All Left hand articles
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Focus6 ways to perfect your double-stops
Tips from The Strad’s archive on producing even and finely tuned double-stops
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Article
A 30-minute daily practice routine for violinists and violists
How to keep your playing in shape while maintaining a busy schedule, by Misha Galaganov, professor of viola and chamber music at Texas Christian University, TX, US
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Focus
6 tips for improved coordination
Guidance from The Strad’s archive for greater synchronisation between left-hand fingers and bow
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Focus
How to make scales enjoyable
Encouraging students to practise scales needn't be an uphill struggle, says Paul Harris - in fact, it can even be fun!
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Focus
5 ways to improve playing in thirds
Tips for hand position, bow distribution and intonation from The Strad Archive
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Focus
Technique: double bassist Alex Henery gives tips on controlling left-hand finger pressure
How to place down, lift and move your fingers in a way that minimises fatigue, by Alex Henery, Principal double bassist of the Sydney Symphony and head of double bass studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
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Premium ❘ Article
Technique: achieving balance between the chin and left thumb
Learn to reduce physical stress by distributing instrument weight more effectively across your body. By Matthew Jones, Head of chamber music and professor of viola at the Guildhall School of Music Drama, London; director of Pro Corda Intermediate Course.
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Premium ❘ Feature
Nelli Shkolnikova’s principles of violin technique
The great Russian violinist and pedagogue died early in 2010. Curt Thompson, one of her former students, looks back on her life and examines her teaching methods
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Video
TwoSetViolin: The Twelve Levels of Violin Playing
The musical double act abandon their usual hijinx in favour of something more serious for newbie violinists: a whistle-stop tour of what their violin-playing career could look like (with a bit of practice).
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Feature
6 ways to improve left-hand flexibility
Tips from The Strad’s archive on increasing suppleness of movement and reducing tension
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Focus
Performing entirely by reflex, by cellist Leonid Gorokhov
The Russian musician and Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Hannover professor describes how he trains himself to transcend the physical restraints of playing
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Feature
How harmonics and singing can help to build a sound technique
Violin and viola pedagogue Jane Metcalfe discusses using techniques inspired by Kodály and Colourstrings methods
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Video
The Double Bass with Thomas Martin: Left Hand Ep 1, Position and Fingering Pt 1
In this series of episodes Thomas Martin takes a look at left hand technique, addressing a number of issues commonly experienced by players. This first episode covers the basics of positioning the left hand on the double bass in order to stop the string.
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Perfect 5ths
British violinist Rodney Friend has spent many years formulating his method for achieving a relaxed left-hand position. Here, he shares his voyage of discovery with Charlotte Smith
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Technique: Mapping out the fingerboard
Exercises to train your brain and fingers, to help you become a more fluent performer and improviser
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Feature
Cellist Jian Wang on the importance of slow practice
The Chinese artist explains why his method of practising hand movements has its origin in the jungle
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Feature
How to shift smoothly and cleanly by cellist Jeffrey Solow
When it comes to shifting, the American cellist and Boyer College professor gets his inspiration from the physics of ball games in this 2007 article
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Technique: the importance of practising in 5ths
How the ability to play in perfect 5ths can help you to hone your position, intonation and vibrato
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How to develop left-hand finger strength
Up and down movement is the basis of left-hand technique and many pedagogues have invented fiendish exercises to improve it. Rok Klopčič takes a look at some of them
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Ask the Experts: helping double-jointed students
Five teachers and health specialists respond to a reader's query on how best to teach a double jointed student.
