Techniques to Relax Your Fingers So You Don't Let Stiff Fingers Spell an End to Your VIOLIN Dreams

Young Violinist (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Are you just starting out with the violin? Flexibility in your fingers is extremely important and any violinist who wants to be able to play a wide range of songs NEEDS to have flexible fingers. However, finger flexibility is a common area that many people have problems with. This is also the case in adult violinists who are just starting out with the violin for the first time and don't have the nimble and flexible fingers that they might have when they were a child. What usually happens is that if they are unable to improve their flexibility, they give up trying to learn the violin altogether.

The first thing you need to do if you suffer from stiff fingers is to PRACTICE. Practice as much as you possibly can. Stiff fingers need time and experience to unstiffen. In addition to making sure you practice when you can, a little cardio workout will also do wonders. This gets the blood pumping through your system and into all areas of your body, like the tips of your fingers which will help when playing. You don't have to go for a run before you start playing, but go for a brisk walk and maybe walk a few flights of steps before you pick up your violin.

This little warm-up exercise is frequently used in the world of sports. First, sit or lie down on the ground in a comfortable position. Visualize that your fingers are warm, flexible and nimble. Imagine that you are playing a piece of music without any difficulty. See yourself playing this piece in tune and effortlessly. Half of the battle is believing in yourself. It doesn't help if you have friends or a teacher tell you that your fingers aren't flexible enough and you'll never be able to play complex pieces. Practicing this visualization technique each day will help instill confidence in yourself.

Remember that any stiffness you have may also come from other areas in your body and not your fingers. A final trick is to start off playing pieces of music slow. Once you are able to play them slowly without any problems, speed the song up just a notch. Repeat the process of learning the song as the new speed until you have mastered it and then take it a notch higher. This will help to improve the nimbleness of your fingers and remove any stiffness.

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