I'm still looking for a teacher but am continuing to self-teach in the interim. I'm wary of picking up bad habits (as in most things I undertake that require repetitive motion).

I'm finding bow control a bit challenging. It's better than before but I still have some issues with: 1) bow moving in the same plane rather than drifting from fingerboard to tail, 2) bowing staying on the intended string, especially the A string.

I'm learning the techniques via online videos. But to practice, I think it would be good to see what I'm doing wrong. I think if I try to look at the bow / strings while playing, that's not a good thing.

Is it advisable to buy a mirror of which I could sit/stand in front to monitor my movements? Or is that also too distracting / counter to improving? Is the best thing to just practice using proper technique and just rely on the sound to detect issues (ie - the sound changes as I drift from fingerboard to tail).

The latter seems to work to detect that I did something wrong but not necessarily what I'm doing?

A mirror would do no good without awareness of the proper technique. An observer would be of more value, if they knew the basic goals of a bow roughly perpendicular to the strings, etc. They could see you and give feedback.

Grip is first importance. Only with grip can the bow be controlled to make desirable sound.

Motion control, apart from the violin, is the drill with which we began, before playing a single note.

Can the student move the bow vertically through a circle formed by the left hand thumb and index finger? Can the student grip and right arm motion, including the wrist, keep the bow vertical and moving?

Can the student move the bow up and down while holding it horizontally? Again, grip matters.

Is the student holding the violin properly on the left shoulder? Most often, the student allows the violin to drift forward and down, much like icons of popular music do. Absent good violin position and stability, bowing is meaningless.

If the student does not feel muscle strain and weakness as the student begins his study, the student is likely NOT holding the violin properly. It is not a common position!

The left arm position is also critical. Can the student hold the violin on his shoulder without the use of the left hand and arm? If not, fix this issue first. We began with a make believe violin constructed of a butter box (one pound) filled with tissue paper and a ruler taped to that box as a finger board. We had to walk many minutes around the house while maintaining our violin position, with only our shoulder and chin. This means that the chin rest and shoulder rest must be both the correct shape and height and position for the individual. Each student uses common items, but also experiments with alternates to ensure good position, suitable for hours of practice.

With the left arm and hand extended to the fingerboard, is the left elbow visible in the little C-shaped relief in the middle of the violin? If not, the elbow is NOT in the correct position. More muscle strain here, usually.

Are the left hand fingers poised over the strings? Is the left thumb lightly guiding the hand? Is the V-shaped web of the hand, between the thumb and the fingers, positioned such that a v-shaped gap is visible below the finger board? Is the thumb below the fingerboard?

When all the positions are correct, you will find that the natural arm motion of the right arm and bow will flow perpendicular to the strings, as desired. This does mean that the index and pinky fingers are controlling the bow angle with respect to horizontal, and the wrist is controlling the bow angle with respect to the strings, as the arm extends and returns.

Thanks for the tips!

Whew, okay, I'll continue to search for an instructor (and one able to take on a new student). Saved me some money on a mirror. And finding a location.

On one hand, I'm trying to foster my spike in interest so that it doesn't wane and trying to make sure I'm learning fundamentals properly (watching a lot of videos). On the other, not doing anything waiting for an instructor.

quote:

If the student does not feel muscle strain and weakness as the student begins his study, the student is likely NOT holding the violin properly. It is not a common position!

BTW, perhaps I'm doing something right. This is limiting my time practicing at the moment. I get pretty tired when bowing (keep in mind that I'm a little old and weak).

Call the local school. Talk to orchastra teacher, see if he/she can offer a promising student that could teach you.