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Third Position on the Violin
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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
September 13, 2011 - 1:51 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

LEARN TO PLAY THIRD POSITION ON THE VIOLIN

Learn how to play in the third position on the violin and to find it easily. Positions are used to avoid awkward fingerings, string crossings, and open strings as well as to play higher notes than reachable in first position. Feel the curve of the neck on the violin to locate first position accurately. Learn where your guidelines are on your instrument to shift easily and find the position without having to search or test the notes first. Practice slowly at first then work up your speed. Begin memorizing the correct fingering for all your notes in third position for better reading.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Oliver
NC

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September 13, 2011 - 2:49 pm
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I understand finding locations for third position but how about tone production on  'D' and 'G' strings ?  I can never match the tone quality of first position and your video is hiding your sounding point, etc.  I'm beginning to think I must play full hair width to have any hope of improvement (?)

Any tips ?

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
September 13, 2011 - 3:15 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

Do you mean that your sound is less when you shift to third position? There is a slight difference when you play up on the string because you shorten the strings length. When the length of the string is shorter the string will be more difficult to vibrate though the difference between 1st pos and 3 pos is little.

Try applying a little more pressure to the bow by turning your right hand towards the strings a little more. Make sure that you have enough rosin too.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Oliver
NC

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September 13, 2011 - 4:50 pm
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Yeah, the wrist seems to help a lot but I'm not used to that increased pressure.

Also, my problems were not starting until the "top" of the position and the E and A were OK right along.  Under control at the moment.

coffee2

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

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myguitarnow
Laguna Beach

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September 13, 2011 - 5:20 pm
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Thanks for that exercise. That's a great way to practice 3rd position. Yesterday I got two books on learning positions. I think beginners should be dabbling in other positions right away.

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Mustang
Minnesnowda

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September 14, 2011 - 4:57 pm
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Please make a video on 4th and 5th position cry

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
September 14, 2011 - 5:51 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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I will. exactly It's on my list of things to do. Also 2nd position.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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gStretch

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September 14, 2011 - 6:45 pm
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i like that exercise...those notes could be a song someday :D

-g

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David Burns
Winfield, Missouri

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September 14, 2011 - 7:37 pm
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Perfect, I am to a point in the song "Memory" where the key changes to four flats, ABDE. There is a point where I need to play Eb and the next note is F on the E string. I know I can't play Eb on the E string. In this phrase there are 10 Eb notes and 2 F's. Going back and forth was going to be difficult and I was just going to post a question about the best way to learn either 2nd or 3rd pos. I had a bracket chart from another website, dogs probably ate it. What note is first finger in 2nd position on the A string? They seem to have a thing for fingering charts.dancing Would you recommend this sliding method to find 2nd position?

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
September 14, 2011 - 9:13 pm
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David Burns said:

What note is first finger in 2nd position on the A string?

C or C#

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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David Burns
Winfield, Missouri

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September 14, 2011 - 10:27 pm
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That will work just right, for A string. The next phrase is similar but on the D string, I don't have the music in front of me, but I had to give up for the night. I was using C as first finger and it will work, just need to get used to finding the position. The next phrase has an Ab playing on the A string, I can reach G# on the D string with my pinky. So far it sounds like crap...lol

 

Thank you for your help.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
September 14, 2011 - 10:57 pm
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Anytime.afro Ab = G# more or less. You can do it in third position on the A-string.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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