Is the violin a tough instrument to learn? Well, it certainly is not an easy instrument to learn. The initial stages can be a bit challenging as you may need to grasp the craft and gain control over your playing technique. As a beginner, it is very common to make mistakes during your learning sessions. However, you need to identify these mistakes at an early stage and make sure these don’t become a habit during your learning journey.
Here are some very common mistakes that you need to avoid while learning the violin.
Choose the right violin
To learn any instrument, you need to make sure you have the right instrument that suits your needs. Violin comes in different sizes. A full-size violin usually suits adults. However, for children, there are other violin sizes to choose from.
Avoid learning the violin with a poor posture
It’s very common to get tired while you play the violin. When you start getting tired, your posture gets affected. Due to this, the music can get affected too. It can lead to pain in your body. Maintaining a good posture is essential when learning to play the violin. In the early learning stages, you should try consciously maintaining posture so that slowly it will become a habit.
Focus on your bowing
As a person learning to play the violin, it is important to remember that bowing exercises are vital. You need to place the bow on the string with the right amount of pressure. Consistent practice of bowing techniques will help you get the right sound from your violin. So set some time apart for your bowing exercises during your practice sessions to perfect it.
Learning the violin playing techniques
You may spend hours practicing. However, you need to practice using the right techniques. You may have chosen to learn the craft yourself using tutorials, etc. and this may not be a bad idea. However, criticisms, encouragement, and guidance throughout your violin learning journey can help you improve your skill exponentially.
Nowadays, thanks to the internet and advanced technology we can learn any new skill from excellent teachers in the comfort of our home. Music4humans is a great platform where you can find many good online violin instructors to help you.
Practice properly
Quality practice is essential while learning to play the violin. Don’t just practice the easy stuff. Try challenging yourself constantly. Try finding out your weaknesses. If you have a violin teacher, they may be able to help you spot your weaknesses and give you tips on how to improve them. Utilize your practice time to strengthen your weak points. Playing the violin needs a lot of physical strength. So make sure to always start with warm-ups. This will help you practice more effectively.
Maintain the violin properly
Your violin should be in tune for it to sound right and also to help you learn properly. Before your practice sessions always ensure that your violin is in tune. Also, learn to get the right amount of rosin on your bow.
Maintain the right wrist position
To ensure that your fingers can play the notes easily, you need to maintain the right wrist position.
Maintain elbow position
As you play, you may get tired and your left elbow may start to fall. Your elbow should be away from the violin. Maintaining proper elbow position is important. So be conscious of your elbow position and take breaks if necessary. If you continue to play with pain in the elbow, it can lead to injury. Follow exercises that can help strengthen your muscles.
Take regular breaks when learning the violin
Learning a new instrument can be exciting. You may want to practice all the time and master the instrument. However, you should not strain yourself while learning it. Make sure your practice sessions are distributed evenly throughout the week so that you don’t strain your body and mind. Playing an instrument should be fun and should not lead to any stress on your mind or body. Listen to your body. If you are feeling tired, it is time to take a break and get back to practicing your instrument later when you feel better.
If you are learning to play the violin yourself, it may be hard to identify your mistakes. An experienced violin teacher can spot your mistakes and also help you correct them. Their guidance can help you form good habits at the early stages which can help you build your foundation and help you gain success in the music field. Many beginners feel that the violin can be a difficult instrument to learn. The best advice would be to not get discouraged. With passion and perseverance, you can surely master the craft and play it like a professional.
If you are interested in learning more about music or if you wish to take an online music course, Music4humans is an amazing platform where you can learn various aspects of music from skilled music instructors from all around the world. Schedule a music lesson online today!