violin help anyone???

[AuntyQuated]

dd is beginning to learn the violin and has come home tonight saying she has to practice mousehole, cream buns and tunnel. she can't remember how to do mousehole.

i am clueless but can any of you help please?

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apparently they are 'holding positions'! i'll shout of her, hang on...

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right
cream buns- supporting violin with left hand and it is the way her hands are supposed to be. so the heel of her hand is away from body of violin, (and doesn't squash the cream bun!!!!!)don't even know what it's called.
tunnel- tunnel with thumb underneath fingers over the top and a little space.

sorry - that reads as clear as mud.

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tbh- he's about 70 and has some strange terms....putting the violin to bed, holding the lolly.
is this normal - she has had 5 lessons now and han't yet had the bow out. she is desperate

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she says she thought it may have been something to do with moving her hand the other way.
oh dear

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the only thing is -that is all she has to practise this week and she's not very sure that she is doing any of it correctly.
oh and she is to practise holding her arm up for ten seconds in the correct position no violin

thnaks very much YG

I used to play violin and i'm trying hard to think what it could be!! Has she got a friend in the same class she could phone?

yes, we could do that zephyrcat but think they may also be struggling

Ds used to do the first two (with slightly different names). Their thumbs were called "fat controller", but that doesn't sound too much like mousehole, does it? In fact mousehole sounds like tunnel. Ds had about 5 or 6 weeks before using the bow too, but they did play pizzicato. Sorry, no help at all.

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yes, i see what you mean, YG. i will see what her friends have to say too.

tanum- what is pizzicato? if it's plucking at the strings she has done that.
i wish i knew a little more about it but i am completely non-musical. is there a website or book that may help us? thanks

Unless the mousehole could mean the holding of the bow position? I've never heard of these expressions either I'm afraid - very odd.

Yes, pizzicato is plucking the string AQ. If she has a learning book like the Eta Cohen method, then all the terms should be explained there.

I am thnking along the lines of what yorkiegirl said, that a mousehole would be with her finger more over so that there is a 'hole' made where her fingers 'meet' her thumb - if that makes sense??!!

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Found this which should help:

Hey found it!!!

‘Another way to remind them is to make sure that there is a 'mouse hole' -- this is the small space between thumb and first finger necessary so thumb isn't propping up the neck and instead is setting against the side of the neck. I have the kids learn at least 4 parts for a good left hand position, and we review these often, such as keep a mouse hole, fingers go down on tips (not pads), violinist 1st finger goes 1 inch from nut, straight arm, space between child's body and elbow, thumb points toward ceiling, instrument points toward wall parallel to floor.'

Hope this helps.

Oops, should preview!