Cyclic fingerings for arpeggios and scales for the violin Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Ridgely, Charlie Vere, 1886- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 27/09/2021 15:14:16 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/553769 CYCLIC FINGERINGS FOR ARPEGGIOS AND SCALES FOR THE VIOLIN by Charlie V. Ridgely A Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Department of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF MUSIC . in the Graduate C ollege, University of Arizona 19U9 Approved: .rector o. sis bate E 9 7 9 I r T 5 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CYCLIC FINGERINGS GF ARPEGGIOS (Major and Minor Triads) A. ROOT POSITIONS................................................................. ..................... 1 (A-l) With the f ir s t finger on the chord roots and fifth s . (A-2) With the second finger on the chord roots and fifth s . (A-3) With the third finger on the chord roots and fifth s . (1-U) With the third finger on the chord roots and fifth s . (Roots -with fifths in this type are not fingered . as double stops.) ......................................................................... (A-5) A spread of three full octaves and in some cases four full octaves is permitted with one departure from the cycle ................................................................................. (A-6) DOUBLE STOP POSSIBILITIES using the fingerings of (A-l,2,3,li,S) ................................................................................. (A-7) With the fourth finger on the roots and fifth s ..................... B. FIRST INVERSIONS (B-l) With the firs t finger on the chord t h i r d s ............................. (B-2) With the second finger on the chord thirds ........ (B-3) With the third finger on the chord thirds ............................. VO CD ND 0 0 —3 Ov VL £ r £ r V > H (B-lt) With the fourth finger on the* chord t h i r d s ............................ 10 C. SECOND INVERSIONS (C-l) With the first finger on the chord f if th s ............................ 10 (C-2) With the second finger on the chord f i f t h s ......................... 11 (C-3) With the third finger on the chord f i f t h s ............................ 11 (C-U) With the fourth finger on the chord f i f t h s ............................ 12 D. DOUBLE STOP POSSIBILITIES from the fingerings of sections (A,B,C) 12 E. RESUME AND SIMPLIFICATION of Sections (A,B,C and D . ) .......................... 12 F. THE USE OF "HELP TONES" (for ascending arpeggios) ..................... lit G. THE USE OF "HELP TONES" (for descending arpeggios) ............................. 1$ H. DOUBLE STOPS (using fingerings of sections F and G ......................... 16 I . DIATONIC SCALES AND CYCLIC FINGERINGS..................................................... 17 - ( l- l) Ascending Major Scales ............................................................... 17 (1-2) Descending Major S c a l e s ................................................................ 18 (1-3) Melodic Minor Scales ................................................................ 18 (l-Ii) Harmonic Minor Scales ................................................................ 18 (1-5) Examples of cyclic fingerings of extended scales ................ 18 (1-6) The Milder Major Mode and Cyclic F ingering............................ 19 (l-7) The Pentatonic Scale and Cyclic Fingering ............................ 19 202876 II ‘ TABLE OF CONTENTS (Con’t .) , Page CYCLIC FINGERINGS FOR DIATONIC SEVENTH CHORDS J. LIMITING FACTORS.................................... 20 (j-l) Seventh chords of the major m o d e .......................... 20 (J-2) Seventh chords of the harmonic minor mode ....... 21 (J-3) Seventh chords of the melodic minor m o d e .......... 22 (J-li) Seventh chords of the milder major mode .......................... 22 K. CYCLIC FINGERINGS FOR AUGMENTED TRIADS. (Ascending)................... 23 L. CYCLIC FINGERINGS FOR DIMINISHED TRIADS. (A scending)................. 2J M. CYCLIC FINGERINGS FOR DIATONIC AUGMENTED TRIADS. (Descending) . 2k N. CYCLIC FINGERINGS FOR DIATONIC DIMINISHED TRIADS. (Descending) . 2k O. AUGMENTED AND DIMINISHED FOURTHS AS HELP TONES » * ..................... 2$ P. AUGMENTED'AND DIMINISHED FOURTH DIRECT SHIFTS ............................. 26 Q. CYCLIC ARPEGGIOS AND SCALES WITH EMBELLISHMENTS............................. 26 (Q-l) Auxiliary notes o ................................................ 26 (Q-2) T rills 27 (Q-3) Appogiaturas ........................................................................ 