Welcome to Basics!
The Basics series in The Strad magazine ran from July 1991 until November 2014, comprising 281 consecutive monthly articles in total. Copyright for these articles returned to Simon Fischer immediately upon publication of each one.
Now, the series will continue with new articles which will be added here.
Meanwhile, all the old articles are gradually being uploaded for you to download and save to your computer for free, These are all the original copy which was sent to the magazine each month, so they are before any editorial changes (for 'house style'), or fancy magazine layout and design.
.
The first thirty or so articles may take some time to appear here, because first they have to be reconstructed. The music examples in the earliest ones were written by hand on manuscript paper, and the text was not set in Word for Windows. Then, the first ones done in Word were in such an early version of it that the files cannot be read today. Once these have been reset, they will be added.
Later articles were not only set in Word, and the music in Finale, but digital photographs could now be included, so these rough drafts get better and better.
1991
1 July Soundpoints
2 August Two left hand relaxation exercises
3 September Pressure exercise PDF
October Finger preparation
November Speed exercise PDF
December Vibrato release
1992
January True legato
February Shifting: Substitutions
March The bow: resistances
April Intonation: Sympathetic vibrations
May Intonation: Tuning accidentals
June Thumb counter-pressure
July Vibrato: Proportions
August Shifting: Drop-out practice
September Spiccato
October Shifting: Slow arrival speed
November Double-stopping string-crossings
December Straight bow
1993
January Vibrato: Two exercises
February Bow tilt
March Fast fingers
April Changing soundpoint
May Trill release
June Tuning the hand using perfect intervals
July Exchange shifts
August Bow angles
September 4th finger strengthening exercises
October Co-ordination
November Straight bow
December Uniform intonation
1994
January Blocks
February Seven levels of the bow
March Vibrato
April Soundpoint and length of string PDF
May Tuning scales
June Holding the violin and viola PDF
July Uniform intonation PDF
August Square and extended finger shapes PDF
September Chords: Smooth pivots PDF
October Tone production: Soundpoints PDF
November Fast runs
December Staccato
1995
January Pivoting PDF
February ABC method of practice PDF
March Exchange shifts PDF
April Left thumb PDF
May Key bowing patterns (1) PDF
June Key bowing patterns (2) PDF
July Rhythm practice PDF
August Essential aspects of the bow and arm PDF
September Uniform intonation PDF
October Moving from the base joints PDF
November Widening at the base joints PDF
December Finger pressure PDF
1996
January Classical shifts PDF
February Octaves PDF
March Semitones PDF
April Tone production PDF
May Over-lapping PDF
June Measuring spaces between fingers PDF
July Tapping
August Shifting in thirds PDF
September Thirds PDF
October Co-ordination PDF
November Bruch Concerto: Tenths PDF
December Pivoting PDF
1997
January Son filé PDF
February Finger preparation PDF
March Clarity in fast passages PDF
April Speeding up with the metronome PDF
May Slow arrival speed PDF
June Continuous vibrato PDF
July Tone production PDF
August Forearm rotation PDF
September Tone/semitones in blocks PDF
October Left hand pizzicato PDF
November Timing in shifting PDF
December Chromatic glissando PDF
1998
January Using less bow PDF
February Third tone PDF
March Widening the left hand PDF
April Intonation PDF
May Exchange shifts
June Spiccato PDF
July Trills PDF
August Sautillé PDF
September Rhythm PDF
October Left hand release (1) PDF
November Left hand release (2) PDF
December Fast passages: blocks PDF
1999
January True legato PDF
February Pizzicato PDF
March Chords (1) PDF
April Chords (2) PDF
May Guide notes PDF
June Détaché PDF
July Low fingers PDF
August Shifting to a harmonic PDF
September Fast fingers PDF
October Listening (1) PDF
November Listening (2) PDF
December Loops PDF
2000
January Martelé PDF
February Narrow vibrato PDF
March Localising actions PDF
April Chin rest PDF
May Soundpoints (1) PDF
June Soundpoints (2) PDF
July Classical shifts PDF
August Fingertip placement PDF
September Bow hold (1) PDF
October Bow hold (2) PDF
November Left hand: reaching back PDF
December Intonation: Testing, relating, comparing PDF
2001
January Feeling the shift
February Splitting the double stop PDF
March Left fourth finger PDF
April Bowing from the elbow PDF
May Smooth bow changes PDF
June Square and extended PDF
July Chromatic scales PDF
August Straight bow PDF
September Vibrato: the track PDF
