Small hands and 6ths are fine, but 3rds do generally need a bit more work for those of us endowed with a less than ideal finger length or hand size. Same with rapid reaching of notes by the fourth finger while in first position.

Finding the right violin with a playing string length that suits your hand is often a goal one needs to seek, rather than grappling with a full-sized, often quite big, instrument. It is also a preferable choice compared to straining the hands. I'm not saying this is the ultimate answer, because even a small full-sized instrument will still need you to work hard, but you won't feel as though you are having to do battle all of the time.

Neck thickness is also another consideration for small hands. A nice slim neck on a violin makes playing a lot easier too. If the neck feels like you've got your left hand wrapped around a tree trunk, your playing will forever feel insecure and reaching across to the G string will become a chore, particularly for the little finger. I actually had the neck thinned slightly (by a couple of mm) on my own violin and it made a huge difference.

But, take heart. Tasmin Little has tiny hands, but it has not held her back. Ida Haendal also has very small hands and she too managed to forge a sucessful solo career. Where there's a will there's a way, so stick at it.

I'm about to start learning some of the Paganini Caprices. Until now, I've avoided them altogether, because I've never considered my hands to be large enough to cope with some of the intervals. However, a very experienced professional violinist colleague of mine has suggested some very ingenius fingerings that make playing the caprices possible, even for diddy little hands like mine. Now all I need to do is get my eyes and brain around the sea of notes.

Wow, good luck with the Caprices, Amanda! Let me know how you get on with them. I always admire people who can do Paganini.
I did actually consider getting a 7/8 violin. However they don't sell strings for that size of violin over here, so I didn't. I wonder if I should've gotten that 7/8 but use full sized strings for it anyway.

Whoop!
Did okay on aurals yesterday. Mostly right.
I'm slowly getting somewhere

Paganini caprices need big hands?! (Just to display my ignorance ). The Caprices are the first-round music for the violin section of the current round of school-age competitions in Japan, in the 12-15 year-old division! (The elementary age kids get Bach Em Partita ) Assuming that most of the competitors will be petite Japanese girls, I wonder what they do about the fingering?

Oh deary me.
Well I've got back from holiday - Italy - fantastic!!!
But there was a letter from my teacher about my scales.
I don't think she realises that I have been on holiday and says that at my next lesson she wants all my scales learnt from memory and bascially perfect!!!! Argghhhh!!!!!!
NO WAY can I do that
I hate letting people down.,
x

I played this piece a while ago. With the animato you must be exactly sure of:

A. The fingering you are using
B. The rhythms
C. The bowing

Then, take it slowly, possibly with a metronome, and then isolate any shifts you have particular trouble with. Repetition is often the best form of practise for sections like this animato (for me atleast) so that's the advise I'll give.

For your C piece, Shindlers List, drill the last two notes into your head so they are imprinted 100% in your memory. That should help you get them in tune even when a bit nervous.

Scale practise/learning/memorising can be achieved in many ways other than simply playing the scale straight through over and over which can become very tiresome. When learning your scales and memorising them, do different rhythms like a dotted rhythm. This will also help you to be able to play them.

And my last piece of advise: practise, practise, practise. Remember, no-one will ever be perfect, especially in live performances but practising can help us get close.

Best of luck!

Feel free to PM me if you'd like any more help. That way I'm certain to see your message.

Luke - Thank you for your advice. Especially with the smetana. I'm going to make sure that I always use the same fingerings with the animato. And go over it super sloowww until I'm really sure of it.

I'm getting there with the schindlers. In my lessons 95% of the time I get those last two notes right, I'm just worried about it when I'm nervous.

Scalessss.ARGH! Practise Practise Practise like you said I guess. I'm going to try the dotted rhythms and stuff although I think it may confuse me. Maybe once I know the basics of them it will be useful to try .

Thanks for the advice!
xx

You're quite welcome. With regards to worrying about the dotted rhythm - don't be! For instance, if you usually play the scale with the rhythm: Quaver, quaver, quaver, quaver etc. etc. (ie. all note equal length) then keep the same tempo but just change the rhythm to: Dotted quaver, semiquaver, dotted quaver, semiquaver etc. (ie a basic dotted rhythm, like a swing rhythm only tighter/stricter)

Hope that makes sense but don't worry if it doesn't

Good luck!

It does make sense Luke. Well I think it does hehe
x

Got my exam date!!
16th October!
5 weeks.
Im so nervous.
5 weeks to get scales and pieces up to scratch, never mind aurals and sight reading!
ARGHHH
x

Good luck!! I got my results I passed at 117. Hehe I thought for my terrible scales I got 13, but Ms Moira was really nice and gave me 17 for them! So don't worry if you can't do them all perfectly.
I'll post the results and comments on another thread for all to see.

Well done thats fantastic!!
I just found out i have a youth orchestra audition three days before as well, so have to prepare twice as much argh!

Well done violin-ann
xx