Shifting: Intermediary Notes

Technique
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1

Note: This builds on concepts from Building Blocks of Shifting.

The note that helps connect the change of position is the intermediary note.[1] It does not need to be in the same key as the passage – it is silent so it is merely used as a guide. The two kinds of shifts that use intermediary notes are old-finger and new-finger shifts.[2] They are a natural development of the same-finger shift. In the following examples, we’ll see that the change of position itself is done using a same-finger shift.

:warning: When practicing intermediary notes, do actually play them. A good method is to play them as grace notes. In performance, don’t play the intermediary note.

In an old-finger shift, the intermediary note is the note where your old-finger will be in the new position. In the following example, the intermediary note is E in the first measure and D in the second measure.

old-finger-shift-example
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In a new-finger shift, the intermediary note is the note where your new-finger will be in the old position. In the following example, the intermediary note is D in the first measure and E in the second measure.

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:warning: Stylistically, downward new-finger shifts should generally be avoided. But, it is important to understand how they work for the occasions they are used.

We can also combine intermediary notes with extension-shifts and contraction-shifts. Aside from reducing the distance needed to shift, it also allows for more variety in slides. We’ll cover this more in a later topic for slides.

  1. Other common terms are “guiding note” or “guiding finger.” Neikrug preferred “intermediary note.” ↩︎

  2. When used as slides, Neikrug called them classical and romantic shifts as well as Kreisler and Heifetz shifts. ↩︎