how to tune a note on a stringed instrument when sharp

[Heathermarie]

When play a piece on the violin what technique would you use to make a note go from sharp to in tune? ex: bow faster and harder, push strings down harder in left hand.....

[Hammer]

Move your left hand away from you slightly, in effect making the played part of the string longer and the pitch lower.

If it's an open string (ie no left hand) then you can't without re-tuning.

[IndieSinger]

This is a guess as I don't play the violin, but if it were an open string, couldn't you grip firmly (one end under chin and your hand near the nuts) and use your other hand to put pressure in the centre of the instrument? And to sharpen the open note, you could put pressure in the middle but underneath.

It works on a guitar!

[Hammer]

Indie, wouldn't that sharpen rather than flatten? Probably wouldn't do the instrument much good either.

Oh, and I don't see how gripping your nuts firmly would help ;-)

[IndieSinger]

I would have thought putting pressure on the top and pressing down would flatten the note and putting pressure on the back and pressing up would sharpen it. It works on other stringed instruments I can think of, but you're right, probably best not to do it too often with a delicate instrument! If either of you play the electric guitar, think about how you press down in the middle of the guitar as hard as you can - on the front to flatten the chord and from the back to sharpen it.

When I gripping my nuts tightly I definitely get a higher noise.

[ulyssesjj]

You lengthen the stop of the string...i.e. the finger stopping the string moves away from the bridge toward the scroll, What fascinates me is the the need for an answer to this question...