The chart
G string
- G (open)
- A — 1st finger
- B — 2nd finger
- C — 3rd finger
- D — 4th finger
D string
- D (open)
- E — 1st finger
- F♯ — 2nd finger
- G — 3rd finger
- A — 4th finger
A string
- A (open)
- B — 1st finger
- C♯ — 2nd finger
- D — 3rd finger
- E — 4th finger
E string
- E (open)
- F♯ — 1st finger
- G♯ — 2nd finger
- A — 3rd finger
- B — 4th finger
High and low second finger
This is the part every chart glosses over. Your second finger has two homes:
- High 2 — placed right next to the third finger, a half step below it. This gives you F♯ on the D string and C♯ on the A string, the notes you need in D and A major.
- Low 2 — placed right next to the first finger. This gives F natural on the D string and C natural on the A string, used in keys like C and F major.
The pattern to memorise: in first position, fingers 1 and 2 are a whole step apart with high 2, and touching with low 2. Fingers 2 and 3 are always a half step apart when 2 is high.
Half steps you can feel
Where two fingers touch, you have a half step. In the standard D-major pattern the touching pair is 2–3. Train the feeling, not the eye: play the pattern with your eyes closed and check the pitch with the free tuner.
Should you use finger tapes?
Tapes help for the first few months, especially for children. Use them properly:
- Have a teacher or a tuner place them — a millimetre off teaches out-of-tune playing.
- Start with one tape (first finger), add second and third as you need them.
- Remove them within 6–12 months so you learn to hear, not look.
Fourth finger vs open string
4th finger on the D string plays the same A as the open A string. Use the open string for a ringing, resonant sound; use 4th finger when you need to stay on one string, play a slur smoothly, or add vibrato. Practising both makes your hand stronger.
Practise it in 5 minutes
- D major scale one octave: D–1–2–3 on D, then A–1–2–3 on A.
- Play each note twice, checking pitch on the tuner.
- Now play it without the tuner and only check the last note of each bar.
- Repeat on the G and E strings using the same finger pattern.
FAQ
Is the finger chart the same for all violin sizes?
The note pattern is identical; the physical distances shrink on smaller violins. See violin sizes by age for choosing the right one.
What comes after first position?
Third position is usually next — the hand slides up so the first finger takes the note the third finger played. Most students meet it in their second year.
Next
Use the chart on real repertoire: Ode to Joy and Twinkle Twinkle both stay entirely in first position.