Handbook of violin playing

by Carl Schroeder

The Positions.

The various places for the left hand, up and down the neck, are known as the positions, and each is determined by the place reached by the first finger. If the hand is so placed that the first finger is ready to press down these notes

it will be termed the first position. If the first finger is upon these

it will be the second position.

The ball of the thumb must not touch the neck. As in the first position the first finger remains upon the strings as guide. The thumb also, lies opposite the first and second fingers.

III. Position.

In this position the ball of the hand comes in contact with the ribs of the violin.

IV. Position.

From this position upward the thumb is withdrawn further and further underneath the neck of the instrument.

V. Position.

VI. Position.

VII. Position.

Besides these there is the half position (nut-position, or back-shift)

which, when enharmonically changed to

belongs to the first position.

The positions retain their names when the notes are sharpened or flattened a semitone, only one must frequently change the finger in enharmonic passages, or the position.