4th Position

Main Principles

  • The same principles as in the 1st position still apply

  • Slightly raise the left elbow to move around your cello 

  • Before doing the shift to the 4th position and back, anticipate the movement with the elbow

  • Play the shifts as fluently as possible

F major scale

Play F major scale (only 1 octave) using the 4th position on the G string. We also use a different pattern in the first position (C string - 4, G string - 0, 1, 2 (!), 4), The more notes you play in the bow, the more fluent the shift of the left hand should be. 

Here is the sheet music of F major scale.

G major scale (2 octaves)

Now we come back to G major, but add an extra octave, so in total - 2 octaves. Extra tip - when playing higher G's, always listen to the resonating lower G string. Play with me.

Here is the sheet music of G major scale (2 octaves).

Dotzauer no. 112

Here is an example of a piece where you use a shift between 1st and 4th positions. In this exercise the shift always happens in between of the bow changes. That gives us time to hide the shift and make it sound as if we don't need to shift.

Here is the sheet music of Dotzauer no. 112.

Learning the shifts and executing them fluently takes a long time, so don't worry if it doesn't work out right away. Stay patient and persistent - it will get better! The shifting principles apply for all the positions, so it is important to find a comfortable way of shifting from the beginning.

​

The next step after learning the 4th position is the Extension.