violin frustration

[Tabris]

Am I the only human being in the universe with a collar bone and neck design such that I *cannot* hold a violin properly?

I ahve spent an hour online today looking at over ten sites about "how to hold your violin" and there are even videos of little kids who pick up a violin, tuck it under their chins, and let go with the left hand. "Hey, it stays put!"  If I did that, the thing would fall.

I took violin for three years as a kid, and I *never* got it to stay put. I had help from private instructors and my uncle who was a concert violinist, and I never got the thing to stay put. I always figured it was that I was still a kid and had too big a violin for me.

No--I must have lost a bet wtih God and now I have the wrong shape neck/shoulder/collarbone and I'm going to need to hire someone to stand beside me and hold the violin if I ever intend to change positions or vibrato or anything more complicated than Row Row Row Your Boat.

AAAAGH.

[Rose2Bear]

I played violin for about three seconds when I was little (OK one semester...) so I by no means know how to play the violin, BUT I do remember they encouraged us to rubberband a soft sponge to the chin rest to make it easier and more comfortable to hold. Have you tried something along those lines?

[Tabris]

I spent an hour before I posted with two rubber bands and an odd assortment of soft objects. I'm ready to cry.

When I was a kid, my uncle eventually rigged up this thing for me which involved a shoulder rest turned upside-down and placed it on top of another shoulder rest. either I'm like a giraffe or I'm just shaped unlike any other human being on earth.

I'm going to go to the music store tonight if I can and bring the violin and tell them my credit card is theirs if they can figure out something for me. Either that or I'll just break down in tears in the store and leave them to figure out what to do with me...

[kathrynne]

You're nowhere near alone. Mine was never comfortable, and I had to use the half-size violin because my arms are so short. I told my parents they were welcome to sell the thing when I hit seventh grade, it was so uncomfortable.

I wouldn't even think of taking it up again now. I figure if it hurts to cradle a phone between ear and shoulder, a fiddle's not going to feel much better.

Good luck with that!

[Evil Duckie]

They do make adjustable shoulder rests for violins. I have seen quite a few of the children in middle school using them. Some have the violin on their shoulders while some have it a ways above it.

We have not had to deal with shoulder rests because my youngest plays the Bass. We had the problem with finding a 1/4 bass because he is short and refused to consider the cello.

[Tabris]

They found a shoulder rest that worked!!!

I'm a lame human being and an imperfect violinist because I'm using a crutch, and I DON'T CARE! I can hold the violin without either killing myself or wanting to. I'm still somehow flawed in that I can't hold a violin normally, but you know what? It no longer matters. Purists will laugh at me, but I'll be playing.

**sobs of relief**

Thirty bucks made the century-old violin playable again.

Now to torture the poor thing with sounds...

[freakyfemme]

They found a shoulder rest that worked!!!

I'm a lame human being and an imperfect violinist because I'm using a crutch, and I DON'T CARE! I can hold the violin without either killing myself or wanting to. I'm still somehow flawed in that I can't hold a violin normally, but you know what? It no longer matters. Purists will laugh at me, but I'll be playing.

**sobs of relief**

Thirty bucks made the century-old violin playable again.

Now to torture the poor thing with sounds...

Tabris, it's okay.  A proper-fitting shoulder rest for your violin isn't a "crutch."  I have to use a neck strap when I play my clarinet, because I have recurring problems with tendonitis in my right wrist (and even the occasional pain/spasms in my left wrist as well), and that doesn't make me any less of a musician, likewise, the shoulder rest doesn't make YOU any less of a musician either.  So, keep playing your violin with pride, and don't worry about it.  By the way, as a random side note, one of the greatest violinists in history, Itzahk Perlmann (sp?) had problems with his legs and had to sit down to play, as opposed to standing.  So, in case you still need convincing.....I don't think he'd think that your shoulder rest or my neck strap are "crutches" any more than his need to sit down to play his violin is.

[Tabris]

Well, my favorite violinist would say it's a crutch. But it's getting me playing again.

It's different to have to sit versus stand--that's body posture. It's not modifying the instrument. Same thing with shoulder straps--it's just helping to brace the thing. My son's got a NICE strap for his saxophone and it doesn't affect the sax in any way. But apparently the purists think the shoulder rests on the violin change the sound and make you stiffer while playing.

Not sure if Joshua Bell has a shoulder rest on his Strad. I don't know what Lara St. John has on hers because my jaw was in my lap when I saw her album cover and I didn't think to look.

[Lisbeth]

I have a violin and I feel like that too.

I also can't do vibratos.  My teacher must have found me very frustrating to work with.

<sigh>

[AmethystAnne]

Congratulations on finding the right rest!

My violin slides off my shoulder if the rest is not attached to the instrument.

Are you able to do vibrato?

Like Keen Reader, I can't either.

[Virg]

A violin with a shoulder rest attached to it sounds better than a violin left in its case because you can't play it comfortably.  Tell the purists to listen to a different performer if it bothers them so much.  Enjoy your instrument, and don't worry about what the world thinks.  Purists though Jimi Hendrix was a horror to behold, but he managed to do okay.

Virg

[Bethalize]

Well, my favorite violinist would say it's a crutch. But it's getting me playing again.

But apparently the purists think the shoulder rests on the violin change the sound and make you stiffer while playing.

I was always taught with a shoulder rest. Unless you and your instrument are so good that there is a significant difference I think this point is bunkum. Unless you have a really amazing fiddle of course.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/saturday_review/story/0,,381986,00.html has some info on what makes a Strad a Strad (not a very new development but one of interest).

[Tabris]

Good points about played violins sounding better than unplayed ones. I gave up the first time in part because I was never comfortable, and because I was stupid and thought that because I needed private lessons to sound okay, that meant I was hopeless. Now I know...that's the way it goes. Pretty much no one does well just learning at school in a group of 25 string players.

I'm still at the point where I can play a scale right 6 times out of 10 and no, I can only think in vibrato and not play it.   Never was even told about vibrato the first time around. Go figure. 

The instrument I'm using is the Very Old Violin I posted about last year, which I just spent an obscene amount of money to repair and is apparently worth quite a bit more than we paid to repair it. It's got a really sweet sound. TOo bad I'm torturing it with off-key renditions of Happy Birthday To You.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement.

[freakyfemme]

Good points about played violins sounding better than unplayed ones. I gave up the first time in part because I was never comfortable, and because I was stupid and thought that because I needed private lessons to sound okay, that meant I was hopeless. Now I know...that's the way it goes. Pretty much no one does well just learning at school in a group of 25 string players.

Yup.  Having to take private lessons isn't a bad thing, I didn't even *get* to take private clarinet lessons until my parents were able to see that I was serious about it, and skilled enough to make it worth their while.  At that point (grade twelve), they started helping me look for a competent teacher, and lined me up with the second clarinetist in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.  I've since fallen out of touch with him, because he's moved so many times since then, but I have to say that he was an instrumental force in helping me get into Bishop's.....yes, pun fully intended, lol.