What is the Open String Cycle?
The Open String Cycle is G D A E E A D G on the violin. It is each string of the instrument , over and back, with the top string repeated. Exercises are applied to this String Cycle format even when fingers are used. For example, a given finger pattern could be played on each string in succession. In this case, however, the top string is not generally repeated. Consequently any one-string exercise, or song, could be played seven times in a row changing the setting each time it is played.
