Amdrial

Hi there! Have you got any tips on an amateur level for left-hand finger positioning? (As in, practice techniques in order to more consciously play with either the 'flat/meaty' part of your finger on the fingerboard or the tip of your finger)

Edit: Oh, and what strings do you use?

Sad to have missed your concert in Rotterdam by the way, though I did see a picture of you and a couple of violinist friends of mine pass by on Facebook! Toi, toi, toi on your next concerts!

Not directly your pads, but not directly the tip of your fingers either. It's a bit hard to explain, but if you rotate your fingers a little bit away from you, you'll get a much warmer sound :)

I'm quite comfortable with playing, have been doing so for over 15 years now ;), the question was aimed at creating a different sound by using different parts of your fingers. A warmer sound by using the meaty parts of your fingers, a more direct sound by using the tip.

Currently working on Bruch's violin concerto (his first one, for clarity's sake), Kreisler's Tambourin Chinoise and also Ravel's string quartet with my student orchestra's fellow principals :). You?

Thanks for the answer! There's one thing that's always been bugging me when watching one of your incredibly funny videos: How does your rest attach to your violin? I only see four cylindrical protrudings from your rest go up to your violin...