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STAGE ONE SHIFTING

• Introduction
• The Iceberg Principle
• The Successful Shift !
• Things to keep in mind
• Shifting with One Finger Scales

Introduction

Shifting, the transportation system of the left hand, is the journey that the hand travels to get from one note to the next on the fingerboard. A clear understanding of the infrastructure and mechanics of shifting will help secure the accuracy of intonation and the musical intentions. Shifting can be compared to driving a car along a prescribed route. If the driver knows the road and the road is clear, the car and its passengers will arrive safely and on time.

See the shifting link for the complete introduction to shifting including the beginning steps, the preparatory motions, and the early exercises for the young student.

The Iceberg Principle

It is often difficult for students to visualize how the left arm functions in shifts because it is not seen. It is helpful to picture the tips of the fingers like the tips of icebergs. The majority of an iceberg is under the water with the tip peeping out above the surface of the water. If an iceberg is seen moving, one can assume that it moves from its base. The same goes for the left hand fingers. They move only when the arm to which they are attached (in this case, the left) moves. The fingers and hand should not move independently of the arm. Note the flexibility of the left arm. The forearm can move back and forth from the elbow joint; the ball and socket joint gives the whole arm the ability to swing freely.

In a successful shift:

• The shifting finger glides very lightly on the surface of the string, allowing the harmonics to be heard. 
• The left thumb glides along with the shifting fingers.
• The bow pressure and speed remain constant

Things to keep in mind:

• All shifts are smooth and in slow motion, without interruptions
• Shifts should be practiced with light audible changing tones allowing the student to know exactly what notes are being played. 
• Do not shift beyond the note and then adjust. Listen non-judgmentally to the arrival note and determine whether it is in tune, sharp or flat. 
• Repeat the shift many times for consistency. Be patient with the learning process. [Do not fret; you don’t need frets to shift accurately.] 
• Remember, do not adjust the pitch upon arrival at the new note! Instead, assess the pitch, then repeat the shift accurately

Practice shifting in the following way. This is the sequence used to review shifting with all new students.

• Without the bow, one finger at a time, glide up the string without pressing down on the string, touch the nose, and slide back down the string.

	Clip Title:	SHIFTING: Long Silent Shifts
	Description:	Fingers gliding lightly on the string up and down the fingerboard
	Channel:	235
	Duration:	1'41"

• Play very slowly One Finger Scales. This exercise can be played with any finger on any string.
  One Finger Scales

	Clip Title:	SHIFTING: One Finger Scales
	Description:	Scales using one finger on one string with an awareness of the lightness of the shift and the timing of the shift
	Channel:	242
	Duration:	2'58"

If harmonics cannot be heard during these slow shifts in the one-finger scale, the finger is too heavy on the string. Place the finger on a “finger diet”, lighten up that touch!

Check that the thumb moves with the hand. The angle of the left elbow is extremely important. There is a unique relationship between the elbow and each string; the relationship of elbow to string also changes as one shifts through the positions.

The most important note in a shift is the note before the shift. Isolate the note before the shift and the note of the shift, and practice the journey between.

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