How much left-hand finger pressure should I use?
Henk from the Netherlands asked this question about finger pressure.
You can use a lot less left-hand finger pressure than you think.
Avoid the death grip
You’ll know you’re doing the death grip when the tips of your fingers turn white because you’re smashing them into the fingerboard.
Actively practice playing with a light touch. Lightly touch the fingers to the strings without even making sound with the bow..
Play single notes and see how little pressure you can use. Gradually release pressure until the note does not sound anymore. You might hear some scratchiness or harmonics.
Then, re-apply a little pressure to make the note sound.
You’re looking for The Sweet Spot in which you can play with minimal effort and yet make a nice sound.
An amazing fringe benefit is that you will feel the vibration of the string in your finger. This is both pleasing as well as helpful for tuning.
Further learning
How can I keep my left hand from tensing up when I play?
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