimes crash.
I am still trying to get my bow grip down, I started of with TUS, but was having issues with my grip. It seemed that no matter what I did I could not get my thumb to bend. I am double jointed in my fingers and find that it is easy for them to become hyper extended. I have ran into this issue when playing other instruments such as guitar or mountain dulcimer. I was feeling that my wrist was too stiff and was unable to get the flexibility that I wanted. Some of it will come with more experience and learning how to relax, but my grip was also inhibiting this. Today I decided to try TUF grip focusing on trying to keep that blasted thumb bent. I have noticed improved flexibilty in my wrist and although my thumb still wants to go straight and hyper extend I do think that this grip has definite possibility.
I have also been able to set up some time to get together with a teacher. It is a bit of a drive, close to a hour to get there and with a car that is 23yrs old and has its issues it is a bit of a hike. I am hoping to eventually find someone closer to home, will see what I find out when I attend the jam here in town on Saturday. I have already checked with the local music shops and have not had really good luck. One does not have anybody that teaches fiddle or violin, and the other one has somebody that teaches only classical violin. I am hesitant about having a classical teacher, bad experience from the past. When I was in elementary school I tried playing the violin for a short while. I had issues with holding the bow, I am left handed and was playing the instrument the right handed way. The instructor basically told me that I would never be able to play well because I could not hold the bow properly. At that age it was enough to make me stop wanting to play. Doesn't mean that all classical teachers are going to do the same, but the experience definitly left a bad taste in my mouth. By the way I am still playing a right handed instrument, as a southpaw I have learned to adapt to a dominate right-handed world.
bj Says:
Tuesday, August 11, 2009 @1:02:17 PM
Barb, get with janepaints and speak to her about lefty/righty fiddle. She's a southpaw too and plays multiple instruments. My teacher, Steve, was also a southpaw who became a luthier in self defense. Both play lefty, but Jane can play "over the top" and does sometimes.
The bent thumb is KEY to keeping the bow parallel to the bridge, since it allows the bow to pivot on that thumb. And with a bent thumb, to achieve that the movement has to go into the wrist and fingers. Try this exercise with both bow holds and see which one will work best for you. Standing in an open doorway with your fiddle in playing position, scootch over until your elbow is up against the doorjamb. Now play, keeping your elbow against that doorjamb. Do scales up and down all the strings. If there's a way to get a mirror in position, so you can check your bow parallel to the bridge thing while you're doing this, so much the better. I propped a mirror on a chair.
Have fun!
fiddlebarb Says:
Tuesday, August 11, 2009 @8:25:38 PM
bj thanks for the advice, I will have to try the exercise with the doorjamb. I need to work on teaching that thumb to stay bent the correct way since it naturally tends to want to bend backwards. Going to take a lot of focusing on I think to train that thumb.
brya31 Says:
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 @2:04:17 AM
Hey Barb, maybe the teacher you are going to see will help you with your mechanics. It is a long drive, so I would think meeting once a month would do you good. I meet with my instructor once a month. You will find that you will back and forth trying to find that right spot for your left hand and the right hold for your right hand. I went TUS..TUF....TUS.....TUF....I am back to TUS and I think I will finally stay here, LOL
fiddlebarb Says:
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 @8:19:09 AM
I am hoping that this teacher will be able to help me with this, I am planning on doing twice a month since there is a jam that takes place in the evening out in the area every Wednesday. At this time my work schedule gives me every other Wednesday off so I am planning on doing my lessons on those Wednesdays and the attending the jam in the evening. It would be ideal to find a teacher closer to me, I might get lucky when I go to the jam in town this Saturday.
You must sign into your myHangout account before you can post comments.
