In the second volume of the Laoureux “A Practical Method for the Violin,” the first five positions on the violin are covered.
In the beginning, it has preparation for shifting to third position. I like that is quite compacted compared to that in the Whistler “Introducing the Positions.” It also has several exercises and etudes all in third position reminiscent of Wohlfahrt third position studies and the Whistler. I find it more visually pleasing that the whistler book. After a few exercises in third position, it has shifting exercises similar to Yost. Following that are several etudes that shift between first and third position. I like that it doesn’t cover every key signature, it just gets the basics of shifting covered.
After several shifting etudes, it covered the extended fourth finger harmonic. I have recently found a lot students who need some remediation of this extension because they are actually shifting to the position, not extending.
Second position is covered next (not fifth as in many texts). I think it is good to give students an introduction to second position early so they are not afraid of it. Exercises that shift between first, second and third positions follow.
Other techniques addressed in this volume are:
- Octaves (double stops and arpeggios)
- Sixths (double stops and arpeggios)
- All other intervals (double stops and arpeggios)
- Trills
- Fourth Position
- Fifth Position