Violin Finger Chart (First Position)
A violin finger chart shows which string and finger play each note. The four strings are G3, D4, A4 and E5. In first position the 1st finger plays a tone above the open string, and the 2nd and 3rd fingers sit high or low depending on the key. First position covers 29 notes, from open G (G3) to B5.
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses UK music words (bar, crotchet, quaver, stave); the US version uses measure, quarter note, eighth note and staff. · US version of this page
Updated · By the Classfern Music Department
Key facts
- Open strings, lowest to highest: G3, D4, A4, E5, tuned a perfect fifth apart. A4 is usually tuned to 440 Hz.
- Fingers are numbered 1 (index) to 4 (little finger). The thumb is not numbered.
- 1st finger: a tone above the open string. Low 1: only a semitone above it.
- 2nd finger: low 2 sits next to the 1st finger; high 2 sits next to the 3rd finger.
- 3rd finger: a perfect fourth above the open string (G on the D string, D on the A string).
- 4th finger: a perfect fifth above the open string – the same note as the next open string.
- First position on a full-size violin covers 29 notes, G3 to B5. Every string uses the same patterns.
Try it: the violin finger chart with sound
Tap any note to hear it and see its string and finger. Choose a scale to mark its notes with a star, then play them on your violin. Self-assessed Can you play each starred note in tune, matching the sound?
| String | Open | low 1 | 1 | low 2 | high 2 | 3 | high 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G string | ||||||||
| D string | ||||||||
| A string | ||||||||
| E string |
Sounds are made in your browser. This tool never uses the microphone, and nothing is recorded or sent.
What are the finger positions on a violin?
In first position the left hand sits near the scroll, and each finger has a home spot on every string: 1st finger a tone above the open string, then the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers above it. The 2nd finger moves between a low and a high spot, depending on the key.
Other positions move the whole hand up the fingerboard: in third position the 1st finger plays where the 3rd finger was. Beginners stay in first position for the first year or so, because it covers almost two and a half octaves – everything from open G to B5.
Your fingers stay curved and land on their tips, just behind where a fret would be. Keep the 1st finger down while you put the 2nd and 3rd fingers down: it helps you judge the gaps.
How do you read a violin finger chart?
Find the note in the chart and read across: the row tells you the string, the column tells you the finger. 0 means the open string. “Low” and “high” tell you whether the finger sits a semitone nearer the scroll or nearer the bridge.
| Note | String | Finger |
|---|---|---|
| G3 | G | open string |
| G♯3/A♭3 | G | low 1st finger |
| A3 | G | 1st finger |
| A♯3/B♭3 | G | low 2nd finger |
| B3 | G | high 2nd finger |
| C4 | G | 3rd finger |
| C♯4/D♭4 | G | high 3rd finger |
| D4 | D | open string |
| D♯4/E♭4 | D | low 1st finger |
| E4 | D | 1st finger |
| F4 | D | low 2nd finger |
| F♯4/G♭4 | D | high 2nd finger |
| G4 | D | 3rd finger |
| G♯4/A♭4 | D | high 3rd finger |
| A4 | A | open string |
| A♯4/B♭4 | A | low 1st finger |
| B4 | A | 1st finger |
| C5 | A | low 2nd finger |
| C♯5/D♭5 | A | high 2nd finger |
| D5 | A | 3rd finger |
| D♯5/E♭5 | A | high 3rd finger |
| E5 | E | open string |
| F5 | E | low 1st finger |
| F♯5/G♭5 | E | 1st finger |
| G5 | E | low 2nd finger |
| G♯5/A♭5 | E | high 2nd finger |
| A5 | E | 3rd finger |
| A♯5/B♭5 | E | high 3rd finger |
| B5 | E | 4th finger |
The 4th finger on the G, D and A strings plays the same note as the next open string. The chart shows the open string, except for B5, which needs the 4th finger on the E string. Violinists use the 4th finger instead of an open string to avoid a string crossing or to match the tone.
What is low 2 and high 2 on the violin?
Low 2 is the 2nd finger placed right next to the 1st finger, a semitone above it. High 2 is the 2nd finger placed right next to the 3rd finger. On the A string, low 2 is C and high 2 is C♯.
The key decides which one you use. D major and A major have F♯ and C♯, so the 2nd finger is high on the D and A strings. G major and C major have C natural, so the 2nd finger is low on the A string.
What are the four violin finger patterns?
Violin finger patterns are named by where the semitone falls between the fingers. The two most common are high 2 (2nd and 3rd fingers together) and low 2 (1st and 2nd fingers together). The others are high 3 and low 1.
| Pattern | Fingers that touch | A-string notes (0 1 2 3) | Used in |
|---|---|---|---|
| High 2 | 2 and 3 | A B C♯ D | D major, A major (D and A strings) |
| Low 2 | 1 and 2 | A B C D | G major, C major, A minor |
| High 3 | 3 and 4 | A B C♯ D♯ (E) | E major, high 3 on the A string |
| Low 1 | 1 and the nut | A B♭ C D | F major, B♭ major, D minor |
Where do finger tapes go on a violin?
Finger tapes mark where the fingers land in first position. Most teachers place three: the 1st finger, the high 2nd finger and the 3rd finger. A violin teacher places them with a tuner, because the spacing depends on the violin size.
Thin tapes across the fingerboard are a guide for your eyes while your ear learns. Check each tape by ear: the 3rd finger on the A string (D5) should ring with the open D string an octave lower, and the 3rd finger on the D string (G4) with the open G string. Most players take the tapes off once they can play scales in tune without looking.
How to practise with the chart
- Choose D major above. Play the starred notes on the D string: 0, 1, high 2, 3.
- Play the same pattern on the A string. It is the same shape, so it should feel the same.
- Choose G major and notice the 2nd finger moves low on the A string (C natural).
- Play each note, then tap it in the chart to compare. Move your finger until the two sound the same.
Self-assessed Tick off each string when every note matches the sound.
Classfern’s free violin tools on lessonplanner.info run in your browser: the violin play-along shows this fingering for every note of a tune, and the violin scales page plays each scale for you. The viola uses the same finger patterns a fifth lower – see the viola fingering chart.
Quick quiz: the violin finger chart
Six questions on strings, fingers and patterns. Marked by Classfern Your score stays in this browser.
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