Shifting: The 'Crawling' Method

July 13, 2008 at 2:46 AM

Currently, I working on a learning a new shifting method. It's annoyingly hard to do. Which part of the hand moves first in this new method? Well, on the way up the scale, the first finger leads. For instance, when starting on B-flat, play the B-flat for two beats, play the C but almost immediately start moving the first finger up the fingerboard, pushing the C out of way and continue with the first finger to D and move the rest of the hand when the D is cleanly hit on the new bow. There, now you've gone from first to third position in one fluid movement.

In order to shift down starting on the 3rd octave B-flat and desend 4-4-3-2-1. Play each note for two beats. When on the third finger, reposition the thumb to be around the B-flat of the E string in the second octave. When you reach E-flat, play it briefly and slide the first finger to the B-flat by the next beat. Play the D on the next beat. Do the same to continue to the first octave on the E string.

Of course, this method is to be used in fast tempi and for shifts of less than a third. I'm currently working on this with my summer teacher. Essentially, it aims to make shifting fluid, elegant and fast. Right now, I'm practicing it at incredibly slow tempi in order to incorporate the unusual movements into my hand. It's actually going fairly well. Since I've noticed quite a bit of improvement in only two, two hour lessons, I've decided to take 2 hour lessons every week for the remainder of summer. I need to make some serious improvement in these last two months of the summer. I think that will the things this teacher is showing me that I can make it into grad school next year. These are things that should have really been shown/taught to me even before I arrived at Luther but I started taking lessons late in my career.

I'm excited to take these lessons because we'll be able to work on excerpts, Bruch and Bach, and technique. I've decided against auditioning for the LaCrosse and Waterloo-Cedar Falls symphonies to have more time to focus on excerpts for Luther and solo repetoire. It would be of greater benefit for me to be in the first violin section of our symphony and to be our Chamber Orchestra. Also, it will give me a greater chance of being granted a senior recital because I'll know the music better sooner. It should also have the same effect on my grad school auditions.

From Stephen Brivati
Posted on July 14, 2008 at 6:33 AM

Greetings,
>C but almost immediately start moving the first finger up the fingerboard, pushing the C out of way and continue with the first finger to D and move the rest of the hand when the D is cleanly hit on the new bow. There, now you've gone from first to third position in one fluid movement.

Am I misunderstanding this?. I think you are in fourth.
Cheers,
Buri

From Andrew Paa
Posted on July 14, 2008 at 7:15 PM

Well, I'm mostly referring to first position, but it is possible to do this in fourth.

From Jenna Potts
Posted on July 14, 2008 at 8:48 PM

I think you're in thire position because you're practicing this exercise on the A string?

From Andrew Paa
Posted on July 14, 2008 at 10:41 PM

You're shifting from first position to third position

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