Video on Teaching Left-Hand Pizzicato and Left-Elbow Movements

Teaching advanced left-hand techniques includes:

  • Strengthening left-hand fingers
    • Left-hand pizzicato (with fourth finger, with other fingers)
  • Velocity of left-hand fingers
    • Trill exercises 
  • Shifting
    • Three steps: LIFT-SHIFT-DROP
    • Basic Rule of Shifting (Applebaum)
    • Transporting finger:  “same finger shift”, “old finger shift” and “new finger shift”
    • Adjustable thumb
    • Role of hand, elbow, and thumb when shifting from lower to higher positions and from higher to lower positions
    • Types of shifting: (a) Classical, (b) Romantic, (c) Combination, (d) Substitution, (e) Exchange (Fischer)
  • Fingering/tonal patterns in positions
    • Reading music and playing in all eight positions
    • Spacing between fingers rule as we change positions
  • Vibrato
    • Arm
    • Hand/wrist
    • Finger (upper strings)
  • Double stops 
    • With open strings
    • Octaves
    • Thirds 
    • Sixths
    • Other intervals
  • Chords:
    • Left hand intervals and spacing
    • Right hand (number of strings)
    • Down bow chords ad up bow chords
  • Harmonics
    • Natural
    • Artificial
  • Intonation
    • Equal tempered
    • Just (combination tones or Tartini tones) 
    • Expressive/solo

Desired outcomes:

  • Fast-moving and strong fingers
  • Fingers that can manipulate pressure/weight
  • Shifting with all fingers and in all directions
  • Various types of vibrato
  • Playing double stops, chords, and harmonics
  • Playing with good intonation and knowing about various types of intonation