October Single finger scales PDF
November Tuning the hand (1) PDF
December Tuning the hand (2) PDF
2002
January Placing the bow on the string PDF
February Intonation: checking tuning PDF
March Kreutzer 2 PDF
April Placing fingers PDF
May Ricochet PDF
June Extensions (1) PDF
July Extensions (2) PDF
August Ear Tests PDF
September String crossing: staying close PDF
October Tremolo PDF
November Groups PDF
December Hypo and hyper PDF
2003
January Guide notes PDF
February Proportions PDF
March Continuous vibrato PDF
April Scales (1) PDF
May Scales (2) PDF
June Out-of-tune strings PDF
July Bow hold (1) PDF
August Bow hold (2) PDF
September Intonation: finger spacing PDF
October Setting the left hand PDF
November Two-octave scales PDF
December Playing from the hand PDF
2004
January Pivoting PDF
February Spiccato PDF
March Repetition practice PDF
April Vibrato accents PDF
May Intonation PDF
June Martelé PDF
July Left elbow PDF
August Dropouts PDF
September Flexibility PDF
October Vibrato: four groups PDF
November Long shifts PDF
December Energy PDF
2005
January Chords PDF
February Pressure exercise PDF
March Fourth finger base joint PDF
April Flexibility PDF
May Holding the violin PDF
June Retakes PDF
July Middle point of muscles PDF
August Bowing PDF
September Tone PDF
October Thirds PDF
November Intonation PDF
December Bow hold: how to set up PDF
2006
January Shifting PDF
February Intonation PDF
March Left first finger PDF
April Finger pressure PDF
May Accents PDF
June Right elbow PDF
July Left fourth finger PDF
August Octaves PDF
September How to play scales in tune PDF
October Spiccato PDF
November Vibrato PDF
December Balance PDF
2007
January Pushing the wood down towards the string PDF
February Fast fingers PDF
March Rhythm PDF
April Bow hold: Feeling the creases PDF
May Playing with feeling PDF
June Resonance PDF
July Vibrato PDF
August Balance PDF
September Command-response PDF
October Tone: soundpoint exercises PDF
November Tone: not following the line of least resistance PDF
December Intonation: square and extended, and semitones PDF
2008
January Gaining technique through musical expression PDF
February Holding the violin PDF
March Shifting PDF
April Double stops PDF
May Mental rehearsal PDF
June Vibrato PDF
July Intonation PDF
August Tone PDF
September Scales finger preparation PDF
October Curved bowing PDF
November Finger preparation PDF
December Freeing the left hand PDF
2009
January Chromatic scales PDF
February Undoing tension PDF
March Changing position PDF
April Changing soundpoint PDF
May Left hand finger action PDF
June Right first finger PDF
July Warming down PDF
August Tune each note of the scale PDF
September Staccato PDF
October Smooth bowing PDF
November How to build technique PDF
December Smooth string-crossing PDF
2010
January Pizzicato as a practice method PDF
February Freeing the upper arms PDF
March Shifting: substitutions PDF
April Continuous vibrato PDF
May Anniversary issue PDF
June Reader’s questions PDF
July Speed of left finger action PDF
August Right-arm balance PDF
September Single-finger scales PDF
October Left fourth finger PDF
November Warming up the left hand PDF
December Warming up the right hand PDF
2011
January Warming up vibrato PDF
February Warming up shifting PDF
March Warming up tone PDF
April Freeing the left hand PDF
May Double stops PDF
June Unlocking PDF
July Shifting PDF
August Rhythm practice PDF
September Holding fingers down PDF
October Technical and musical timing PDF
November Laws of leverage PDF
December Keeping yourself free PDF
2012
January Playing fast PDF
February Vibrato PDF
March Thirds in double stops PDF
April The number 5
May Soundpoint practice PDF
June Reducing effort PDF
July Tone-semitone patterns PDF
August Finger preparation PDF
September Waves PDF
October Arpeggio shifts PDF
November Tone production
December Mindset
2013
January Enlarging the playing PDF
February Intonation PDF
March Shifting PDF
April Forearm rotation PDF
May Upper half PDF
June Two-octave scales PDF
July Springing bowing PDF
August Playing with expression PDF
September Bow hold PDF
October Vibrato PDF
November Double stops PDF
December Connections between strokes
2014
January Left thumb PDF
February Fingered octaves PDF
March Sequences PDF
April Perfect intervals PDF
May Keeping still PDF
June Higher Compatibility Solutions PDF
July Rhythm PDF
August Dynamics PDF
September Soundpoints PDF
October Intonation PDF
November Right hand PDF
The Basics series in The Strad magazine ran from July 1991 until November 2014, comprising 281 consecutive monthly articles in total. Copyright for these articles returned to Simon Fischer immediately upon publication of each one.
