When playing double stops, string players often squeeze the neck of the violin, leading to tension and poor intonation. Fischer’s pedagogy focuses on "minimum optimal pressure." He provides exercises where one finger presses firmly while the other finger taps lightly or lifts entirely. This builds independence and prevents the left hand from locking up. 4. Acoustic Intonation and Resultant Tones
: Before placing your fingers, ensure your left wrist is straight and your thumb is relaxed. A tight thumb destroys double-stop intonation. simon fischer double stops pdf
: A core method he recommends is fingering both notes normally but bowing only one string at a time to check intonation and ease. Building Blocks When playing double stops, string players often squeeze
Play one note as a continuous, sustained tone (a drone) while shifting or placing the other finger. This allows your ears to clearly hear the changing interval (e.g., moving from a third to a fourth) against a stable pitch, making it much easier to identify exactly when a note goes sharp or flat. Step 3: Silent Finger Placement : A core method he recommends is fingering