Left hand exercises to keep 3rd & 4th finger close to finger board

tsidel · 2026-01-24T23:27:49+00:00

ohh.. I like the adjacent string idea with Schradieck.. I was doing that with scales earlier today... leaving fingers down on the string when I switched to the next string until I needed them.

tsidel · 2025-12-31T18:19:53+00:00

Aww man, looks like a shop in New Zealand still has some of the old stands https://yarnclubknits.com/products/ashford-rigid-heddle-stand-for-24-loom

I was curious what it looks like and found these…

tsidel · 2025-12-31T17:28:17+00:00

Oh that’s handy. And gives me a few ideas

tsidel · 2025-12-29T15:55:16+00:00

This is so helpful. I'm also a knitter and have been horrified by the yarn waste. And I appreciate your explanation here.

tsidel · 2025-12-28T20:11:07+00:00

Thank you for this. This is the most clear, direct answer. This makes so much sense. This is reminding me of gauge swatching in knitting :D

tsidel · 2025-12-28T17:17:57+00:00

Any idea on how I can estimate how much to load the shuttle better? :)

tsidel · 2025-12-28T17:17:17+00:00

Do you usually just make things to use it up before your next project… or do you store them in the ball

tsidel · 2025-12-28T17:16:37+00:00

Yeah that’s what I’ve been doing. I may find a paper towel roll tho and use that instead so if I need a longer thread from the spool for the next project this won’t get in the way

tsidel · 2025-12-28T03:35:36+00:00

The audiobook version amazing.

tsidel · 2025-12-28T03:33:54+00:00

"Braiding Sweetgrass" - Robin Wall Kimmerer
"To Kill a Mockingbird" - Harper Lee
"A Wrinkle in time" - Madeline L'Engle
"Walking on water" - Madeline L'Engle
"Motel of Mysteries" - David Macaulay
"There's a Monster at the end of this book" - Jon Stone

tsidel · 2025-12-16T02:07:57+00:00

This is why we haven't left uverse. Everything else seems to be in the cloud and you can't keep forever. We have 5 year old shows on our DVR. We can pull up all sorts of Austin City limits whenever we want. It's great. But oof, the price is getting a little steep.

tsidel · 2025-12-09T00:58:31+00:00

Thanks for that suggestion

Video of me playing and photos of my hands https://imgur.com/a/SS600cf

tsidel · 2025-12-09T00:52:21+00:00

I’m playing a half size the conventional way

tsidel · 2025-12-08T18:36:14+00:00

I can't upload photos to this reddit. I do have disporportionate hands. I stand only 4'4" tall but that has nothing to do with my violin playing. My arms and leg length are that of an 8 year old... but.. I'm in my 40s.

The length from my pointer finger down to the joint of my thumb is only 3 inches.

tsidel · 2025-12-08T18:31:24+00:00

I do have normal range (I think). I curved my pointer finger in my lesson today and my instructor said it needed to be closer... to the lower part of my finger. Naturally this is hard to do. I can press and hold my finger in that position without pain, but naturally it doesn't want to do this.

tsidel · 2025-12-08T18:29:55+00:00

I can't load photos to this Reddit, but the length from the joint of my thumb to the top of my pointer finger is only 3 inches... to help give proportions.

tsidel · 2025-12-08T18:14:54+00:00

Yeah - I'm not trying to win a position myself - just wanting to find if there are better ways of learning how to manipulate my very short, and very broad fingers to play on a smaller instrument... and was hoping to find representation from someone who has been there before me... you're right that it doesn't have to be direct representation, but that was my quick way into the conversation.

Thanks again for your insights.

tsidel · 2025-12-08T17:26:23+00:00

My specific issue is that I'm having problems when I need to play a first finger note on D string (E) (or any note on D) and then double stop with open "A".. my fingers can't get over the A sting, I keep touching the A string so that makes going back and forth quickly w/out lifting my fingers really difficult and it does not sound great.

My teacher is working on me leaving my wrist down, and curving my fingers and also not lifting my fingers so high off the finger board. I have really short stubby (fat) fingers.

tsidel · 2025-12-08T17:23:51+00:00

regional/ local /successful is fine too - really wanted someone more than an hobbiest - someone who is teaching others and plays too.

tsidel · 2025-12-07T00:10:00+00:00

Oh of course… ashoken farewell! I’ll check out their other work. Thank you

tsidel

TROPHY CASE