Select Page

You don’t need more discipline to play violin

You don’t need more discipline.
(goes for violin practice and whatever you want to achieve in life)

Every day that goes by that you either didn’t practice or didn’t practice as much or as efficient as you’d wanted, you might wonder how to find discipline. First of all never judge yourself for it.

The trick is NOT in finding discipline, but in finding flow and inspiration.

Discipline comes from the outside, a rational knowing that you should practice this or that and so long. Energetically that can drain you. Inspiration, passion or desire, comes from the inside and fuels you. Inspired practice makes you continue much longer with higher quality.

After Tristan’s birth, I didn’t plan when I would practice again. I had videos scheduled for months, so I could take my time. I just trusted to find inspiration again, when I would be physically and mentally ready. I didn’t put a time on it. About eight days after birth I started playing daily again. Even earlier I started jotting down ideas for new videos and other creative projects.

Luckily I’ve played much during my pregnancies, that for my three babies the violin is like womb sounds and they sleep very soundly on it or they play independently.

You might be thinking ‘sure, Zlata, but I’m struggling so much and I’m not a professional player and practicing simply doesn’t feel natural or inspired to me’.

Here’s how everyone of every level can achieve inspired practice:

(scroll down to keep reading)

FREE Violin Scale Book

Sensational Scales is a 85 page violin scale book that goes from simple beginner scales with finger charts all the way to all three octave scales and arpeggios

Download!

Hi! I'm Zlata

Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique.

READ MORE

#1 You need a specific goal that thrills you.

To pick up the violin every day despite of all of life’s distractions, I need to work towards a goal. This can be concert, a recording or a series of lessons. No goal, no fire that keeps me burning.

#2 You need to know how to improve.

I see this a lot in scale practice with students. They practice random scales in a random way, without knowing what exactly they want to improve on, what timeframe would be realistic and how to achieve the goal they have.

#3 You need to see results.

Some students practice in a way they don’t see improvements. Bye, bye motivation! Others do have some progress, but don’t notice it, because they don’t track it or don’t have a clear goal.

If my teaching style resonates with you and you want my guidance in setting these goals and crystal clear step to achieve them, consider enrolling in my program Bow like a Pro. It’s all about expressing yourself in music and playing with much more ease by improving your bowing technique, sound quality and vibrato. Click here to read more.

If you’re interested you’ll do what is convenient; If you’re committed you’ll do WHATEVER IT TAKES

15 years ago as a beginning violin teacher, I was disappointed by students who came to the lesson without having practiced

I started to doubt my calling to teach and was insecure about my ability to motivate. I believed all their excuses and was extremely understanding.

Today I know better. Violin playing is so difficult that it’s not for everybody… it’s only for the committed

Even without special talents or without starting right out of the womb, you can learn to play beautifully… but only if you’re committed. Only if you’re really willing to do what it takes.

You have to be in for the long haul, for the marathon. Just like starting your own business, you won’t see results for the first years perhaps. Still you have to go on and try harder and smarter.

If you’re interested you’ll do what is convenient; If you’re committed you’ll do WHATEVER IT TAKES #violinpractice Share on X

FREE Violin Scale Book

Sensational Scales is a 85 page violin scale book that goes from simple beginner scales with finger charts all the way to all three octave scales and arpeggios

Download!

Hi! I'm Zlata

Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique.

READ MORE

Nowadays I don’t care at all if a student doesn’t practice

Clearly they don’t really want to learn this instrument and that’s ok. If they’re small children, it’s the parents who have to guide them daily at home. If they’re adults, I just shrug my shoulders and if it happens more often, I refer them to another teacher.

I’ve practiced in my car, at the weirdest hours and in times that I didn’t see results or my playing got worse. I went through and now can make a living from the thing I love doing most. Now I can play all the music I feel inspired to play.

Difficulties are just God checking in if you really want something.

If you have difficulty practicing daily or persevering in whatever it is you (think you) want… try to feel in your heart if you’re really committed or if you’re just interested.

What are you committed to?

Trying to practice the violin daily? Do this instead!

Warning: tough love!

Do you try to sit on a chair? You actually sit on it… or not. Trying does not exist in the real world. It exists in your head and it can sabotage you to create what you want in your life.

