Viola Time Book RGP (Release, Glide and Press) Shifting Method st Finger shifting without accidentals Exercise : st-rd Position shifting in C major Scale and arpeggio of C major Kayaking Down the Tarwin Scale and arpeggio of A melodic and harmonic minor Your turn to compose C major composition in st - rd position Playing with a singing tone Bowing technique Exercise : Playing with a singing tone Exercise : Controlling the sound in the UH and LH of the bow st Finger shifting with flats 6 Exercise : st rd position shifting in E major 6 Scale and arpeggio of E major 6 Scale and arpeggio of C harmonic minor 6 La Festaiola 7 Ornamentation 8 Exercise : Finger strengthening exercises for ornamentation 8 Exercise 6: The Trill 8 The Upper Mordent 8 The Appoggiatura 8 Your turn to compose 9 G major composition using st - rd position 9 nd Finger shifting with sharp Exercise 7: st-rd position shifting in G major Scale and arpeggio of G major Waltz Felice nd Finger shifting with flat Scale and arpeggio of D melodic and harmonic minor Exercise 8: st-rd position shifting in F major Scale and arpeggio of F major Sea Biscuit nd-nd and st-nd Finger shifting with flats Exercise 9: st-rd position shifting in E major Exercise : Using the guide note Waltzing Through the Mistletoe nd and rd Finger shifting with flats 6 Exercise : st-rd position shifting in F minor/a major 6 Scale and arpeggio of F harmonic and melodic minor 6 Scale and arpeggio of A major 6 Non Piangere 7 rd Finger shifting with flats 8 Exercise : st-rd position shifting in E major/c minor 8 Scale and arpeggio of C melodic minor 8 The Blues Singer 9 rd Finger shifting with sharp Exercise : st-rd position shifting in G major Oom Pah Pah! A Lilt in the Air Spiccato Preparation Exercise : Ricochet bowing Exercise : Spiccato bowing Tango Etude Pizzicato Chords 6 Exercise 6: Chordal pizzicato 6 Scale and arpeggio of E melodic and harmonic minor 6 Quick as a Flash 7 March of the Swagman 8 nd Position (low form) 9 Exercise 7: Semitone shifting to the low form of nd position 9 Exercise 8: Tone shifting to the low form of nd position 9 Scale and arpeggio of F major Tango Waltz Your Turn to Compose F major composition using st and nd position nd Finger shifting with sharps Exercise 9: Shifting to the high form of nd position Jolly Jerry Vibrato 6 Exercise : Vibrato 6 Sono Triste 7 Tears for Elsa 8 Street Dances at Sunset Chromatic Scales Exercise : Pitch checking while playing chromatics Chromatically Relaxed Double Stops 6 Exercise : Double stopping in rds in the keys of F, C and G major 6 Scale and arpeggio of G melodic and harmonic minor 6 Exercise : Double stopping in 6ths in the keys of 7 A, A and B major Scale and arpeggio of B major 7 Double or Nothing 8 Words/Signs and Terms
RGP Shifting Method Shifting is when you move your whole left hand up or down the fingerboard in order to change notes. In Book every piece only used the st position. In Book you will learn how play in nd and rd position. The RGP technique helps you to move between st, nd, and rd position. Release the finger pressure from the string Glide the whole hand (thumb included) along the neck/ fingerboard of the violin. The shifting finger will ghost its way up the string as it lightly touches the string while shifting. Press the finger down once it has arrived on the new note. st finger shifting without accidentals Exercise : st-rd Position shifting in C major Use Diagram on the right to help you with seeing how far your hand should shift to reach the rd position notes. B ghost between shifts and listen to the pitch B Diagram A E C G st Position rd Position Scale and arpeggio of C major B B w Finger chart No Sharps or Flats rd Position F C G D G D A E A E B F F C G st Position rd Position B
Kayaking down the Tarwin Andante q = 6 B Nicole Billimoria B w 9 B J w B poco rall B # # nn Scale and Arpeggio of A melodic and harmonic minor # # B w Points for Parents Purpose To practise shifting from st to rd position with the st finger, using the Release, Glide, and Press (RGP) technique as shown in Diagram. To learn the note names in rd position, remembering that there is a B natural. To practise sight-reading in st and rd position. Tips Listen carefully to the ghost note when shifting (the sound the finger makes when lightly gliding between st and rd position) and only press down on the string when you can hear the correct pitch of the new note. Without using the bow, hold the violin and place the fingers on the fingerboard while saying the note names aloud in rd position. Finger Chart can help you identify whether fingers are a tone or a semitone apart. Teacher Checklist Can shift using the RGP technique. Listens to the ghost note while gliding the finger up or down the string. Student shifts using the whole hand, and the thumb always remains opposite the pointer finger. Theory Poco rall... stands for poco rallentando which means gradually becoming a little slower. A dot preceding a note lengthens it by half of its value. i.e. a dotted minim lasts for a minim plus a crotchet ( crotchet beats in total).
