Category: Bowing

Will slurring help me to play faster on violin?

At the FiddleHed monthly office hours, FiddleHed Mary asked, “Will slurring help me to play faster on violin?” Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: it depends on the situation.  Slurring notes, which involves playing two or more notes without lifting the finger(s) in between, can help with playing faster on the violin by allowing for smoother … Continued

4 Tips To Improve Your Bowing Precision

Are your string crossings sloppy? Do you unintentionally hit other strings as you play? Are the fingered notes a bit mushy? If so, you’re not alone. These are common bowing pitfalls. In this lesson I’ll give you strategies to practice precision. This will also help you with fingering precision. 👌🏼 4 tips to improve your bowing precision. … Continued

6 Tips For A Better Bow Hold 

Do you struggle with holding the bow correctly? Do you find it slips out of your hand? Does it feel awkward? If so, take heart. You’re not the only one. You can improve this a little every day with focused practice. This lesson is for beginners, but also for intermediate fiddlers who are uncertain about … Continued

The Magical Practice of Bowing On Open Strings

Playing on the open strings is your magical amulet for more fun and productive sessions. Do this at the start, middle and end of a practice period. It’s a way for the mind and body to relax and reset. This practice is for everyone, beginner to expert. Start with open strings Play an open string G. … Continued

What I’m Practicing Now: October 2021

Hey folks, It’s day 11 of the Fall Practice Challenge 2021! Fiddlers around the world are playing every day for two weeks straight. We help each other by coming together in live zoom meetups. Here’s a summary of stuff I’ve been practicing Technique: –Fifths double stops –A and D pentatonic scales with slur patterns –Slur … Continued

Fun With Pedal Patterns

Here’s something fun you can do on the fiddle.  Alternate between a constant note and other changing notes, always alternating back to open D. This is called a “pedal pattern”.   Here’s a basic pedal pattern: D1-0-2-0-3-0-2-0 . Here’s a variation in which we move down the scale notes and then jump back up: D3-0-2-0-1-0  You can … Continued