Resources for reinforcing third position
Hey all,I am looking for resources to use with students when I'm wanting to really spend time and reinforce third position. I usually teach out of the Suzuki series, but pull from "Introducing the Positions" by Whistler to introduce shifting and 3rd position.
I'd like to add some resources to my library to help students spend more time in 3rd position. A lot of the stuff in the Suzuki series tends to add a lot of extra challenges on top pf the 3rd position that makes it hard to focus on one thing.
Any suggestions?
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- I'm not sure what edition of Suzuki you're using--I know I started shifting in bk 4 as a kid which was a. lot. to take in (I also used Whistler). Now the first "big" shifting piece is the Humoresque in bk 3, which is **great** but still has a decent amount going on. However, there are some earlier pieces that you can introduce it with really nicely:
-Long Ago in bk 2 is great for just introducing 3rd position, without shifting. You don't have to do it at first pass, you can come back to it as a review piece with a spin.
-Lully Gavotte has several spots that *could* be shifted.
-I have used O Come All Ye Faithful as a holiday fun/shifting booster, also Amazing Grace. Both of these (key of G or D). I'm sure there are other common tunes that would work well.
-La Cinquaintaine in Solos For Young Violinists is FANTASTIC for shifting. It's not hard but it's stylistic. I do this after getting used to 3rd position/around Suzuki 3 or early bk 4.
With my students, I spend a decent amt of time getting to know the position and general shifting motion before actually using it. I often intro the broad motion even in book 1, with "ghosts" or " fire engines" or just smooth glides on the fingerboard just as warmup or "teasers". Then, we use a fingerboard graphic to chart scales and can often get a 3rd position C/1octave G scale comfy in bk 2, and a D scale shortly after. That sets it up pretty well for Humoresque and Cinquaintaine, and after that Vivaldi is much less scary!
Oh, and for half position, Greensleeves is a great tune to use before/alongside the Beethoven Minuet! (e or b minor--1st finger tonic)