5 Irish Fiddle Tunes to Play for St. Patrick's Day (With Sheet Music)

Grab your violin and get ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s day with these 5 Irish songs that sound great on the fiddle!

If you want more Irish Fiddling fun, check out my course, Learn to Play Irish Fiddle in my online studio.

In addition to these great Irish tunes, I’ve got several other tutorials on some fun fiddle classics, like Swallowtail Jig and Red-Haired Boy.

Let’s start our list of great Irish fiddle tunes to play on St. Patrick’s day with a little Whiskey in the Jar!

Whiskey in the Jar: Irish Fiddle Sheet Music

A classic Irish tune, Whiskey in the Jar is perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Need some help with adding in bowings?

2. Black Velvet Band: Irish Fiddle Sheet Music

I love this classic Irish song, Black Velvet Band. A little less rollicking than Whiskey in the Jar, but still a great Irish tune that sounds good on the fiddle. Black Velvet Band is in 6/8 time so remember the 8th note gets the beat!

3. Rosin the Bow: Irish Fiddle Sheet Music

While not one of the most famous of Irish songs, Rosin the Bow is one of my personal favorites when it comes to Irish music that sounds great on the fiddle. Need help rosing your bow? Find that and more beginner violin lessons here.

4. Irish Washerwoman: St. Patrick’s Day Fiddle Music

What St. Patrick’s day celebration would be complete without this class Irish fiddling tune?

If you need help learning to play this classic Irish tune, I’ve got a complete tutorial on how to play Irish Washerwoman (with scale warm-ups). Find the tutorial here.

5. Danny Boy: Irish Tunes for Violin

It might night be as lively as Irish Washerwoman, but Danny Boy is such a classic Irish tune that I had to include it in a list of great St. Patrick’s Day fiddle tunes. It’s a great song to end your celebration on, and hey, you can always jazz it up!

If you want to download any of these Irish songs, sign up for my online studio where you’ll get access to 800+ violin lessons and access to a downloadable sheet music library with over 200 songs and books just for violin and fiddle). See you over there!

Enjoy fiddling this St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy Practicing!

How to Play “Silent Night”: Violin Tutorial and Free Sheet Music

“Silent Night” sounds absolutely beautiful on the violin. But it can be deceptively tricky to get that “Silent Night” sound. In this tutorial I’ll show you how to avoid certain areas of the bow to get that smooth sound you want. We’ll also talk about finger patterns, stretching for those difficult fourth fingers, and how to use your bow to make the beginning and ending notes magical!

Let’s get started learning “Silent Night” on the violin! First download your free sheet music below and then watch the tutorial for all of my tips and tricks. Then play-along with me!

Download and Print Your Free Silent Night Violin Sheet Music Here

Click here to download the free sheet music for Silent Night.

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Now watch the tutorial here and let’s learn “Silent Night” together on the violin!

3 Famous Tangos for Violin (With Sheet Music)

Tangos and violins just go together. There’s something fun and exciting about adding some Spanish flair to your playing. When it comes to tango music for violin, there’s three famous pieces that come to mind. Our first two tangos are from Bizet’s Carmen and the last tango is one that should be on everyone’s “must learn” list. Okay, let’s tango!

Toreador Sheet Music for Violin

Let’s start off with the Toreador Song, a famous tune from Carmen. This tango is in F major which means we have one flat, B flat. So think low first fingers on the A and E string.

(Need some help with F major finger patterns? Click here)

If you’re learning second position on the violin, the Toreador Song actually fits very well in your hand in second position, since there’s not as many string crossings.

Notice how all of our violin tangos feature two distinct sections. There’s always a sharp, accented style alternating with a smoother, more legato section. Some tangos start with the accented part, some start with the legato part. See if you pick out the various styles in each violin tango!

Habanera Sheet Music for Violin

Our next tango from Carmen gets even saucier! We’re once again in F major but Habanera has lots of accidentals. In the first two measures, you’re moving chromatically which means every note is a half step apart.

Triplets play an important role in this song. Here’s a little music theory: when you see a group of three 8th notes with a “3” above or below the notes, those are triplets. A triplet is simply a quarter note divided into three equal parts.

