3 Octave Arpeggios and Scales
What's the point of practicing scales and arpeggios, anyway? For most young violinists, 3-octave scales and arpeggios are the first foray into transposition exercises that illuminate the logarithmic nature of the fingerboard. Of course, the scales and arpeggios can be a great workshop for fundamental bow technique as well. I'm just not going to address that subject here.
When I began serious study of 3-octave scales and arpeggios, my teacher at the time gave me a worn, grisly photocopy and said: "Practice scales for 2 hours every day and memorize them for the next lesson." It was quite intimidating! For some dedicated students in need of hardening, that approach might work. Most other students need to be eased into it a bit.
Reading pitches might be a difficult, but it's simple enough to create a reading exercise on MusicTheory.net.
3-Octave Major and minor Arpeggios:
It seems to be more beneficial to teach these first. The interval patterns are simpler. The hand shapes, at least with my finger patterns, are consistent, and do not change over the course of each arpeggio. There's a solid foundation for listening to 3rds, Perfect 5ths and octaves which benefit the upcoming 3-octave scales. In most scale books: Galamian, Barber, Flesch, the information is not usually presented in a sensible, well labeled way that could possibly lead to an understanding of the logarithmic nature of the fingerboard. It's much more useful to go through all of the keys and positions immediately and simply, not putz around with augmented, diminished, double stops in a single key before attaining a basic understanding of the fingerboard..
When I began serious study of 3-octave scales and arpeggios, my teacher at the time gave me a worn, grisly photocopy and said: "Practice scales for 2 hours every day and memorize them for the next lesson." It was quite intimidating! For some dedicated students in need of hardening, that approach might work. Most other students need to be eased into it a bit.
Reading pitches might be a difficult, but it's simple enough to create a reading exercise on MusicTheory.net.
3-Octave Major and minor Arpeggios:
It seems to be more beneficial to teach these first. The interval patterns are simpler. The hand shapes, at least with my finger patterns, are consistent, and do not change over the course of each arpeggio. There's a solid foundation for listening to 3rds, Perfect 5ths and octaves which benefit the upcoming 3-octave scales. In most scale books: Galamian, Barber, Flesch, the information is not usually presented in a sensible, well labeled way that could possibly lead to an understanding of the logarithmic nature of the fingerboard. It's much more useful to go through all of the keys and positions immediately and simply, not putz around with augmented, diminished, double stops in a single key before attaining a basic understanding of the fingerboard..
3-Octave Scales:
Essentially, if you can already play in 7 positions and 7 modes, the only uncharted territory is the connecting of the modal patterns through shifts and dealing with the noticeably decreasing size of intervals in high positions. In my 3-octave scale finger pattern, only two modal finger patterns need be used. I'm sure finger patterns like this have been used by violinists at some point (there are only so many possibilities!), but the important part is to visualize how simple the action of the left hand really is.
Essentially, if you can already play in 7 positions and 7 modes, the only uncharted territory is the connecting of the modal patterns through shifts and dealing with the noticeably decreasing size of intervals in high positions. In my 3-octave scale finger pattern, only two modal finger patterns need be used. I'm sure finger patterns like this have been used by violinists at some point (there are only so many possibilities!), but the important part is to visualize how simple the action of the left hand really is.
The immediate problem for inexperienced students is the inability to listen or find the shifting patterns. This can be addressed by clearly showing how to practice shifts that are all of a similar, transpositional nature. It's necessary to isolate the instances of shifting, so the student has something to look at. Most students need that structure. If the student is unsure of which pitches to play, this sequence can be tested played with a Fox hand shape in one position at a time.
Starting down bow on the whole note, we find a pitch center. Then, it's easy to have the student bring their arms closer together, raise the violin (Menuhin suggested raising the shoulder in anticipation of up-shifts), and use guide-shifts for the way down (complete PDF at bottom of the page):
Starting down bow on the whole note, we find a pitch center. Then, it's easy to have the student bring their arms closer together, raise the violin (Menuhin suggested raising the shoulder in anticipation of up-shifts), and use guide-shifts for the way down (complete PDF at bottom of the page):
kung_fu_3_octave_arp_m_and_m.pdf | |
File Size: | 47 kb |
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shifting_prep_for_3_octave_scales_g_to_db.pdf | |
File Size: | 31 kb |
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shifting_prep_for_3_octave_scales_d_through_g.pdf | |
File Size: | 37 kb |
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3_octave_major_scales.pdf | |
File Size: | 50 kb |
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