• Introduction to Left Hand Position
• Preliminary Exercises for Violin and Viola
• Developing the Shape of the Left Hand
• Developing Hand Shape Exercise No. 2
• Preliminary Finger Exercises Cello and Bass
• Placement of Fingers Violin and Viola
• Thumb Placement for Violin and Viola
• Common problems Violin and Viola
• Common problems - Collapsed wrist
• Common problems - Hyperextended Wrist
• Common problems - Poor Thumb Placement
• Worm Hole
• Three Points of Contact
• Cello Left Hand Position
• Bass Left Hand Position
• Elbow and Shoulder Cello and Bass
• Common LH Problems Cello and Bass
• Cello/Bass Problems -- The Sagging Elbow
• Cello/Bass Problems --Thumb hugging the neck of the instrument
• Cello/Bass Problems -- Collapsed Wrist
• Cello/Bass Problems --Sloped Fingers
• Hand Frame
• Finger Shape
• Finger Placement Markers
• General Left Hand Position Principles for All the Strings

Placement of Fingers and Thumb - Violin and Viola

The great violin pedagogue Ivan Galamian suggested that placement of the fingers should be the determining factor for the placement of the thumb and elbow. Galamian wrote, "the fingers have to be placed in such a way to allow them the most favorable conditions for their various actions." (Principles of Violin Playing and Teaching, p. 14). Once the player places the fingers correctly on the fingerboard, everything else – the thumb, the hand, arm, will find its correct place. The basic position for the fingers should be naturally curved, over the fingerboard, and the fleshy point of the fingertip should make contact with the string.

The wrist should be straight. A bent wrist will restrict finger movement, cause pain, and could lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.

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