Trills, Turns, Mordents, Slides, and Grace Notes (Common Violin Ornaments Explained)

If you’ve ever seen a sideways “S” in music or maybe some squigglies above a note, you’ve run into some violin ornaments or embellishments. Not to worry! These crazy looking symbols aren’t that hard to understand. I’ve identified the 5 most common violin ornaments you will see in classical violin music and fiddle music. Get ready to finally understand trills, turns, mordents, slides and grace notes in violin music!

Want to Download and Print This Ornaments for Violin Chart?

Just click here to print out this free chart!

How to Play a Trill on the Violin

Trills in violin music are notated with a “tr” over the note. To play a trill on the violin, simply hold down the main note that is printed and rapidly tap the next higher note. So if you have a trill over an F#, 2nd finger on the D string, you would rapidly tap the 3rd finger G while holding the F# down. This will make the trill sound like a bird trilling or a flutter. You can start slow and gradually speed up tapping the next higher note.

What is a Sideways S in Violin Music? A Turn!

You will often see some funny-looking sideways S’s in violin music. That’s a turn. How do you play a turn on the violin? It’s not as difficult as it seems.

If the turn is over an F, you would start on the note above the printed note, then play the actual printed noted, then go one step below the printed note, then back up to the printed note. Once you practice turns on the violin a few times, you will get the feel for what they sound like.

But sometimes the S is reversed, or sometimes the sideways S has a slash through it. That’s an inverted turn.

It goes the opposite direction of the normal turn. Start one note below the printed note, go up to the printed note, keep going one more note above the printed note, then back down to the printed note.

Remember, whether it’s a regular turn or an inverted turn, you always end on the printed note. What changes is what note you start on.

How Do I Play a Mordent in Violin Music?

First of all, what is a mordent!? Well it looks like a squiggle above a note. Like this.

See how it kinda of looks like an “m.” Use that to help you remember “mordent".” You can think of a mordent in violin music like a min-trill. To play a mordent on the violin, all you do is quickly play the next higher note once and then return to the original printed note.

You also have inverted mordents. That’s the squiggle with a line through it like this.

To play an inverted mordent, you’ll just start on the printed note, go down one note and then back up to the printed note. Simple as that!

How to Play a Slide in Fiddle Music?

Slides are very common in fiddle music. A slide is notated by an angled line leading up to a note. Like this.

To play a slide on the violin, just place the finger about a half step below where you would normally place the finger then slide up into the printed note. Think of it like you accidentally played an out of tune note and you’re quickly sliding into the correct note and that’s a slide!

How to Play Grace Notes on the Violin

The last type of violin ornament we’ll talk about is a grace note. Graces notes can be single or multiple. Grace notes are the little notes before or after a normal, printed note. They can be played on the beat or before the beat.

Different Types of Grace Notes: Acciacatura and Appoggiatura

If the grace note has a slash through it, it’s technically called an acciacatura. Acciacatura means “crushed.” The acciaccatura or slashed grace note is played before the beat.

If the grace note doesn’t have a slash, it’s an appoggiatura. Appoggiaturas are played on the beat and essentially steal time from the main printed note. Appoggiaturas often have a sense of leaning on the grace note and resolving to the main printed note.

Those are the 5 most common ornaments and embellishments you’ll see in violin and fiddle music!

Do you want more music theory for the violin?

Check out my course on music theory for the violin. It’s over 6 and a half hours of helpful information on music theory! Everything you ever needed to know!

Happy Practicing!

Easy Violin Harmonics Explained!

Harmonics on the violin often seem over-complicated and confusing, but harmonics on the violin are actually some of the easiest notes to play on the violin! Not only are they easy to play, they’re easy to recognize in music. After you go through this easy guide to violin harmonics I think you will find these special notes on the violin not only easy, but fun to play!

Here’s some common questions about violin harmonics that we’ll cover in this easy guide to harmonics. (Skip ahead if you like).

What are violin harmonics?

How to play violin harmonics?

What are the different types of harmonics?

What’s the difference between natural and artificial harmonics on the violin?

How are harmonics notated?

What are the most common harmonics on the violin?

How are artificial harmonics notated?

What’s the most confusing way to notate harmonics that I’ll probably never see in violin music? (I’m glad you asked. I’ve got an answer for you)

What Are Violin Harmonics?

The definition of a harmonic is: a wave whose frequency is multiple of the frequency of the same reference wave.

Got it? Okay, good. Moving on.

Just kidding. You don’t need to know anything about waves, overtones, nodes, frequencies, etc to understand violin harmonics.

What is my definition of a harmonic? A note that is played by lightly touching the finger to a particular place on the violin string, which produces a whistling sound.

When you are playing a harmonic, you are touching the string so lightly that you are actually allowing both parts of the string to vibrate (the parts of the string to the left and right of your finger). Think about it. When you put a finger down on the violin fingerboard normally, you’re allowing the string in between the finger and the bridge to vibrate, but the part of the string in between your finger and the nut of the violin doesn’t vibrate.

Allowing both sides of the string to vibrate is one of the things that gives a harmonic its characteristic whistling sound.

How to Play Harmonics on the Violin

Look at your string from the nut (the grooved part at the bottom of the peg box where the strings are touching) to the bridge. Do you see that distance between the nut and the bridge? On a full size violin that’s about 13 inches. You can either measure or just eyeball it, but lightly touch your finger to the string at the mid-point of the string. I do this with my fourth finger but you can do it with any finger. Move your finger around until the harmonic speaks.

Tada! You’ve found the most common harmonic on the violin. The harmonic will occur on the same place on every single string.

What you are playing is a natural harmonic on the violin. It occurs when you divide the string in half. That ration of 2:1 is the simplest ratio you can get, so the harmonic produced there is going to be really easy to play.

There are other natural harmonics on the violin. For instance, if you divide your string length into thirds, you’ll find there’s a natural harmonic right where your 3rd finger would go in first position. (Ever wonder why that finger is a “ring tone” on your violin that really rings when it’s in tune? Now you know).

There’s also a natural harmonic where the fourth finger goes in first position. Just try lightly touching the string and scoot your finger all the way up the fingerboard. You’ll hear lots of natural harmonics. The ones that sound clearly are more simpler ratios. The harmonics that don’t speak so easily are more complicated ratios like 7:1.

What Are the Different Types of Harmonics on the Violin

There’s only two types of harmonics on the violin: natural harmonics (what you just played) and artificial harmonics.

What's the Difference Between Natural and Artificial Harmonics?

Natural harmonics occur when you lightly place your finger on the string. On a full size violin the length of the string from the nut to the bridge is about 13 inches. So you’ll find natural harmonics at certain places, like 6.5 inches up from the nut (the exact middle of the string) Or 4.3 inches up from the nut (the string divided into thirds).

Well those same ratios exist even when playing on a different length of string.

Let’s say we put our first finger down firmly on the first finger in first position. Guess what?! You’ve changed the string length! You’re no longer dealing with a 13 inch string. You’re dealing with something more like a 12 inch string. That means those harmonics that occur when you divide the string in 2 or divide by 3 are going to occur at different places.

So if you keep your first finger down and lightly touch the 4th finger with your pinky, you’re essentially dividing that string into thirds. That’s an artificial harmonic!

An artificial harmonic occurs on the violin when you create an artificial “nut” by placing the first finger firmly down on the string and then placing another finger lightly on the same string to divide the string into thirds and play a harmonic.

How Are Harmonics Notated on the Violin?

There are four ways to notate natural harmonics on the violin. The first two are the most common, but you’ll occasionally see the second two.

The most common natural harmonics are usually notated with a 4 and a 0 or circle. You’ll find this notation for that common natural harmonic that occurs right in the middle of the string.

For the other natural harmonics, it’s common to see the note head in an open diamond shape. Sometimes you will also get a number like 3 and a 0 to indicate that note is a harmonic.

Sometimes you will see an open string below a diamond shaped note. The lower string is telling you what string to play this harmonic on. In the example below, you would lightly place your 3rd finger on the “G” note on the D string.

What Are the Most Common Harmonics on the Violin?

These are the most common natural harmonics on the violin. You can play them with third finger in first position, 4th finger in 1st position, or 4th finger in 4th position.

How Are Artificial Harmonics Notated?

Artificial harmonics often look like a double stop (two notes at once). But the bottom note will look like a normal note and the note on top will be diamond shaped. This is telling you to firmly place the bottom note wherever you would normally place it if it were just by itself. Now lightly place your pinky on whatever note the diamond shaped note is indicating (always on the same string).

Sometimes artificial harmonics look like this.

That’s really all you need to know to be able to identify harmonics in music. Sometimes you’ll see the word harm. to indicate the notes are harmonics. Sometimes you’ll see the word flag. which is short for flageolet, another word for harmonics. But that is somewhat rare.

