These exercises are written with the idea to aid the working process of the student, and to make practice time more efficient. The point of these exercises is to make the student think, analyzing one’s own technical approach through left-hand finger patterns. Instead of thinking about the left hand in terms of only pitches, the student should also focus on the patterns of intervals in the left hand, especially whole and half step relationships.
The exercises that I have provided are just a sample of possible drills, and should serve as a guide to create your own. Breaking a difficult passage into left-hand finger patterns helps the player understand more how the left hand fits into that passage, saves using excessive tension and unnecessary motion of the fingers, and also helps the player realize how the bow relates to that passage. In other words, the patterns facilitate in building a nice articulation of the fingers of the left hand as well as good coordination between both hands.
Should any mistake be encountered in these exercises, or any spontaneous creative idea or suggestion occur to you, please do not hesitate to contact me at the e-mail below. Any comments will be welcome.
Sincerely,
Dr. Evgeni Raychev
[email protected]