What’s In Each Book

BOOK 1 – Getting Started

In Book 1 you will explore the beauty of the viol and how it works:

• sitting with the viol
• resting the bow in your left hand
• plucking open strings with the left and right hands
• making sounds with the bow on open strings
• playing different rhythms with the bow
• fingering notes and plucking melodies
• combining the left-hand notes while bowing on the string
• playing fluidly in 1st position with simple note sequences
• playing on the top three strings

BOOK 2 – Next Steps

In Book 2 you will explore ½ position and other skills:

• playing on the 4th and 5th strings
• barring the 1st finger
• slurred to hooked bowings
• double-stops
• playing inégale (the French Baroque “swing”)

BOOK 3 – Getting to the Next Level

In Book 3 you will explore the following techniques and skills:

• frequent shifts between 1st and ½ positions
• playing in 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions
• playing scales to become fluent
• da Capo and Fine
• Baroque Trills 
• chordal playing
• tenue (holding down a L.H. fingering)
• extensions in the left hand
• reading tablature