Violin Fiddle Chords in the Key of A Double Stops in the Second Position

Notes on playing these Chordal Double Stops:

Play each chord singly in consecutive order from 1 to 3 using only two fingers per chord...except when the chord requires an open string to be played. The bowing will only be drawn over two strings at a time per chord.

Count 4 beats on each chord being played...as you're drawing the bow on each chord, count 4 downbeats...this can be timed well by tapping your foot without any pauses between beats...the four beats should equal the length of the bow (from frog to tip).

When playing double stops, you have to be extra careful not to be touching adjoining strings. To assist you in accomplishing this, try using the very tips of your fingers as you play each double stop. This will prevent your fingers from leaning forward or backward too close to adjoining strings. Keep in mind, it's quite easy to use the very tips of your fingers as long as you're placing the thumb in the proper position behind the neck. If unsure of this position, be sure to review our first lessons in this series.

The bow needs to play two strings at once with each of these 3 chords. Make sure your bow hair is not too tight...a looser setting will give allowance for the bow hair to make contact with both strings.

Do not press too hard...be careful to let the bow do most of the work.

Listen for the harmony between the two notes to sing through clearly without any dissonance. If you're encountering dissonance, it may be caused by one of your fingers touching an adjacent string, or your strings may not be perfectly in tune. To ensure perfect tuning, especially as a beginner, be sure to use an electronic tuner.