What's the Most Confusing Way to Write Harmonics?

Wait, you mean you’re not confused? You’re disappointed because you thought harmonics would be sooo much more complicated? Alright, alright. Let me try and confuse you with this form of harmonic notation that you’ll rarely see in most violin music.

So what in the world is this trying to tell us? Are these artificial harmonics or natural harmonics? They’re natural harmonics trying to masquerade as some unnatural aberration.

Sorry natural harmonics, you’re just not that confusing.

Okay, stay with me here. The bottom note tells you what open string to play the harmonic on. The diamond shaped note tells you where to lightly place your finger. And the note in parentheses tells you what pitch is actually sounding.

The diamond note is the only important note in my opinion. The other two notes are completely unnecessary. The bottom note is not needed because where else would you play those diamond shaped notes? How about that first one? Do you want to try and play that G on the E string? Hmmm….probably not a good idea. Why don’t you just play it where you would always play that note! On the D string!

What about the second example? Where else are you going to play that low B? Well there’s only one string you can play that harmonic on, the G string, so your options are kind of limited.

How about those top notes in parentheses? Those are the pitches you are actually producing when you play that natural harmonic. The good news about natural harmonics is that if your finger is in the right place, the harmonic is in tune! No need to get out your tuner to see if that natural harmonic on the D string with 3rd finger is actually indicating that high D.

Composers have already done all the hard work to figure out what pitch they want to sound at that particular place in music. So the parenthetical notes are way more information than you need and often left out of most violin music.

I hope you enjoyed this easy guide to violin harmonics! If you would like more music theory, check out my course on Music Theory that covers pretty much every topic imaginable!

Happy Practicing!

~Lora

Easy Guide to Italian Words in Classical Violin Music

Open up any classical violin music and you might feel like you’ve been transported to Italy. That’s because the classical music tradition has strong roots in Italy and the language became the standard for musical notation. Even if you’re playing German masters Mozart or Beethoven, chances are the majority of musical words will be in Italian!

Now you don’t have to take Italian lessons to be able to understand what the composer is trying to tell you. It may seem like there are a lot of Italian words in classical music, but in this guide to Italian words in classical music, I’ll show you how you can divide these common Italian musical phrases into adfsdasdf categories. These categories are:

1.Italian Musical Words for Dynamics

2. Italian Musical Words for Tempos

3. Italian Musical Words for Changes in Tempos

4. The Most Important (And Common) Italian Musical Words You Need To Know (these are the ones you need to memorize!)

5.Italian Music Words for Musical Expression

I teach you all of these definitions and explain how apply them to the violin in my course on Music Theory. This is a massive course on everything you need to know (or everything you’ve ever wanted to know) about music theory, including a lot of topics I had way to much fun making this course! If you want to learn more about it, click here.

Alright, here’s your easy guide to Italian Words in Classical Violin Music!

Italian Musical Words for Dynamics

Dynamics in classical violin music tell us how loud or softly to play music. But there’s a lot more variation than just loud and soft. Remember these common terms: forte, piano, and mezzo. You can combine these three words to get lots of variation.

What does forte mean in music?

Forte simply means “loud.” For the violin that means using a lot of bow and a lot of bow weight to get a good strong tone. It’s indicated in music just with the letter “f” like this.

What does piano mean in classical music?

Well, piano is an instrument, but in classical music it also means to play something softly. In fact, the early versions of our modern day pianos were called “pianofortes” or “fortepianos” because they could play a range of dynamics, as opposed to the harpsichord which is a little more dynamically challenged. Piano is denoted by, you guessed it, a “p.”

Now we have mezzo, which means medium or moderate. So if you have mezzo piano or “mp” it means moderately quiet, so not quite as quiet as piano.

Adding “ISS” to musical words

Adding the letters ISS in the middle of an Italian musical word simply makes it “very” of whatever it is. So fortissimo means very loud! You can get crazy adding lots of ISS as you’ll see.

1. Dynamic Markings In Music Chart

Enjoy this guide to dynamic markings with this easy to use chart.

2. Italian Musical Words for Tempos

Now let’s move on to the next category of words in classical music. These are some common words you will see to indicate tempo in music. These tempo markings in music correspond to certain ranges on the metronome. So the next time you see “Larghetto” in your classical violin music, use this chart to help you determine what tempo range the composer is talking about.

3. Italian Musical Words for Changes in Tempo

Musical tempos don’t always stay the same for an entire piece of classical music. Sometimes things change! You’ll often see these common Italian words to indicate speeding up or slowing down.

4. The Most Important (And Most Common) Italian Musical Words You Need to Know

You don’t have to memorize all the other Italian musical words, but these you do! These common Italian phrases will be repeated over and over again in various combinations in classical violin music. Once you have these basic Italian musical phrases memorized, you’ll be able to decipher a great majority of classical music jargon.

These words can often be combined with each other. For instance, meno mosso means “less motion” or less fast. Or you can see these words combined with tempo words. For instance you might see Andante Con Moto at the beginning of a piece. This means andante (at a walking pace) but with motion. So I translate that as: a little faster than typical Andante. Ma Non Troppo is another common combination. It means: but not too fast. You’ll often see Allegro ma non troppo to indicate the composer wants the piece fast, but not too fast.

You’ll see how these Italian words add flavor and a very specific feel to classical music composition. It allows the composers to be very specific about what they are telling you.

5. Italian Terms for Musical Expression

The last category in our easy guide to Italian musical words is perhaps the most enjoyable. Terms for musical expression! This is not a complete list, but these are some common terms you will see in violin classical music to denote a specific expression, mood, or atmosphere.

Hopefully this easy guide to Italian musical terms will help you play your violin music with more style and color!

60 Easy Songs for Violin (With Real Sheet Music)

Here are 60 of my favorite easy songs for beginner violin. If you are just starting to learn violin, having lots of easy violin songs to play will help keep your motivation going! I’ve made a collection of 60 easy violin songs for beginners. There’s plenty of easy violin sheet music here to keep you busy for a while!

I’ve transposed all of these songs into easy to play key signatures for the violin and I’ve also included a first position note guide and a key signature reference guide for finger patterns in every key signature.

Enjoy the free sheet music for all of these violin songs! While I love creating these violin arrangements, they do take a considerable amount of time to notate, arrange, edit, test-play, and upload. If you want to download and print all of this music (and much more), 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 200 easy, intermediate, and advanced violin songs). Learn more about becoming part of my online studio here!

I’ve separated these easy violin songs for beginners into a few categories. To jump ahead, click below.

Violin Note Guide and Key Signature Reference

Brand New Beginner Violin Sheet Music

Traditional Violin Songs

Easy Fiddle Sheet Music and Irish Songs for Violin

Easy Classical Songs for Violin

Intermediate Traditional and Irish Songs for Violin

Easy Hymns for Violin

Easy Violin Christmas Songs

Violin Note Guide

These are all of the notes that you may need for the easy violin songs below. These are all of the notes in first position on the violin. You may find this helpful if you are teaching yourself violin. The finger numbers are above the notes.

This key signature reference guide may look confusing. It just tells you the finger pattern for every key signature. Those little arrows mean the fingers are half steps apart, or they’re touching on the violin fingerboard. Need more explanation? My Creative Scales Course covers all of these scales and finger patterns in detail.

Brand New Beginner Violin Sheet Music

Now on to the 60 easy violin songs for beginners! This first group of easy songs for violin can be played by brand new beginners. Use the first position violin note guide above to help you know where to put your fingers.

If you’re not quite ready for note reading yet, or maybe you just want some even easier songs for violin, check out my Easiest Violin Songs Ever (Violin Tab—No Note Reading).

1. Boil Them Cabbage Down

2. Can-Can

3. French Folk Song

4. Go Tell Aunt Rhodie

5. Hot Cross Buns

Need some more help learning how to play these songs for violin? I’ll show you everything you need to know in my Complete Beginner’s Violin Course. Click below to learn more!

6. Lightly Row

7. Mary Had a Little Lamb

8. Oh! Susanna

9. O Come, Little Children

10. Sweet Betsy From Pike

11. Buffalo Gals

Traditional Violin Songs

This collection of traditional easy violins songs includes lots of old time favorite fiddle tunes and traditional songs that everyone enjoys. Want to download these songs? Check out my Sheet Music Library in my online studio where you can download all of these songs plus dozens more!

Interested in more traditional violin songs? Check out my other collections below

3 Easy Fiddle Tunes

Stephen Foster Songs for Violin

12. Home on the Range

13. Maiden’s Prayer

14. Camptown Races

15. Yankee Doodle

16. Yellow Rose of Texas

17. Scarborough Fair

18. Redwing

19. Lorena

Easy Fiddle and Irish Songs Sheet Music

Everyone loves these classic easy fiddle tunes for violin. Sometimes I’ll start out with an easy version of the fiddle tune and then give you some embellishment options, like in Old Joe Clark below.

