Aria’s Violin StudioAuckland · New Zealand
Music Tools · ABRSM

Scales on the Fingerboard

Learn your ABRSM scales and arpeggios one note at a time. Each note lights up on the music and on the violin fingerboard, with a coloured number for the finger you use. Step forward or back with the arrows, or press Play and choose your speed. When you know the fingers, switch to Practise and then Read, until you can play just from the music.

Tap any note on the music to jump to it.
Tempo
Fingering for this note
✎ Your own fingering is saved on this device.
0 open string I E · II A · III D · IV Gstrings 1234 fingers

On a computer: → next note · ← back · Space play / stop. No sound on iPhone or iPad? Turn off silent mode (the switch on the side) and turn the volume up. Tap any note on the fingerboard to hear it.

For teachers: type in the default fingering

Each note is written as note/length/string+finger. For example F#4/e/D2 is F♯4, a quaver, on the D string with the 2nd finger. Lengths: e quaver, q crotchet, q. dotted crotchet, h minim. Rests: r/q, r/h, r/q.. Use | for a bar line. Strings are G D A E and fingers are 0–4 (0 = open).

“Apply” saves the fingering on this device. To change the default for everyone, copy the code and paste it into the code: line for this scale in abrsm-scales-fingerboard.html.

How to practise: start in Learn, step through slowly with Next and say each finger number out loud. Press Play at the Slow tempo and play along. Then switch to Practise (no fingerboard) and finally Read (just the music, use Peek if you get stuck), and move up to the Exam tempo when it feels easy. The scales and arpeggios follow the ABRSM Violin Grades 1–8 syllabus (from 2012), in 1st position with higher-position fingerings where they help. Watch the videos on the ABRSM Scales page, or see every note on the Violin Fingerboard.
Guide · ABRSM Grades 1–8

ABRSM Grades 1–8 violin scales and arpeggios, note by note

The ABRSM Grade 1 violin scales are D major, A major and E natural minor over one octave, and G major over two octaves. The arpeggios use the same four keys. Everything is in 1st position, so the fingering is all about where the 2nd finger goes: high 2 for F♯ and C♯, low 2 for C natural. This tool shows each note on the treble staff and on the violin fingerboard at the same time, with a coloured number for each finger, so young players can see the music, the finger and the string together. Grade 2 adds C, F and B♭ major and G and D minor, where the 1st finger moves back for B♭ and E♭ and the minor scales come in natural, melodic and harmonic forms. Grade 3 brings the first shifts: two-octave D major and D minor go up to 3rd position, and you can switch between the two fingerings to compare them. Grade 4 adds dominant sevenths, more chromatic scales and 2nd and 4th position fingerings for C and E. Grade 5 goes up to three octaves in G and A, adds diminished sevenths, and shifts up to 5th, 6th and 7th position. Grades 6 to 8 add three-octave scales in more keys, semiquaver chromatic scales and fingerings up to the 11th position, reaching E7 in Grade 8.

Questions
Which scales are in ABRSM Grade 1 violin?

From the 2012 syllabus: D major, A major and E natural minor scales (one octave) and G major (two octaves), played separate bows and slurred with a long tonic, at crotchet = 52. Arpeggios are D major, A major, E minor (one octave) and G major (two octaves), separate bows, at quaver = 104. All of them are played in 1st position.

Which finger do I use for each note?

Pick a scale and press Next. The note lights up on the music and on the fingerboard, with a coloured number for the finger: 0 is an open string, then 1, 2, 3 and 4. Under the music, Roman numerals show the string: I = E string, II = A string, III = D string, IV = G string. Some notes can be played two ways. E5 can be the 4th finger on the A string or the open E string. Type a different string and finger under “Fingering for this note” to change it.

Which scales are in ABRSM Grade 2 violin?

From the 2012 syllabus, all in 1st position at crotchet = 58: C major and F major (one octave), G minor and D minor (one octave, natural, melodic or harmonic form at the candidate’s choice), and G major, A major and B♭ major (two octaves). Arpeggios in the same keys are played separate bows at quaver = 116.

Which scales are in ABRSM Grade 3 violin?