Now, the series will continue with new articles which will be added here.
Meanwhile, all the old articles are gradually being uploaded for you to download and save to your computer for free, These are all the original copy which was sent to the magazine each month, so they are before any editorial changes (for 'house style'), or fancy magazine layout and design.
.
The first thirty or so articles may take some time to appear here, because first they have to be reconstructed. The music examples in the earliest ones were written by hand on manuscript paper, and the text was not set in Word for Windows. Then, the first ones done in Word were in such an early version of it that the files cannot be read today. Once these have been reset, they will be added.
Later articles were not only set in Word, and the music in Finale, but digital photographs could now be included, so these rough drafts get better and better.
1991
1 July Soundpoints
2 August Two left hand relaxation exercises
3 September Pressure exercise PDF
October Finger preparation
November Speed exercise PDF
December Vibrato release
1992
January True legato
February Shifting: Substitutions
March The bow: resistances
April Intonation: Sympathetic vibrations
May Intonation: Tuning accidentals
June Thumb counter-pressure
July Vibrato: Proportions
August Shifting: Drop-out practice
September Spiccato
October Shifting: Slow arrival speed
November Double-stopping string-crossings
December Straight bow
1993
January Vibrato: Two exercises
February Bow tilt
March Fast fingers
April Changing soundpoint
May Trill release
June Tuning the hand using perfect intervals
July Exchange shifts
August Bow angles
September 4th finger strengthening exercises
October Co-ordination
November Straight bow
December Uniform intonation
1994
January Blocks
February Seven levels of the bow
March Vibrato
April Soundpoint and length of string PDF
May Tuning scales
June Holding the violin and viola PDF
July Uniform intonation PDF
August Square and extended finger shapes PDF
September Chords: Smooth pivots PDF
October Tone production: Soundpoints PDF
November Fast runs
December Staccato
1995
January Pivoting PDF
February ABC method of practice PDF
March Exchange shifts PDF
April Left thumb PDF
May Key bowing patterns (1) PDF
June Key bowing patterns (2) PDF
July Rhythm practice PDF
August Essential aspects of the bow and arm PDF
September Uniform intonation PDF
October Moving from the base joints PDF
November Widening at the base joints PDF
December Finger pressure PDF
1996
January Classical shifts PDF
February Octaves PDF
March Semitones PDF
April Tone production PDF
May Over-lapping PDF
June Measuring spaces between fingers PDF
July Tapping
August Shifting in thirds PDF
September Thirds PDF
October Co-ordination PDF
November Bruch Concerto: Tenths PDF
December Pivoting PDF
1997
January Son filé PDF
February Finger preparation PDF
March Clarity in fast passages PDF
April Speeding up with the metronome PDF
May Slow arrival speed PDF
June Continuous vibrato PDF
July Tone production PDF
August Forearm rotation PDF
September Tone/semitones in blocks PDF
October Left hand pizzicato PDF
November Timing in shifting PDF
December Chromatic glissando PDF
1998
January Using less bow PDF
February Third tone PDF
March Widening the left hand PDF
April Intonation PDF
May Exchange shifts
June Spiccato PDF
July Trills PDF
August Sautillé PDF
September Rhythm PDF
October Left hand release (1) PDF
November Left hand release (2) PDF
December Fast passages: blocks PDF
1999
January True legato PDF
February Pizzicato PDF
March Chords (1) PDF
April Chords (2) PDF
May Guide notes PDF
June Détaché PDF
July Low fingers PDF
August Shifting to a harmonic PDF
September Fast fingers PDF
October Listening (1) PDF
November Listening (2) PDF
December Loops PDF
2000
January Martelé PDF
February Narrow vibrato PDF
March Localising actions PDF
April Chin rest PDF
May Soundpoints (1) PDF
June Soundpoints (2) PDF
July Classical shifts PDF
August Fingertip placement PDF
September Bow hold (1) PDF
October Bow hold (2) PDF
November Left hand: reaching back PDF
December Intonation: Testing, relating, comparing PDF
2001
January Feeling the shift
February Splitting the double stop PDF
March Left fourth finger PDF
April Bowing from the elbow PDF
May Smooth bow changes PDF
June Square and extended PDF
July Chromatic scales PDF
August Straight bow PDF
September Vibrato: the track PDF
