[Caren]

Hi everyone,

I’m relatively new to the fiddle and really delighted to finally get the chance to learn it. So I like to practise a good bit — trying to make up for the decades I missed out on, I suppose — but I’m really feeling it in the auld bones. I was wondering if any of you would like to share your tips on how you’re dealing with that?

The main issues for me would be shoulder/neck pain (which I’m prone to anyways) and recently also sore wrists (which I never had before).

The shoulder/neck issue has definitely improved with the use of a shoulder rest, even though I find the thing itself quite uncomfortable and it’s kind of poking into me. The fact that I can’t seem to get it into a halfways comfortable position makes me wonder if I’m holding the fiddle in some unorthodox way (not parallel to my shoulder but slightly angled to the front and somewhat tilted down). If there even is the one ‘right’ way to hold the fiddle, or is that as individual as people’s anatomy? That definitely seems to be the case for the shoulder rests and finding the right one will probably be the search for the needle in the haystack, from what I’ve read so far.

The wrist pain is not bad, but maybe there are particular exercises to prevent that or strengthen them? Or is that simply another symptom of a wrong fiddle hold?

Any insights you might have would be very much appreciated! Thank you.

[Jocelyn Martens]

Hi Caren – @fidil,
Thanks for reaching out and sharing this.
Would it be ok if we shared a link to your post in the member newsletter, to facilitate more folks to see it?

Some ideas come to me:

Positioning the instrument to us is something to continuously re-evaluate. Also, getting second opinions, where the person can see your body positioning with the instrument from different angles and suggest what adjustments could be made. Bringing the instrument to our natural body posture, adjusting the heights and positions of our shoulder rest and chin rest, getting someone so see this in ways we cannot and make suggestions, can be great help.

The Bon Musica shoulder rest has helped me alot: https://fiddlershop.com/products/bon-musica-violin-shoulder-rest?rfsn=2826767.f4a2e1&utm_campaign=2826767.f4a2e1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=refersion

I also upgraded to a new chin rest that is positioned more centered on the violin.

The angle of our instrument position will vary and I suggest you try having it in various positions, 45 degree angle from sideways or straight ahead being the middle ground.

Continuously finding relaxation into our music experience and coming back to more relaxed state, can help immensely. Continually bringing focus back to this in what we are doing.

Another thing I tend to do often is play my violin in guitar position with strumming, gives me a nice break from the regular playing position. Also, separating the left and right hand while in playing position, simply playing the notes with left hand fingering (silently) or eliminating the fingerboard hand work, and playing open bows. Exercises like this can help us continue to practise in a different way and positioning.

The Fiddle Guide can be a great means for reviewing/re-evaluating our habits/positions etc and check out what Jason recommends, specifically section 5:

How To Play Violin – An Illustrated Beginner’s Guide | FiddleHed

Happy Fiddling to You 🎶

[Caren]

Thanks for that Jocelyn!

I will work through your suggestions over the next while. For the moment I have started experimenting with holding the fiddle in different positions and I’m surprised to notice how even minor changes can affect both the muscle strain and the playing itself positively or negatively. I also got a different shoulder rest (Wolf Forte Secondo) which is quite adaptable and feels a lot more comfortable. Finally I have changed the position of my chinrest (didn’t know you could do that!), moving it from the side towards the middle, which has definitely helped.

Well, as I say, I’m experimenting and it’ll probably be another while until I find the perfect combination (and that in itself is probably something that keeps evolving) but I’m definitely making progress.

Thanks again.

[Author]

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