Shifting Beyond Third Position

For many violinists and violists, playing beyond third position feels like an enormous reach — a physical challenge that seems to require unusual effort or strain. But consider this: if you were to bring your left arm around freely, without the instrument, and touch your index finger to your nose, you would cover a distance actually greater than what is needed to play in tenth position. And yet it is completely effortless.

So the real question is: what changes in our body when we hold a violin or viola that makes a similar distance feel so difficult? Why does the same motion become a challenge simply because we are holding an instrument?

The Real Culprit: Shoulder Elevation and Gripping

The answer, in most cases, comes down to two things: excessive elevation of the shoulder and tightness in the upper arm. When a player is not truly balancing the instrument, they compensate by gripping it — creating a "C" shape with the shoulder and a tilt of the head to the left so the instrument feels secure. This gripping locks the arm and makes free movement into high positions feel nearly impossible.

Try this simple experiment: touch your index finger to your nose freely. Now squeeze your left shoulder up toward your ear and try again. Notice how much more strain is involved in covering the exact same distance. The motion hasn't changed — only the tension has.

Balancing the Instrument

The solution begins with learning to truly balance the violin or viola rather than grip it. When the instrument is balanced — supported by the collarbone, the weight of the arm, and the natural angle of the body — the shoulder is free to remain low and relaxed. The upper arm can swing freely, and the hand can travel into high positions with the same ease as touching one's nose.

This is not a matter of strength or flexibility. It is a matter of releasing unnecessary tension and allowing the arm's natural mechanics to do the work. The distance is never the problem — the tension is.

Practice Suggestions

• Check your shoulder. Before shifting, consciously release the left shoulder downward. If it rises as you shift, the gripping reflex is still active.
• Practice without the bow. Shift freely up and down the fingerboard using only the left hand, focusing on the feeling of the arm swinging freely from the shoulder.
• Use the nose-touch exercise. Regularly practice the motion of touching your finger to your nose with a free arm, then transfer that same sense of ease to the fingerboard.
• Slow down. Shifting tension often comes from rushing. Practice shifts slowly enough that you can feel the shoulder staying low and the arm moving freely throughout.

High position playing is not about reaching further — it is about releasing more. When the shoulder is free and the instrument is balanced, the arm can go anywhere with ease.

by Rozanna Weinberger