EXERCISES, SCALES, PATTERNS AND ARPEGGIOS FOR VIOLIN

EXERCISES FOR PROPER STRING POSTURE

E-STRING
E0 E0 E0 E0 E0 – E0 – E0 E0 E0 E0 E0 – E0 – E0 E0 E0 E0 E0 – E0 – E0 E0 E0 E0 E0 – E0 – [2x]
A-STRING
A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 – A0 – A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 – A0 – A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 – A0 – A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 – A0 –
[2x]
D-STRING
D0 D0 D0 D0 D0 – D0 – D0 D0 D0 D0 D0 – D0 – D0 D0 D0 D0 D0 – D0 – D0 D0 D0 D0 D0 – D0 –
[2X]
G-STRING
G0 G0 G0 G0 G0 – G0 – G0 G0 G0 G0 G0 – G0 – G0 G0 G0 G0 G0 – G0 – G0 G0 G0 G0 G0 – G0 –
[2x]

EXERCISE FOR CHANGING STRINGS

E0 E0 E0 E0 E0 – E0 –A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 – A0 –D0 D0 D0 D0 D0 – D0 –G0 G0 G0 G0 G0 – G0
G0 G0 G0 G0 G0 – G0 – D0 D0 D0 D0 D0 – D0 –A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 – A0 – E0 E0 E0 E0 E0 – E0

EXERCISE FOR STRING CROSSING

G0 G0 G0 G0 G0 – G0 –A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 – A0 – D0 D0 D0 D0 D0 – D0 – E0 E0 E0 E0 E0 – E0
G0 – G0 G0 A0 – A0 A0 D0 – D0 D0 E0 – E0 E0 D0 – D0 D0 A0 – A0 A0 G0 – G0 G0 [repeat]

EXERCISE FOR QUICK PLACEMENT OF FINGERS

Exercise 1: E-STRING
E0 E0 E0 E0 E0 E0 – E0 – E1 E1 E1 E1 E1 – E1 – E2 E2 E2 E2 E2 – E2 – E3 E3 E3 E3 E3 – E3 –
[2x]
A-STRING
A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 – A0 – A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 – A1 – A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 – A2 – A3 A3 A3 A3 A3 – A3 –
[2x]
D-STRING
D0 D0 D0 D0 D0 – D0 – D1 D1 D1 D1 D1 – D1 – D2 D2 D2 D2 D2 – D2 – D3 D3 D3 D3 D3 – D3 –
[2X]
G-STRING
G0 G0 G0 G0 G0 – G0 – G1 G1 G1 G1 G1 – G1 – G2 G2 G2 G2 G2 – G2 – G3 G3 G3 G3 G3 – G3 –
[2x]

Exercise 2
E0 E0 – E1 E1 – E2 E2 – E3 E3 – E2 E2– E1 E1 – E0 E0 – [2x]
A0 A0 – A1 A1 – A2 A2 – A3 A3 – A2 A2– A1 A1 – A0 A0 – [2x]
D0 D0 – D1 D1 – D2 D2 – D3 D3 – D2 D2– D1 D1 – D0 D0 – [2x]
G0 G0 – G1 G1 – G2 G2 – G3 G3 – G2 G2– G1 G1 – G0 G0 – [2x]
Exercise 3
E3 E3 E2 E2 E1 E1 E0 E0 ––– E3 E3 E2 E2 E1 E1 E0 E0 –
A3 A3 A2 A2 A1 A1 A0 A0 ––– A3 A3 A2 A2 A1 A1 A0 A0 –
D3 D3 D2 D2 D1 D1 D0 D0 ––– D3 D3 D2 D2 D1 D1 D0 D0 –
G3 G3 G2 G2 G1 G1 G0 G0 ––– G3 G3 G2 G2 G1 G1 G0 G0 –

Exercise 4: Twinkle Rhythm

A0 A0 – A0 E0 E0 – E0 E1 E1 – E1 E0 E0 – E0 A3 A3 – A3 A2 A2 – A2 A1 A1 – A1 A0 A0
A0 E0 E0 – E0 A3 A3 – A3 A2 A2 – A2 A1 A1 – A1 E0 E0 – E0 A3 A3 – A3 A2 A2 – A2 A1 A1
A1 A0 A0 – A0 E0 E0 – E0 E1 E1 – E1 E0 E0 – E0 A3 A3 – A3 A2 A2 – A2 A1 A1 – A1 A0 A0

