String Pedagogy Notebook

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

Worm Hole

One idea you can use with your students to establish proper wrist and thumb position is the "worm hole." When the left hand is placed on the instrument and all the fingers are curved and making contact with the strings, a small opening should seen between the webbed fleshy part of the hand between the thumb and first finger and the bottom the neck.

The opening should be large enough so the teacher can place a pencil (or a worm!) through the opening. I have seen teachers of young students use gummy worms to illustrate this point. It works.

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