Violin Technique: Fast Playing

My teacher, Sergei Gorbenko (from the Russian violin school) always had a quite simple solution to most problems with fast passages: Schradick. It is like his antidote for all dexterity problems. I always though that sounded very simplistic. BUT IT WORKS. Schradick exercises, practiced properly, work in many diferent levels. It can train the hand muscles for akward passages, increase accuracy of intonation, promote dexterity, and even bow control under difficult left hand difficulties.

I also have a very effective way to get warmed-up quickly and get my fingers in shape for fast violin virtuoso passages(for me, at least). I play a series of trills with all fingers in all possible finger patterns, with increasing speed on all strings. I do this at least in first, second, and third position. It will take you a few minutes and may be boring, but at the end, you will be ready to face those dreaded passages.

Rigo.