Mind the Gap and free your left hand
Every so often someone shares one of those “weird tricks” with me that works right away. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to pass it on to you. In fact, it’s been so long since some wise soul shared it with me that I’ve forgotten who they were! If I remember, I’ll come back and give them credit. 🙂
There are two main sources of tension in the left hand for violinists, and they’re closely related:
- Between thumb and 1st finger
- Between 1st and 2nd fingers
If you’re squeezing in either of these places (or even worse, both) then you’re killing your left hand in terms of accuracy, even-ness, speed, and stamina. You’re also begging to get injured sooner or later.
Now this trick, which I call “Mind the Gap,” helps you feel a healthy left-hand position instantly, by eliminating both of these trouble spots. It would be hard to describe, so I made a video for you. Check it out:
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12 thoughts on “Mind the Gap and free your left hand”
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I love this video. Thank you so much, Nathan! I already sent it to my students.
Really enjoyed it!! Helpful hints for students.. I go to public schools and see this..
Wonderful video, thank you. I almost never have tension in my thumb, but my wrist and palm are usually tight when I come to a passage that has “tricky” notes or phrases. I’ll try this for better positioning. See you on the 26th!
Great suggestions. Thanks.
Thanks Nathan, that was amazing tip. I discover the feeling of not squeezing the thumb with putting metal core strings. They helped a lot also for double stops, when you squeeze you do not have ability to fix the tone out of tune fast enough so the listener will not hear it. Later on I found a book from Fisher having 3 types of pressing the finger board. Wow, I just discovered that with the metal core string. Later on I was playing on different violin with expensive obligatos perlon-core string. I was starting with the old habit, but slowly get to the feeling of no squeeze. Just a little sharing with my experience too.
Thanks again. Send me please more of your tips, There are really awesome.
Thank you!
Thanks. This video really helped me. I liked the wrong side of the tracks, and found that my hand wasn’t high enough.
A wonderful tip for “re-learners” like me.
Thanks, and keep ’em coming!
Thank you, Nathan, this is a great trick and reminder of where the tension can start. I also like to think of the hand favoring the pinky more, which might be another way of saying extend the 1st finger back instead of straining the 4th finger. I have benefited from this exercise and have shared it with students.
thank you so much!
Thanks for this Nate! This is a great video that helps me to get another perspective to fix my tension problems in my Left hand wich I have long time ago, I’ll put this in practice..
Great! Thanks
Great help. (Revelatory!) And well presented. Will try to put your examples to good use. Many thanks.