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Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.fiddlehangout.com/archive/39097
bach - Posted - 09/30/2014: 21:56:31
i was fooling aroud on the fiddle an i found i could play tunes in the thired postion never having gave it much thought befor so now its fun to fiddle in upper neck an explore keys , makes practice fun ,
Swing - Posted - 10/01/2014: 05:01:28
Good for you, this opens up many musical doors and as you progress and can play across all four strings in the third position you will have mastered a wide open resource of range without have to move your hand.
Play Happy
Swing
chas5strings - Posted - 10/01/2014: 06:48:24
All the notes in the 3rd position have the same relative range as those in the 1st position only a third higher.
The trick is to learn shifting from 1st to third and back again. Then you have opened up a greater range.
Once you can do that seamlessly then there are many other postions to explore.
You're on the road now, don't comply with the 'stop' sign!
boxbow - Posted - 10/01/2014: 19:40:36
I've worked on just a few tunes where I have to shift position and a few more where there aren't many open strings. It's easy to shift out of tune without noticing unless I play an open string once in a while to check. I find it harder to check intonation against other players instruments in a jam when I'm in a higher position. I might get better at that. I don't think I have as good control of the tonal quality in a higher position, either. My fiddle isn't much, though. I have to work for everything I get out of it.
UsuallyPickin - Posted - 10/02/2014: 06:17:06
For changing position I generally use an arpeggio and move to the next I or tonic of the chord the song is in. That helps my ear identify if I am in the right place. Also sliding up into the correct pitch is easier to achieve than sliding down for me. Making that pitch a I IV ie. tonic dominant index finger chord slide sounds cool and helps bring home the pitch accuracy and sets up the closed position scale to use in that position.
eric marten - Posted - 10/02/2014: 10:33:07
A couple of tunes that absolutely require third position: Quince Dillon's High D Tune, Lost Indian
After you get used to that, try second position on Coon Dog, and JP Fraley's Birdie
fujers - Posted - 10/05/2014: 19:54:07
Exporing second position are you Eric. I'm glad you are. To be able to move effortlessly from first to second to third is a great acheivment.
Now practice how you go there learn other notes that you can add. There is not nothing you can't achieve just have to practice.
Practicing opens new worlds..you'll discover things you didn't think you new. Jerry
vibratingstring - Posted - 10/06/2014: 06:14:33
Coincidentally, my next door neighbor bought a violin duets book this past weekend so that we can play duets together. I am learning two tunes requiring THIRD position fingering. After a couple of hours of cumulative practice, I am getting close. The intonation needs lots of work. And smoothly getting back to 1st position is tricky.
Larry
Edited by - vibratingstring on 10/06/2014 06:17:13
cmreid - Posted - 10/08/2014: 15:46:23
.............play a few notes in second or third positon,never really practice, must try more,i have a good ear for proper pitch,why i never went at it i dont know, lazy i guess.
folkpunk - Posted - 11/08/2014: 07:47:47
I just dove into third position recently because the B part of "Waterbound" has too many string changes for me to play it as fast as the banjo player wants to play it. Third position almost entirely eliminates them,but intonation is going to be a nightmare for awhile.
fiddlinsteudel - Posted - 11/08/2014: 09:20:51
I did the same thing for garfields blackberry blossom. The last two phrases or so have some annoying string crossings in first position so I shift up to 2nd and they go away and I can play a bit faster. Though it's not natural yet, I often find myself forgetting me to shift and then in like oh crap quick improvise.
saltcured - Posted - 11/09/2014: 16:50:00
quote:
Originally posted by folkpunk
I just dove into third position recently because the B part of "Waterbound" has too many string changes for me to play it as fast as the banjo player wants to play it. Third position almost entirely eliminates them,but intonation is going to be a nightmare for awhile.
Welcome to FHO dave. You're right, and it works for the A part of "Hell Amongst the Yearlings" too. Or like Lester used to call that tune on the early morning Martha White Show "Trouble Among the Yearlings" I reckon to keep the sponsors happy with him. Paul Warren really tore into that tune, even at 5:45am!
fujers - Posted - 11/09/2014: 17:55:21
I'm writing a tune that starts in 1st position goes to the 3rd and then second and back to first..start all over. Next I go from 2nd to 4th to 3rd to 1position. Very hard to play but I think it's definatly a keeper. I figure it's going to make me a million years to complete...but I enjoy the journey