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Violin sounds too sharp
Someone help. How do you stop a violin sounding too sharp and squeaky? I've tuned it perfectly, but my little sister is practicing for her exam and it sounds so sharp when she plays it. I've put loads of resin on her bow, but it still squeaks. I don't play violin, but I play several other instruments and it just goes through me. Any tips for her before I hit her over the head with it? You'll also be helping a little girl pass her exam!! Thanks 
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Lauren
Someone help. How do you stop a violin sounding too sharp and squeaky? I've tuned it perfectly, but my little sister is practicing for her exam and it sounds so sharp when she plays it. I've put loads of resin on her bow, but it still squeaks. I don't play violin, but I play several other instruments and it just goes through me. Any tips for her before I hit her over the head with it? You'll also be helping a little girl pass her exam!! Thanks
Please stop putting resin on the bow, you'll ruin it.
I'm afraid it's just something you will have to put up with. It takes a VERY long time to sound even a little bit like the professionals do. I'm talking 5+ years, depending on how often you practice.
Yeah, it's because she's little.
Change her grip on the bow. I also trust she is holding the violin against her shoulder and not under her chin? 
I suggest telling her to relax a little... she may be gripping hard and forcing the bow over the strings, rather than letting the bow do the work. This would create shorter, nastier sounds which may end up sounding sharp.
And also, go easy on the rosin - you only need about 2 or 3 wipes up and down the bow! Too much rosin on the string will end up hindering the sound, so you might wanna try wiping down the string with a clean cloth? The rosin just improves the grip the bow hairs have on the string, making it louder, so no need to go OTT.
What grade is she studying for?
And also, go easy on the rosin - you only need about 2 or 3 wipes up and down the bow! Too much rosin on the string will end up hindering the sound, so you might wanna try wiping down the string with a clean cloth? The rosin just improves the grip the bow hairs have on the string, making it louder, so no need to go OTT.
What grade is she studying for?
She's doing grade 2 and she's holding it correctly. She's been playing for I think two years. It's not like a semitone sharp or anything, but you know when it's slightly sharp and you can hear it's out? I know a little about violin playing, I had lessons for a year but never liked it enough to take grades (because of the squeaking!).
Lauren
She's doing grade 2 and she's holding it correctly. She's been playing for I think two years. It's not like a semitone sharp or anything, but you know when it's slightly sharp and you can hear it's out? I know a little about violin playing, I had lessons for a year but never liked it enough to take grades (because of the squeaking!).
Make sure she is putting her fngers exactly on the stickers on the fingerboard as she can be flat otherwise. The more rosin you put on the more friction and the mroe squeeky it will sound, next you got to move her to viola - its not as squeeky! Make sure she only practuises for ten minutes at a time otherwise she will get stressed and then clench and finally - give her loads of positive encouragemtn this will make her relax!
historyhoney
Make sure she is putting her fngers exactly on the stickers on the fingerboard as she can be flat otherwise. The more rosin you put on the more friction and the mroe squeeky it will sound, next you got to move her to viola - its not as squeeky! Make sure she only practuises for ten minutes at a time otherwise she will get stressed and then clench and finally - give her loads of positive encouragemtn this will make her relax!
eek you're leading her astray.... trying to lure her to become a viola player eh
?
historyhoney
Make sure she is putting her fngers exactly on the stickers on the fingerboard as she can be flat otherwise. The more rosin you put on the more friction and the mroe squeeky it will sound, next you got to move her to viola - its not as squeeky! Make sure she only practuises for ten minutes at a time otherwise she will get stressed and then clench and finally - give her loads of positive encouragemtn this will make her relax!
Thanks
Her exam is tomorrow tho! I'm sure she'll pass. Stickers? She doesn't have any stickers? *Confused*Lauren
She's doing grade 2 and she's holding it correctly. She's been playing for I think two years. It's not like a semitone sharp or anything, but you know when it's slightly sharp and you can hear it's out? I know a little about violin playing, I had lessons for a year but never liked it enough to take grades (because of the squeaking!).
in that case, it might be that she's playing slightly sharp - u only need your fingers to be out by a little bit to be out of tune. As HH said, check up that her fingers are exactly on the stickers!
Eventually, try and encourage her to recognise the intervals - train her musical ear so to speak, rather than be reliant on muscle memory and remembering exact finger positions...
historyhoney
she doesn't have stickers - wierd, they are whitre strips over the finger board so you play in tune - I had them until around grade 3
Like guitar frets? But put there to help you? Maybe she took them off. Hum. I'll go play her piano accompaniment for her, see if that helps.
Lol I don't like the viola for the simple reason that I don't like the B shaped clef!!
Lauren
Like guitar frets? But put there to help you? Maybe she took them off. Hum. I'll go play her piano accompaniment for her, see if that helps.
Lol I don't like the viola for the simple reason that I don't like the B shaped clef!!
Lol I don't like the viola for the simple reason that I don't like the B shaped clef!!
But passed grade 4 and u use the treble a lot of the time! They are kinda like guitar frets - some teachers dont use them becuase they are demeening - I didn't think so, although when they were taken off I felt like the best player in the world and walked into orchestra proudly showing my 'bare' viola! lol its jsut one teaching method, but works! tbh I dont think there is too much you can do before tommorrow - just give her encouragement as I have always been a nervous wreck in exams! Then tell her she should watch some TV or read a book as she doesn't wantt o over practise!
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