You may also be interested in:

Slow Easy Fiddle Tunes

Scottish Fiddle Tunes

Sheet Music Library

20. Old Joe Clark

21. Cripple Creek

22. Oh, The Britches Full of Stitches

23. Soldier’s Joy

24. John Ryan’s Polka

25. Midnight on the Water

Easy Classical Songs for Violin

If you would like to learn some easy classical songs for the violin, here’s of few of the easier classical songs for violin.

If you would like more wonderful options for easy classical songs, check out my collection of Classical Songs for Violin.

Easy Songs from Classical Music for Violin

Sheet Music Library

26. Merry Widow Waltz

27. All Through the Night

28. Brahms’ Lullaby

29. Donna Nobis Pacem

Intermediate Fiddle and Irish Songs Sheet Music

Now we’re going to get into some slightly more advanced traditional and Irish songs for violin. I consider many of these songs to still be appropriate for beginner level violinists, but you’ll find some have tricky rhythms, advanced note reading concepts, and other items that make these songs a little tricky.

30. Michael Row Your Boat Ashore

31. My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean

Want to play a super easy duet with me on the violin? I’ve got a duet included in my Complete Beginner’s Course for My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.

32. Santa Lucia

Want to play a super easy Santa Lucia duet on the violin? I’ve got one included in my Complete Beginner’s Course.

33. The Man on the Flying Trapeze

34. Volga Boatman

35. Wayfairing Stranger

36. What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor

37. Ash Grove

38. Danny Boy

38. Wild Mountain Thyme (Will You Go, Lassie)

39. Whiskey in the Jar

40. The Wild Rover

I’ve got a video tutorial on this fun Irish fiddle song in my studio!

41. Rosin the Bow

42. Black Velvet Band

43. Angeline the Baker

44. Old Folks at Home

45. Hard Times Come Again No More

46. Devil’s Dream

47. The Parting Glass

48. Swallowtail Jig

Swallowtail Jig is one of the most popular easy fiddle tunes ever! And for good reason. It’s a ton of fun to play on the violin, ahem, I mead fiddle. I’ve got a full tutorial on Swallowtail Jig as part of my membership, along with many other song tutorials. Check it out here.

49. Aura Lee

Enjoy my free video tutorial and scale warm-up on Aura Lee here.

Aura Lee Tutorial and Scale Warm-Up

Easy Hymns for Vioiln Sheet Music

You can also download my free book of violin hymns. Enjoy over 50 classic hymns transposed just for violin. And for those of you who are interested in learning third position, this hymn book also features additional verses in higher octaves, perfect for third position!

Get the free book, Favorite Hymns for the Violin here.

50. Be Thou My Vision

51. Come Thou Fount

52. Count Your Blessings

53. He Leadeth Me

54. Jesus Loves Me

55. How Firm a Foundation

56. Blest Be the Tie That Binds

57. Amazing Grace

Easy Christmas Songs for Violin Sheet Music

Below you’ll find just a taste of easy Christmas songs for violin. I’ve got lots of Christmas songs for violin in my online studio, Sheet Music Library as well.

58. Jolly Old St. Nicholas

59. Silent Night

60. Joy to the World

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end. Hopefully you’ll find something in these 60 Songs for Violin to keep you busy! Feel free to search through my collection of Free Sheet Music here.

By the way, you can print and download ALL of this music when you join my online membership. You’ll get access to all of my courses as well as my sheet music library with over 150 Songs for violin, ranging from easy to intermediate and advanced.

Want to learn more about how you can transform your playing with my online studio? Click below to learn more.

Meadowlark Violin Online Studio Membership

Happy Practicing!

~Lora

What is Third Position on the Violin (And Why is it Hard!?)

What is third position on the violin? What do we gain by learning a new position? Why do we learn third position after first position? What are the notes in third position? And most importantly, why is learning third position so hard?

These may be some of your questions as you’re getting ready to learn third position on the violin. I remember learning third position turned my world upside down and I’ve heard similar stories from other professional violinists. For a longtime I watched my own private students struggle with learning third position. Then I finally realized the problem wasn’t with third position, but with the way we teach it!

Traditionally, we teachers plop a third position book up on the music stand and watch our students slog joylessly through reading music in third position. The reason third position is so hard is because students have never been taught to understand and speak the language of the violin.

Let me explain. I took a couple Spanish courses in college. I learned to parrot back a couple phrases. To this day, I sing a little ditty I learned titled, “Me gusta la leche, me gusta cafe.” Now I can say a couple things in Spanish. At one point I might have even convinced a few non-Spanish speakers that I could speak the language. But did I actually known and understand Spanish? NO! All I could do was repeat phrases I had learned. That’s not knowing a language in my opinion. But unfortunately, we violin teachers teach violin in the same way.

We teach you to memorize little things. “Play a high 2nd finger on this string, but not on that string. Just remember when you see this key signature you have to do it that way. Don’t ask why. There’s not enough time to explain.”

So when you get to third position, no wonder it’s so confusing! You’ve never learned the basic rules of the language and when you throw in an advanced concept, your world falls apart.

My method of teaching third position is completely different. I teach you the language of the violin through ear training and music theory so third position makes sense. If you want the real third position experience, check out my course on Mastering Third Position Basics (you’ll get the entire course as part of my Online Membership).

For now, let’s talk through these questions about third position.

What is Third Position on the Violin?

Simply put, if you put your first finger where your second finger normally goes in first position, you’re in Second Position. Now go back to first position. If you put your first finger where your third finger goes, now you’re in third position. The first finger in third position on the G string is on the C note, on the D string first finger is G, A string first finger is D, E string first finger is A.

Every time you change to a higher position, you gain one new note that you didn’t have in the lower position. You also lose a note on the lower end as well.

When Should I Learn Third Position?

You should wait to learn third position until you are pretty comfortable in first position. Once you can play all of the notes in first position with pretty good intonation and muscle memory, you’re probably ready to start learning third position. However, I think it’s very important to experiment during your practicing. Experimenting means not knowing what the outcome will be, so you can’t beat yourself up if the outcome wasn’t what you expected. It’s very important to experiment with the violin during your playing. You’ll discover so much about your violin by just “playing around.” So if you want to experiment playing in third position even if you are fairly new to the violin, I say go for it.

How Do I Get Ready for Third Position?

Well, I’ve got 7 tips for making sure your set-up and violin hold is ready for third position. You can watch the video here.

What are the Notes in Third Position on the Violin?

Here are the notes in third position for each string. You’ll notice you gain a high C and D on the E string. These are notes you didn’t have in first position. But you also lost the low A and the low B on the G string.

Why Do We Learn Third Position Before Second Position?

Certain key signatures fit well with certain position. In first position, you probably learned D, A, or G major first. Trickier keys in first position are B Flat, F Major, E Major, etc. These are tricky because they involve “low 1s” or “high 3s,” notes that don’t fit in that normal finger pattern.

Every position has keys that fit will in that position. Third position tends to favor the same key signatures in first position, and therefore, favors keys that are very popular on the violin. Second position however, favors B flat, F major, etc. So when you’re learning your first higher position on the violin, it’s best to learn one that favors keys you are already very comfortable with.

Another reason we teach third position before second position is because third position can feel more comfortable and stabilizing since your palm will be touching the actual body of the violin (with most hand shapes). In second position, your hand just feels like it’s floating out there in outer space. There’s not a lot of physical cues to help you know where you are.

How Do I Play In Third Position?

To get up to third position on the violin, you need to start in first position. It’s very important to prep third position. Play 0-1-2-3 in first position on any string. Make sure your third finger is very in tune (hint: ring tones!)

Now replace your third finger with your first finger. Or move your hand so your first finger is playing the exact same note you were playing in first position. Ta-da! You’re in third position. Yep, it’s that easy. However, it does take a LOT of practicing and muscle memory and ear training to get that transition really smooth and seamless. Don’t worry, I cover these topics in depth in my Third Position Course.

Scales in Third Position

Before you learn scales in third position, it’s very important to learn the universal scale pattern for the violin. Once you learn this pattern, playing scales in third position will be so much easier. Watch the video below to learn about the universal scale pattern. I think you’ll be surprised how easy it can be to play in higher positions when you aren’t worrying about READING music.

If you are ready for more easy scales in third position, learn more here.

Ready to Master Third Position Basics?

Learning third position shouldn’t be a struggle. Let me show you how easy it can be! Click below to learn more.

