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:

Teaching Shifting Handout

Teaching Vibrato Handout

MODULE 3 Accumulative Assignment

MODULE 3 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)