Violin Fingering

Is violin fingering tripping you up? Follow these simple tips, charts, and patterns to learn how to play the violin one note at a time! 

There are many different violin fingering charts out there, my system is by the string, and teaches all 4 notes fingered on that string at the same time. I think it's very important to learn how each finger will fit into the left hand position as a whole. Learning violin fingering this way will help you connect the fingers quickly, read notes faster, and play smoother.

Also! Back by popular demand here is a guide to our note by note fingering. Scroll through the notes, and click on the one you are trying to play. 

When playing a note, that note must be the highest note placed on the string. For example, if you are trying to play a C on the A string (2nd finger), do not have your 3rd or 4th finger down in position at the same time. 

To add sharps and flats follow this rule; Flats should be played by sliding the finger down (towards the scroll) half a step, and sharps are played by sliding the finger up half a step (towards the bridge). 

The first finger should be placed about 1 inch from the end of the finger board depending on violin size. Whole steps are roughly one inch apart (also dependent on violin size) and half steps are roughly 1/2 inch apart.

Take Note** The fourth finger (little finger of hand) on all strings except the E string play the same note as the open string of the next consecutive string.

There is no need to learn the strings in a certain order. However I usually begin with the two middle strings when teaching students. One reason for doing this is that a nice tone is easier to achieve as a beginner violinist on the middle strings and they are the most used strings in beginning music followed by the E string than the G.