Easy Scales in Third Position for the Violin

If you are starting to learn third position then it’s time to start practicing third position scales on the violin. You’ll notice certain key signatures make more sense in certain positions. For instance, with first position scales on the violin, the keys of G, D, and A major make a lot of sense. In second position, the keys of B and F major seem to fit well. With third position scales on the violin, C major, G major, and D major feel very comfortable.

This is one reason why we generally teach third position on the violin after first position. Since first position favors most of the same key signatures, it makes sense to learn third position next.

Now if you’re not familiar with scale theory, learning third position scales might be pretty tricky. Don’t worry, if you need to brush up on how scales work, watch the following video for a quick overview. By the way, every violinist should know the half step patterns in scales. It will make the violin instantly make more sense! I talk about this in depth in my Creative Scales Course for the Experimental Violinist (part of my online studio).

Many people find third position difficult to learn, and I think that’s because they don’t truly understand the language of the violin. And if you don’t understand how to “speak the language” then learning advanced concepts like third position will always be a challenge. My Online Violin Studio has several courses that will help you “speak the language” like a native speaker!

Courses That Will Help You Learn Third Position

• Creative Scales for the Experimental Violinist

• Master Third Position Basics for the Violin

Let’s start off with the easiest one octave scales in third position.

Easy One Octave Third Position Violin Scales

C Major Scale in Third Position on the Violin

First off, let’s learn the C major scale in third position. Now if you know the universal scale finger pattern that I talk about in my violin third position course, this makes so much more sense! Basically, the universal finger pattern involves two strings with the same finger pattern on both strings. There will be a whole step between the first and second fingers, a whole step between the second and third fingers, and a half step between the third and fourth fingers. You can play this universal finger pattern pretty much anywhere on the violin (just don’t start on the E string) and you’ll get a scale.

Okay, on your violin fingerboard, start on the G string and let’s build our way up to third position. Play open string, then 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fingers. You should be on a C. Now replace that 3rd finger and put a 1st finger where the 3rd finger was. Tada! You’re in third position!

(P.S. It’s VERY important when you are starting to learn third position to always prep your notes. Start in first position and build up, then replace the notes. I go over this a lot in my course to make it easy to hear and understand.)

Now that you are up in third position, play that universal scale pattern up to 4th finger and the next string, then come back down and you’ve got an easy C major scale in third position!

By the way, those little arrows mean half steps!

Easy G Major Violin Scale in Third Position

Next is a one octave G major scale in third position and the good news is that it’s just like the C major scale you just played, only it starts on the D string instead. So remember, prep your notes in first position, replace the third finger with the first finger and you’re ready to play the G major scale in third position.

Easy D Major Violin Scale in Third Position

Next up is the D major scale in third position and yep, you guessed it. It has the exact same finger pattern as the C and G scales. See what I mean about knowing that universal scale finger pattern? It really shows up all over the violin fingerboard. The fun thing with the D major scale in third position is that you will gain two notes that you didn’t have down in first position. Those two high notes are C sharp and D.

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Two Octave Violin Scales in Third Position

Two Octave C Major Scale in Third Position

Now that you’ve learned the first octave of the C major scale in third position, let’s learn the second octave! If you remember that your half step pairs in the key of C major are between B and C and in between E and F, then you’ll realize why you change finger patterns for the A and E strings. On the A and E strings, your 2nd and 3rd fingers will touch. Just go up to the third finger on the E string (the C) then go back down.

Two Octave D Major Scale in Third Position

You’ve already learned the higher octave of the D major third position scale, so now let’s learn the lower octave. The bottom octave is a little bit trickier. It starts on 2nd finger on the G string, so build up to 4th finger D in first position, then replace the 4th finger with the 2nd finger (test it against your open D to make sure it’s in tune). Now you’re ready to play the scale, but remember, D major has two sharps, C sharp and F sharp. That means those 4th finger on the G and D strings in third position are going to be sharp which means you are going to have to stretch for them!

Those scales are the easiest violin scales in third position. If you’re ready to learn more about third position, my Third Position course will show you all the tips and tricks to master third position that you NEVER learn in private lessons. Click here to learn more!

Happy Practicing!

5 Spooky Violin Songs for Halloween (Free Sheet Music)

Nothing quite says “spooky Halloween songs” like a lone, slightly out of tune violin. Classical music is full of some really skin-crawling pieces, but trying to find some that sound good on a solo violin is…well…not an easy walk in the graveyard. However, I’ve scoured the classical music repertoire for 5 spooky violin songs that are perfect for Halloween. I wish I could call these songs “easy” Halloween violin songs, but alas, all creepy songs are in minor keys. That’s just the way of life. And minor being slightly more torturous than major keys, these spooky songs can get tricky.

If you’re struggling with minor keys, check out my scales course here where I explain minor keys in detail!

Unfortunately, some of my favorite Halloween pieces from classical music couldn’t make it on to my list of Halloween violin songs. Simply because they were the devil to transcribe. But please listen to these wonderfully creepy pieces from the classical music world. No Halloween playlist is complete without them.

1. Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain: Classic creepy Halloween song that will make the older ones here harken back to Disney’s “Fantasia.”

2. Verdi’s Dies Irae. Wrath of God. Enough said.

3. Mozart’s Dies Irae. Mozart’s entire Requiem (his final composition) is worth a listening to, especially on a dark, stormy night.

4. Berlioz’s Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath from Symphonie Fantastique. One of my favorites. Complete with tolling church bells. Epic.

Okay, let’s start off with the easiest Halloween song for Violin!

While I love creating these violin arrangements, they do take a considerable amount of time to notate, arrange, edit, test-play, and upload. If you want to download and print all of this music (and much more), 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 200 easy, intermediate, and advanced violin songs). Learn more about becoming part of my online studio here!

1. Theme from Mahler Symphony No. 1 (Free Violin Sheet Music)

This theme is like a twisted, creepy version of Frere Jacques. During the real symphony, it’s played by a bass solo and it is EPIC in its sinister creepiness. Listen to the entire movement—it’s both ominous and beautiful!

I transposed this spooky violin song to E minor to be easier to play on the violin. Like Frere Jacques, it can be played as a round, so grab your fellow ghouls and have a grand time. Just have the second person always start two measures behind the first person.

2. In the Hall of the Mountain King Free Violin Sheet Music

Our next Halloween violin song is a classic creepy tune. We’re in E minor again so enjoy LOTS of D sharps! What is that weird little marking on the second to last measure, you say? That’s tremolo. It means play right at the tip of your bow and make your hand tremble like you’ve just seen a ghost. Voila! Tremolo!

3. Toccata and Fugue in D Minor Violin Music

Okay, let’s face it. Bach’s famous organ piece, Toccata and Fugue in D minor is not exactly what I would call an “easy” Halloween song for violin. Take one look at an organ’s gaping mouth of keys and pedals waiting to devour you and you’ll realize there is no possible way to easily transcribe an organ piece for violin. However, I have tried, my faithful followers. I have tried.

This is an abridged version, if that’s not obvious. We’re in D minor now….I can’t believe I just typed that. Of course we’re in D minor! You don’t need me to tell you that!

The good news about this spooky song is that it is free-flowing and rhapsodic. Think crazed maniac in a cape pounding on the organ at midnight and you’ll get the right vibe. So take your time and enjoy!

4. Montagues and Capulets Violin Sheet Music

This piece has to be one of my absolute favorites in classical music. It’s deliciously sinister. A single violin can’t really match the grandeur and power of this piece when played by a whole symphony. So please, listen to the real version and crank up the speakers.

I’ve transposed this into E minor for ease of playing on the violin. I also had to bump some of the notes down an octave to keep it in first position. However, if you’re ready for third position and a little more challenging music, I’ll give you the “expanded” edition of this piece as well.

5. Danse Macabre Easy Violin Sheet Music

No list of Halloween songs for violin would be complete without this wonderfully creepy violin piece by Saint-Saens. Unfortunately, I had to keep it in the key of G minor, so you’re going to have to deal with two flats.

Danse Macabre means “Dance of Death” and as you’re playing it you may feel like that’s exactly what you’re doing. Let me talk you through this madness.

I’ve divided the song into different sections. This piece is also rhapsodic, so pick and choose which ones you want to play. If some are harder than others, just leave them out.

The A section is a lot of open strings. If playing double stops is bothering you, just play the top notes.

The B section is definitely the hardest. Take your time. You’ll have lots of “low 1s” for the B flats and “high 3s” for the G sharps.

C section is easier and more like a demented little waltz. I love this part. Lots of accidentals, but nothing too paranormal.

The D part is the final section and it pretty much recaps the A section.

The good news about this Halloween song for violin is that, even if it’s slightly out of tune, that just adds to the spooky vibe. So enjoy those slightly out-of-tune notes!