October Single finger scales PDF
November Tuning the hand (1) PDF
December Tuning the hand (2) PDF
2002
January Placing the bow on the string PDF
February Intonation: checking tuning PDF
March Kreutzer 2 PDF
April Placing fingers PDF
May Ricochet PDF
June Extensions (1) PDF
July Extensions (2) PDF
August Ear Tests PDF
September String crossing: staying close PDF
October Tremolo PDF
November Groups PDF
December Hypo and hyper PDF
2003
January Guide notes PDF
February Proportions PDF
March Continuous vibrato PDF
April Scales (1) PDF
May Scales (2) PDF
June Out-of-tune strings PDF
July Bow hold (1) PDF
August Bow hold (2) PDF
September Intonation: finger spacing PDF
October Setting the left hand PDF
November Two-octave scales PDF
December Playing from the hand PDF
2004
January Pivoting PDF
February Spiccato PDF
March Repetition practice PDF
April Vibrato accents PDF
May Intonation PDF
June Martelé PDF
July Left elbow PDF
August Dropouts PDF
September Flexibility PDF
October Vibrato: four groups PDF
November Long shifts PDF
December Energy PDF
2005
January Chords PDF
February Pressure exercise PDF
March Fourth finger base joint PDF
April Flexibility PDF
May Holding the violin PDF
June Retakes PDF
July Middle point of muscles PDF
August Bowing PDF
September Tone PDF
October Thirds PDF
November Intonation PDF
December Bow hold: how to set up PDF
2006
January Shifting PDF
February Intonation PDF
March Left first finger PDF
April Finger pressure PDF
May Accents PDF
June Right elbow PDF
July Left fourth finger PDF
August Octaves PDF
September How to play scales in tune PDF
October Spiccato PDF
November Vibrato PDF
December Balance PDF
2007
January Pushing the wood down towards the string PDF
February Fast fingers PDF
March Rhythm PDF
April Bow hold: Feeling the creases PDF
May Playing with feeling PDF
June Resonance PDF
July Vibrato PDF
August Balance PDF
September Command-response PDF
October Tone: soundpoint exercises PDF
November Tone: not following the line of least resistance PDF
December Intonation: square and extended, and semitones PDF
2008
January Gaining technique through musical expression PDF
February Holding the violin PDF
March Shifting PDF
April Double stops PDF
May Mental rehearsal PDF
June Vibrato PDF
July Intonation PDF
August Tone PDF
September Scales finger preparation PDF
October Curved bowing PDF
November Finger preparation PDF
December Freeing the left hand PDF
2009
January Chromatic scales PDF
February Undoing tension PDF
March Changing position PDF
April Changing soundpoint PDF
May Left hand finger action PDF
June Right first finger PDF
July Warming down PDF
August Tune each note of the scale PDF
September Staccato PDF
October Smooth bowing PDF
November How to build technique PDF
December Smooth string-crossing PDF
2010
January Pizzicato as a practice method PDF
February Freeing the upper arms PDF
March Shifting: substitutions PDF
April Continuous vibrato PDF
May Anniversary issue PDF
June Reader’s questions PDF
July Speed of left finger action PDF
August Right-arm balance PDF
September Single-finger scales PDF
October Left fourth finger PDF
November Warming up the left hand PDF
December Warming up the right hand PDF
2011
January Warming up vibrato PDF
February Warming up shifting PDF
March Warming up tone PDF
April Freeing the left hand PDF
May Double stops PDF
June Unlocking PDF
July Shifting PDF
August Rhythm practice PDF
September Holding fingers down PDF
October Technical and musical timing PDF
November Laws of leverage PDF
December Keeping yourself free PDF
2012
January Playing fast PDF
February Vibrato PDF
March Thirds in double stops PDF
April The number 5
May Soundpoint practice PDF
June Reducing effort PDF
July Tone-semitone patterns PDF
August Finger preparation PDF
September Waves PDF
October Arpeggio shifts PDF
November Tone production
December Mindset
2013
January Enlarging the playing PDF
February Intonation PDF
March Shifting PDF
April Forearm rotation PDF
May Upper half PDF
June Two-octave scales PDF
July Springing bowing PDF
August Playing with expression PDF
September Bow hold PDF
October Vibrato PDF
November Double stops PDF
December Connections between strokes
2014
January Left thumb PDF
February Fingered octaves PDF
March Sequences PDF
April Perfect intervals PDF
May Keeping still PDF
June Higher Compatibility Solutions PDF
July Rhythm PDF
August Dynamics PDF
September Soundpoints PDF
October Intonation PDF
November Right hand PDF