HELP! i'm learning to play violin!

I had an old violin lying around and my mother-in-law was in town and she plays. She showed me the basics (some correct fingering, plucking, holding it correctly and drawing the bow) and then left town. I can do all these things well, especially for a beginner, HOWEVER: Every time i pull the bow and my fingers are holding down any strings it sounds like I'm killing something.
I can bow the open notes just fine, but as soon as i touch a string with my finger it sounds like I'm summoning the gates of Hell.

Is this just a practice issue or is there some technique that can make my life easier?

ALSO: Is "bowing" the correct verb? When i say "drawing the bow" am I adhering to musical grammar and/or nomenclature? WHAT IS THE VERB!?

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3 replies since 10th July 2009 • Last reply 10th July 2009

Reply #1:

Bowing is the right verb Happy

It might just be a practice thing, as time goes on you are able to give a better sound Happy However it could be a tuning issue, which again comes with time, practice and for me lots of lessons Happy It also depends on the violin itself, if its a relatively cheap on - say £30 - then it will not sound as good as a violin which wis worth more. You could also ry chaging the strings, older ones will be... well old and will not sound as good as newer ones.

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Reply #2:

thank you very much...it was a cheap violin and i should probably practice more before complaining on a forum Happy

thanks so much Happy

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Reply #3:

i'd say same as butterfly...tuning/strings, but this is one of those things with something as complex as violin

however cheap instruments are fairly easy to make in good quality these days and old instruments have so much quality that's how they're still being used

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