How to hold the violin and position your left hand
How to hold your violin properly is one of the most important things to master as a violin beginner. Proper posture is important not only because it directly affects your sound and ability to play well, but also because it helps prevent injury. Keep reading to learn how to hold your violin and position your left hand.
The first thing to decide when learning how to hold the violin is if you will be using a shoulder rest. Shoulder rests are important for a few reasons: they help stabilize the violin, give you more support, and help relieve tension in your neck and shoulders. When holding your violin, your shoulders should remain level. If you take the shoulder rest off, there is usually quite a bit of space between your violin and your neck, which often leads to raising the shoulder or squeezing the neck to compensate both of which cause unnecessary tension and even pain. I recommend trying out a Zaret sponge or a Kun shoulder rest for beginners, but there are tons of different shapes and sizes of shoulder rests out there, so experiment to find what works for you. Many shops will let you try them out for free.
If you have tried various shoulder rests and still find them uncomfortable, it is possible to play without one. This is generally only recommended for those with shorter necks. Playing without a shoulder rest does require some changes in technique, specifically when it comes to shifting and vibrato.
Follow these steps to learn how to hold the violin and position your left hand.
Place your violin on your collarbone, with the curve of the shoulder rest lying on the shoulder.
Turn your head to the corner (about 45 degrees) and gently press down with your head. You should be able to hold the violin comfortably with no hands.
Bring your left hand up so that it is touching the violin in three places: the side of the thumb, the inside of the first finger, and the tip of whichever finger you choose to place on the string. The thumb should be in a relaxed, neutral position, and there should be some space between the crook of the thumb and the neck of the instrument. The wrist should stay straight and in line with the forearm.
