A Little Down-Shift Secret
As you know, I’m of the school that the violin should be supported in large part by the left hand, with minimal pressure exerted by either the chin or the shoulder.
I pick the violin up out of the case with my left hand and just rest the lower bout on my shoulder and collar-bone. That’s about all there is to it.
Now, when it comes to shifting I really do visualize the exact pitch location I’m going to move to, and trust my hand to find the shortest, most efficient route. That being said, there are one or two additional things I can say here that might be of interest.
When I shift to a lower position I think of lifting up slightly as I move the hand back. This is because the act of straightening tends to pull the violin down slightly. If you think of raising the arm, again, just a little bit, as you move the hand away from you, the violin stays in a neutral position.
And that’s a good thing.
Further, if string crossings are involved in the shift, resist the temptation to swing your left elbow in concert with the bow movement. It is better to reach with the fingers from one string to another to the extent possible. The hand just moves straight back in line with the neck.
OK, if your hand is very petite you may need a small amount of lateral elbow movement. Keep it small.
By the way, I was experimenting with how much ‘pressure’ I use with my chin to shift, in either direction. It is only enough to compensate for the frictional force generated by the hand sliding along the neck and string.
If your hands are clean, this should be less pressure than you would require for your chin BONE to engage the chin rest!
The left hand, then, is responsible for holding 50% of the weight of the violin and all of the finger pressure needed to depress the strings.
All the best,
Clayton Haslop
P.S. There is nothing better for developing the strength, flexibility, and independence of the left hand fingers than the double-stop exercises concluding Kreutzer’s book of Etudes. I have been doing them again myself to get back in top playing form after my time off. What I have to say and show you about double-stop playing in Kreutzer for Violin Mastery will give you startling results for the time invested.
