Detail 01
Volume 1
First book in a graded set. Higher positions are covered in later volumes, sold separately.
Product detailSKU #1275425409831
Hal LeonardIntroducing The Positions Violin Vol. 1 by Whistler
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
A violin position-study book for players ready to move past first position. Volume 1 of a graded series, and it assumes you already read music.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Students starting to shift out of first position with a teacher
- Violinists who read well but shift by ear
- Adding focused shifting drills alongside a regular method book
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Absolute beginners still learning note names and bow hold
- Players who want songs to perform rather than exercises
- Violists and cellists — the fingerings are violin-specific
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
Position study, not a method book
It trains left-hand shifting only. It won't teach you to read, tune, or hold the bow.
Detail 03
Violin edition
Fingerings and string crossings are written for violin and don't transfer to viola or cello.
Detail 04
Printed exercise book
No audio or play-along. Use a tuner or drone so you can hear when a shift lands flat.
Detail 05
Exercise-dense pages
Repetitive drills, not repertoire. Progress comes from short daily reps rather than playing through it.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01Book only — no strings, no audio, no download included
- 02Work with a teacher; bad shifting habits are hard to undo later
- 03Later volumes are separate purchases if you want higher positions
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Do I need a teacher to use this?
You can work alone if you read confidently and hear your own intonation honestly. Shifting is easy to learn wrong, though, and a teacher catches hand-frame errors in seconds.
02Is there audio or a play-along?
No. It's a printed exercise book with no recordings. Practice against a tuner or a drone note so you can check each shift for pitch.
03Will this work for viola?
No. The fingerings are written for violin, and viola reads alto clef. Look for a position book written for viola instead.
04When am I ready for this book?
Once first position is secure: in tune across all four strings, reading notes without hunting for them. Otherwise you'll be fixing two problems at once.