How to Play Swallowtail Jig on the Violin (Free Sheet Music)

Swallowtail Jig is perhaps one of the most famous of all Irish fiddle music jigs. It’s peppy and dance-like but also has a distinctive minor quality, which I think adds to its allure. If you have been wanting to learn how to play Swallowtail Jig on the violin, this song of the month is for you!

During this lesson you’ll learn an E minor scale in 6/8 time to match Swallowtail Jig. Learn tips and tricks to make the E minor arpeggio a cinch.

(If scales are confusing you, check out my guided scales course here.)

Then we’ll talk through several practice items to make Swallowtail jig easy on the violin. I’ll also show you some ornaments, slides, and turns you can add in to make this jig sound great on the fiddle!

If you want to play Swallowtail Jig as a fiddle duet, scroll down for an easy duet part!

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Swallowtail Jig Free Fiddle Sheet Music With Warm-Up Scale

Here’s the free fiddle sheet music for Swallowtail Jig, along with the warm-up E minor scale and arpeggio.

Download the free Swallowtail Jig Sheet Music and Warm-Up Scale Here

Swallowtail Jig Fiddle Duet

Grab a friend or play-along with me! The fiddle duet for Swallowtail Jig is pretty easy so you can play-along with the main part even if you’re not quite ready to tackle all those notes in the real jig. Plus, playing Swallowtail Jig as a duet is tons of fun!

Download the free sheet music for Swallowtail Jig Violin Duet Part Here

Watch the Video Lesson and Play-Along tracks below!

Easy Stephen Foster Songs for Violin (Free Sheet Music)

Stephen Foster wrote over 200 songs in his short life. I’ve picked out 7 of my favorite Stephen Foster Songs for violin. You’ll find all 7 of these Stephen Foster songs are relatively easy for violin since I transposed the sheet music into easy key signatures for the fiddle. Scroll down for free Stephen Foster fiddle sheet music, but first…

Who Was Stephen Foster?

We’ve all heard of “Camptown Races” and “Oh Susanna” since we were children. You’ve probably become familiar with some of his beautiful tunes like “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair” or “Beautiful Dreamer.” Stephen Foster may be one of America’s most popular songwriters, but his short 37 years were filled with contradictions. He’s known as “the father of American Music” even though he never took any formal composition courses. Many of his songs feature Southern themes even though he only visited the South once. His compositions remain popular today and are played on nearly every instrument in both classical and country settings. You might argue he’s the most successful American songwriter, and yet, he had no formal training in music and taught himself to play the many instruments he knew.

I love those contradictions. I think they add to the beauty of these simple, yet timeless tunes.

Let’s jump right in and talk about my 7 favorite Stephen Foster songs for violin!

All of these songs are available for download on my Sheet Music Library as part of my online studio membership. Click here to learn more.

Camptown Races for Violin (Free Sheet Music)

Let’s start with the easiest Stephen Foster song for violin, Camptown Races.

Camptown Races is in the key of G major, which means you’ll have “low 2s” on the A and E strings. If you can do 4th fingers on the A string for those E’s, great. That will save you a string crossing. If not, using open E is fine too.

(If you’re confused about key signatures and low 2s and high 2s and all that confusing fingerboard “stuff,” check out my scales course! Trust me, it will all make sense!)

Join my membership to download the Violin Sheet Music for Camptown Races.

Oh! Susanna Free Violin Sheet Music

Next up on our list of easy Stephen Foster songs for violin, “Oh! Susanna.” I’ve always enjoyed this song since I’m from Alabama, although I’ve never played banjo. This song doesn’t have a lot of “gotchas.” It’s in the key of D major, the favorite key of every violinist. So sit back, and enjoy playing this easy Stephen Foster fiddle tune!

Old Folks At Home (Swanee River) Free Violin Sheet Music

“Old Folks at Home,” a.k.a “Swanee River” is another easy Stephen Foster song for violin. You’ll notice a lot of repletion which makes this an easy fiddle tune. Once you get that first line down, you’ve got most of the song learned. We’re in D major again so that mean’s “high 2s” on the D and A strings.

The only thing to note is that you should “swing the 8th notes.” I could have written this song with the 8th notes written as dotted 8th/16th notes, but that would have made it look more confusing. If you know this song, you’ll recognize that the 8th notes in that first measure aren’t all equal. You’ll need to swing them, which means making the first 8th note longer and the second 8th note shorter. Long-short-long-short. Sometimes hearing the rhythm in your head is so much easier than seeing all those dots and extra lines when it’s printed.

Enjoy this easy violin tune!

Angeline the Baker Violin Sheet Music

Angeline the Baker is a classic Stephen Foster tune for fiddle. It’s popular in bluegrass playing for good reason. Once you get this fiddle tune down, you can really let it fly. It’s in D major so after you’re through repeating it as many times as you like, just play a “D” at the end you’ll be set.

Beautiful Dreamer Free Violin Sheet Music

Now we’re getting down to my real favorites. I think Stephen Foster’s slow, lyrical songs sound absolutely breath-taking on the violin. Add a little vibrato and you can turn this simple song into something that can literally make you shed a tear.

(New to vibrato? Check out my vibrato course here!)

Let’s talk about the few “gotchas” in Beautiful Dreamer for violin. First off, look at that C# in measure 4. That’s probably the most awkward note in the song. It’s a “high 3rd finger” on the G string. Stretch for it, no I mean really stretch for it! It’s usually higher up there than you think. I wouldn’t worry about 4th fingers for those D’s that bookend the C#, just play open D. But use the open D to allow you the time to stretch for that C#.

We’re in C major which means low 2s all around. And those long tied notes? Yep, just asking for a little vibrato!

Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair (Free Violin Sheet Music)

Another one of my favorite Stephen Foster songs that sounds absolutely beautiful on the violin. This lyrical tune is smooth and flowing and perfect for vibrato practice.

Alright, let’s talk about Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair for violin. First off, I really struggled with what key to put this fiddle tune in. G major is the best fit for the left hand but I hate that first note is on an E. You have two options, neither of which are great. Start on an open E, but just don’t play it super loud or it will sound shrill. Or play it with a 4th finger on A. But take your time. Set up the 4th finger and test it by lightly plucking before you play with the bow.

Since we’re in G major, your finger pattern will be “High 2, High 2, Low 2, Low 2.” That’s my mantra for G major: high 2s on the G and D strings, low 2s on the A and E strings.

Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair is very free-flowing with a lot of ritards and fermatas (where you hold the note for however long you see fit—like the first note). Imagine yourself singing this song and you will instantly hear where you need to slow it down and speed it up again.

Other than that, sprinkle in some vibrato and enjoy!

Hard Times Come Again No More Free Violin Sheet Music

Lastly on our list of Stephen Foster fiddle tunes, my absolute favorite, “Hard Times Come Again No More.” I think this one always gets me because the lyrics are so poignant and memorable. Add to the lyrics the heart-wrenching, plaintive quality of the song and you have a timeless classic.

This song always makes me realize, no matter how bad I think I have it, I really don’t have it that bad. It takes me back through the years and makes me imagine all the heart ache of previous generations. It makes me incredibly grateful for the wonderful quality of life I enjoy.

I’m not a great harmonica player. In fact, I know two songs and this is one of them. But I love playing it on harmonica. It fits the instrument so well. (Side note: don’t ever try to play harmonica while flying on a long cross-country by yourself a couple thousand feet in the air. I’ve tried it. Not a good idea…)

Let’s get into “Hard Times Come Again No More.” Like the song says, this is a dirge. You can let the rhythm ebb and flow, no need to be super exact. Think of it like an a cappella singer and you’ll paint the right picture. I like to add a little ritard at the end of each phrase (before the rests) for a nice semi-ending before continuing on. We’re in good ole D major here so you can focus more on bow and tone quality for this slow, lovely tune.

I hope you enjoyed these lovely Stephen Fosters songs for the violin. Let me know what other songs you would like to see.

~Happy Practicing!

How to Play Shenandoah on the Violin (Free Sheet Music)

This month, learn how to play a beautiful American folk song on the fiddle, Shenandoah! Shenandoah is tricky since it’s slow and there’s some difficult tied notes. Watch the video for my tips on how to practice tied notes.

I’ve also included an easy violin duet part for Shenandoah so if you’re just starting out, or if you want to enjoy some nice harmony, try it out!

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Download the Shenandoah Violin Sheet Music and Warm-Up Scale Here

Download the Shenandoah Violin Duet Part Here

Watch the Video Lesson Here!

Happy Practicing!

How to Play Red Haired Boy (Jolly Beggar Man) on the Violin: Free Sheet Music

This month’s song is an old traditional Irish fiddle tune that is also a popular bluegrass favorite: Red Haired Boy, also known as the Jolly Beggar Man.

