All the notes in the first position: http://members.tripod.com/~mrfiddle/allnotes.html


Finger tapes for all the notes in first positions: http://members.tripod.com/~mrfiddle/scales.html


Violin/Viola Fingerboard Charts

During the 20 years I have been teaching I have found that the best way to face this problem [of improving coordination] is using a scheme proposed by Galamian in his book. Strangely enough I have met in several places with doubt about how this is to be implemented: People either did not get the idea right or it was just too difficult to do and was dismissed as being something reserved for the top-talents. It isn't easy, by no means, but with some insistence everybody can cope. And the result is surprisingly good. After mastering the scheme students are no longer blocked, and their security in tackling hard passages grows. It is for this reason only, that I spell it out again for everybody to understand:

The scheme is based on the Galamian's formula of playing three octave scales in order to get exactly 48 notes, 24 going up and 24 going down. (G major: Start g, b, a, g, a, b, c and so on and the same turn at the end). Evidently, 48 notes can be divided into 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 notes per bow, and you can also choose a rhythm formed by two eighth notes, four sixteenth notes and a sextuplet, totaling three quarter notes, i.e. 3/4 bars. You can then chose any pattern out of the following:

These rhythmic sequences of the scale can be played 1) in one bow each twelve notes, 2) each note separately (in which case the eighth notes should be a whole bow - a dotted stroke, please - and the rest at the frog with little bow hair) and 3) slurred by quarter values, i.e. three whole bows up and three down. Once you get that straight, you start on the "mind-boggling" exercise, as one of Galamian's students has called the experience. These 6 rhythms can be slurred according to the following table, one note alone, three notes slurred and eight notes slurred (total always the same twelve notes), and the variants, as shown below:

It is evident that the left hand shall have to play the scales and rhythms automatically if it wants to achieve the bowing patterns with the right hand, where all our attention is concentrated. This is precisely what we want to learn: The ability to concentrate our whole attention on one aspect of our work, whereas the other matters go automatically. Once achieved, everything will be easier because our subsconsciousness has learned to function with what we already dominate, allowing us to concentrate consciously on those aspects that require our attention. The blocking, which I mentioned before, will disappear. Our liberty to express ourselves freely has grown because we have managed to discharge many other matters to a newly created capacity for automatism.

Of course there is a vast variety of methods to achieve the same end. But in my experience this system is one of the shortest ways to get the job done. I wish those who will try it the best of luck. They will not be sorry. As everything in life, nothing is given away. The exercise is not easy, but certainly not insuperable. Start with easy scales, and then gradually go to the more difficult ones.