First Finger Rock: Violin 1
By Brian Balmages
Level:.5
Item: 98-PC-DST6435_VN1
$7.00
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Description
This driving and exciting rock-inspired tune will shock directors when they realize it only uses open strings and first finger in all instruments! Written with only quarter notes throughout, this is an ideal piece to either introduce students to the bow or to new strings. Complete with a bridge and short coda section, the piece includes an optional (and simple) drum set part. Real music using only open strings and first finger! (1:20)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, First Finger Rock: Violin 1 comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Sample Audio
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Additional Details
Series:
FJH Beginning Strings
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DST6435_VN1
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages has established himself as a composer and conductor whose work touches orchestral, band, and chamber music with equal fluency. His compositions have reached audiences in premier venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Sydney Opera House, performed by ensembles ranging from professional orchestras to elementary school groups across the globe.
Balmages has earned significant recognition within music education, including the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association and first place in the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest. He holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association and has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from James Madison University's School of Visual and Performing Arts. His work has also been heard at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. As a guest conductor, he regularly leads all-state ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras worldwide, and currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education.
Why we love this
Balmages has engineered something genuinely clever here: a rock piece with real energy and structure that demands nothing beyond what absolute beginners can play. The constraint of open strings and first finger becomes the creative centerpiece rather than a limitation, and students will feel the satisfaction of performing an actual composition, not a simplified exercise. The optional drum set part makes this a genuine ensemble experience.
What to expect
A propulsive rock groove powered by simple, driving quarter notes that feels surprisingly modern and energetic despite its technical simplicity. The bridge and coda give the piece shape and forward momentum, making it feel like a real song rather than a drill.
Who it's for
This piece serves beginning string orchestra students who are either just picking up the bow or making their first ventures onto the fingerboard. Directors introducing strings to elementary or middle school ensembles will find it immediately accessible yet musically legitimate, offering students their first experience with form and groove.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish a steady pulse before students enter; rock grooves live and die by rhythmic consistency, and quarter notes throughout mean every student's timing is audible.
- Encourage confident bow movement and weight distribution so the quarter note rhythm lands with drive rather than drifting metronomically.
- Let the drum set part anchor the groove; even if it's simple, it transforms the piece from a string exercise into a band feel.
- Balance volume across sections so the melody voice stands clear without drowning out the harmonic layers underneath.
How to use it
Perfect as a short, engaging opener for a beginning strings concert or as a program bridge between more traditional repertoire and contemporary styles. The one-minute, twenty-second duration makes it ideal for festivals, assemblies, or as a confidence builder early in the school year when technique is still developing.
Skills your students will build
- Consistent quarter note rhythm with bow control
- Secure open string and first finger intonation across all string instruments
- Pulse and groove awareness in a rock context
- Playing as an integrated ensemble with dynamic listening
- Understanding basic song form (verse, bridge, coda)