A MAJOR SCALE [2 OCTAVES]

Tab: G1 G2 G3 – D0 D1 D2 D3 – A0 A1 A2 A3 – E0 E1 E2 E3
Notes: A B C# D E F# G A B C# D E F# G# A
Solfa: d, r, m, f, s, l, t, d r m f s l t d’

INTERVAL EXERCISE FOR PROPER INTONATION

G1 G2 G1 G3 G1 D0 G1 D1 G1 D2 G1 D3 G1 D4
A0 A1 A0 A2 A0 A3 A0 E0 A0 E1 A0 E2 A0 E3
Instructions
i. Play the exercises with double bow [down and up bow] for each note first
ii. Play the exercises with single bow for each note
iii. Play each group of notes as a slur [single bow for each group of notes]
iv. Play both ascending and descending movements for each pattern

ARPEGGIOS
1. A0 A2 E0 E3 E0 A2 A0 - [Solfa: d m s d’ s m d | Notes: A C# E G E C# A]
2. A0 A2 E0 – A2 E0 E3 – E0 A2 A0 – E0 [d m s – m s d’ – s m d – s]
3. A0 A2 E0 A2 – A0 A2 E0 A2 – A0 [d m s m – d m s m – d]
4. D1 A0 A2 – A0 A2 E0 – A2 E0 E3 – E0 A2 A0 – A2 A0 D1 [s, d m-d m s-m s d’-s m d-m d s,]
5. G1 G3 D1 G3 – G1 G3 D1 G3 – G1 [d, m, s, m, - d, m, s, m, - d,]
6. G1 G3 D1 -G3 D1 A0 -D1 A0 A2- A0 A2 E0- A2 E0 E3- E0 A2 A0- A2 A0 D1- A0 D1 G3 - G1
[d, m, s, - m, s, d – s, d m – d m s – m s d’ – s m d – m d s, - d s, m, - d,]
7. G1 G3 D1 A0 – G3 D1 A0 A2 – D1 A0 A2 E0 – A0 A2 E0 E3 – E0 A2 A0 D1 – A2 A0 D1 G3 –
A0 D1 G3 G1 [d, m, s, d –m, s, d m –s, d m s – d m s d’ – s m d s, - m d s, m, - d s, m, d,]
8. G1 G3 D1 G3 – G2 D0 D2 D0 – G3 D1 D3 D1 – D0 D2 A0 D2 – D1 D3 A1 D3 – D2 A0 A2 A0 –
D3 A1 A3 A1 – A0 A2 E0 A2 – A1 A3 E1 A3 – A2 E0 E2 E0 – A3 E1 E3 E1 – E3 -- E3 –
[d,m,s,m, – r,f,l,f, – m,s,t,s, – f,l,d,l, – s,t,r t, – l,dmd – t,rfr – dmsm – rflf – msts – fld’l – d’ – d’]
9. G1 G3 D1 A0 – G2 D0 D2 A1 – G3 D1 D3 A2 – D0 D2 A0 A3 – D1 D3 A1 E0 – D2 A0 A2 E2 –
D3 A1 A3 E2 – A0 A2 E0 E3 – [d,m,s,d – r,f,l,r – m,s,t,m – f,l,df – strs – ldml – trft – dmsd’]
10. G1 D1 G3 D1 – G2 D2 D0 D2 – G3 D3 D1 D3 – D0 A0 D2 A0 – D1 A1 D3 A1 – D2 A2 A0 A2 –
D3 A3 A1 A3 – A0 E0 A2 E0 – A1 E1 A3 E1 – A2 E2 E0 E2 – A3 E3 E1 E3 – E0 E0 E3 –
[d,s,m,s, – r,l,f,l, – m,t,s,t, – f,d l,d – s,r t,r – l,mdm – t,frf – dsms – rlfl – mtst –fd’ld’ – ssd’]

