First Finger Position (Violin)
So I'm pretty comfortable playing open strings now on the violin, and I've started to learn 'first finger' notes. Open strings are G D A E, and first finger notes are A E B F. I'm also having to re-learn the music notes in "letter" format, since all throughout school we learned them as "do, re, mi..." and apparently no one else commonly uses that system.
Here's me playing open strings after 1 week.
I actually haven't been practicing nearly as much as I should. I have the violin right next to me in the PC room, but I didn't play it too much during this past week. I did pick it up tonight and made a serious effort with the first finger exercises, and while they're not TOO difficult, the violin isn't exactly easy to play. I'm using a temporary pair of marker dots, but you're largely meant to memorize the finger positions from memory, and by ear. For the most part the system is easy to understand, but later on when they start to add-in flats and sharps it will be a lot more challenging.
At this beginning stage I can't even IMAGINE how anyone can manage to do "vibrato" when I can barely hold the violin properly AND press the strings. Vibrato is when you wobble your hand while holding a note, which gives a really beautiful effect to the music. I'm nowhere near the point where I can even THINK about vibrato, but most good players seem to be able to do it so easily and right now it's just kind of leaving me with my jaw dropped, and scratching my head.
If I continue to practice this week, I may be able to have the first finger notes quite playable and memorized, but we'll see. At any rate I should be able to play the exercises comfortably.
Here's me playing open strings after 1 week.
Click to viewI actually haven't been practicing nearly as much as I should. I have the violin right next to me in the PC room, but I didn't play it too much during this past week. I did pick it up tonight and made a serious effort with the first finger exercises, and while they're not TOO difficult, the violin isn't exactly easy to play. I'm using a temporary pair of marker dots, but you're largely meant to memorize the finger positions from memory, and by ear. For the most part the system is easy to understand, but later on when they start to add-in flats and sharps it will be a lot more challenging.
At this beginning stage I can't even IMAGINE how anyone can manage to do "vibrato" when I can barely hold the violin properly AND press the strings. Vibrato is when you wobble your hand while holding a note, which gives a really beautiful effect to the music. I'm nowhere near the point where I can even THINK about vibrato, but most good players seem to be able to do it so easily and right now it's just kind of leaving me with my jaw dropped, and scratching my head.
If I continue to practice this week, I may be able to have the first finger notes quite playable and memorized, but we'll see. At any rate I should be able to play the exercises comfortably.