For my violin students the most difficult thing is practicing daily, certainly for busy adults who are perhaps not used to it from a young age.

‘Tell me how I have to practice daily, because I’ve started and restarted many times now’ a student asked me. It’s very simple (but not easy): do it… or don’t.

‘I try to practice everyday’. No, you either practice daily or you don’t. Both is ok. With the last you just don’t learn as fast… or you lose motivation and stop. That can be a decision. There are many other ways to enjoy music. Just let it be your choice to commit or not.

‘I try to practice, but I’m tired after work.’ You either practice being tired and maybe gaining fresh energy from it as you go or you go and sit to watch a movie. If you do the last, you’re not trying: you’re doing something entirely different.

Trying to practice the violin daily? Do this instead! #violinpractice Share on X

FREE Violin Scale Book

Sensational Scales is a 85 page violin scale book that goes from simple beginner scales with finger charts all the way to all three octave scales and arpeggios

Download!

Hi! I'm Zlata

Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique.

READ MORE

‘I try to practice with my kids around.’ I don’t try that. I do it. My kids know that and are used to it. I practiced a ton when they were in the womb (hello back pain), so they recognize it as soothing womb sounds and now: I can practice whenever I want. Yes, I help them with their little violins in between, play a short game, change diapers, give them a cuddle, something to drink or a snack… but after that I go back to my practice again… and again… and again…

You can think that I’m distracted. In contrary: leaving that difficult run and getting back to it again and again with a fresh mind and rested muscles gets you faster progress than practicing it in one go. 

Don’t use your kids as an excuse: most parents who don’t reach their goals, also didn’t before they had kids. You’re the adult here. Don’t shove guilt down their throats. It’s unhealthy and unfair.

‘I’d like to have an online business and work from home like you, but it doesn’t work for me’. Really? Have you tried posting 3 videos a week to a Youtube channel for a couple years, optimizing them, learning all about editing, filming, video SEO and online marketing and purposefully building and serving an audience before trying to sell something? I still have to meet someone who did all that and didn’t get results.

‘I wish I was so talented on the violin as you’. Perhaps… but you certainly don’t wish to put in the work, time, money and other sacrifices I’ve done to nurture that talent that you might have the same of.

As you set your goals or fill out your calendar for this week, don’t put anything in there that you’ll try.

What’s ONE thing that you can truly commit to, that’s truly meaningful to you?

Want to read more about business, motherhood and mindset? Click here for my lifestyle blog.​

How to reach your goals on the violin

Hi! I'm Zlata

Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique.

READ MORE

A lot of students tell me that they want to become better at the violin. Of course not a weird thing to ask a violin teacher to help with. Isn’t that my job?

But what is ‘better at the violin’ or when exactly are you ‘good’ or ‘good enough’ at the violin? What does it mean to you?

What will happen if you’re better at the violin? Will you impress your audience? Will you play a dream piece?

Or will you enjoy having more freedom in your technique and be able to express your feelings in music? And touch people’s hearts… or just your own?

In violin playing your ears advance faster than your fingers. You’ll always hear your own mistakes, whether you’re a beginner or a professional or a world class soloist. I bet the last are most critical to themselves.

As you know that there will never come a point that you think you play perfectly… what goal will you strive for?

For me growth is the goal: to deepen my mastery of the technique and explore new expressions, but most importantly inspire my students.

What do you REALLY want on the violin? Share it out loud in the comments below!

Playing the Violin Left-Handed: is it right for you?

Play the violin left-handed by holding the violin in the right hand and bowing with the left hand.

The normal way of violin playing is holding the violin in the left hand and bowing with the right hand.

(yup, switched the pic in an editing program, haha)

Are you a beginner violinist or thinking about starting to play the violin?

As a left-handed person it might seem more natural to play the violin left-handed

In this article I won’t tell you what to do, but aim to provide you with my insights as a violin teacher to help you make the best decision.

What is left-handed violin playing?

Normally the violin is held in the left hand and the bow in the right hand. If you would play the violin left-handed, you will hold the bow in the left hand and the violin in the right hand.

Is it possible to start playing the violin left-handed?

Yes, and if you do, you should do so from the start. On the violin both hands have to do very different and complicated tasks.