27 (Q-U) Surrounding tones .................................................................... 27 (0-5) Passing notes ................................................................... 27 (Q-6) Added tones 28 R. CYCLIC FINGERINGS FOR SCALES IN DOUBLE STOPS.................................... 28 SUMMARY 0 o o . ................................................................................. 29 Ill A STUDY OF CYCLIC FINGERINGS OF DIATONIC ARPEGGIOS AND SCALES FOR THE VIOLIN INTRODUCTION There has long been a need for some simple devising which would permit bowed string instrumentalists to take advantage of repetitive or cyclic ma­ neuvers, by the octave, in extended scales and arpeggios. The prevalent fingerings for such passages through two or three octaves has each octave fingered differently and with great variety of place of shifting and of the shifting intervals. The "muscle memory* required to do any three octave scale or arpeggio on a bowed string instrument is quite a feat. The precise physical and aural controls for each pitch and each sh ift are most demanding. If the time element requires great speed the problem approaches the impossible© Every musician wishes to be able to ."get over" his instrument with ce­ lerity. But life and patience are too short for most of us to have time to acquire good scale and arpeggio technic from the usual instructions© It is notable that a very low percentage of violin students progress to an ability eqpal to the needs of elementary solos,, ensembles or orchestras© There can be a multiplicity of reasons why any particular student drops his instrument; but a very common cause could be attributed to lack of technical promise from failures to manage prescribed but not too well organized fingerings© The study of an instrument as intimate and difficult as the violin demands suc­ cess of satisfactory accomplishment from the drudgery of practicing endlessly the conventional fingerings as exemplified by Schradieck, Hrimaly and a host of others. This harassing situation has long persisted. IV The w riter has been in charge of school and college music departments for many years and feels that the foregoing technical difficulties explain to some extent why good school and college orchestras are so few, and the elimination of potentially able students is so frequent. The writer’s many years of teaching gave him cause and opportunity to get violin students and orchestras over their instruments. The devices here listed have been successfully used with individuals and groups. Written descriptions or explanations can not have the merits of per­ sonal demonstrations nor of perscriptions to fit needs as they appear. This thesis does not pretend to be a panacea for a ll the troubles of violinists. If it removes, for some, one set of stumbling blocks and discour­ agements i t w ill have served its purpose. ARGUMENT The fingerings and shiftings here listed are conventional with the excep­ tion of some uses of "extensions." The groupings of those fingerings and shiftings together with applications in ways of doing arpeggios and scales are original. Another claim to original­ ity and ingenuity is the compact way in which many of the materials and problems are tabulated. Protests from those instructors and players who were reared in the "old school" are anticipated. The condemnation of anything at variance with respect­ able age and habits is to be expected. (It is hoped that the examples are adequate for this type of thesis. It is my intent to expand-the examples and copyright the materials herein for pub­ lication. ) CYCLIC FINGERINGS of ARPEGGIOS fo r the VIOLIN A -ROOT POSITION MAJOR and MINOR TRIADS: (A-I)with the First Finger on the ROOTS"and Chord Fifths. and with Direct Shifts by the First Finder. (Roman numerals refer to strings.Arabic figures refer to fingers.) ( I -------- The string remains firmly stopped by the numbered finger to the end of the line.) -r j -------- The finger stops two strings to the lines end.) (f)-Means to shift.The finger glissandos with firm and steady pressure. I S I i I S I g I IS I I S I IV— — I l l — II— I I — TV— Note.I.All direct shift major and minor triads done with this type of cyclic fingering require perfect fourth shifts.Preliminary exercises for each of the four fingers are indicated,using the perfect fourth abort which to devise original exercises. A few samples follow. I l l ————— I I ———— I I I ————— . I I ———— I I I ——II —————— I I I —— Note.2.Though difficult for most violinists,true perfect fifths arenmvstsn for major and minor triads. It is suggested that the following examples first be checked for intonation.Afterwards,each finger should