Hello,
I was wondering if someone could help me define something.

I'm practising grade 5 scales, and some are in fourth position. (Violin) Things don't seem to be sounding right and I'm wondering if somebody could help me get the correct finger pattern etc.

Much appreciated,
Kwik:D

Which particular scales are we talking about?

Liz

I'm doing grade 5 scales too, but I'm afraid I don't think in positions particularly, just where the notes "live" on the fingerboard.

I start all my scales with the first finger on the tonic (except for G which of course is an open string and therefore slightly different), and play the same finger pattern for them all. So each scale starts in a different postion.

And I do all two octave scales (B flat and above) starting with second finger, and all three octave ones starting with first finger.

Liz

Thanks guys, but I'm sorted now. I had an audition today and, luckily, managed to teach it to myself beforehand. I played G maj. 3 octaves. It's actually not that difficult.

hurrah!!! well done!

Yes, I'm quite pleased actually. They told me that I had been accepted when they're really not supposed to, but I wasn't complaining.

Thanks again,
Kwik.

O well done. What's that you've been accepted for then?
Liz

The county orchestra. Well, there are lots. I was accepted for the training orchestra, which is the one before the LSSO (Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra) I'm really amazed, I wasn't expecting to get in!

Aha. I used to be in that system, many years ago. Never made the LSSO though - could be something to do with the fact that i never practiced ....

Liz

Congratulations kwikspell! That is awesome!

Interesting how everyone has their own preferred pattern. I start all three octave scales with second finger, simply because it makes the 1 -2 -1- 2 -1 -2 -3 - 4 - x4 easier in the top octave. It seems to be a pattern adopted in quite a few scale books too.

Ideally you should practice scales starting with different fingers, and not neccessarily playing from tonic to tonic - also practise starting half way through a scale and see if it throws you with where you'd rather place your digits on the fingerboard, but this is a good way of learning to play anything in any random position on the violin.

I was always taught scales starting wherever that note would naturally fall in first position (and shifting up as necessary)... it means the finger patterns are different for each scale, but I guess in the long run that's actually not a bad thing!

That's good advice. The more we can all get really familiar with the fingerboard the better.