What is the secret to good violin technique?
Initially the violin is one of the hardest instruments to play. Skill has to be developed both in the left hand on the fingerboard and in the right hand which holds and controls the bow. Right from the start several techniques have to be attended to. The left hand has to learn not only to move about the instrument with ease, but the player has to develop a good sense of pitch and a good memory to find time after time where on the fingerboard the in-tune pitches are. The right hand has to learn to balance the bow on the strings with great delicacy. Too light a touch and the bow will bounce on the string too heavy a touch will result in a scratchy sound, which is one of the most dispiriting aspects of early violin playing.