From the 2012 syllabus at crotchet = 63: A♭, E♭ and E major (one octave); B♭ major, D major, A minor and D minor (two octaves, minors melodic or harmonic at the candidate’s choice); and the chromatic scale starting on D. Arpeggios in the same keys are played separate bows and slurred at dotted crotchet = 40. D major and D minor go up to 3rd position: either start in 1st position and shift, or start with the 2nd finger on the G string and stay in 3rd position.

Which scales are in ABRSM Grade 8 violin?

From the 2012 syllabus: three-octave scales and arpeggios in A♭, C, D♭, E♭ and E major and G♯, C, C♯, E♭ and E minor, scales at crotchet = 120 and arpeggios at dotted crotchet = 50; dominant sevenths in D♭, F, A♭ and A and diminished sevenths on C, E♭, E and A♭ at crotchet = 76; and chromatic scales on C, E♭, E and A♭ in semiquavers at quaver = 120. The highest notes reach E7, up to the 11th position.

Which scales are in ABRSM Grade 7 violin?

From the 2012 syllabus: F and F♯ major and minor in two octaves, and A, B and D major and minor in three octaves (melodic and harmonic), at crotchet = 104; arpeggios in the same keys at dotted crotchet = 48; dominant sevenths in G, B♭, D and E and diminished sevenths on D, F, A and B at crotchet = 72; and chromatic scales on D, F, A and B in semiquavers. B and D go up to the 9th position, with a stretched 4th finger on the top note.

Which scales are in ABRSM Grade 6 violin?

From the 2012 syllabus: C, E♭ and F♯ major and minor in two octaves, and G and B♭ major and minor in three octaves (minors melodic and harmonic), at crotchet = 92; arpeggios in the same keys at dotted crotchet = 46; dominant sevenths in C, E♭ and F and diminished sevenths on G, B♭ and C at crotchet = 69; and chromatic scales on G, B♭ and C at dotted crotchet = 60. Each scale has the two printed fingerings, and most have a third set from Aria that shifts 1st → 3rd → 5th → 7th position and comes back the same way.

Which scales are in ABRSM Grade 5 violin?

From the 2012 syllabus: two-octave scales and arpeggios in D♭, E♭ and F major and B, C♯ and E minor, and three-octave scales and arpeggios in G and A major and G and A minor (minors melodic or harmonic); scales at crotchet = 80, arpeggios at dotted crotchet = 44 (three-octave arpeggios in 9/8); dominant sevenths in the keys of B♭, C and D and diminished sevenths starting on G and on D at crotchet = 66; and two-octave chromatic scales starting on G, A and B♭ at crotchet = 80. Most keys have the two printed fingerings, and E♭, F, G and A major and E, G and A minor have a third set from Aria: shift to 3rd position on the A string, then to 5th (and 7th) position on the E string, coming back down the same way.

Which scales are in ABRSM Grade 4 violin?

From the 2012 syllabus: two-octave scales at crotchet = 69 in A♭, B, C and E major and G, B and C minor (melodic or harmonic); arpeggios in the same keys at dotted crotchet = 42; dominant sevenths in the keys of C and D at crotchet = 63; and chromatic scales starting on A and on E at crotchet = 69. C major, C minor and E major have two printed fingerings — shifting from 1st position, or staying in 2nd (C) or 4th (E) position — and you can switch between them here.

How can my child learn to play scales just from the music?

Use the three steps at the top. Learn shows the fingerboard and the finger numbers. Practise hides the fingerboard but keeps the finger numbers on the music. Read shows only the music, with a Peek button for any note you’re not sure of. When a scale feels easy in Read at the Exam tempo, the fingering has been remembered.

How do I practise at the right speed?

Start with Slow and say the finger numbers out loud, then move up to the Exam tempo. The + and − buttons and the slider set any speed. A count-in bar of clicks helps you start together.

Does it work on a phone, and offline?

Yes. It works on iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets in portrait or landscape. After your first visit it also works without internet. On an iPhone, turn off silent mode to hear the notes.

Can I have violin lessons with Aria?

Aria’s Violin Studio offers one-to-one violin lessons in Pakuranga, East Auckland, from complete beginners to ABRSM diploma level, including ABRSM exam preparation.