There are frequent changes of position and to complicate matters further the intervals are sometimes major and sometimes minor. Many players find scale passages in thirds particularly difficult to play in tune. If there is tension in the fourth finger, release it by relaxing the base knuckle joint of the first finger.įolk fiddle tunes with an E or A string drone are great tools for forcing students to bring their hands up and over the fingerboard, curving their fingers so as not to stop the open string and setting the left-hand fingers correctly. To play a double-stop at the same volume as a single-stop you have to play twice as heavily with the bow, but the fingers should still stop the strings lightly.ģ.

Do not base the hand position on the lower finger, stretching the upper finger forward.Ģ. Position the hand slightly more in favour of the upper finger of each third than the lower finger, and reach back with the lower finger. Three key points to watch playing in thirds are:ġ. In normal stretch this is comparatively easy, unless the fourth finger here is well founded and standing on its tip, it will easily touch the A string and thus spoil the upper note. Finally it provides an excellent and indispensable training of the ear, as regards purity of intonation, as well as beauty of sound.Īs regards the hand-position, the hand should be sufficiently raised so that the fingers may be well rounded, stopping one string without touching the other. It exacts great strengths, not only that of gripping, but in many cases of individual hammer-strength of each finger.Ĥ. It teaches further the relation of stops between two string (intervals), furthering thus a thorough knowledge of the fingerboard as well as fingering.ģ. All possible faults regarding holding of the hand and placing of the fingers are here conspicuously exposed double-stopping represents an excellent corrective of such faults and an infallible means of training the correct position of hand and fingers.Ģ. The reason why the study of double-stops is so highly advantageous for the progress of the student may be found in its great technical and musical value, which can be distinguished in four directions:ġ.

Violin notes and finger placement pdf