Géza Szilvay

Violin Scales for Children 1

How to explain to a child, what scales are and why they are played? Géza Szilvay's child-centered scale books (completely renewed editions in 2024) start the journey one step at a time, with inner hearing leading the fingers. Alongside the letter names and staff writing of the notes the child gets familiar with their locations on the fingerboard. Violin Scales for Children 1 acquaints the pupil with the major and natural minor scales, which are built on the natural notes starting with the scale of A major. With the help of tonic solfa, the child will learn the scales in a natural manner. To facilitate the learning, each page will introduce only one new note. The initial tone of each scale is properly printed; the places of other tones are illustrated with a diagram. This helps the child to concentrate on the learning and writing of the new note and its locating on the fingerboard. Two octave scales are learned gradually, using duo and group playing to help the intonation. Recognition and drawing exercises reinforce the learning of the letter names of the notes. The last part of the book introduces the three octaves scales, where the third octave is played with finger repetition (4-4-4-etc.). The simultaneous teaching of these scales together with easy performing pieces by László Rossa: Violin Rascals Volume 4 (9790550095717) fosters the technical, theoretical, and emotional development of the students.