Position Changes on the Violin - Basics, Exercises and Demonstration
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- Опубліковано 21 жов 2024
- Shifting or Position Changes are one of the most requested topics. So I decided to give it a go and start with a very basic video about a very big topic. In this Video I categorize different types of shifts and show their difficulties.
If you are familiar with reading notes and some basic position playing here is one of the best exercise books on that topic. But beware it is very dry stuff and gets advanced very fast, so only consider it, if you have a solid foundation already.
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Excellent teaching Simon. Very detailed and precise high is so important for the conscientious student. Thank you so much and l am so delighted to have come across someone who answers my questions with such precision.
Excellent teaching! May God bless you Sir!
This is only the second video of yours that i watch and im very impressed ! it makes me want to get to practice right away so thank you❤
Thank you, that is awesome! :)
Excellent! Many thanks.
Can I ask you to do a video please about other positions higher than 3rd position. I'm getting very familiar with 3rd position but want to learn higher positions now.
I always enjoy your videos. Thanks so much for sharing your information and experience with us.
I don't have a teacher (self-learner). So when I ask these questions keep that in mind.
1). (a comment) What you said at 14:15 about the contact point moving closer to the bridge the higher you go up the neck.....I did not know that! Wow :-)
2). You talked about an intermediate note. Is the idea to "place" your 1st finger at a good point of reference so the other 3 fingers fall onto the fingerboard in a predictable place?
3). I'm not very experienced (about 3 years).
I'm trying to play a piece of music where I "shift" from an "F" (on the D string, first position) to a high D# on the E string (right up where the body connects to the neck). To continue with the music, I must catch the D# with my pinky (4th finger) Since I'm not sliding on the position change, it is complete "blind" move. My current strategy is the physically look at the neck and try to place my finger in the right place of the D# visually. That seems to work about 25% of the time. Do you have any other suggestions of how to make this "shift"?
Thanks again for the great video!
Thank you for your comment!
To your questions:
2.) if you want to play a shift from 1st to 3rd finger you make the shift into the new position with the starting finger, the 1st finger. When you arrive in the new position with the 1st finger that is the intermediate note (for practicing hear-able, for concerts used as stylistic tool, close to unhearable or unhearable). After you arrive at that note, you immediately place your 3rd finger in the same position as your 1st finger is now and if the handframe remained correct during the shift it should hit the note spot on! That is the theory, in reality it is a lot of practice and fine tuning your ears and fingers.
3) Are you sure that the shift is from F-natural to D-sharp? I mean it happens, but it is uncommon. Anyway, the solution for your problem is the intermediate note. You have to make the shift into the position, that you need on the E-String on the D-String with the second finger. There are, depending on the key signature two possibilities here.
1. You go from the f-natural to the a-natural (with the second finger on the D-String)
2. You go from the f-natural to the a-sharpl (with the second finger on the D-String)
The A-natural is better if you are not sure about intonation, because you can check it with the open a to make sure you arrived in the right position/on the right note.
If you have 5 or more sharps the other possibility would be an option too, but then you have to make shure the a-sharp is in tune by hearing the interval alone.
So do the shift with the second finger to the A-Natural and leave it there as our guidance for the 4th finger. The 4th finger we place on the E-String two whole steps away from the second finger (two big spaces between 2, 3 and 4). And BOOM there is your D-Sharp ;)
I mean many things can go wrong in those more difficult position changes, so practice the basics before you go into very advanced stuff. Little things will can add up. For example: The intermediate note is not in tune, or the spacing between the fingers in the new position is not right. I hope you will manage it anyways. Keep me informed please and thanks again for the question. It shows me, that I have to make a video about basics of the different positions on the violin!
The help you gave me on the shift in the comment above was a complete "game changer" for me! Actually, I was wrong about the notes. It is A natural (I play that open to give me an opportunity to get my finger placed on the next note), (shift) G natural ( D string 1st finger), using that, I shift directly over to the A on the E string (intermediate note), then my high D natural (e string) just falls on the 4th finger perfectly.
Of course there are lots of ways to do this. But the most important thing is that I understand the concept of the intermediate note. I never used, or even considered, intermediate notes until I saw your video. Thanks, you have been a huge help to me!
Dan Shaskin that is great to hear! There will be more coming soon!
Very good class (Violin tutorial)
Thank you so much man!
Hi simon, very clear explanation. but i got a question about a shifting, when shifting from 1st to 2nd, the thumb should always move a halfstep? For example in the sevcik op 8 there is a shift in E string from 2nd to 1st position, and the 2nd finger goes from A to 2 G (1 tone), should the thumb still move only 1 halfstep?
that is a good question! In that case I would make it depending on the key you are in. Considering it is most likely in C-Major, I would go the full step down synchronizing the thumb and the first finger. Usually i would advice to make the same movement with the thumb, that the shifting finger does and adjust everything around that. But especially when it comes to very small position changes in some places it could be better to even stay in position with the thumb. But for exercises, I wouldn't recommend to do that. Try to remain in the handframe and include the thumb position. I hope that helps. there will be certainly a second part on shifting, there is so much more to say!
SimonS7r and the same if key is Gmajor? And thanks for replying :D
I would recommend to then do a half-step and keep the first finger and the thumb synchronized, but that depends on the position as well. In higher positions the thumb position is very different than in 1. -4. position. In higher position focusing on the hand frame first to fourth finger is the most important thing... and then let the thumb do the necessary movements to support the hand frame so that every finger is balanced and playable. I hope that helps!
Thanks, it definitely helps!
Simon, how does one know which position is best to play in for a specific piece? (I haven't really ventured out of first position yet so it's not a pressing matter. But I've been wondering. 🙃)
Good question! I write that down for a video or livestream. There are some things to consider when chosing position. I think it is a big part of interpretation!
Jerrie Lucktenberg published a wonderful book on this subject. I am not sure if it is still available.
I base my teaching roughly on what Galamian and Flesch write in their books and what my teachers taught me. I am always curious about new inspirations! If you have the book ID or correct name I would highly appreciate it!
nice
Dr. Lucktenberg studied with Galamian at Curtis. There was also a VHS video that accompanied the book. I only have a working editor's copy.
She was an amazing woman.
I think, that I heard her name before! I will research if I find it somewhere!
Is it "the joy of shifting and double stops"? If yes, she certainly got humor ;)
unfortunately it is nowhere available to buy
Thaankyou soo much for this video! This helped me a lot ♡ Daphne
It was a good suggestion! Still a big topic and I could make much more videos about it! :D
Thanks man!
You are welcome! More is in the pipeline! ;)
SimonS7r it's really helpful I'm working on No.11 of Kreutzer. It involves crossing string shifts, quite hard.
I love Kreutzer 11! It is one of the best etudes for fluidity in position changes, Intermediate notes and a soft left hand are key here! Keep it up ;)
SimonS7r hah yea I'm also working no.13 as well but the bowing just so hard not good at that one.
Many Kreutzer Etudes are so good if you work on them in the right way! That would make a good video series actually: How to practice Kreutzer Etudes. Also a challenge for me, since I never played them all yet.
How's it going bro (:
Awesome, man! Everything is growing, my bizeps, my viewers! :D :D How are you? :)