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Warm Ups
1. General Body Relaxation
1. General Body Relaxation
Before touching your instrument:
Shake out arms and hands gently to release tension.
Roll shoulders and wrists slowly.
Take deep, even breaths to relax neck and back.
The goal is to bring awareness to tension spots and reduce stiffness.
3. Left Hand / Fingers
3. Left Hand / Fingers
Finger taps on a table or string: gently lift and press each finger in order.
Practice spider exercises: move fingers independently along the fingerboard without tension.
Focus on keeping thumb and wrist relaxed, not collapsing or twisting.
2. Bow Arm Warm-Up
2. Bow Arm Warm-Up
Hold the bow lightly with your right hand.
Move the bow slowly on the string without pressing too hard, focusing on smooth, relaxed motions.
Practice long bows (down and up) at slow tempo, letting the weight come naturally from the arm, not gripping with fingers.
Add small finger and wrist adjustments to feel freedom in the hand.
4. Simple Scales & Open Strings
4. Simple Scales & Open Strings
Play slow open strings, listening for smooth, even tone.
Then gradually add scales or simple melodies, staying slow and relaxed.
Avoid forcing speed or pressure; quality of sound over speed.
Bestehe fin legelege in lege.pdfViolin Method (篠崎バイオリン教本)
Violin Method (篠崎バイオリン教本)
Place the 4th finger lightly on the string — it doesn’t need to be in tune at first.
Relax the finger while bowing, keeping hand, wrist, and arm loose.
Practice on all four strings, focusing on even tone and smooth motion.
Scanned Documents.pdfViolin Method (篠崎バイオリン教本)
Violin Method (篠崎バイオリン教本)
Weekly Practice Method (with 4th Finger)
Weekly Practice Method (with 4th Finger)
Focus on one line per week, repeating each measure 4 times.
Vary rhythms: quarter, eighth, sixteenth notes.
Apply the 4th-finger press exercise: press lightly, relax, and keep hand and wrist flexible.
Move on only when the measure feels relaxed, even, and smooth across all strings.
KATARTE.pdfSchradieck Violin Technics
Schradieck Violin Technics
Wrist-Movement Bow Exercise (Right Arm Quiet, 3rd Finger Down)
Wrist-Movement Bow Exercise (Right Arm Quiet, 3rd Finger Down)
Set up: Hold the bow normally. Keep the right arm completely still — no shoulder, elbow, or upper-arm motion.
Press the 3rd finger down lightly on the bow hair.
Move the bow using only the wrist:
Flex and extend the wrist to produce smooth, controlled strokes.
Focus on even tone and consistent contact with the string.
KATARTE (1).pdfSchradieck Violin Technics
Schradieck Violin Technics
Exercises on 3 strings.
Apply all the techniques into this etude.
🎻 To achieve a smooth bow change between down-bow and up-bow, the motion should be led by the fingers and wrist, not the arm alone. At the bow change, the fingers gently release and absorb the motion, allowing the wrist to remain flexible. This cushioning action prevents an accent or break in the sound.
When playing détaché, the fingers subtly pronate and release on the bow stick, shaping each stroke while maintaining continuous bow contact. This controlled finger and wrist movement transforms what could sound separated into a connected, singing line, producing a smooth and even tone across bow changes.
IMG_8809.MOVIMG_8808.MOVIMG_8810.MOVScreenRecording_01-04-2026 00-00-27_1.MOV🎻 1. Releases excess tension
🎻 1. Releases excess tension
The thumb is often the first place tension hides. Removing it immediately shows whether the hand is gripping the neck.
Encourages a balanced hand rather than a squeezing one
Frees finger independence and vibrato
🎻 2. Improves left-hand balance
🎻 2. Improves left-hand balance
Without the thumb, the violin must be supported by:
the collarbone/chin
the natural weight of the arm and fingers
This teaches students that the thumb is for guidance, not support.
IMG_6277.MOV🎻 The student is practicing a first-finger pressure-and-release bow exercise, which develops bow control, even tone, and responsiveness of the fingers. By pressing the first finger down on the bow hair and releasing it repeatedly while drawing the bow, the student learns to adjust the weight and pressure of the bow smoothly, producing a consistent sound and improving flexibility in the fingers, wrist, and arm coordination. This exercise helps make bow strokes more sensitive and expressive, preparing for smooth dynamics and phrasing in repertoire.
🎻 The student is practicing a first-finger pressure-and-release bow exercise, which develops bow control, even tone, and responsiveness of the fingers. By pressing the first finger down on the bow hair and releasing it repeatedly while drawing the bow, the student learns to adjust the weight and pressure of the bow smoothly, producing a consistent sound and improving flexibility in the fingers, wrist, and arm coordination. This exercise helps make bow strokes more sensitive and expressive, preparing for smooth dynamics and phrasing in repertoire.
Viola Fingerboard
Viola Fingerboard
“Know Your Positions: Viola Fingering Chart”
“Understanding Viola Positions and Fingering”
“Viola Positions & Fingering Guide”
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