Shifting - Part 3 - Higher Positions

Apr 15

2 min read

0

If you have the basics of shifting down and you want to refine your skills, use these pointers to start working on polishing your shifting.

Here is how to shift to upper positions. First of all, you have to remember that your entire shifting arm and hand move when you reach high positions. Your wrist will need to wrap around the violin body and your elbow will need to bend inward. So, keep your left arm loose! Your shifts will be smoother and more consistent if you maintain relaxed and fluid movements with your left hand and arm.

In order to maintain contact with the fingerboard while playing in high positions, your palm should be stuck to the side of your instrument, right on the flat top. Below are pictures of 1st position, 5th position, and 8th position.

Image Source: https://violinspiration.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-violin-positions-with-free-pdf-charts/

See how the palm touches the side of the violin in 5th position and top of the violin in 8th position. Your hand does not touch the violin body at all for 1st position.

For 6th position and higher, your hand should unwrap itself from the neck of the violin, and the thumb should be placed in the corner between the body and neck of your instrument.

Once you have the motions of shifting down, you can move on to your fingers. Here are the most important things to remember with your fingers when you’re playing in high positions:

First, you need to press your fingers harder if you want to get a nice sound. The higher you shift, the more tension the string has, and the harder it is to press the string down. Place your fingers firmly on the strings to get a clear sound.
Next, it can be hard to press your fingers down if you don’t have correct finger posture in the first place. Keep your palm against the violin as your fingers stay slightly curved. You will be able to get a clearer sound when your fingers are in the correct shape.