Violin/Fiddle: Adding Position Markers for Ease of Learning

Subject: Re: Fwd: Note placement?
Date: Sat, 07 Aug 2004 11:14:27 -0600

Mickey,

So as long as i get my tape really close to those places itll be fine won't it?

Fox

I've seen this done before...and, personally, I think there are a few good reasons to consider not placing tape as markers:

1. You may get to where you rely on the markers too much.
2. They can take away from the feel of the neck...and become distracting.
3. They can permanently damage the finish on the neck...especially left on for a long period of time.
4. And, it's more difficult to get the note exact using a visual reference than it would be to use your ear...and, hopefully, with this effort, you will also develop a fine-tuned ear.

My suggestion would be to try first taking the diagrams on our website, for scales, and play up to two to three notes at a time. And, do this repetitively until you're completely comfortable before moving unto other notes. You'll then become more proficient at finding the notes without markers...which would be your ultimate goal anyway. This is a tedious process but well worth the effort.

Mickey