Tips for FUN Summer Practice!
You don’t have to forget everything you learned in orchestra this year over the summer…you can keep
playing! Whether or not you have access to an instrument over the summer, there are things you can
do to keep up your skills and prepare for next year!
 If you have your own instrument, keep it and keep practicing!
 If you don’t have your own instrument, consider renting one! Shop around to find the best
quality, price, and deals. Some places offer a program where your renting fee is credited toward
purchasing an instrument in the future. (If you don’t think you can rent long-term, consider at
least renting for the summer.)
 Sign up for private lessons/summer music camps!
- Private Lessons: Contact me or Mr. Larkins for info about local teachers
- Mesa Public Schools Summer Orchestra Camp:
http://www.mpsaz.org/commed/summer_school/music_camps/
- Marcos De Niza Middle School Orchestra Camp: https://goo.gl/JCVhiU
- Metropolitan Youth Symphony Summer Camp: http://azmys.org/summercamp.html
- String Quartet Camp & Bass Workshop:
Contact myself or Patricia Cosand—[email protected]
 Keep studying your FLASHCARDS. The more notes and fingering you learn, the better prepared
you’ll be for next year.
 Keep practicing your bow hold on a pencil (or your toothbrush!)
 Practice fingering and singing notes in your Essential Elements or Concert Tunes books.
- Remember, the Essential Elements book either came with a CD or an Online Activation
Code (see inside covers) to practice with recordings!
 Teach someone else (like a friend or family member) all of the things you’ve learned in
orchestra this year. See if you can teach them to play one of your songs!
 Set up “jam sessions” with your friends! You can schedule days where you get together and
play music on your instruments and help each other learn new songs!
 Practicing Tips
- Warm-up on D & A escalators
- Self Check-list
 Posture and bow hold
 Fingers go down on the tapes (make sure it SOUNDS RIGHT)
 Bow is right in between the fingerboard and bridge & staying straight
- Look at fingering chart for new notes (see back)
- Essential Elements book—Continue where you left off. Read all of the notes in the
yellow boxes for reminders about notes, posture, and music facts!
 Notice numbers for fingers above some notes
 Play it with the recording! (CD or online)
- Try to learn new songs in the Concert Tunes book
- Find your own music to learn for fun!
~*~*~* Have fun with music ALL YEAR ROUND! Use it, don’t lose it! *~*~*~
Violin Fingering Chart
Viola Fingering Chart
Cello Fingering Chart
Bass Fingering Chart
Open Strings
1st finger
2nd finger
4th Finger
(3rd position)
1st finger
2nd finger
4th finger