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Aloha everyone,
I think I'm going to go the direction of fiddle playing, so I'm going to have to learn how to do double stops. I'm looking at Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (the hymn) and a good practice for double stops is playing the soprano and alto parts together. I have a question about a couple of bars because I don't know how to approach them. I've included a link for the sheet music so that you can see what I mean.
If you look at the third line, the last bar (for the word "doubt"), I don't know how to play the E and G, as, by their pitch alone, they would normally be played on the same string. As it is impossible to play both notes on the D string concurrently, it seems as if the E should be played on the G string, but I wanted to ask actual violinists for their opinion. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to approach that issue? Other than that, it seems pretty straight-forward.
Of course, It will be a while before I can play it anyway. I have a problem with my shoulder rest (Fom) and will most likely be ordering a Bonmusica to help my hold my violin and avoid it slipping from my shoulder. Maybe that way, I can also avoid "holding" the neck with my left hand.
As always, any and all responses are greatly appreciated.
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Aloha @iBud,
This is a great song. I am far far from an "actual violinist" but you might try shifting to 3rd position and play the G with the 1st finger on the D string and the E with the 3rd finger on the G string. Probably stay in 3rd position until you reach the half note D at the end of the measure. Just an idea - hopefully someone who really knows what they are talking about will chime in. 
"A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?
~~Albert Einstein
Honorary tenured advisor
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Here's my guess, but you'll have to wait until an expert ("actual violinist") comes along to get an answer you can trust.
I think you'll be playing the E and the G in third position: third finger plays E on the G string, and first finger plays G on the D string. The question would then become: when do you shift in and out of third position? That depends on the context of that E+G double stop, and I'm not going to try to answer that.
First position is the usual beginners' position. The first finger in third position goes in the same place as the third finger in first position, namely C on the G string, G on the D string, D on the A string, etc.
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Amateur here.. but I would agree with the others and say shift to third position. Which can seem daunting. I did not read the whole sheet of music. If that were the only such double stop, I would shift for that note and pop back to first.
Pierre's video "Third Position on the violin" is very helpful. I found his explanation helped alleviate my fears.
Great songs!!
I hope you love your shoulder rest. 
(following thread for any other ideas on achieving this double stop)
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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I would agree with the others, that you would need to shift to 3rd.
And as to when would you shift up, I personally would probably shift up for the G and E and stay in 3rd until the minim D and play the D on the open string so it's easier to shift down to 1st position so you are ready for the first note in the next bar. Does that make sense...??
I hope you enjoy playing, it's a lovely song.
Kiara
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Aloha everyone,
Thanks for all of the replies. I am very much a beginner and, while I have heard of the other positions, am very comfortable in 1st position. I have seen Fiddlerman's videos and noticed that he has a series going up to 5th position, if memory serves. I will most definitely watch the one on 3rd position.
Should I ever get to any sort of a presentable playing ability, I will endeavor to find a way to record it and share it with y'all.
Thanks again for all of the responses.
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