This tune has the typical swinging dotted 8th note rhythm of the hornpipe. In this rhythm, the eighth notes follow a pattern in which the first eighth note is slightly longer than the second eighth note.

Some violin players find the notation of dotted eighth notes and sixteenth notes quite overwhelming to read. Sometimes it is simpler to see the song in plain eighth notes and add your own “swing” to the eighth notes. I’ve included two version of the fiddle warm-up and song in this month’s song of the month so you can pick which one you like!

Click here to download The Red Haired Boy free violin sheet music!

Watch the video lesson and play-along tracks for Red Haired Boy below.

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How to Play Aura Lee on the Violin: (Free Sheet Music and Violin Lesson)

Aura Lee Violin Tutorial and Play-Along Track

I hope you enjoy this month’s song, Aura Lee, an old tune from the 1860’s.

Watch the video lesson below to learn the tips and tricks for playing this beautiful song.

Want to get the song of the month sent right to your inbox? Sign up for my newsletter below. (You’ll get some free goodies too!)

Download the free sheet music for Aura Lee here.

Watch the Video Lesson and Play-Along Track Here!

Scottish Fiddle Tunes Free Sheet Music

If you’re a violinist and fan of the Outlander series you’ve probably also fallen in love with the soundtrack, which features some great traditional Scottish fiddle tunes. As soon as I heard these songs, I had to grab my fiddle and give them a try. You’ll find there are some tricky sections and some difficult rhythms, but if you’re familiar with the soundtrack, you can let your ears guide you. Here’s the free sheet music for three of my favorite Outlander fiddle tunes.

Helpful Resources

• Best Fiddle Books

• Best Beginner Violin Books

• Scale books

• Hymn books

• Top 10 Violins For Beginner and Intermediate Players

While I love creating these violin arrangements, they do take a considerable amount of time to notate, arrange, edit, test-play, and upload. If you want to download and print all of this music (and much more), 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 200 easy, intermediate, and advanced violin songs). Learn more about becoming part of my online studio here!

Skye Boat Song Free Fiddle Sheet Music

Outlander’s theme song is undoubtedly one of it’s most beautiful and haunting themes. It also sounds great on the violin. The original song hails from the 19th century and the original lyrics deal with some events that actually take place in the series.

Skye Boat Song is in 6/8 time, so the eighth note gets the beat. I like slurring the first three notes of every measure for a nice smooth melody, but feel free to experiment without any slurs. Just make sure you use very small bows for those single eighth notes at the end of the measures, otherwise you’ll find you’re always getting trapped at the tip or frog. 

Here’s a beautiful recording by Katy Adelson that I love!

Join my membership to download the fiddle sheet music for Skye Boat Song here.

Clean Pease Strae Free Fiddle Music

This song is fast! But don’t let that keep you back. The notes and rhythms are relatively easy. Start off slowly at first and as you speed it up, remember to use less bow to keep it under control. I would aim for the middle of the bow which will make all those string crossings a lot easier. 

Remember your key signatures. You’re going to be jumping back and forth between a “low 2” on the E string and an alternating “high 2” and “low 2” with those C naturals and C sharps on the A string. I threw in some accidentals to make it easy to remember!

Join my membership to download the fiddle sheet music for Clean Pease Strae here.

Coming Through the Rye Free Fiddle Sheet Music

My personal favorite fiddle tune from Outlander is Coming Through the Rye. I love playing it slowly for the first verse and then speeding it up for the second. Notice at measure 17, it’s the exact same melody and notes as the first measure, just in faster notation. 

There’s also a lot of opportunity for ornaments in this gorgeous tune. Like I said, I like playing the beginning really, really slow. Enjoy making a beautiful tone and add in some vibrato if you can. I also like adding the open D string with the A string notes and the open A string with the E string notes.

For that little symbol on measure 15, add a little turn. Just go B, up to C# and back to B before going on to the A. You can add in these turns other places if you like. I also like including some slides into the important notes. 

When it gets going fast, just remember, small bows! 

Join my membership to download the fiddle sheet music for Coming Through the Rye here.

Happy Fiddling!

Advice For Violinists From Other Violinists

I asked violinists on a popular violin forum what advice they would give to beginner violinists. I was overwhelmed by the wisdom in each response. These comments are written by violinists of all ages and all levels. I’m not going to lie, it took my YEARS to learn some of these hard lessons and some of them I’m continually reminding myself about. Some advice is technical, some is more about mental approaches or practicing, but it’s all valuable. Taking this advice to heart early on will make a difference not only in your progress, but in how much you actually enjoy playing the violin. Here’s what other violinists said about advice for beginning violinists!

1. “Get your techniques right or you're going to have to spend double the time in the future unlearning and relearning bad habits.”

   Flat wrist, straight bow, curved pinky….yep, all that good stuff.

2. “Always start practicing slowly and then speed up to tempo once you feel the most comfortable with your piece.”

   You’ll notice a key word in some of these comments. It starts with “S” and is the opposite of FAST. Yeah, we’re all guilty of breaking this rule. I don’t have inordinate amounts of time to practice anymore. I fit it in when I can. The other day, I put something in the oven for dinner and grabbed my violin while it was cooking, thinking I would “run-through” some of the pieces I was working on. I tried to play the song as fast as I had a few days prior and you know what, it sounded awful. I had to slap myself on the forehead when I realized I had broken my solemn vow to play SLOWLY. And when I slowed it down, you know what…it sounded good.

3. “Practice makes permanent, not perfect.”

   Whatever you practice, whether it is correct or incorrect, it’s going to stick like super glue.

4. “Avoid vibrato at all costs to get perfect intonation.”

   Yes, vibrato is cool and it’s fun to do and it sounds awesome. Before you start trying to shake your hand to get that sound, focus on the notes being in tune. Vibrato is actually a subtle change in pitch. You’re dipping below the pitch and then coming back up to it. If you are out of tune to begin with, you are probably only making your intonation worse.

5. “I'm a beginner violinist. What keeps me going is knowing that I will learn at my own pace and not to worry about where I "should" be in my progression.”

   I had to remind myself this almost everyday while growing up. I still remind myself to focus on fixing what I can on a day to day basis instead of lamenting over the future or the past.

6. “Play SLOW!”

   I told you, you’ll see this advice a lot!

7. “Be loose and relaxed in the body, and PLAY CONFIDENTLY (even if you're wrong or it sounds bad)”

   I love this advice about playing confidently. It’s something that took me a long time to learn, but when I did it completely changed the way I play and perform. I’ve watched lots or student recitals and one thing always stood out to me. Most students walk up to the music stand like they are headed for public execution. Their performances often reflect that attitude of defeat. And then there were some students who strode up to the music stand like they’d done it a thousand times. Those students still made mistakes, but I guarantee you, no one in the room even noticed because the audience was put to ease by their confidence.

   I’m very introverted. But when I perform, I’ve learned to hold my head up high and smile no matter how fast my heart is pounding. Having confidence (even if it’s pretended confidence) helps your playing tremendously.

8. “As someone who studied psychology, I can say that you shouldn’t think about how good you’re going to be in the future or how bad you are today. Look at every piece and try to improve it. At the end of each day of practice, flip back through your books and realize how much you’ve already learned. That pile of learning will always get bigger and will make you feel better when you’re getting down on yourself.”

   This is so important to staying motivated. Form goals you can achieve and focus on what you can do today to sound better.

9. “You will get frustrated. This is normal. Write down what motivated you to learn the violin and keep it nearby to motivate you when you reach those points.

   Frustration hits you no matter how well you play. Learning to deal with it is part of learning the violin. Remember, if it were easy, everyone would do it!

10. “You’re only as good as how bad you know your scales are.”

    I had to laugh when I read this piece of advice. It’s so true . If your scales don't sound good, well, everything else will follow suit…

11. “Don't be afraid to take a break, step away, and then try something again after clearing your head or thinking through what may be causing the issue. Just practicing the same thing incorrectly over and over will not only build frustration but engrain bad habits.”

    Learning to practice correctly is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome when learning the violin—bigger than playing in tune or having a good tone. It will make or break your motivation!

12. “SLOW DOWN”

    Sound familiar?

13. “Posture, posture, posture! Good posture -> More flexibility -> Better techniques -> Better sound”

    Posture is often overlooked, especially when you are thinking so hard about playing in tune and making a decent sound with your bow. Having good posture plays an important role in how relaxed your muscles are, which leads to better playing. There is more that goes into good posture besides standing up straight. Make sure you have a comfortable shoulder rest and a good music stand.

14. “Metronome and Scales!!”

    The building blocks for great technique. My college professor once said that when he only has a few minutes a day to practice, he practices scales.

