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Find Fifth Position Easily on the Violin
Learn to easily find fifth position right away without having to search of it. The best way to learn to find a position is to have a guideline. Playing a position with your hand between the scroll and body of the instrument makes it difficult to insure you are right until you actually hear the notes and can readjust. Having a guideline will give you confidence even before playing your first note. Practice scales in fifth position to reinforce the feeling of being in the correct position.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Yes! I needed this. My orchestra teacher gave me music with fifth position in it.. which is rather difficult for someone who has never played in fifth position before.
He's also having everyone play 3 octave scales. :0
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fiddlerman, you make it sound so easy. if people can find the correct positions to play in then why do they use markers or lines?
-g
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gStretch said:
fiddlerman, you make it sound so easy. if people can find the correct positions to play in then why do they use markers or lines?
-g
I don't know of anyone making markers or lines.
It's easier than you think. My guides make it very easy. Good luck.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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i mean like the guidlines on the fingerboard. 
thank you!
-g
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I had tape when I was a kid. You are not supposed to leave tapes or lines on for very long. You can learn the positions without tape. It just takes time. You have to build some muscle memory. If you did it all with tape as you learn your way down the neck you would just keep adding tape. It is better to just learn how to find the positions and how to return to other positions. Like 5th to 2nd. It is going to be tough. Worth it though. I can only play first right now, and not even that well, but I will get better with time and practice.
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Is there a specific measurement on how much your fingers shift from 4th to 5th position?
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(actually I found it now but I have no idea how to delete post. I can only edit hahaha)
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David Burns said:
I had tape when I was a kid. You are not supposed to leave tapes or lines on for very long. You can learn the positions without tape. It just takes time. You have to build some muscle memory. If you did it all with tape as you learn your way down the neck you would just keep adding tape. It is better to just learn how to find the positions and how to return to other positions. Like 5th to 2nd. It is going to be tough. Worth it though. I can only play first right now, and not even that well, but I will get better with time and practice.
My niece's teacher has had her use tape (and stickers) since day one and that was 4 years ago. I can see it holding her back. *Sigh* That's why I refuse to use them. I'll just muddle my way through until it clicks and I get it.
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i can see how using tape can hinder playing, if you're looking at the fingerboard trying to find the tape instead of listening to the pitch.
-g
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Exactly. I actually took my own tape off after a few days when I started. My teacher asked me why and I told her that I didn't need it. She was amazed.
I recommend using your hearing right from the start but a few weeks of the tape can't be bad. Just don't be afraid to remove it.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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@Fiddlerman - This question was originally posted as a comment on the youtube video "Find Fifth Position Easily on the Violin":
I'm self-taught and would like to know what you recommend when making the shift from 3rd to 5th positions? If my attached video works I'm looking for which is the more common; option 1 (from 3rd position, 2nd finger shifting into 5th position, 1st finger) or option 2 (from 3rd position, 3rd finger shifting into 5th position, 1st finger), or something else altogether? At this point in time I'm winging it and doing whatever's comfortable, but I hate to build more bad habits into my muscle memory... a video explanation would be great!
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Which finger you lead with is very dependent on the notes before and after the shift on the piece. Did you look at all my position videos? If you have a more specific request as to what would help you I might be able to focus on that for a video.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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