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Question: What is the best way to learn new positions on the violin!?
I have to learn 3rd and 4th position in a week and I have no clue where any notes are located in those postions!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
put stickers on your violin!. :)
that's how i learnt!.
but of course once you get used to it you should take them off!.
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Ask your teacher

It's really not hard at all, although it may seem hard
for third position, you are going to go to whatever your third finger is in first position,

for example - on the E string, you would shift and place your first finger where you would normally place your third finger A

Fourth position is the same concept - except you would place your first finger on your fourth finger G!.

Though the steps are going to be a little smaller than first position for both third and fourth positions

[If that didn't make any sense sorry - I play the viola]

Ask your teacher for help!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

That strikes me as odd; normally you learn first position, and then third!. Later, you may touch on 2nd a bit, but 4th is very little studied!. So the combination of learning both 3th and 4th just never happens!. Are you sure it's not maybe 3rd and 5th!? 5th position is like 1st, just on the next lower string!.

also, having to learn them both in a week is very unlikely!.

At any rate, here is a list of materials that will help:

Position Work
http://beststudentviolins!.com/sheetmusic!.!.!.

You should also look at Wohlfahrt, Book 2 (you can buy books 1 and 2 together now), which is focused entirely on 3rd position:

Wohlfahrt book 2
http://www!.sheetmusicplus!.com/a/item!.htm!.!.!.

Wohlfahrt books 1 and 2
http://www!.sheetmusicplus!.com/a/item!.htm!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

normally, you learn the shifting positions like this
1!.3!.5 (2 and 4) then 678

5th position is fairly easy!. the fingering exactly matches the notes of first position!. (the only difference is you play them on a lower string!.) 5th position is useful when you are in a high position 6,7,8 and you want to play a low note without shifing back to first position!. since the fingering for 5th position is easy, it is used a lot in this manner!.

after you learn 3 and 5, you don't really learn positions!. it just comes naturally!. i only learned 1,2,3,5, but when you play many songs that contain very high notes, then you'll learn what shifting positions are best for what notes!. Here is a tip!. when you shift positions, you don't skip from 1 to 8!. you usually shift up from position to position!. like 1,3,5,8!. there are very few songs that make you skip from 1 to 8!. if you want to skip from 1 to 8, practice is the key to shifting correctly!.

If you only want to learn two positions, i'd learn 2 and 4 first!. however, if you have time, you can learn them all by playing three octave scales!.

Again, you are correct about the bowing style for staccato!. People interpret it different ways, but you can listen to a recording of the song you are playing if you want!.

This is what i do to get a rich and crisp staccato!. I play it off string, but i try to extend the amount of the the bow touches the string!. I want the staccato to be short, not too short!. by extending the time of contact, the tone will also be better!. You have probably noticed that off-string stacatto doesn't sound rich!. in addition, You should not be bouncing the bow on the string!.(however, in some songs, the composer wants a short and crisp note) brushing the string would create a richer tone!.

you did not ask for this, but i know some exercises that can help improve your basic techniques to make your music sound!.

http://www!.stringteaching!.com/mainmenu!.h!.!.!.

although this site is for the cello, the the right and left hand techniques, the tone devlopment, and bowing apply to the violin also!.

furthermore, there are 4 things that determine quality of your tone!.
1!. index pressure on the bow!. how how you press on the bow
2!. speed at which the bow is moving
3!. angle of the bow!. tilt the bow (10 or 20 degrees) so only some hairs are touching the string!.
4!. placement of the bow!. as the bow gets closer to the bridge, the sound gets louderWww@QuestionHome@Com

On your A string, place your first finger down, then 2nd, then 3rd (you already know this stuff), now, shift your hand down and place your first finger where you'd normally place your pinky; this puts you into 3rd position!. The note you get should match the E string!. Now put your 2nd finger down, then 3rd; this is playing in 3rd position!.!.!. If the notes do not sound 'right' just move your fingers round a bit until they sound right; making the scale!.

While keeping your hand in the same place on the finger board move your hand sideways across to the E string!. That is the first finger for 4th position!.

I THINK that's right!.!.!. I'm a violist, and that's how it is for me! xD That should help you a lot!. Good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com

You need to be studying with a private teacher!. You are going to constantly run into frustrations that you can not resolve on your own!.
Here are the fingerings for many positions!.
Notice what note the first finger is placed on!.
http://www!.violinonline!.com/fingeringcha!.!.!.

and
http://www!.violinonline!.com/fingerplacem!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Don't know!. Never tried it on a violin!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Don't you have a teacher!? Ask him or herWww@QuestionHome@Com