Category: Violin Scales & Studies

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39!

5/26/2023

Teaching is often an act of quiet service.

When I went to research more about Franz Wohlfahrt's life, I discovered that he was the son of a piano teacher. He himself studied with Ferdinand David. He wrote books for his students. And that's about all there is; Franz Wohlfahrt seems to have lived a life outside of the history books.

However,

The impact that Wohlfahrt had on violin teaching is undeniable; he left us with some wonderful etudes that are still played today! His etudes make students solid. Wohlfahrt's Etudes Op. 45 have been transcribed for viola in a number of different editions and also for advanced cello by Paul Gruemmer. I love to play Gruemmer's cello transcription in my own practice!

Here are some free preparatory exercises for Wohlfahrt's Etude No. 39 (Op. 45)!

These exercises help you work on third position, string crossing, intonation, and more. At the end of this mini book, the complete etude is included.

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 1

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 2

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 3

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 4

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 5

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 6

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 7

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 8

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 9

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 10

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 11

Free Violin Studies on Wohlfahrt Etude No. 39: 12

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Learn Violin Scale Spaces - Free Sheet Music!

8/28/2019

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One of the best ways to map the fingerboard for your mind and fingers is by learning scales.

Three-octave scales, in particular, can be used to teach nearly all of the notes on the violin.

When people started asking me to write a three-octave scale book for violin, I knew I didn't want to just list the scales (or needlessly put another book out in the world.)

I only wanted write the book if it could solve a problem, or if it could help people learn scales in a new way.

So, the latest violin book we've published (see below) has been more than 5 years in the making!

In the process of writing and editing, I realized that by focusing on whole and half steps (not just half steps), we could clearly map fingerboard distances in our minds.

If we take time to think about the steps in scales and teach them to our fingers, it is possible to truly learn scales, play more in tune, and play in tune more consistently.

(When I saw how it worked, I actually got so excited by the violin book that I wrote a cello scale book that teaches scales the same way; I couldn't let violinists have all the fun!)

Three-Octave Scales for the Violin, Book One: Learning the Scales

New Release!

To celebrate the release of Three-Octave Scales for Violin, Book One: Learning the Scales, this post gives you the major scales written out with all of the whole and half steps so you can think about and remember each space.

And if this whets your appetite for scale mastery, check out the new violin scale book!

Tips for Playing Violin Three-Octave Scale Steps

Play these exercises slowly.
Think about each space as you play it.
As your mind sees the words "half step" or "whole step", try to remember how that space feels in your fingers.
Roman numerals refer to strings, not positions.

I = E string
II = A string
III = D string
IV = G string

If you have trouble playing scales in tune, study the scale exercises in Three-Octave Scales for the Violin, Book One: Learning the Scales.

G Major
Violin Scale Spaces

A-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

A Major
Violin Scale Spaces

B-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

B Major
Violin Scale Spaces

C Major
Violin Scale Spaces

D-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

D Major
Violin Scale Spaces

E-flat Major
Violin Scale Spaces

E Major
Violin Scale Spaces

F Major
Violin Scale Spaces

F-sharp Major
Violin Scale Spaces

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Free Violin Scale Bowing Variations

8/10/2018

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I love the fact that scales are such a great vehicle for learning different skills on the violin! Scales can and should be much more than just playing notes in order in a particular key in a particular set of places on the violin; they can also be used for learning rhythm and bowing skills.

Today in the blog, we're going to focus on using a simple G major scale to work on violin bowing. Now, the possibilities here are endless. I could start writing today and never ever reach the end of variations I could make with this scale. But there are other books to write and so I will stop at 15 pages for this little booklet. Of course, I'll probably come back every once in awhile with another blog post on scales; scale variations are a bit of a passion of mine!

Scales are helpful because they are so predictable. You know what's coming and the notes (at least in these scale pages) are fairly easy. But that doesn't mean you should turn off reading and play from memory just yet; I have some breaks in the pattern built into these scale pages to help keep your attention while you play.

Scale variations are a perfect way to multitask. Variations are a great way to train your left and right hands to be more coordinated and also a great way to make your practice even more efficient; you're working on multiple skills at once!

Feel free to make variations on the variations! Boredom lets you turn your brain off and can be the opening for building bad habits! Violin technique should never be taken for granted; every minute of your practice should be spent actively trying to improve. Varying the exercises can help you stay focused. I play different pages of scale exercises every day (that's one reason why I had to write so many books!) These variations can be played on any scale but they're simplest on a 2-octave scale that starts on an open string.