• Introduction to Left Hand Position
• Preliminary Exercises for Violin and Viola
• Developing the Shape of the Left Hand
• Developing Hand Shape Exercise No. 2
• Preliminary Finger Exercises Cello and Bass
• Placement of Fingers Violin and Viola
• Thumb Placement for Violin and Viola
• Common problems Violin and Viola
• Common problems - Collapsed wrist
• Common problems - Hyperextended Wrist
• Common problems - Poor Thumb Placement
• Worm Hole
• Three Points of Contact
• Cello Left Hand Position
• Bass Left Hand Position
• Elbow and Shoulder Cello and Bass
• Common LH Problems Cello and Bass
• Cello/Bass Problems -- The Sagging Elbow
• Cello/Bass Problems --Thumb hugging the neck of the instrument
• Cello/Bass Problems -- Collapsed Wrist
• Cello/Bass Problems --Sloped Fingers
• Hand Frame
• Finger Shape
• Finger Placement Markers
• General Left Hand Position Principles for All the Strings

Three Points of Contact

On the violin and viola, many teachers advocate the left hand always having three points of contact with the instrument -  the thumb, the fingertip, and the base joint (knuckle) of the index finger. These three points of contact, together are important for reliable intonation on a string instrument. Paul Rolland discusses the contact of the base of the first finger in The Teaching of Action in String Playing (p. 112). He writes that the base joint of the first finger helps to steady the violin "by offering gentle and flexible support." This support should never become a grip. The thumb and first finger should never squeeze the neck. This will hamper the ability to play with vibrato, and restrict shifting movements.

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