Teaching shifting includes:
- Understanding of five steps of shifting
- “Hear”: Student hears/sings the arriving pitch
- “Lift”: Student lifts up the weight of finger before shifting starts
- “Prepare”: Student makes an adjustment in the position of left wrist/elbow
- “Shift/Glide”: Student moves to new position with only a very light pressure/weight of transitional/guiding finger (like harmonic)
- “Land”: Student arrives to new position and places down the desired finger
- Hearing starting and ending pitches
- Singing
- Playing both pitches in one position
- Measuring the distance (physically and visually)
- Preparation of shifting motion
- Lifting up finger’s pressure/weight
- Elbow preparation
- Deciding on transitional/guiding finger
- Same finger shift
- Old finger shift
- New finger shift
- Shifting/gliding motion on “top of the string”
- “Shuttles” (no bow)
- Harmonics (yes bow)
- Landing motion
- Synchronizing it with the bow
- Slowing down shifting motion right before arriving to new pitch (DeLay’s analogy with parking the car)
Desired Outcomes:
- No squeezing between thumb and the base of first finger
- Five steps of shifting are present every time a student needs to shift.
- Shifting is well coordinated with the tempo and bow direction.
Video on Teaching Vibrato Movements at the Beginning/Intermediate Level of Instruction
Video on Teaching Vibrato Movements on Advanced Level of Instruction
Teaching vibrato includes:
- Understanding of basic principles
- No need for too much pressure in finger
- There is only one finger on the string while vibrating.
- One teaches vibrato motions and not vibrato itself
- Three types of vibrato:
- Arm vibrato
- Hand vibrato
- Finger vibrato
- Some pedagogues advocate for only two types of vibrato, arm and hand.
- Arm vibrato
- Beginning level exercises
- Intermediate level exercises
- Advanced level exercises
- Hand vibrato
- Beginning level exercises
- Intermediate level exercises
- Advanced level exercises
- Finger vibrato
- Beginning level exercises
- Intermediate level exercises
- Advanced level exercises
Desired Outcomes:
- Ability to vibrate with all four fingers and in all positions
- Continuous vibrato
- Combining three types of vibrato to enhance musical expression
Course Handout:
MODULE 3 Accumulative Assignment
Suggested Readings
Applebaum, S. (1986). The art and science of string performance (pp. 63-71). Sherman Oaks, CA: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
Fischbach, G. & Frost, R. (1998). Viva Vibrato. San Diego, CA: Kjos Music Company
Fischer, S. (2013). The violin lesson: A manual for teaching and self teaching the violin (pp. 231-248 & 249-259). London, UK: Edition Peters.
Howell, J.R. & Howell, F.C. (2003). Bornoff breakthrough for string education (2nd ed.) p. 123-132. Newton Highlands, MA: The Foundation for the Advancement of String Education.
Rolland, P. (2000). The teaching of action in string playing: Developmental and remedial techniques violin and viola (2nd ed.) pp. 130-135 & 153-162. Bloomington, IN: Tichenor Publishing Division of T.I.S., Inc.
Rolland, P. (2008). The teaching of actions in string playing (Video). Films 9 & 12. University of Illinois: Motions Picture Service.
Supplemental Videos
Wrist vibrato
Shifting (part 1)
Shifting (part 2)