The last line does go up to third position, but if you’re not comfortable with third position not he violin, I’ve also added an optional ending that stays in first position.

Por una Cabeza Sheet Music for Violin

Last in our list of 3 famous violin tangos is perhaps the most famous of all, Por tuna Cabeza! This classic tango was featured in the tango scene from Scent of a Woman. This is one tango that you won't be able to stop playing!

For this tango, we’re in good ole G major, but don’t get too lazy, there’s lots of accidentals. This violin tango features more half step chromaticism, more challenging third position as well as a fun harmonic and a double stop at the end.

This violin tango has it all! Enjoy Por tuna Cabeza for the violin!

I hope you enjoy these violin tangos! While I love writing out these songs, like all of the sheet music I produce on my website, they take a considerable amount of time to notation, arrange, edit, test-play, and upload. If you would like to download any of these violin tangos as PDFS, you can (and much more) when you sign up to my online studio. Try it out here!

Easy Patriotic Songs for Violin Sheet Music

Are you looking for easy patriotic violin songs? Maybe some violin songs for July 4th? Look no further. I’ve collected the most popular patriotic songs and arranged them for the violin so they are easy to play. Scroll down for some easy patriotic songs on the violin!

If you want to download and print all of this music, as well as more patriotic songs for violin, you can with my Online Studio Membership, where you’ll get access to all of my courses and my Sheet Music Library (a collection of over 150 easy, intermediate, and advanced violin songs). Learn more about becoming part of my online studio here!

1. Marines Hymns Violin Sheet Music

2. Anchors Aweigh Violin Sheet Music

Go Navy! Enjoy playing the Navy song on the violin, Anchors Aweigh!

3. The Wild Blue Yonder Violin Sheet Music

Okay, this might not be the easiest easy patriotic violin song, but I did the best I could to make it “easier.” You know how it goes, so enjoy playing the Air Force Song on the Violin!

4. The Army Goes Rolling Along

5. America the Beautiful Violin Sheet Music

6. My Country Tis of Thee Violin Sheet Music

7. Star-Spangled Banner Easy Violin Sheet Music

I don’t know if the Star Spangled Banner is every easy, but I made it as easy as I could for violin by transposing into the key of G major. Have fun playing the Star-Spangled Banner on the violin this 4th of July!

10 Easy Violin Songs for Beginners (With Sheet Music)

If you are ready to start playing violin, you will need some easy violin songs for beginners with sheet music!

I’ve complied 10 of my favorite easy violin songs for brand new beginners. These are songs that I teach all of my violin students. You’ll also find that all of these easy to play songs come with easy violin sheet music PDFS! You can view all fo the sheet music here. If you want to download and print my complete book, “Easy Songs for Violin,” you can get it for free! Just sign up for my newsletter below and I’ll send you the free easy violin sheet music PDF as well as some other freebies!

Sign up for my newsletter to get your free easy songs for violin printable sheet music.

What are the Notes and Finger Numbers for Every Note in First Position on the Violin?

First let’s start off with a picture of all the notes, their names, and their finger numbers for every string on the violin. This will help you when it comes to learning easy beginner violin songs.

The Standard Finger Pattern For Violin

Almost all of these easy violin songs will have what I call the standard finger pattern for violin. The standard finger pattern is the first finger pattern you learn, in which there’s a whole step in between 1st and 2nd finger and a half step in between 2nd and 3rd finger. That means 2nd and 3rd fingers will touch. We’ll change it up a little bit towards the end!

Okay, let’s start talking about the best violin songs for beginners! We’ll start off with some easy to recognize songs that are perfect if you are just starting to learn violin.

1. Hot Cross Buns

I know every method book and teacher starts off Hot Cross Buns. There’s a reason! This song is super easy to play on the violin since it only uses two fingers. You can literally start playing it in less than a few minutes, even if you know nothing about the violin!

It will start on 2nd finger. Make sure you “prepare” your fingers by building up to 2nd finger. I’ll show you how. You can play Hot Cross Buns on any string, the finger numbers and pattern will be the exact same.

