Find Double Stops in Passages
Coordinated fast passagework across two strings relies on the fingers on both…
} Violin Left Hand
Same Note Game
In the ‘Same Note Game’ you repeat a note relying only on…
Developing the Feel
Focus on the phsyical feel of a note by finding the note…
Octave Underneath
Playing in unison is difficult, but playing the same notes an octave…
Resonance at Different Tempos
“Practise slowly and listen for resonance. Play in rhythm but at half…
Tuning to Open Strings in Repertoire
“Tune the perfect intervals with the open string. Some players also tune…
Tuning A Major Scale to Open Strings
Practise the perfect intervals with open strings (that is the 1st, 4th…
3rd Finger makes Octave with Open String
Playing with secure intonation relies on having a stable hand frame. Set…
Introduction to Intonation
Like tone production or articulation, intonation is a constant issue in string-playing.…
Broken Chord Preparation for 10ths
10ths are just octaves plus a 3rd so all the patterns that…
Backward Stretch for 10ths
“Set up your 10th from the top octave. Swing the elbow to…
Limited Stretch of the 4th Finger
“Notice how the 1st finger can stretch a lot further than the…
Backward Stretch
Most stretch in the hand frame comes from the backward stretch of…
8ves in C Major
When playing octaves focus on the lower note to help centre the…
6ths in Ab Major
Jennen plays the Ab major scale in 6ths. Playing with a small…
Placing Fingers in 6ths
In all double stops it is important that both fingers land together.…
Playing and Tuning 5ths
“Swing the elbow to tune the fifth.” Fifths are difficult to play…
3rds in Bb Major
Thirds are a challenge because of the hand position. The shortest finger…
Flat or Curved Fingers
It’s best to use flatter fingers to play fifths, sixths, octaves, fingered…
Curved Fingers & Flatter Fingers
“Curved fingers are very good for articulation but don’t stretch very far.…
All the Major Chords – 2 8ves
Here Fintan plays all the major chords of two octaves of the…
All the Major Chords – 1 8ve
Playing all the major chords or all the minor chords in a…
Bowing variation for 3rds in G Major
Here Andrea plays a scale in 3rds with one of the many…
Bottom-Top-Top Practice on 8ves
A common issue while shifting in octaves is that the 4th finger…