Violin Tips: How to Improve Your Violin or Viola Shifting (How to Play the Violin or Viola)

[@googleuser3642]

My son has been working with private tutor from the last 2 year and he is still struggling with shifting. I am going to let him practice these techniques for 30 min everyday. It’s very detailed video to improve shifting. Thank you so much and looking forward for more viola technique videos.

[@barbieludwig8369]

Laurel, I appreciate you so much, and all the care and preparation you put into your free videos on KZbin. I have purchased some and truly enjoy them. Barbie

[@elektrathebombardier509]

Great advice! I think you solved my problem with the sound of the upper positions - I'm going to try shifting my bow to the bridge!

[@parkerhix1057]

not sure if youre supposed to shift your bow to bridge, often time playing on the bridge is only for being a little more quiet

[@nunuher7930]

This will help me so much. Now I can use these techniques whenever I practice. Thank you so much!!

[@soundsofnature5771]

This actually helped me

[@2logj]

Thanks .amazing teacher you are!!!

[@murbly]

Great video have engagement!

[@chosolover69]

thank u this helps so muchh 😁

[@susanhe6785]

AMAZED!!!!!!

[@gonzalobarreiro3990]

thanks for these set of videos. they are really helping me. I love the song u play at the begining of the video. what is its name? do you have the music sheet? thanks again! regards from uruguay

[@pedrojr.ocampo7987]

Gonzalo Barreiro h

[@fakeyfaked]

Cause im so damn anxious all the time fiddle is all that saves me but i cant play for more that half an hour without crampin gotta revise my style again

[@shupesmerga4694]

Hi Ms. Thomsen, I am confused with my end notes. I am using the ringing notes, under and overtones to determine my arrival note which is exactly not the same if using Pythagorean intonation. So if i shift on Open G to F or F# in 6th pos. i stop at the point where i hear the A string ring. This End note should be the wrong one if we're basing our tuning to Pythagorean system where F should be flatter and closer to E(5th pos) or higher F# closer to G. My question is, what is the right end note? The Pythagorean system which is flatter or sharper or the ringing notes? Thanks.

[@laurelthomsen]

That's a good question. Glad you're thinking about this. Intonation is not set in stone on a violin, so some choices that work sometimes aren't ideal in other situations. Keeping tight half steps can help make your solos more expressive, but if your accompaniment has, in this instance, a lot of A chord notes, you'd need to tune to those and the sympathetic vibrations you're talking about could help. It's all very subtle and entirely based on context. Feel free to Google me and send an email if you need more help.

[@shupesmerga4694]

Laurel Thomsen Thanks Ms. Thomsen. I will soon. =) I also have another problem. I can't use block fingering especially on high positions(5th). My F# tend to go flat, below the ringing spot when i hit my G right and my G tend to go sharp when i hit my ringing F#. My fingers are too big for a block fingering for this position. I guess i have to train my fingers the hard way, the independent fingering, like what you've said in the video, taking away the old finger to place the new finger. It usually takes more time to come to a satisfactory result with independent fingering than block fingering.

[@laurelthomsen]

Nicola nilo martino Yes, it takes some getting used to, but is the best we can do when the steps are smaller than our fingers are wide. Good luck!

[@TheSkyCaLL]

Is it necessary to shift with one bow?

[@laurelthomsen]

+Rodney Arcega No, you can use slurs or separate bows. It depends on the phrasing. Cheers!

[@TheSkyCaLL]

Laurel Thomsen Thanks. I have a cheap bow also, and I'm using it 6 years from now. I noticed that it is not as good as before, the rosin dust doesn't stick much to the hair. I wonder if I should buy a new one. Should I?

[@laurelthomsen]

+Rodney Arcega So you're saying the bow hair is 6 years old then? That's the problem. Bows need to be rehaired every year or so. Rehairs generally cost around $75-100 so if the bow is really cheap, just getting a new one is more cost effective. Then the rosin will stick again :)

[@TheSkyCaLL]

Laurel Thomsen Yes ma'am my bow is. I'm going to buy a bow then. Thanks for your help.

[@fakeyfaked]

Maan ive got that death grip with the thumb it comes from squeezing te music

[@susanhe6785]

Am

[@susanhe6785]

Nogie