I suggest playing these with pizzicato (plucking the strings) if you are a brand new beginner. That way you can focus on the left hand. This is a great violin plucking song if you are just starting out.

Download this easy violin song PDF ebook here.

2. Mary Had a Little Lamb

This is another really easy violin song for beginners because it also only uses 2 fingers. You can play the entire song with just your 1st finger, 2nd finger and an open string. Try playing this easy violin song on any string, the finger patterns will be the same. Keep playing pizzicato if you are a violin beginner. This is another great violin plucking song for brand new violinists.

Download this easy violin song PDF ebook here.

3. Boil Them Cabbage Down

Now to a really fun and easy song that sounds great on the violin! Boil Them Cabbage is a wonderful easy violin folk song that is super easy to play, but has a lot of room for adding in fun things like double stops and tags (extra notes at the end). This is one of those easy violin songs that sounds impressive as you get it faster and faster. Let’s start with the sheet music!

In this song, you’re going to start using your third finger. Remember, the third finger will go right next to 2nd finger. Again, you can play this super easy fiddle song on any string, it’s the same finger pattern. I also suggest starting off playing this pizzicato so it is another violin plucking song!

Download this easy violin song PDF ebook here.

4. Go Tell Aunt Rhodie

This is another popular song to play on the violin. This great easy violin folk song is the first song in which we start playing on two different strings. If you need help with string crossings, watch this.

Download this easy violin song PDF ebook here.

5. Lightly Row

As you start playing this easy to learn violin song, I want you to try and start leaving fingers down if you can. Think about those first two measures. There’s no reason to lift off your 2nd finger in between measure one and two. Just leave the 2 down and put the 3 right next to it. As you leave fingers down, you might start to have trouble with your left hand fingers hitting other strings. Watch this video to solve those problems!

If you want a complete tutorial on this song, it’s included in my Suzuki Violin Book One Tutorials.

Download this easy violin song PDF ebook here.

6. Frere Jacques

In this fun little violin folk tune, you’ll start using eighth notes more. Eighth notes are twice as fast as quarter notes. Learn more about music theory here.

Download this easy violin song PDF ebook here.

7. Ode to Joy

Ode to Joy is one of the best easy to learn violin songs for beginners. This is when you really start getting into classical style pieces. You can start using longer bows and more weight to get a good tone. When you get comfortable using lots of bow with a good tone, this is one of those easy violin songs that sounds impressive.

I suggest using 4th finger when you can. Don’t wait to introduce this finger. Using 4th finger will help you get a straight wrist. Here’s some tips on getting that pesky pinky in tune.

Download this easy violin song PDF ebook here.

8. Can-Can

This has to be one of the funnest easy violin songs to play. Once you learn it, try getting it faster and faster and faster. It will sound really impressive and you won’t stop playing your violin!

If you want a complete tutorial on this song, this is one of the many song tutorials in my Complete Beginner’s Violin Course.

Download this easy violin song PDF ebook here.

9. French Folk Song

This sweet little violin folk song is so much fun to play on the violin, and it’s very easy to learn. This song is in 3/4 time. It might be one of the first times you’ve seen this time signature in beginner violin sheet music. It’s just three beats in a measure instead of 2 or 4, but you’ll notice songs with this time signature have a lilting, dance-like quality to them. Enjoy one of my favorite easy violin folk songs!

Download this easy violin song PDF ebook here.

10. Buffalo Gals

Next in our list of 10 best easy violin songs for beginners is one of my favorites, Buffalo Gals. This easy violin folk song has one tricky little rhythm, but if you know how it goes, it will be fun and easy to play. I love this song because it’s an easy violin song that sounds impressive.

That one tricky measure is in measure 10, where the single eighth note comes first. Just play that single eighth note very quick using a small amount of bow.

Download this easy violin song PDF ebook here.

I hope you enjoyed my top 10 best easy violin songs for beginners! When you’re ready, check out these other great violin resources for beginners

• Learn Violin (or Refresh the Basics) in One Hour with a Free Course

• 60 Songs for the Violin