Book 1 is alternatively titled "Etudes Speciales. Opus 36 is a set of three books called "Etudes mélodiques et progressives" totaling 75 exercises.
Descriptions are available for these etudes:
1. Exercise in crescendo and decrescendo
2. The sweeping bow stroke
3. & 4: The Firm bow stroke; from the middle to the tip of the bow without leaving the strings
5 & 6: Detached or sustained tones, vigorously from middle to the point.
7. Singing tones
8. Division of the Bow in the Cantilena style. (lullaby-like).
11. Cross the strings without lifting the bow.
12. The first tone of each group should be played with vigorous martellato.
13. Preparatory exercise for trilling.
14. The Trill
15. The Mordent
16 & 17: Various Bowings
19. Finger-exercise
20. Shifting
21. Flexibility of the wrist.
22. Same exercise as No. 21, in triplets.
23. Short staccato strokes, and octaves
24. The Mordent
25. At the nut (frog) of the bow, lifting it for each note
27. Singing tones and double-stops
28. Ease and lightness of bowing
30. Pizzicato with the left hand.