Please fill out contact info here: https://forms.gle/u3ZqRzmmGw8UqDDT6 Find us on Facebook Viola Gators (studio of Lauren Hodges) or visit

arts.ufl.edu/violaday

One position scales

55

46

37

28

19

10

*Seventh position

*Sixth position

Fifth position

Fourth position

Third position

Second position

First position

Lauren Hodges, lbhodges@ufl.edu

  13 

 

One position broken thirds

65

59

53

47

41

35

23

19

13

1

1

1

1

44

Fifth position, keys of A-flat and A

Fourth position, key of G

Third position, keys of F and F-sharp

half note = 60, try 8 slurred eighth notes and 16 slurred 16th notes alsoUse a C drone and try all 7 positions as written. Change tonic drone and key signatures daily/weekly and progress through all 12 First position, work on keys of D-flat and D with drones

Second position, keys of E-flat and E

89

83

77

71

1Seventh position, key of C

Sixth position, keys of B-flat and B

2

B a s i c s b y S i m o n F i s c h e r

Uniform intonation (2) Uniform intonation exercises are an extremely quick and effective way to make intonation consistent, so that the same notes, played with any finger in any octave, are the same pitch. They are excellent either for developing technique, or as time-saving warm-up exercises. Practise for just fifteen minutes and then play (for example) a scale: you will be amazed at how much better the scale is without having practised it. Even the shifts will be improved.

Each bar in these two exercises contains a perfect fourth, and a semitone. Frequently check that the perfect fourth is in tune by playing it as a double-stop. Feel the accidentals as ‘leading notes’ up or down: tune each sharp close to the natural above, and each flat close to the natural below. Frequently check all G, D, A and E’s (C on the viola) with the open strings. Play slowly, without vibrato, using either separate bows or slurred, and memorise the feel of each group of notes.

As shown in the examples, play each bar with four fingerings (wherever possible): start on the 1st finger, then on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th finger. Tune each fingering exactly the same, so that without seeing your left hand nobody would imagine that the fingering was being changed. Play each fingering several times to find exactly the right tuning. Repeat each bar on the other strings in different octaves.

Exercise 1.

Example

Exercise 2.

Example

__________________

The first Uniform Intonation exercise appeared in the December 1993 Basics. Back copies available. Next month's BASICS returns to the left/right hand, with

T E C H N I Q U E

Widening the left hand One of the most important aspects of the left hand is the way it can be balanced to favour different fingers. While large hands may be able to be based on the first finger with the other fingers still able to reach up to their notes without strain, medium and small-sized hands gain in range if the hand widens at the base knuckle joints. This is achieved by basing the hand position a little more on the upper fingers and reaching back with the lower fingers.

Without the instrument hold the left hand in front of you in playing position, the fingers naturally curved. Keeping the second, third and fourth fingers almost touching, move the first finger back (away from you), so that a V-shaped space opens between the base joints of the first and second fingers. The same, though less, widening is possible between the other pairs of fingers.

The crucial thing is to avoid positioning the hand entirely to favour the first finger, the first and second fingers squeezing together and the third and fourth fingers having almost to straighten to reach their notes.

Large hands or small, from time to time practise passages with the hand based entirely on the fourth finger while reaching the lower three fingers back to their notes. This produces a feeling of great openness and liberation in the hand when returning afterwards to a normal hand position. Basing the hand on the upper finger is also the key to playing thirds and fingered octaves.

Warm-up exercise to widen the hand

x Hold the fourth finger down on the D string without playing it.

x Position the hand to favour the fourth finger so that it is curved, relaxed and comfortable.

x Reach back with the other fingers without disturbing the shape or balance of the fourth finger.

x Widen at the base joints by placing the fourth finger very slightly more on the side of the finger furthest from the thumb; place the first finger very slightly more on the side of the finger closest to the thumb.

Thirds and fingered octaves

Playing thirds or fingered octaves, the hand position is based more on the third and fourth fingers than usual, the lower fingers reaching back. If the hand is based on the first and second fingers it is more difficult for the upper fingers to reach, and the hand can become tense.

Examples 1 and 2 show how to build the correct hand position into any passage of thirds.

Set the hand position for each third or fingered octave individually.

x Place the upper finger first, positioning the hand so that the finger is curved, relaxed and comfortable.

x Then place the lower finger by extending back.

x While placing the lower finger, as far as possible do not alter the shape of the upper finger, or change the way the hand is balanced on the upper finger.

x Play slowly, without keeping to any particular pulse:

(1) Place the third finger on the string. Position the hand to favour the third finger so that it is rounded and

relaxed, without having to stretch up to the note.

Keep the space open between the base of the thumb and the first finger.

(2) While playing the third finger, silently place the first finger on its note (written as an x-note) without altering the shape of the third finger.

(3) Play the double-stop.

(4) Place the fourth finger on the string, and then remove the third and first fingers from the string. Position the hand to favour the fourth finger, so that the tip of the finger is on the string and the finger is rounded and relaxed.

(5) Reach back with the second finger without altering the shape of the fourth finger.

(6) Play the double-stop.

(7) Shift up to the new third finger, and continue in the same way.

________________

Next month's BASICS returns to intonation with a time-saving warm-up exercise.

1 Example

2 Example

Lauren Hodges

Intro to Thirds

37

29

23

17

11

5

34 312 12

0314

2314

242

31

31 4

224 2

0311

3

42

314 4

22314

2

343

344

4 42 4

2213

244

24

24

13

43

44 -4

43

44

4 33 2 11423

141 24 3

241 2

4 3231

421

313

24

3 3113 3

11

43

44 4

432

44

31

311

313

43424

4

24-44

24

313

13

33333333

44 4444

4

4 4444

33

43

3-33-333 -3-313

33-3

313

3 -333 3333

4

33

Alternative fingering option

sul Gsul DOverlap, slurred and separate bowingsagain, use half-stop auxiliary during spacing changes(first one marked)

sul G

Allow the weaker upper fingers (3&4) to leadBreak chord bottom to top before trying simultaneous fingers

sul Gsul D

sul D

Overlap, slurred and separate bowingsCircle spacing changesUse half step auxiliary note as needed (first two provided)

Label thirds Major or MinorLabel half-step shifts

Label thirds Major or MinorLabel half-step shifts

sul G

sul D

sul DLabel thirds Major or MinorLabel half-step shifts

Overlap bowing adding M3 above (close spacing)Overlap bowing adding m3 above (wide spacing)

sul DOverlap bowing adding M3 above (close spacing)Overlap bowing adding m3 above (wide spacing)

Keep fingers down when possible,drop/lift pairs of fingers together

2020

Scales and Arpeggio Fingerings for Viola Major Scales. All major scales descend with the same fingerings. C Major 02101234 12-1234 1234 12-1234 4 C String Majors (Db-F#) 1321234 1234 12-1234 123-1234 4 G Major 02101234 12-1234 123-123-1234 4 G String Majors (Ab-B) 1321234 123-1234 123-123-1234 4 Minor Scales. C minor 02101234 12-1234 1234 123-1234 // 432-321-321 4321 4321 43210210 C# minor 1321234 1234 123-1234 123-1234 // 432-321 4321-4321 4321 4321321 C String minors (Dbm-F#m) 1321234 1234 123-1234 123-1234 // 432-321-4321 4321 4321 4321321 G minor 02101234 12-1234 123-123-1234 4 // 432-321-4321-321 4321 43210210 G String minors (Abm-Bm) 1321234 123-1234 123-123-1234 4 // 432-321-321-321 4321 4321-21321 Slurred Series.