15. Remember not to always practice but also just to play the violin!! (My mum used to say to me when I didn't want to practice "then at least play something")

    This also made me laugh because I had the exact same experience. Growing up, I never had time to actually enjoy playing the violin. Who had time for THAT when you had pages of scales and etudes to learn, concerti to memorize, orchestra music to work on. My mother always asked why I didn’t play something fun every now and then just to loosen up. It took me almost 15 years to realize she was right. Now I include “fun songs” in my day to day practice—right after scales!

Happy Practicing!

5 Best Violin Concertos for Beginner and Intermediate Players (Free Sheet Music)

After you’ve been playing for a while and feel comfortable with first position scales and basic rhythms, you’re probably ready for a longer, more demanding piece. These student concertos for the violin offer the perfect balance of playability and musicality to challenge your technique. All of these concertos are in first position, but don’t be fooled. There’s plenty here to challenge you and take you to the next level of your playing!

Now there are lots of free student violin concertos in the public domain. I find that many of these really easy violin concertos don’t offer a lot musically. They sound like a collection of first position notes, not a real piece of music. The following beginner violin concertos are concertos I actually teach to all of my violin students. They offer beautiful melodies and sweeping harmonies while being approachable to beginner violinists.

Let’s get started!

1.Rieding Concerto in B Minor, Op. 35

Gorgeous, sweeping melodies invoke a dark and stormy night on the English countryside. At least that’s what I see! This student violin concerto is all in 1st position, but it features quite a few accidentals and quick 8th note passages. The second movement is in 6/8 time is lyrical and beautiful and the final 3rd movement is a flashy, rollicking bit of fun!

When to learn Rieding Concerto in B Minor?

I teach this concerto when students are in the middle or towards the end of Suzuki Book 2. You will want to be familiar with the common key signatures in 1st position and have a good grasp of bow technique.

Download the free PDF Sheet Music for Rieding Violin Concerto, Op. 35 Here!

2. Adolf Huber Student Violin Concerto No. 4, Op.8

This lovely concerto is all in first position, allowing you to work on musicality while working on first position. It offers a nice blend of flowing melodies and quick 16th notes passages. The ending features several double stop passages which sound difficult and flashy, but offer an easy introduction to playing two strings at once. This is a great student violin concerto that is approachable but still has plenty of technique to build your playing.

When to learn Huber’s Student Violin Concerto No. 4?

You’ll want to be fairly comfortable and fluent in first position. I teach this student concerto after Rieding B minor and somewhere around the end of Suzuki Book 2 .

Download the free PDF Sheet Music for Huber Student Violin Concerto, No.4 Here!

3. Leo Portnoff Concertino in E minor, Op. 13

For students who like the dark, luscious sound of Romantic era composers like Bruch and Rachmaninov, this student violin concerto hits pretty close to the mark, all while staying in first position! Some of my students dislike the typical “happy” sound of student violin concertos. I always direct those students to this concerto.

When to learn Portnoff Violin Concerto?

This concerto works well for students at the end of Suzuki Book 2.

Download the free PDF Sheet Music for Portnoff Violin Concerto in E minor Here!

4. Seitz Student Violin Concerto No. 2, Opus 13

This violin concerto is a beginner standard. It’s completely in first position but offers plenty to master, including a cadenza, more challenging double, triple, and quadruple stops, trills, and more. The second movement is absolutely gorgeous and is one of my favorite slow movements from the long list of student violin concertos. The second movement (Adagio) is actually a little more approachable than the first movement, so it’s a great place to start.

When to learn Seitz Student Concerto No. 2?

Part of this concerto is actually in Suzuki Book 4 (but it omits the beautiful 2nd movement, why?). However, I think this concerto is in many ways easier than some of the songs in Suzuki Book 3. If you want to master first position before dabbling with third position, this is a great concerto for you.

Download the free PDF Sheet Music for Seitz Student Violin Concerto, No.2 Here!

5. Hans Millies Violin Concertino in D major

This concertino is in the style of Mozart, making it one of my absolute favorite student violin concertos. I get so excited when I get to teach this piece because very few student violin concertos offer the real “Mozart” sound. But this one does! It’s all in first position. While it doesn’t seem as challenging as Seitz No. 2, this concerto is on another level in terms of musicality. It takes a more refined approach, light bow strokes, and an attention to small details. If you love the Classical style, you’ll love this concerto!

When to learn Millies Violin Concertino in D major?

While I normally wait to teach Millies after Seitz No. 2, and around the time students are playing Suzuki Book 3, you could learn this concerto earlier if you are a big fan of Mozart or if you want a concerto with a more “mature” sound.

Download the free PDF Sheet Music for Millies Violin Concerto in D major Here!

5 Items You Need to Play Violin

Are you ready to start playing violin and wondering, “What all do I need to start playing violin?” Here is my list of must-have accessories for playing violin.

For starters, you'll want a violin! Check out my post on buying a violin to help you pick out the right size or decide between renting and buying. There are many options for beginner violins. After hearing and tuning many beginner violins, I’ve narrowed down the choices and selected the most affordable violins that still have great sound and are easy to tune. Discover my top picks for beginner violins here.

1. Shoulder Rest.

This is essential to helping you hold the violin correct. I recommend the Everest shoulder rest for people with smaller necks or the Wolf Forte Secondo with normal to longer necks. Make sure your shoulder rest size matches the size of your violin. Check out my page on shoulder rests for more detailed information.

2. Music Stand

Using a music stand promotes good posture. If you're practicing with your music in your lap, in your case, or pinned to the wall, chances are you're doing some weird things with your posture that can lead to real tension issues. Portable stands are fine and nice to have, but a stand with a solid back makes it easier to write on your music. Plus, it’s more stable and solid than those flimsy, cheap wire stand. I recommend this stand which doubles as a foldable travel stand, but it’s got a solid sturdy back.

Hamilton Traveler Portable Music Stand

5. Rosin

If you purchased your violin as an outfit, rosin was probably included. However, student-grade rosin often has a grittier sound and produces more powder. For a few dollars more you can upgrade to a better sound. A cake of rosin can last a decade if properly taken care of, so it’s worth spending a few extra dollars. Dark rosin is more sticky and is better for dry climates. Light or amber rosin is better for violin but both colors work.

This Holstein Reserve Rosin is my absolute favorite. It’s a little pricey but so worth it.

4. Metronome/Tuner

You can use free apps for help tuning your violin. As you progress, you’ll realize a tuner and a metronome offer many tools to a violinist to make even faster progress. I suggest buying an actual metronome tuner combo. These metronome/tuners are usually louder than the apps and the metronomes also offers different pitches, called “drones” which can really help you play in tune!

Boss and Korg are good brands, like this Korg Metronome Tuner.

5. Method Books

Check out my page on best beginner books for adults and children alike!

6. Finger Decals (Optional)

You don’t have to put “stickers” or decals on your fingerboard to help you know where to put your fingers. You want to learn to rely on your ear and muscle memory more than anything. But if you want a little visual aid to help you know where to put your fingers, I recommend First Frets. Remember to buy the size that matches your violin size.

Happy Practicing!

Best Beginner Violin Books: A Violin Teacher's Ultimate Guide

As a violin teacher, I’m always on the lookout for the best violin books for beginners. In my studio, I have a filing cabinet packed full of violin method books. It might be a little bit of addiction, but I can’t help but always wonder if there’s a better way to teach something, a better violin method book for young children, a better book geared towards adult beginners. As a result, I’ve accumulated many beginner violin books. Whether you are looking for some note reading help, some easy jazz or fiddle songs for beginners, or just a “how-to” guide, here’s my list of the 10 best violin books for beginner players!

(Also check out my top picks for scale books, hymn books, and fiddle books!)

Best Beginner Violin Books for Kids

Learning the Violin, Book One

For a young child starting out, trying to bow, place left hand fingers correctly, and read music all at the same time can be very overwhelming. It’s also frustrating to just pluck open strings for weeks before ever learning a song. I love this book because it solves all those issues while making it fun for young beginners. There’s some helpful pages teaching children about the violin and how to take care of it, followed by some pages on the bow exercises. Before getting saturated with the bow, the book moves on to the left hand (playing pizzicato without the bow), and students have a few songs featuring each finger before moving on to real songs that actually sound good! Students learn how to play the violin without having to also learn to read music at the same time. Once students have a handle on the basics, the book introduces note reading. 

This book is also great for adults if you don’t want to be inundated with note reading while trying to learn violin basics.

Scaley Monsters

This is a great, fun, simple scale book for kids. Each scale and arpeggio is presented with a finger chart and a fun dinosaur rhythm to change things up. There’s also a song associated with each scale.

