The 2 Movements Behind Every Violin Shift

Shifting on the violin isn't just about moving your finger from one note to another. The movement of your left arm, elbow, and shoulder plays a huge role in whether a shift feels natural, relaxed, and controlled. In this video, I break down the two primary movements behind violin shifting and show you how the movement changes as you travel into higher positions. You'll learn how to prepare the hand before a shift, how the elbow moves the hand around the violin, when the shoulder needs to become involved, and how to avoid using too much—or too little—movement. I also give you a simple Violin Gym workout to isolate and train the left-arm movement before putting it back into your playing. The goal isn't just to practice the notes of a shift over and over. Train the movement that creates the shift. 🎻 Want me to look at your playing? If there's something in your violin playing that you can't seem to figure out, you can book a free 15-minute call with me. I'll listen to you play, help you understand what's actually happening, and show you what I'd work on next. 👉 FREE 15-MINUTE CALL: https://dovidfriedlanderviolin.as.me/... Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:30 What to Do Before Shifting 00:39 Left Arm Movement 03:07 Why You Need to Shift Well 04:46 When Should the Arm Come Around the Violin? 05:00 Workout for the Left Arm for Shifting 07:17 Elbow + Shoulder Shift 08:20 Outro Train smart. 🎻 #violin #violinist #violinpractice #violintips #violinlesson