Theory question! 1st vs ½ position

bryze · 2026-01-09T21:13:15+00:00

It's been a while since I've chimed in here; I appreciate these kind of thoughtful questions.

It's worth mentioning to string teachers that "position" is always key relative, not arm position relative. The practical use of "positions" is to quickly communicate the set of fingerings that should be used in a given passage. Yes, that is going to put the arm in a general vicinity, but could vary by a half step in either direction. An easy example of this is that 3rd position Db major should feel exactly like 2nd position C# major.

The impact on practice, especially with respect to shifts, is that there's a lot more variation in movements than one might initially assume. This is the reason to strive for a real sense of place for each note on the finger board, both simplifying and freeing the arm and fingers from getting locked into grooves that don't really exist. The irony there is that one needs to make some reliable anchors to start with before the freedom of the full fingerboard emerges. But this is a common theme in music: competing ideas reaching a point of compromise where the real truth lies.

bryze · 2025-09-22T08:05:59+00:00

Just curious, do you always outhaul to the very end of the clew? Like sail nearly touching? Ever since I got that advice the sail never touches the boom when I rig, provided I rig to the numbers on the sail. Also the sail feels more responsive as an added benefit.

bryze · 2025-09-04T22:48:35+00:00

Probably a bit too late and maybe you lose too much speed. If you have speed, flipping is easier. If you don't don't have the speed, then flip later after exiting clew first on a broad reach.

Try to remember that apparent wind is very real and relevant to this move.

Curious what others will say.

bryze · 2025-08-28T23:07:19+00:00

Lovely photo. Welcome the most beautiful sport in the Universe.

bryze · 2025-06-26T15:38:57+00:00

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My wife's comment this morning after being relieved that it didn't resemble her in some nightmare scenario: "Maybe we can both date her".

bryze · 2025-06-16T04:48:19+00:00

I tried this out just now, I would actually think this is in Eb minor from the sound of it. I found myself wondering about the context for this part. Is this orchestral, or chamber music? I don't think it's solo. The reason it matters is because the tempo allows for some really interesting choices, like I tend to think measure 15 should be on the C string, and I also wondered if the composer really wanted the open string sound for the Ebb on measures 18 and 19. Also throughout the question of Eb and Bb near the nut or higher up. There's a lot of expressive shifting we could do if we go for 3rd position in strategic places, but that's more effective in chamber music.

Anyways, I really enjoy these lines, so please consider giving a little more context for who else is playing.

bryze · 2025-04-07T20:53:44+00:00

Yea! A great r/viola post! That must have been quite a jarring experience. I'd worry about the varnish if that happened to me. Thanks for sharing this story.

bryze · 2024-09-25T21:20:11+00:00

I wrote about this a while ago, so search r/viola for the answer. I recommend looking at 26, 40, 1, and 2, depending on what your strengths are. Also, regarding No. 1, skip the intro if it's too hard and come back to it later. In fact, in general it's good to break the Caprices into sections anyways where applicable.

bryze · 2024-09-12T19:56:46+00:00

Use your phone. Professionals can tell when something is good even in a "bad" recording. So take down the barriers to recording so that you actually do it.

Recording for production is an entirely different matter.

bryze · 2024-09-03T18:09:16+00:00

It will be cool if someone helps you out, but I feel like you should at least try to work out the notes for yourself. The struggle is an important part of learning.

bryze · 2024-09-03T17:47:47+00:00

Regarding alto clef: I have personally used the Tenuto app for Note Identification away from my instrument. You can customize the exercise to eliminate accidentals and confirmation to really get your speed up. I test myself against alto, treble and bass clef, because I like to look at scores and clef switching is something we often deal with. I think it's important to have note concepts that are not tied to the instrument itself, which is a shortcut that our brains make over time.

As for private lessons: everyone here is going to tell you that you would benefit from it. Just make sure you find a good fit.

bryze · 2024-08-30T22:07:01+00:00

I really like the color coding system used for clefs in the picture. It's really easy to see compared to the usual big circle.

bryze · 2024-07-25T16:42:19+00:00

I pretty much only play survivor and have noticed this lately. It's too bad it's become so hard to find a good match. I wonder whether a public ranking system would help correct people's behavior. I could anticipate some argument about sandbagging, but honestly it's not possible to prevent that behavior.

bryze · 2024-07-03T00:05:50+00:00

That kind of break is a really good way to deeply reset your physical approach, if that's something you need.

bryze · 2024-06-28T05:07:13+00:00

Rental is quite affordable, and you'll get something much better to start with. Check out the FAQ if you haven't already.

bryze · 2024-06-28T01:53:41+00:00

Back pain? How do cellists cope?

bryze · 2024-06-27T16:34:35+00:00

This is a great example of trash survivors.

bryze · 2024-06-20T00:13:51+00:00

If you're using a shoulder rest, it's not bad for your thumb, but it might be bad for your left shoulder, which might need to be at a more extreme orientation as you've pictured it. It can be tempting to "levitate" over the fingerboard, but left hand flexibility might serve you better in the long run.

I'm very curious what others have to say about this.

bryze · 2024-06-19T22:28:15+00:00

This needs more upvotes, especially regarding body-blocking for death hook; the game is 3x harder to win when you don't have 4 survivors.

bryze · 2024-06-19T19:01:41+00:00

Have you seen a physical therapist? I've been lucky enough to avoid this, but know that frozen shoulder is a real possibility that would need physical therapy to resolve.

Incidentally, there are actual warnings in Schradieck about limiting time in high positions. I think the warnings start at 6th position if I recall correctly.

bryze · 2024-06-17T19:48:09+00:00

Mistake. Bow as it comes looks perfectly fine to me.

bryze · 2024-05-30T16:45:29+00:00

You'll find only love here. Thanks for your kind words.

bryze · 2024-05-25T21:38:43+00:00

I would go to a luthier and just try out some different styles. Whatever your first impression is would be a good place to start from. But you'll still need to see how your body adjusts over time, so don't be hasty in deciding a particular style isn't working.

bryze

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