Scales: Different variety scales and Method of practice

   Let us compare 'playing with marbles' and a 'basketball game' to intonation of the violin. (next sentence ???)  A basket player who shoots well from the circle is considered a player with good merits. On the violin it is also important to retain tactile memory of the distance between two fingers and between two positions. The priority of an accurate shot in a basketball game and an accurate left hand is without precedent in the technique of playing a game or the violin. However the tedious problem behind trying to attempt this is the daily repetitive effort needed to master both these skills. In order to strengthen and train the physical and mental memory one needs to be prepared to invest a lot of time and effort, as well as develop patience and stamina. Of course other skills and knowledge will come and the student will find that with time he/she has mastered the necessary know-how. For example, once one has mastered 'up-bow staccato' or 'trill', one does not need to practice them on a daily basis. Great performers such as Heifetz had a strict regimental plan to practice scales everyday throughout his life and this may be the secret behind his legendary career. Therefore, one can infer that 'tactile memory = scales', but one may ask, "is there not an short cut to this road?" Everyone must look for the most direct route to mastering the instrument but if one cannot find the most direct route, one must investigate after what is the nearest road. Reflecting on my personal experience, the fastest or shortest road to a memory that might come even near that of Heifetz's is through practicing scales.
 In that case let us look at the different variety of scales. There is an enormous array of different kinds of scales. By simply grouping them, the list may look like this: chromatics, single stops, thirds, perfect fourths, perfect fifths, sixths, sevenths, octaves etc. These can be used as intervals within a single stop scale or can be applied to double, triple or quadruple stops. Intervals extending above an octave, such as nineth or tenths, can be compared to a long shot in a basketball game, and demand agility and flexibility. More complex arrangements of the above mentioned scales can be combinations of single/ multiple stops to harmonics but once the students has mastered focusing a good center for intonation, learning to play the complex arrange is not so difficult. Arpeggios and scales in thirds are often practiced in triplet rhythm in order to improve fluency of movement and to regulate the fingers.
   For young beginners it is essential that they train the fingers to be rhythmic: this is as important as intonation training at this stage of learning. I think that regular practice of scales in triplet with the aid of a metronome would be of great help. There are many theories about how exact intonation should be acquired but in my opinion there is no shortcut except for continuous vigil and care. As Heifetz once said, "there is not one violinist in the world who has perfect intonation". All we can hope for is to always aim and practice for better intonation. Left hand training is the most finicky.