Your comment is my awarded thanks Arno!

Thanks for your feedback! I'm so glad you enjoy the lessons!

SO happy to hear that, Bill! Thanks for the comment! Keep up the good work!

I sense a hint of sarcasm

Oh, no, not at all. I was being very genuine. I enjoy all of your videos! :) Thank you again.

+Douglas W. Bush, M.A. Hi Douglas, just to be clear, that was not me saying "I sense a hint of sarcasm"....I have no idea who that is! I am not that cynical! THANK YOU for your sweet comment. I hope you are making great progress in your violin quest!

Thanks, Alex. I appreciate that very much. Glad it helped!

I'm so glad it made sense to you and helped!

I hope my video helped you. Thanks for posting! Good luck!

I will probably get exiled to Antarctica for this video, but I do hope it helps!

I appreciate that! Thanks!

Thanks for watching and your comment. Keep up the good work!

Wonderful! Nice to meet fellow teachers!

Thank you very much, Rabia!

Thanks, Robv60! WOW, just got your first violin? How exciting! I am amazed at what self-taught violinists can accomplish using the internet! Nothing can replace consistent practice and determination and grit! If you decide you want more help than just youtube, come check out my beginners course here: www.reddesertviolin.com/onlineviolinlessons/. BEST of luck to you!

Yes, my students all laugh at that one.

Hooray! SO glad it shed some light for you! I didn't realize the two bow holds until late in my career.....better late than never!

Thank you!

+Donnavan Dillon Glad it helped. We all have different "geometry" and proportions. My hands are pretty small. Some violinists I know have HUGE hands (and so did Paganini and Perlman).....and they seem so relaxed and make it look so easy. Keep striving...you will find your zone.

Great! I hope it will help you! Good luck!

Hey Blacksquaretable, so if you were my student, we would not even be worrying about the two bow holds. We would play in the middle of the bow, where our bow hold can stay the same, and we would make sure your thumb and pinky stay bent, your bow stays straight, and your elbow is moving, not your shoulder. (the 2 bow holds is a little more advanced.....so go ahead and wait on this technique)

Hi Terry, thank you for the kind words. Do you mean, you don't know what CLASS to take, or you don't know where to FIND my classes? My classes are all located at www.RedDesertViolin. You'll see a big list down at the bottom, like a restaurant menu with descriptions. If you are totally self-taught and don't consider yourself proficient in technique, then I would start with Suzuki Book 1, even if you want to learn fiddle. If you are proficient in basic violin technique, then you can choose Suzuki Book 2, or the Fiddle class, depending on your style preference. You can also email me for help with this decision. lora@reddesertviolin.com. And lastly......today is the last day of a pretty decent sale, it will save you $15 on your initial sign-up. Talk to you soon!

thanks! i appreciate it!

Cool! Thanks for the anatomy lesson! Great to know the terms I need!

YW ;-)

Mirrors do wonderful things for violin students!

I have come across a learning experience, and that is comparing bow arm and wrist, finger hold of Heifetz, Perlman, and Anne K Meyers on you tube violin performance. Laughing at your exaggerated bow hold frog, tip is exactly how Heifetz holds his bow!! WOW! I’m impressed!

Terry, I am interested to know what videos you compared. (or is it compiled into one comparison?) I am teaching my SUzuki Book 4 students how to "Learn from the Pros" by doing exactly what you are describing, and I'd like to use your comparison, if you still remember. (if not....DO NOT WORRY about it)

Red Desert Violin Hi, I can send the 3 videos to your e-mail. All 3 are playing Saint Saens, Intro and Rondo Capricccioso. Anne Akiko Meyers. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z9J3jdtpqK3ThIk.html Next is Jascha Heifetz. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/erhmdqqJ08vQpaA.html Then, Itzhak Perlman. youtu.be/BnsPny:Ldrw If these don’t go through, just type in search you tube Itzhak Perlman Introduction & Rondo Cappriccioso

+anahuic Hi Anahuic, that is a GREAT observation. The reason it looks like I am only using the frog bow hold is because in the OBS, we only use small bows, not WHOLE BIG BOWS. So, my bow hold does not make a big change between the tip bow hold and the frog. It sort of stays "inbetween", because I"m mostly playing in the middle of the bow, fingers bent and flexible, similar to the frog. You are asking the right questions! Keep up the good work!

Sure! Good luck!

Yes, this is a concept introduced in my Suzuki Book 1 class, and then emphasized in later books.

Thank you.. I just sent you an email, regarding your lessons.

@@crazyforflowers7478 Did I reply? LOL....I hope so!

