Strings Syllabus

Bowed strings Technical Work exercises

The following pages contain notated examples of all the exercises required as part of Technical Work option i)
for all bowed strings Grades 18, excluding Double Bass Grades 1 and 2. All technical work exercises are to be
performed from memory.

Violin
Grade 1 Double Stops [open strings]:

Grade 2 Double Stops [octave and sixth]

q = 50

Grade 3
a) Chromatic Phrase
The following exercise to be performed with separate bows, starting on the D string:

- 1

b) Double Stops [octave, sixth and third]

q = 60

Grade 4
a) Octaves
q = 84

b) D major phrase
q = 84

Grade 5
a) C major in double-stopped thirds

b) Bb major in double-stopped sixths

c) D major scale on one string

Strings Syllabus continued

Grade 6
a) D major in double-stopped thirds:

b) Eb major in double-stopped sixths

etc.

etc.

c) D major in double-stopped octaves

d) E major scale on one string

Grade 7
a) C major in thirds (one octave)

etc.

etc.

b) D major in thirds (one octave)

c) Bb major in sixths (one octave)

etc.

d) D major in octaves (one octave)

etc.

Grade 8
a) C major in thirds (two octaves) follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves
b) D major in thirds (two octaves) follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves
c) G major in sixths (two octaves)

etc.

d) G major in octaves (two octaves):

etc.

Strings Syllabus continued

Viola
Grade 1 Double Stops [open strings]

Grade 2 Double Stops [octave and sixth]

q = 5075

Grade 3
a) Chromatic Phrase The following exercise to be performed with separate bows, starting on the G string:

b) Double Stops [octave, sixth and third]:

q = 60

Grade 4
a) Octaves
q = 84

b) G major phrase
q = 84

Grade 5
a) F major in double-stopped thirds

b) Eb major in double-stopped sixths

c) G major scale on one string

Strings Syllabus continued

Viola
Grade 6
a) G major in double-stopped thirds

b) Ab major in double-stopped sixths

etc.

c) G major in double-stopped octaves

etc.

d) A major scale on one string

Grade 7
a) F major in thirds (one octave)

b) G major in thirds (one octave)

c) Eb major in sixths (one octave)

etc.

etc.

etc.

d) G major in octaves (one octave)

etc.

Grade 8
a) F major in thirds (two octaves), follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves.
b) G major in thirds (two octaves), follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves.
c) C major in sixths (two octaves), follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves.
d) C major in octaves (two octaves), follow Grade 7 example, but over two octaves.

Strings Syllabus continued

Cello
Grade 1 Double Stops [open strings]:
d = 92

Grade 2 Double Stops [fifths and sixths]

d = 75100

Grade 3
a) Chromatic Phrase the following exercise to be performed with separate bows:

b) Double Stops [fifths, sixths and octaves]:

Grade 4 Double Stops [octaves and sixths]. The following exercise to be performed in the pattern shown,
starting on the open G, D and C strings:

q = c. 100

Grade 5 Double stops [octaves, sixths and thirds] The following exercise to be performed in the pattern shown,
starting on the open G, D and C strings:

q = 112

Strings Syllabus continued

Cello
Grade 6 Double stops [in sixths in C major]

q = 100

Grade 7
a) C major in sixths (one octave, in the following pattern)
q = 120

etc.

etc.

b) Bb major in thirds (one octave)

q = 120

Cello Grade 8
a) Eb major in thirds (one octave)
q = 120

b) C major in sixths (one octave)

c) G major in octaves (one octave)

q = 120

etc.

etc.

etc.

Strings Syllabus continued

Double Bass
For InitialGrade 2 no technical exericises, only scales and arpeggios are required for option i).
Grade 3 Double Stops [fifths and sixths]
q = 72

Grade 4 Double Stops [fourths, fifths and sixths]

q = 84

Grade 5 Broken Thirds in C major

q = 92-108

Grade 6 Broken Thirds in G major, see Grade 5 example.

Grade 7
a) Broken Thirds in Bb major
q = 120

etc.

etc.

b) Running Thirds in Bb major

q. = 60

Grade 8
a) Broken Thirds: C major (one octave)

etc.

b) Broken Thirds: F major (two octaves)

etc.

c) Running Thirds: G major on the G string (one octave), see Grade 7 example.