when to shift

November 19, 2004 at 07:03 AM · i happen to have a music sheet used previously by a student and it was marked with finger numbers etc, like the first note "e4" in the beginning of kreisler's prealudium allegro was marked for 4th position; strange when the following notes would be shifted back to the first postion and i saw on a video that it was similarly done by a violinist.

i guess what i'm trying to say is: why the similarity? is there a 'definite' way to play pieces like kreisler and not 'make up'; and the need to be guided by a teacher?

thanks

Replies (4)

Owen Sutter

November 19, 2004 at 08:10 AM · well there is a need for a teacher, but in terms of fingerings, choose the one that gives you the sound you want.

Mattias Eklund

November 19, 2004 at 11:29 AM · There is no only one way in fingering, but the passage you mentions is most often played that way. It is easier to use the open string shifting than to shift on the following 'b' note (if we are on the same place that is :)

I play most of those quarters in the same way, it is primaraly broken octaves and I play all the higher notes with 4 and the lower with 1 or 0 when possible.

Josh Harper

November 20, 2004 at 03:01 PM · Kreisler's Prealudium Allegro is a fairly difficult piece, esp. without a teacher. Make shifts that allow you to keep your hand in the same position, so your not shifting all over. If your friend have marked fingers, try them all out... but if you find that it would be smarter or that it sounds better to play it different, do so.

Gregory Docenko

November 21, 2004 at 06:40 AM · In shifting there are many " secrets" : Use open strings,harmonics, stay in a position,shift within a rhythmic or phrase group. Use hand/violin/geography and reference pionts. If your teacher doesn't understand or know this, CHANGE YOUR TEACHER!

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