I Can Read Music

This is my favorite book for learning the violin notes, developing visual coordination with your left hand, and working on muscle memory. While the title might make this sound like it’s geared toward children, this is a great book for anyone looking for more practice note reading. Whether you are brand new to music, or maybe it’s just been a while, this book will quickly orient you with the notes on the violin. There are two pages per lesson, one on note reading and one on rhythm. I love that the book is split up this way since many other method books combine note reading and rhythms, making it difficult to focus on anything. The rhythm pages are great for working on your bow technique too! There’s also a Volume 2 for more advanced rhythms and notes.

Best Beginner Violin Books for Adults and Children

First Position Scale Studies

This scale book presents a varied approach to scales. Each scale features several pages with varying rhythms to keep things interesting!

Open String Bow Workouts for Violin

For violin students wanting a good bow warm-up, this is a perfect book. While nothing but open strings may sound boring, this book is anything but! Focus on big string crossings, varying bow speeds, planning out bow usage, and so much more.

Best Beginner Violin Method Books

A method book is a “how-to” book that often includes pictures showing students how to hold the bow and violin, where to put certain fingers, how to read music, etc. If you teaching yourself violin, I would recommend one of these method books.

Essential Elements for Violin

This is my go-to book for starting students out on the violin. I’ve gone through a lot of method books and I find that this book offers plenty for technique while still having fun, recognizable songs.

All for Strings

This method book is my pick for adult beginners. This is a great “no nonsense” beginner violin book. The first few pages teach many notes and songs without staff music, allowing students to develop the basics before worrying about note reading. The book contains many tunes you’ll recognize and enjoy playing. I also love the second All for Strings book and their companion theory books.

Best Beginner Violin Solo Books

I like students to always be working on solos in addition to method books and scale books. These are my favorite beginner violin books featuring longer songs.

Suzuki Violin School, Volume 1 and Volume 2

No other book that I know of has beginner level songs that are as pretty as Suzuki. You don’t have to learn via the Suzuki method to get a lot out of these books. Volume 1 starts out with some easy folk songs but soon gets into more of the traditional classical music. For those students wanting to focus on classical violin music, this is the beginning book for you. Definitely supplement with a note reading book as Suzuki starts off with notes all over the A string and E string. I like to take students through Volume 2. After the second book, I find students progress better by playing through entire concerti rather than continuing with Volume 3.

Mark O’Connor Violin Method Books

Mark O’Connor is perhaps the world’s most famous fiddler. His method books offer a wide variety of musical styles like traditional American fiddle, jazz , ragtime, and much more. The first book is easy for beginners and each book offers even more great songs and technique builders. This book is a must in my studio. All of my students love it!

Learn to Play Irish Fiddle

For those of you wanting a different approach to learning the violin, this is the book for you. Unlike many other fiddle books, this one starts right from the beginning with open strings and basic rhythms. There’s also some great information on how to play for self-learners. My favorite part about this book is that the songs actually sound awesome even though they start out only using one finger. Each new tune adds a new finger so you can start fiddling as soon as you learn how to put a left hand finger down! I would recommend supplementing this book with a note reading book since it focuses more on playing rather than note-reading and left hand muscle memory.

These are my favorite beginner violin books, but of course, I’m always excited to find more. Let me know what books you love! Happy Practicing!

Easy Songs from Classical Music for Violin (Free Sheet Music)

If you are learning to play the violin or teaching yourself to play violin, you probably love these classical favorites. You don’t have to be a master to play some of the best classical pieces for violin. I’ve transcribed some of my favorite themes from classical music so it’s easy to play for violin students. Enjoy playing along with these classics!

*Sign up for my free course, 3 Bad Habits That Are Killing Your Progress!

While I love creating these violin arrangements, they do take a considerable amount of time to notate, arrange, edit, test-play, and upload. If you want to download and print all of this music (and much more), 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 200 easy, intermediate, and advanced violin songs. Learn more here!

The Planets: Easy Jupiter Violin Sheet Music

From the Planets by Gustav Holst

This luscious theme is by far one of the most gorgeous, epic themes in all of classical music. It’s great for practicing long bows and bow control. 

Join my membership and download the sheet music for Jupiter here (plus get a tutorial on how to play this song along with play-along tracks).

Also Sprach Zarathustra Easy Violin Sheet Music

By Richard Strauss

This is the iconic theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Feel free to play along with any orchestra recording, it’s in the same key signature.

Download the violin sheet music for Also Sprach Zarathustra by joining my membership!

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Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, 4th Movement Easy Violin Sheet Music

By Antonin Dvorak

This symphony is a ton of fun to play. It starts off with the “Jaws” theme before it really gets going. Play along with any recording. It’s in the same key, however the whole symphony isn’t included in this transcription. The long rest of measures isn’t exact (it’s just for fun). But after the development of the symphony you can pick up again and play the ending.

Join my membership and download the violin sheet music for Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 here.

Sibelius Symphony No. 2 Easy Violin Sheet music

By Jean Sibelius

This is another slow, gorgeous theme. One of my favorites!

Join my membership to download the easy violin Sheet Music for Sibelius Symphony No. 2 here.

Vivaldi Spring from the Four Seasons Easy Violin Sheet Music

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is one of the most iconic classical pieces for the violin! Spring captures everything that is lovely about playing violin. Try your hand at an easy version for Vivaldi’s Spring I created in D major. If you are ready for the real key signature, give E major a try!

Join my membership to download the easy violin Sheet Music for Vivaldi Spring here.

Join my membership to download the real E major version that matches the actual piece here.

In the Hall of the Mountain King Easy Violin Music

Okay, this might not be “easy” but it is an easier violin version of Greig’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King.” Use Low 1s for all those sharp open strings. Play that second to last measure tremolo!

Join my membership to download In the Hall of the Mountain King Violin Sheet Music here.

Canon in D Easy Violin Sheet Music

Nothing needs to be said about this classic violin piece.

Join my membership to download Canon in D Easy Violin Sheet Music here.

Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir De Florence Movement 3 Sheet Music

This is an epic piece for the violin! Listen to it on Youtube and listen for the double cello solo. It’s one of my favorite moments in classical music.

Join my membership to download Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir De Florence violin sheet music here.

Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir De Florence Movement 4 Sheet Music

The 4th movement is a raging, rollicking tour de force from the first note. Hold on!

Join my membership to download Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir De Florence violin sheet music here.

Enjoy playing these beautiful themes from classical music! What other songs would you like to see? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Practicing!

Join my online studio membership and get access to all the sheet music plus all these great courses!

Violin Scale Duets: Play a Duet with Me (Free Sheet Music)

Scales in Harmony

Playing scales as a duet can do wonders for your intonation. I’ve recorded the major scales that a violinists uses with a teacher duet part in harmony. Play the normal scale along with these recordings and try to adjust your pitch to be in harmony with my notes. It’s lots of fun!

To follow along, you can download these free scales sheets for scales in harmony. You will play the notes on these pages. Play along with me using the videos below. Have fun!

Download the sheet music for Scales in Harmony: C major + Sharps

Download the sheet music for Scales in Harmony: Flats

How to Have Better Intonation on the Violin

Playing in tune can be one of the trickiest skills to master on the violin. Without frets or keys, knowing where to put your fingers is challenging. Violinists use muscle memory and their ears to know where to place their fingers, which means a good practice routine revolves around finger training and ear training. While it does require lots of practice, playing in tune does not have to be a struggle! Here are 8 tips to help you have better intonation and play in tune on the violin.

Note: Violin teachers like to throw around the word intonation. It means the accuracy of your pitch. Good intonation=accurate pitch. 

1.Don’t Use Finger Tapes 

This may seem backwards, but finger tapes actually hurt your intonation. You are using a visual indication for an auditory skill. Doesn’t make much sense, does it? It’s kind of like hiring a musician to do your taxes. In my Complete Beginner’s Course, I’ll show you exactly what you need to do to be able to play without finger tapes.

2. Use a Drone 

Most tuners also have a drone function which produce a constant pitch. As you play through your scales and songs you will be able to compare the pitches you are playing with the drone pitch. The more you use a drone, the more your fingers will adjust to play in tune with the drone automatically.

How do you know what pitch to use for the drone? Start off by using whatever key you are in as the drone pitch. If you are playing a song in the key of D, use a D drone. Some notes will be naturally dissonant with your drone, but even dissonances need to be in tune!

3. Compare to Open Strings

Your open strings are great tools to help with intonation. Your third finger in first position is always an octave higher than the open string below it. If you are playing third finger D on the A string, you can compare that note to your open D string and adjust your third finger until it is in tune with your open string.

If you are playing fourth finger in first position, the next open string will be your fourth finger note exactly. For example, if you are playing fourth finger E on the A string, your next open string is an E string. Adjust your fourth finger to match your open string.

4. