Have a look at my new webpage which presents some ideas for intermediate and advanced shifting for all the string instruments.  Everything is usable in a private or mixed setting.  Take a look.

The best thing is that it's  FREE.   Use at will.

Pass the word to anyone who might be interested.

the address is      www.stringskills.com

Be glad to hear your feedback. Sign the GUESTBOOK if you would like.

Gabriel Villasurda
Greenville MI, USA

This site isn't working for me!

Jenny

It didn't for me. It came with tiny unreadable writing&links. I tried changing my screen resolution but that jammed my computer!

Worked for me, but I have to say there's nothing more annoying than patriotic tunes (especially American ones) played on violin. And the advanced ones aren't very hard.

Interesting site, Certainly looks like it could be of use, thanks

thanks. i had a look.

but the way to sort out position changing is to do it. play pieces of music that need it, esp between 1st, 2nd and 3rd. play music in c or f on the violin; acclimatise to extending the little finger.

it's possible to get too obsessed with 'positions' rather than accept changing as inevitable and work out how to play a piece.

I don't understand the focus on 'patriotic' music (being antipathic to the whole concept of nation and patriotism, it puts me off a bit, I must confess). Was the site first set up for military bands or something, Gabriella?

meerkat,

It makes good educational sense to proceed from "knowns" to "unknowns". If a young player already knows a melody, then he/she is half the way to finding the right pitches in a high position. Suzuki and Kodaly taught us this.

Using patriotic and other folksong materials has at least two advantages. First, there is a substantial chance nearly everyone will have heard the piece, even if only as background for a cartoon. The second reason is that everything I have used is in the public domain and not subject to copyright. Ask any child to name his/her favorite song; chances are it is either a commercial jingle or a Disney movie tune. It costs money to use them.

In the US, (and a British friend o mine agrees) school children and families no longer sing many of these melodies. My country is becoming nearly void of any common folk song heritage. I think it's a national disgrace. As time goes on most American citizens will have no idea what Charles Ives' music is about. I wonder how many UK children fail to recognize the tunes heard at the Last Night at the Proms.

Rest assured, I am no flag-waving, jingoistic, my-country-right-or-wrong person. This does not preclude my interest in the musical heritage of my country. Should it?

Not knowing what is your nationality, I am willing to arrange something you would deem appropriate for general use and to include them on my website. Remember: people have to know it, and no copyrights!

Furthermore, I would hope your anti-patriotic-music bias will not deter you from furthering the technical atilities of string playing by any means you find appropriate. Besides, your students may not be as allergic to these materials as you seem to be. Take two Sudafed and teach!

G. Villasurda

Ah, you've misread me - I have an anti-nationalist sentiment, rather than an 'anti national music bias'. I grew up in a fascist state, and that tends to put one off nationalism and the love of the mother / fatherland somewhat, I'm afraid. I'd elaborate, but I imagine I'd be in major thread drift territory if I did so!

I would want to distinguish folk music from patriotic music - I don't believe they fall into the same category at all. Embracing the musical heritage of your country doesn't necessarily require the desire to sing Land of Hope and Glory (not that traditional a piece, if truth be known).

Thanks Gabriel!
I've been lookin for an easy version of Scarborough Fair & Greensleeves pieces!
Your post appeared at the right timing for me !

As of this writing 238 people have read this posting and, I hope, examined the shifting materials.

I would appreciate your opinions of the materials-- whether you find them useful, and if you are actually using them to improve shifting.

Please reply either to the forum or privately.

Gabriel Villasurda

Nah, that's 238 page turns - not the same as 238 people. I tend to return to threads several times over, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. If someone refreshes a page, that registers as a view too. It adds up. The typical page turn:post ratio is about 15:1, so you're not doing too badly.