st finger shifting with flats Exercise : st - rd position shifting in E major Use the finger chart and notice how your st finger will be shifting from a lower position up to rd position. Diagram b b Position A st Position Position C rd Position Scale and arpeggio of E major b b b b w b b b b Scale and arpeggio of C harmonic minor n n n w Finger chart Flats (B E A ) rd Position F C G D G D A E A E B F st Position rd Position B F C G La Festaiola has a B, E and an A, which means it could be in one of two keys. E major or its relative, C minor. When a piece is in a minor key, it often has a melancholy (sad) sound as opposed to pieces in a major key, which sound more uplifting (happy). Does La Festaiola sound happy or sad? 6
La Festaiola b b 9 b b b b Allegro ma non troppo LH forte forte 7 LH b b forte J nb J J j j j. j j n. b b. J J b b J J j.>o Πnb J.>o ΠPoints for Parents Purpose To practise shifting from st to rd position using the st finger (see Diagram ) To revise where the semitones occur in the key of E major in st and rd position. To practise playing two consecutive up bow quavers To practise the augmented nd interval as it occurs during the piece in the key of C harmonic minor (A to B) Tips Practise saying the syncopated rhythm (ti-tati) using the metronome. Practise stretching from an A to a B on the G string (Augmented nd) Learn where the semitones occur in rd position by studying the finger chart. Revise where the semitones are in st position by playing the E major scale Teacher Checklist Can play the whole piece in tune and in time with the metronome. Student uses the correct shifting technique (RGP). Ghosts (lightly glides the finger along the string) between st and rd position. Lands notes in st and rd position exactly without glissando or guessing. Can play with the correct bowing style in the correct parts of the bow. Theory La Festaiola begins and ends on a C, just like the C minor scale. Also, the note B occurs frequently during the piece. Sometimes in minor keys the second last note of the scale (the 7th scale degree) is raised by a semitone to add melodic colour to the music. Every major scale has a minor scale with the same key signature, this is called a relative minor, or vice versa, it would be called a relative major. Π& A crotchet rest lasts for one crotchet beat A quaver rest lasts for one quaver beat 7
nd finger shifting with flat 9 Scale and arpeggio of D melodic and harmonic minor # # # # n# n b nb n w Exercise 8: st-rd position shifting in F major This exercise shifts between an F to an A as shown in Diagram. Notice how the E and F begin close together and then spread apart once in rd position. Diagram F A st Position rd Position Scale and arpeggio of F major Finger chart Flat (B ) rd Position st Position w F C G D G D A E A E B F rd Position B F C G
9 mp Swing q = Sea Biscuit The term swing is used to describe a unique feel to playing music, commonly used in jazz styles. It loosens the rhythm of quavers. A triplet occurs when notes are played in the space of. This rhythm can be said as tri-o-la. Syncopation is when there is an interruption to the regular flow of the rhythm. J.. 7. J J. J J. J J 9 7 > # # # ΠJ.. Points for Parents Purpose To practise shifting from st to rd position using the nd finger as shown in Diagram on the previous page. To revise playing in a swing style. To learn playing with triplets ( quaver beats in the space of ). Tips Practise saying the rhythm in time with the metronome on the bars, which use syncopation and triplets. Learn where the semitones lie in rd position by studying finger chart (page ) Teacher Checklist Can play all the notes in tune and in time with the metronome. Uses the RGP shifting technique. Understands where the semitones lie in st and rd position in the key of F major and/or D minor. Theory Let's find out the key signature! It has one flat, so it must be in either D minor or F major. However, since it ends on an D and has many C#s throughout the piece it is in the key of D minor (C# is the 7th scale degree of D minor and is often raised by a semitone in minor keys to change the colour of the melody).