PATTERNS
1. Thirds [1 Octave]: d m – r f – m s – f l – s t – l d’ [1 Octave]
2. Thirds [2 Octaves]: d, m, – r, f, – m, s, – f, l, – s, t, – l, d – t, r – d m – r f – m s – f l – s t – l d’
3. Triplets [1 Octave]: d r m – r m f – m f s – f s l – s l t – l t d’
4. Triplets [2 Octaves]: d, r, m, – r, m, f, – m, f, s, – f, s, l, – s, l, t, – l, t, d – t, d r - d r m – r m f – m f s
– f s l – s l t – l t d’
5. Pentatonic Scale [2 Octaves]: d, r, m, s, l, d r m s l d’
6. Pentatonic Thirds: d, m, – r, s, – m, l, – s, d – l, r – d m – r s – m l – s d’
7. Pentatonic Triplets: d, r, m, – r, m, s, – m, s, l, – s, l, d – l, d r - d r m – r m s – m s l – s l d’

OTHER SCALES
1. A Minor Scale
Tab: G1 G2 G3 – D0 D1 D2 D3 – A0 A1 A2 A3 – E0 E1 E2 E3
Notes: A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A
Solfa: d r mo f s lo to d r mo f s lo to d’
Solfa: l t d r m f s l t d r m f s l

2. D Major Scale
Tab: Do – D1 – D2 – D3 – Ao – A1 – A2 – A3
Notes: D E F# G A B C# D
Solfa: d r m f s l t d’
Solfa: l t d r m f s l

3. D Minor Scale
Tab: Do – D1 – D2 – D3 – Ao – A1 – A2 – A3
Notes: D E F G A Bb C D
Solfa: d r mo f s lo to d’
Solfa: l t d r m f s l

4. G Major Scale
Tab: Go – G1 – G2 – G3 – Do – D1 – D2 – D3 – A0 – A1 – A2 – A3 – E0 – E1 – E2
Notes: G A B C D E F# G A B C D E F# G
Solfa: d, r, m, f, s, l, t, d r m f s l t d’

5. G Minor Scale
Tab: Go – G1 – G2 – G3 – Do – D1 – D2 – D3 – A0 – A1 – A2 – A3 – E0 – E1 – E2
Notes: G A Bb C D Eb F G A Bb C D Eb F G
Solfa: d, r, mo, f, s, lo, to, d r mo f s lo to d’
 Solfa: l, t, d, r, m, f, s, l t d r m f s l

6. C Major Scale
Tab: G3 – D0 – D1 – D2 – D3 – A0 – A1 – A2 – A3 – E0 – E1 – E2 > E1 – E2 – E3
Notes: C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
Solfa: d, r, m, f, s, l, t, d r m f s l t d’

7. C Minor Scale
Tab: G3 – D0 – D1 – D2 – D3 – A0 – A1 – A2 – A3 – E0 – E1 – E2 > E1 – E2 – E3
Notes: C D Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb F G Ab Bb C
Solfa: d, r, mo, f, s, lo, to, d r mo f s lo to d’
Solfa: l, t, d, r, m, f, s, l t d r m f s l

NOTE: For ease of singing, you can sing ‘lo’ as ‘se’

Your teacher will show you how to play these scales up to 2 octaves and guide you to play all the tonic
patterns and arpeggios on each of them. This will help you master playing on them.

PRACTICE INSTRUCTIONS
1. Start slow – Slow and right is better than fast and wrong.
2. Learn right – pay attention to your bowing… be sure to stretch and fold your bow arm NOT
moving back and forth; and place your fingers rightly for proper intonation.
3. Go fast – Increase your speed gradually as you repeat the scales and exercises.
Once you master these scales and exercises on any key, there’s almost no song you can’t play on that
key. If at all, all you’ll need will be just a few minor adjustments.

INTRODUCTION TO VIBRATO
Vibrato is a violin playing technique that adds more colour and expression to your tone.
Here’s how to develop it.
Bow A1, and quickly shift your finger 1 slightly forward [a half step or less] as if sliding to A2 and
return it to the A1 position, repeat this about 2 to 4 times on a single down bow. That oscillation of the
notes creates a beautiful effect called vibrato.

It takes some time and practice to develop. But once mastered, your violin tone colours will take a
whole new shape and you will be very happy and proud of yourself. Your teacher will guide you
through the process.

Congratulations! You have covered the basics of playing the violin. Well done! Now, pay attention to
playing long notes, developing your tone on the violin and keep working on your vibrato. Play your
exercises and scales every day for 10 to 20 minutes before you begin practicing any new pieces or
melodies you want to learn. It will make playing the songs a lot easier than if you didn’t practice the
scales. Great job! Enjoy your violin music.