On the conservatory my violin methodology teacher said: if you want to know how a beginner feels, take the violin in the right hand and the violin in the left. Professionals will sound like a beginner when they do.

So… if you decide something, stick to it: it’s not easy to switch and it will feel like you’re starting all over again.

Why most left-handed violinists play the ‘normal’ way

It doesn’t have much of an advantage to play violin ‘the other way around’, as the violin is difficult for both hands.

One of the most challenging things of violin playing is intonation: hitting the right notes of the fingerboard, which is without frets or markings. As a lefty you definitely have an advantage to be able to do this with your dominant hand!

Disadvantages of playing the violin left-handed:

  • You need a special violin, which limits your choice in instrument (see below for more info on that)
  • Your teacher might not accept it or won’t be able to teach you properly. Sure you can jump up and down and complain how narrow minded that is (frankly I think it isn’t), but in the end you just want an inspiring teacher and a good education as this can make or break your violin journey.
  • It’s hard to sit in an orchestra: playing the normal way, it can already be a challenge to get sufficient space of movement and not poke someone’s eye out. I know left handed players who sit somewhere alone at a music stand in the back of an amateur orchestra bowing the other way around and getting confused about the bow directions. Surely it’s not impossible to join an amateur (!) orchestra (not every orchestra will accept it), but the question is if it’s worth all this trouble.
  • It’s not easy to switch back to normal if you change your mind.
  • A professional career in classical music is practically out of the question, but that might not be your goal, certainly not as an adult beginner violinist.

Advantages of playing the violin left-handed:

  • For some it’s the only option if they miss fingers on the left hand. If you miss a finger or have some disability on the left hand, you can better use it as the bow hand. As a beginner violinist the other fingers on the violin bow can compensate for it. Also you could live with being limited in your bowing technique to a very simple detaché technique. For the left hand you’ll miss a missing or disabled finger right from the start playing your first scale. Pianists can use ten fingers and violinists just have four to stop the notes: you really need all four.
  • It might simply feel more natural to you and I can’t judge how you feel. However, keep in mind that as a beginner violinist almost everything feels unnatural and it can become natural to you with PRACTICE 😉
  • As the bowing would be the breath and mouth of your playing and determines your articulation, it can be good to do this with your dominant hand
Is this helpful? Share it on Twitter:
Finally some good info on playing the violin left-handed or not! #learnviolin Share on X

Join my FREE beginner violin course

I take you from scratch step by step to your first violin concerto including 40 videos, sheet music and violin tabs.

Sign up!

Hi! I'm Zlata

Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique.

READ MORE

My opinion as a violin teacher

As an adult beginner violinist playing purely for your own enjoyment, maybe try the normal way of playing first and switch to left-handed if that instantly feels MUCH better or if you have NO other option due to disability.

The disadvantages described might lead to struggle and loss of motivation in the future.

However, do as you like and what feels best to you personally.

Do NOT give your child a left-handed violin

Children are way more flexible than adults and violin playing is an excellent way to develop motor skills in BOTH hands.

You don’t want to limit your child’s possibilities in education, choice of instrument, ensemble playing and potentially a professional career (which is practically out of the question as a left-handed player).

The advantages, if there are any, really don’t outweigh the disadvantages.

However, if due to disability your child can’t possibly play the violin the normal way and left-handed is the ONLY way he/she could ever play the violin, support your child in any way you can!

Choosing a left-handed violin

So can you just wind the strings the other way around?

Nope, you can’t! On the outside of the violin the peg box, fingerboard and bridge are NOT symmetrical and made for the G to be on the left and the E on the right (seen from the button). On the inside of the violin we have the soundpost and bass bar that greatly influence the sound and construction of the instrument.

It’s an enormous and expensive operation to build a normal violin into a left-handed violin and chances are it won’t sound the same anymore.

Certainly as a beginner violinist I recommend buying a violin that is built completely left-handed.

In terms of accessories, you can use the same bow. Only thing you need to keep in mind is to get a left-handed shoulder rest and chinrest.

Recently I reviewed the awesome Fiddlerman Concert violin, which is a great affordable violin for beginner and intermediate violinists. They offer it in a complete left-handed version together with all accessories you need.

If you insist to learn to play the violin left-handed, this is the best recommendation I can give you:

Buy the left-handed student violin I recommend as a teacher