Strings Syllabus
Bowed strings Technical Work exercises The following pages contain notated examples of all the exercises required as part of Technical Work option i) for all bowed strings Grades 1–8, excluding Double Bass Grades 1 and 2. All technical work exercises are to be performed from memory. Violin
Grade 1 –Double Stops [open strings]:
Grade 2 – Double Stops [octave and sixth] q = 50
Grade 3 a) Chromatic Phrase The following exercise to be performed with separate bows, starting on the D string:
1 - 1 2 - 2 b) Double Stops [octave, sixth and third]
q = 60
Grade 4 a) Octaves q = 84
b) D major phrase q = 84
0 3 4 3 0 1 2 2 1
Grade 5 a) C major in double-stopped thirds
b) Bb major in double-stopped sixths
c) D major scale on one string
3 2 0 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 1 0 Strings Syllabus continued
Grade 6 a) D major in double-stopped thirds:
3 1 4 2 b) Eb major in double-stopped sixths
etc. etc. c) D major in double-stopped octaves
1 4 1 4 d) E major scale on one string
1 2 2 2 1 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 2 1 1
Grade 7 a) C major in thirds (one octave)
etc. b) D major in thirds (one octave) etc. c) Bb major in sixths (one octave) etc. d) D major in octaves (one octave)
etc.
Grade 8 a) C major in thirds (two octaves) follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves b) D major in thirds (two octaves) follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves c) G major in sixths (two octaves)
etc. d) G major in octaves (two octaves):
etc. Strings Syllabus continued
Viola
Grade 1 – Double Stops [open strings]
Grade 2 – Double Stops [octave and sixth] q = 50–75
Grade 3 a) Chromatic Phrase The following exercise to be performed with separate bows, starting on the G string:
2 - 2 1 - 1 b) Double Stops [octave, sixth and third]: q = 60
Grade 4 a) Octaves q = 84 b) G major phrase q = 84 0 3 4 3 0 1 2 2 1
Grade 5 a) F major in double-stopped thirds b) Eb major in double-stopped sixths
c) G major scale on one string
1 2 4 3 2 0 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 0 Strings Syllabus continued
Viola
Grade 6 a) G major in double-stopped thirds
1 2 3 4 b) Ab major in double-stopped sixths etc. etc. c) G major in double-stopped octaves
4 4 1 1 d) A major scale on one string
2 4 3 2 1 1 2 1 2 3 2 1 2 1 1
Grade 7 a) F major in thirds (one octave) etc. b) G major in thirds (one octave) etc. c) Eb major in sixths (one octave) etc. d) G major in octaves (one octave) etc.
Grade 8 a) F major in thirds (two octaves), follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves. b) G major in thirds (two octaves), follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves. c) C major in sixths (two octaves), follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves. d) C major in octaves (two octaves), follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves. Strings Syllabus continued
Cello
Grade 1 – Double Stops [open strings]:
d = 92
Grade 2 – Double Stops [fifths and sixths]
d = 75–100
Grade 3 a) Chromatic Phrase – the following exercise to be performed with separate bows: b) Double Stops [fifths, sixths and octaves]:
Grade 4 – Double Stops [octaves and sixths]. The following exercise to be performed in the pattern shown, starting on the open G, D and C strings:
q = c. 100
Grade 5 – Double stops [octaves, sixths and thirds] The following exercise to be performed in the pattern shown, starting on the open G, D and C strings:
q = 112 Strings Syllabus continued
Cello
Grade 6 – Double stops [in sixths in C major]
q = 100
Grade 7 a) C major in sixths (one octave, in the following pattern) q = 120 etc. etc. b) Bb major in thirds (one octave)
q = 120
Cello Grade 8 a) Eb major in thirds (one octave) q = 120
etc. b) C major in sixths (one octave) etc. c) G major in octaves (one octave) q = 120
etc. Strings Syllabus continued
Double Bass
For Initial–Grade 2 no technical exericises, only scales and arpeggios are required for option i).
Grade 3 – Double Stops [fifths and sixths] q = 72
Grade 4 – Double Stops [fourths, fifths and sixths]
q = 84
Grade 5 – Broken Thirds in C major
q = 92-108
Grade 6 – Broken Thirds in G major, see Grade 5 example.
Grade 7 a) Broken Thirds in Bb major
q = 120 etc.
etc. b) Running Thirds in Bb major
q. = 60
Grade 8 a) Broken Thirds: C major (one octave)
4 4 4 2 etc. b) Broken Thirds: F major (two octaves)
_4 etc. c) Running Thirds: G major on the G string (one octave), see Grade 7 example.