Hi Sylvia, Definitely do NOT wrap your index finger. That is wrong in every sense. The THUMB is debateable. Many students think the thumb has to remain at a certain angle....and they try to adhere to that angle. Keep these rules in mind, and it should help: The thumb should be bent at all times. (more bent at the frog, and naturally less bent at the tip....it's just a necessity of our anatomy). Also, it is the CORNER TIPyour thumb that sits on the bow. (the corner that is closest to index finger). Finally, make sure your thumb is not poking through under the hair. Your thumb should park so that half of the contact is on your thumb leather, and the other half is on the...the.....the.....ack....what's it called....that little ebony knob that sits on the slide? Hopefully you know what I'm talking about.....I used to know what it was called.

The jellyfish lesson is in my Suzuki Book 1 course. (sorry) But I might talk about it in this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kJikaLGj2tnYaY0.html

That's a really good question. The reason is....by placing the tp core on your shoulder like a bazooka, it creates a trajectory that trains students to bow STRAIGHT....by forcing the bow out front of us....that's actually the trajectory our bow must take in order to play straight on the G string. So, it seems totally wrong and off.....but if you carefully study the position your bow is in when playing perfectly straight on the G string, it's the same position the t.p. core forces you into when you hold it on your shoulder. (test it out....and tell me if you agree)

It sounds like you are playing with too much tension. That is one of the HARDEST things to learn: to relax while playing this difficult instrument. Try playing VERY quietly....it is easier to relax when you are not trying to play loud. Also, you do not have to tilt the bow....if it hurts, simply do not tilt it.

Rosa, long fingers are a blessing on violin! But sometimes, you have to figure out what to do with the "extra". It can be awkward in vibrato, and now that you mention it, possibly with bow hold as well. But trust me, it IS an advantage when it's all said and done! Colle': your description sounds wrong to me, even considering your long fingers. I have a video series called "Learn from the Pros". (it's not a public series, it's private) But the general concept is: FIND A PROFESSIONAL VIOLINIST on KZfaq WITH YOUR SAME PHYSICAL FEATURE that is giving you trouble, and emulate them. So, you must find violinists with long fingers, and study their bow hold and use of colle'. (Leonid Kogan is a great place to start, since there are no live videos of Paganini!) I can't think of any others off the bat, but if you look around on KZfaq, you will be able to spot really long fingers by comparing them proportionally to the violin. About the "holes" in tone: this is a SUPER complicated topic, and I'll have to really do my homework to to it right, but it's a great idea. I'll work on it, but I'll leave you with some thoughts: I think you are OVER-USING colle'. That is the BIGGEST cause of "holes" during bow changes. You need to observe: are the holes the worst at the tip or the frog? (this is a big hint for what you need to work on) If they are biggest at the frog, then it's too much colle', or maybe faulty colle'. If the holes are big at the tip, then it's more complicated, but it could also be your fingers are "flipping" during the bow change....again, too much effort, too much colle'. Then, there is some special magic from crooked bow, and tilting the bow, and drawing arcs in the air.....this is where I need to do my homework. I will definitely see what I can put together...but I can't promise to alert you when it's ready. Are you subscribed? Thanks for a great question.

@@RedDesertViolin Muchas gracias Lora, for your detailed explanation and for taking so much interest in my questions. I will follow your advices and will also analyze where excactly on the bow my sound holes do locate . I am subscribed from the day i saw one of your videos a few years ago. I will be looking forward to watch your future videos!! You are the best violin teacher I have come across on KZfaq!!! Great work , congrats!!!! And thank you for your generosity!! You deserve the best!! Saludos, Rosa.

Hi Ekram! Where does your back hurt? If it's upper back, it could be your set-up (chin rest and shoulder rest). If it's lower back, it could be something else. Do you stand or sit to practice? My MAIN advice is 3 things: 1) Make sure you have a good set-up that allows you to play and hold your violin naturally and effortlessly 2) ALWAYS be on the look-out for tension. Tension causes pain and pain usually indicates tension. 3) MOVE! Do not stand or sit like a statue when you play. MOVE AROUND like a tree swaying in a breeze. Whenever I have to stand and film in front of my camera, I try to stand very still, and it forces me to STOP my natural movement......and I ALWAYS get pain after filming. (that's when I learned the importance of free movement....because I never had pain before!)

Thank you very much for your advise @@RedDesertViolin

Yes, I'm aware of that. I tried doing that for awhile, because I thought it looked really cool. It didn't really DO anything....helpful or otherwise.....so I don't teach my students to do that. But yes, to each her own, and you are welcome to disagree! ;-)