Playing Out of Tune in Fourth position on the Violin?

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Finding yourself playing out of tune in fourth position more often than not? In this post, I’m going to give you tips on how to improve your fourth position playing skills allowing you to play more in tune.

Fourth position is an absolute must-know-well position for concerti, repertoire and orchestral playing. If fourth position is not studied well, it will always be weak and out of tune. How do we start to tame the wild beast of fourth position?

Know your hand frame in fourth position

Start playing more in tune in fourth position by getting to know your fourth position hand frame. Be sure to understand the distance between your first and fourth finger in fourth position. Setting up the hand frame is a completely necessary task to understand where your fingers fall between one and four.

Exercise:

Start on the G string and just play one to four, repeat
Start with your fourth finger and then go back to the one, repeat.

While executing the above, feel that you’re completely balanced on both fingers, on the one and four. That your forearm is straight and aligned. That the wrist is not bent out. Think and visualize the note names on the staff.

Repeat the above on all strings.

Play Octaves

Play more in tune in fourth position by testing your octave playing skill set. Playing octaves in fourth position for each string combination is a sure way to know if you have truly imprinted the fourth position hand frame. Take the left hand completely away from the violin and land directly on the octave. Play octaves across the instrument.

Play All Scales & Arpeggios Possible in Fourth Position

Once you have your have your hand frame and octaves secured, you’re ready to start playing scales in fourth position. There’s no sense in working on scales if you don’t really understand the distance between your one and four.

All possible scales and arpeggios in fourth position:

D Major/minor
E Flat Major/ minor
E Major/minor
F Major/minor

Listen that you don’t get sharp as you’re working across the instrument between the intervals. Challenge yourself by changing up the bowing.

Schradieck

Schradieck has some great exercises for fourth position that are actually written for fourth position. However, if you want to challenge yourself, play the first two pages of his School of Violin Techniques Volume 1 in fourth position. Yes, it will have some crazy string Crossings.

Play in the middle of the bow wit all separate bows at a slightly slower tempo.
Keep the fingers hovering over their spots.
Minimize the motion of your string crossings.

Play Fourth Position Etudes

Test your fourth position note-reading skills and intonation, I would check out Sitt position etudes and play number 31 to start off. On the top of that page Sitt has scales written out for you to play.

When you’re practicing fourth-position scales across the instrument listen to your blended string crossings as you’re traveling from one string to the next.

After you’ve gone through those first two preparatory lines you are ready to play the Etude.

You now have all the tips to help you make fourth position your dearest friend. follow all of the above and if you practice intentionally you will play more in tune in fourth position.

Let me know in the comments below which of these you’re going to incorporate into your fourth position practice strategy.

Want more fourth position practice tips so you no longer play out of tune in fourth position?

Check out more fourth position practice tips post here.

Have fun practicing fourth position. Ciao

Happy Magical Practices,

Heather is a classically trained concert violinist residing in Bulgaria. She received her BM violin performance degree from CU-Boulder, studied with top teachers including Rachel Barton Pine. Heather has held leadership positions with multiple orchestras in the Greater Chicago-Milwaukee area. She has instructed millions of violinists globally via Youtube videos, online academies, group coaching and one on one sessions. Heather’s students have won multiple awards, concerto competitions, held concertmaster positions in orchestras and even performed in Carnegie Hall. Heather is an advocate of a holistic violin lifestyle – putting one’s mind, body and spirit as a violin journey priority.

Please share in the comments which above tips you will be implementing into your daily practices sessions.

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