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Discussion Forum - Technique and Practicing - Thread
RaymondConcannon
Raymond Concannon

Broken fifths

Edited: March 5, 2026, 9:17 AM · When playing broken fifths, are you always using the same finger for both notes, or are you sometimes using an adjacent finger for the second note? Any thoughts on what works best in certain circumstances?


Replies (5)

jakieboyy
Jake Watson
March 5, 2026, 11:13 AM · Rodney Friend has a series of videos on playing scales in fifths - they may have the answer you're after.
ChristianLesniak
Christian Lesniak
March 5, 2026, 12:09 PM · You either block the finger across both strings if it's on different strings, or you could do a stretch or shift on the same string. Unless your tentacles are way rubberier than mine.
RaymondConcannon
Raymond Concannon
March 5, 2026, 12:49 PM · I usually just block the string. In “Violin and Viola”, Walter Trampler suggests using a different finger whenever possible and convenient to avoid rigidity in the hand.

I’ll take a look at those videos. Thanks Jake.

jakieboyy
Jake Watson
March 5, 2026, 1:27 PM · Otherwise I'd block the strings. One of the pieces I am currently learning has a passage like that and it's kinda tricky but doable
EstherKerze
Esther Kerze
March 5, 2026, 2:11 PM · I used to do two different fingers, thinking I have rather thin fingers, and I don't have a problem doing so, but I've been taught out of it at some point, and to trust that I can block two strings alright.