For violinists?!

For violinists?

hey, im a violinist for 2+ years, (lost track) my best friend is a violinist also, and she goes to all sorts of expensive camps and what not, and then she brags about how hard the music is and says how behind i am compared to her.

my question IS:

how can i be a better violinist? i practice daily, and everything, but its the summer now, and schools out, so i have 2 pieces of music to play, (pink panther, and rocky top) i want to know what i can do! because last year, i was like 6th chair, and i want to be 2nd! so what do i do?

3 weeks ago
i can play both songs all the way through. i find it hard to keep my notes in tune, because i havnt yet memorised what note sounds like. (i still use tapes too) so i know i need to work on that. and my teacher says i hesitate before moving my fingers, so i guess that means i stop for an instant? so how do i fix that?

i also need to know how to raise my confidence when i play. its really frustrating because my teacher thinks i cant play well, but its really just that im afraid that im playing the wrong notes, then we would have to redo the whole song over so i get it right.

HELP!

im also devoted, and i wont quit.

3 weeks ago
weve both been playing for 2+ years.

3 weeks ago
correction. weve been playing for the same ammount of time.

You have to PRACTICE YOUR HEART OUT!!
I played violin all through out middle and high school. I was usually never below 3rd chair and I never had lessons. The key is definitely regular practice. Practice everyday! If you have an hour to devote to your instrument every week day of the summer, use it! The key to practicing and improving is practice the parts that you find difficult. Any sections in the song that you make even a minor mistake on practice over and over. You will sound like a cd with a scratch on it, but you will see results. Persistance is key! If you think you can't get the section right, practice it extremely slow until you can play it perfect.
If good intonnation is not natural for you and if you are practicing by yourself and you have no piano to check the tone just do your very best to recall exactly what it sounded like in class and play as close to that as possible.
Repetition is the mother of retention, meaning the more you play something the more you will remember it. Once you have mastered the song with as little slip ups as possible, play it over and over, like your favorite track you put on repeat. Your brain will eventually remember what to tell your fingers to do without your eyes instructing first. You will find that it is much more fun to practice pieces that you know by rote.
Also be very strict with youself about you posture. Constantly check how you are sitting, how you are holding the instrument, how much you curve your left hand around the neck, and your bow hand. KEEP your fingers perpendicular to the fingerboard so you are always playing with your fingertTIPS. Try doing everything properly at the beginning of your practice session and see if you are still in check when you finish.
Each time you practice, practice with a view to improving ONE little part you do not play well. Do not give up practicing for the day until you get those measures or measure absolutely perfect.
I could reply on forever about practicing, but alas! I do not practice enough myself! Of course I have no assignments or competition as I have been out of school for years. When I was IN school I was only as good as I was because of my dedication! PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!
Feel free to email me with any more questions.
Best wishes for your summer improvement!!
Sherita