Pizzicato Chords Use block fingering technique (prepare your fingers and leave them on the string until the next chord change) 9 Points for Parents - Quick as a Flash Purpose 6 8 When playing chords pizzicato begin by preparing the notes of the left hand using a block fingering technique. Begin by leaning the fleshy part of the first finger of the right hand against the lowest string. Strike the strings in a fast manner, diagonally across the fingerboard. With confidence q = pizzicato n n B # 9 B # To practise both spiccato and ricochet bowing at a steady speed. To learn to play in the correct part of the bow where it is most appropriate for the different bowing styles, such as ricochet bowing and spiccato bowing. To revise left hand pizzicato. # Tips Scale and arpeggio of E melodic and harmonic minor Practise the ricochet bowing bars separately and experiment with the best part of the bow in which to play. Begin the ricochet bowing from above the string. Experiment with flat bow hair and slightly tilted bow hair and keep the bow hold relaxed when the bow is bouncing on the string. Excercise 6: Chordal Pizzicato Teacher Checklist n Can play in tune and in time with the metronome. Understands how to maximize the off the string bowing passages by playing in the correct part of the bow. Theory n # # # # # # n n nn B # w Ricochet bowing is when the bow is dropped onto the string and then bounces of its own accord very quickly in the upper half of the bow. Rapide means moving with great speed. 6
March of the Swagman Moderato assai B... j B...... B..... Π7B....... B........ j B...... 9 B Points for Parents Purpose... To learn hook stroke bowing and revise playing triplets. To learn to play a four note chord pizzicato. To revise shifting to and from st and rd position. Tips >.. > Play the hook stroke bowing in the middle of the bow and try to articulate the semiquaver at the end by leaning a little on the stick of the bow with the first finger. Use the words tim-ka to say the rhythm of the dotted quaver (tim) semiquaver (ka). Use the word tri-o-la for the triplets. Play the chord diagonally over the fingerboard with one pizzicato. Teacher Checklist Can play all notes in tune and in time with the metronome. Understands the difference in rhythm between the hook stroke notes and the triplets. Shifts fluently between st and rd position. Plays the chord at the end with confidence and accuracy, creating a resonant sound. Theory pizz Hook stroke is a style of bowing used to play a dotted quaver linked to a semiquaver. It is an energetic bowing and is generally played in the middle to upper half of the bow. Chords are when more than two notes are played with the bow or pizzicato at a time. When playing chords using pizzicato, it is best to play them in a diagonal line across the fingerboard. moderato assai - very moderate tempo 8
nd Position (low form) Exercise 7: Semitone shifting to the low form of nd position In the following exercises the st finger only shifts a semitone up to the low form of nd position as shown in Diagram 9. Take note that the semitones occur between the rd and th finger in these exercises. low form of nd position (where st finger moves to an F) n Diagram 9 B b b b b b b Position Position D A E E B F st Position nd Position Low Form low form of nd position (where st finger moves to a B flat) B b b b b low form of nd position (where st finger moves to an E flat) b b Exercise 8: Tone shifting to the low form of nd position The A string shift to the low form of nd position is a little different because there is a tone space between B and C, as shown in Diagram. Take note that the semitones occur between the nd and rd finger because of the E in the key signature. b b Diagram B C st Position nd Position Low Form Low form of nd position: st finger begins in flat position, then moves a tone to C Scale and arpeggio of F major w Finger chart 6 Flat (B ) nd Position (Low Form) E B F C F C G D G D A E A E B F st Position nd Position Low Form rd Position 9
Tears for Elsa 8 b b 6 8 b b Moderato espressivo q. = 6 mp.. J J J. J J J J... J J b b mp. J J J J J J j b b j J 6 b b J b b. J n J b b. J J 8.
Chromatic Scales A chromatic scale is a musical scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone above or below (depending on whether the scale is ascending or descending) the previous note. Chromatic scales are useful for practicing movement in semitones. When practicing chromatic scales, place the fingers down in an articulate manner when ascending. When descending and/ or string crossing, place all the fingers on the string before continuing with the scale. The fingering taught below is a commonly used chromatic fingering. The first three notes of the scale begin in half position, followed by an extension st finger into st position and then nd, rd and th finger sitting tightly in st position. B # n b nb n # b n # n b b b w b n # b n bn # n b b # n b B w B n # b n # b nb n b b # n b # nw Try playing legato in s, s, 8s and one octave per bow! B 6 WB B Exercise : Pitch checking while playing chromatics Listen carefully to the double stops and ensure that the finger is in tune with the open string. b n b b n b b b w w
Chromatically Relaxed Allegro ma non troppo Allegro ma non troppo b.> Œ # n n J J # n. #. >. Œ Ó b.>.. Œ # n n J J 6 9 b... >.... >. # # J Œ Ó # # J Œ Ó b +...>.... #.... bn. Œ Ó J 7 mp # # b pizzicato # # b.. b # n. b # nnb 6 arco b................... n # bn # b........ # 9......... # J Œ Ó forte