Unit 2:
Key Signatures & Fingerboard Geography
For the next 5 weeks, we will focus on the importance of reading your key signature every single time you play a piece of music, and what that means for your finger placements, better know as your "Fingerboard Geography."
Learning F-Natural - Pg 32
Mr. Williams discusses how to play F-Natural on your instruments. We have to move our 2nd fingers for violin & viola. `Cello and bass players use 2 fingers to play these notes. You also need to carefully check your key signature prior to playing every piece of music to know whether to play F or F-Sharp.
Learning C-Natural - Pg 33
Mr. Williams continues his discussion on playing naturals on your instrument. Violin, viola, and `cello will play C-Natural the same way you played F-Natural, with either a low 2nd finger, or with 2nd finger, respectively. Bass players will learn about using II (2nd) position to play C on the G-String. This week, skip #162, as we will be discussing that technique next lesson.
Mixed Finger Patterns (Part 1) - Pg 34
Certain key signatures that we have will require us to place our fingers in different positions on different strings. This lesson we will look at the key signature for G-Major (1 Sharp / F#) and investigate why our finger positions will need to change depending on whether we are on our D-String or A-String. (#164-167)
Want to better understand Fingerboard Geography?
First, watch this video on understanding Fingerboard Geography. If you need more help go to this page, which has the slide deck and an interactive study guide using PearDeck to learn how to adjust your Fingerboard Geography.
Mixed Finger Patterns (Part 2) - Pg 34 & 35
We start off with a review of the G-Major Key Signature (F#) and how that relates to mixed finger patterns in #168 & 169. We will then look at how this carries over to the C-Major Key Signature (All Naturals) in #170 & 171.
Haydn's "Surprise" Symphony No. 94
Great composer Franz Josef Haydn was not only a great composer, but apparently a great practical joker. Rumor has it that the person who commissioned him to write this symphony liked to fall asleep in concerts and snore loudly. Haydn wrote this to "help" his patron stay awake. How can you change your performance of #168 to create a Surprise?
Mixed Finger Patterns (Part 3) - Pg 35
We will continue studying the C-Major Key Signature (All Naturals) with some excellent music! Be careful of your finger positions (Fingerboard Geography) as well as watch out for the 1st & 2nd Ending Repeats. Listen carefully as you play all of these pieces. If something doesn't sound write, it's not an instrument problem or a music problem, it's a YOU problem. Think carefully, check that key signature, and play some awesome music.
1st & 2nd Ending Repeats - Explained
I can't explain these any better that the MusicTheoryGuy does!
