Scales for Strings, Book II: Viola Book

Applebaum's approach treats scales as musical material, not mere drudgery. This viola book sits perfectly between method instruction and ensemble repertoire, giving your students the technical reinforcement they need while maintaining their interest in the music itself.

Systematic yet musical. Each scale progresses with clear purpose, building confidence without overwhelming. The viola's warm, mellow voice shines through straightforward exercises that feel like actual playing, not punishment.

Viola students in the middle grades of a string program who have completed Book I and are ready to expand their technical range. It works equally well as supplementary material for violists in a developing string orchestra or as a resource for private studio teachers reinforcing method book instruction.

• Work through scales in short bursts during warm-up rather than tackling the entire book in one session; consistency matters more than quantity.
• Isolate tricky key signatures by pairing scales across pages, returning to them throughout the week until fluency develops.
• Coordinate with your violins, cellos, and basses if they're using the corresponding Scales for Strings books; synchronized scale work strengthens intonation across the section.

Integrate this as your daily technical foundation during string class. Use it alongside your core method book to reinforce fingering patterns, shift work, and intonation in multiple keys. When your string orchestra reaches intermediate level, coordinate scale assignments across parts to prepare students for section-specific challenges in repertoire.

• Major and minor scales in multiple keys
• Secure shift work across position changes
• Intonation control in varied tonalities
• Bow distribution and control across extended passages
• Reading and responding to key signature changes