.jpg)
Mastering the Fingerboard: Level 6 Build TQ Violin. Practice Videos
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
Why Scales are the Secret Weapon for Violinists
For many aspiring violinists, the allure of playing beautiful repertoire, a soaring Bach concerto or a fiery Paganini caprice, is the primary motivation.
However, the path to truly mastering these pieces runs not only through repeated practice of the music itself but, crucially, through the seemingly monotonous routine of scale practice.
While playing a piece provides context and musicality, scales are the fundamental building blocks that develop the core physical and mental skills necessary for advanced playing. Here’s why dedicating time to scales is often more effective for skill development than piece-work alone:
Precision and Intonation
Scales are the most direct way to train the ear and the fingers for perfect intonation. Unlike a piece, where the surrounding melody and rhythm can sometimes mask a slightly flat or sharp note, scales force the player to focus intensely on the exact pitch of every single note in a sequence. By practicing scales slowly and deliberately with a drone or tuner, violinists develop the muscle memory and auditory awareness required to navigate the fingerboard accurately, translating directly into cleaner, more confident playing in their repertoire.
Technical Consistency and Agility
The repetitive patterns within scales and arpeggios systematically drill common finger transitions, string crossings, and bowing patterns (like détaché, martelé, and spiccato) across the entire range of the instrument. This generalised, continuous repetition builds pure technical consistency, the ability to execute a specific movement without the distraction of complex musical phrasing. When a difficult passage appears in a piece, the fingers are already primed, agile, and accustomed to the required movements, thanks to the groundwork laid in scale practice.
Bow Control and Tone Production
Scales provide the perfect laboratory for refining bow control. Since the note sequence is predictable, the mind is free to focus almost entirely on the mechanics of the bow arm: achieving consistent tone quality, controlling the contact point, managing bow speed, and distributing the bow evenly. Practicing scales in various dynamic levels, bowings, and speeds ensures that the fundamental connection between the bow and the string is optimized, guaranteeing a richer, more powerful sound when applied to musical material.
In short, think of pieces as the finished masterpieces and scales as the rigorous exercise regime. While you might want to show off the finished product, it's the disciplined daily training of scales that truly builds the strength, precision, and endurance required to perform it flawlessly.
A Selection of Level 6 Scales
Click on the title to expand each selection for access to the video.
A minor harmonic, slurred. Practice Speed 50 bpm
B flat major in thirds 2 octaves bowed. Practice speed 50 bpm.
Chromatic from G3 1 octave bowed. Practice speed 50 bpm.
E major 1 octave bowed. Practice speed 50 bpm.
Dominant 7th in C major. 1 octave bowed. Practice speed 90 bpm.
D major Arpeggio 2 octave slurred. Practice speed 90 bpm
G major 2 octave arpeggio. Practice speed 90 bpm
Violin Exercise. Double Stop on D
Glossary of Key Terms
Term | Definition |
Arpeggio | A technical exercise where the notes of a chord are played in sequence rather than simultaneously; practiced at Level 6 at 90 bpm. |
Bowed | A performance instruction indicating that notes should be played with separate bow strokes, as seen in the E major or B flat major in thirds exercises. |
Chromatic Scale | A scale moving in half-steps; the Level 6 requirements include a one-octave version starting from G3. |
Détaché | A specific bowing pattern mentioned as a fundamental skill developed through consistent scale practice. |
Dominant 7th | A specific four-note chord/scale pattern; the C major version is practiced at 1 octave and 90 bpm in Level 6. |
Double Stop | A technique involving playing two strings simultaneously; the Level 6 curriculum includes a specific exercise for this on the D string. |
Harmonic Minor | A specific scale structure; the Level 6 curriculum requires the A minor harmonic scale to be practiced slurred at 50 bpm. |
Intonation | The accuracy of pitch in playing; the document emphasizes scales as the primary tool for training the ear for "perfect intonation." |
Martelé | A percussive bowing style mentioned as one of the technical patterns refined through the repetition of scales. |
Slurred | A technique where multiple notes are played in a single, continuous bow stroke, used in the A minor harmonic and D major arpeggio exercises. |
Spiccato | A bouncing bow technique; identified as a core bowing pattern that benefits from the "groundwork" of scale practice. |
Thirds | An interval-based scale exercise (e.g., B flat major in thirds) where the player moves through the scale in jumps of a third. |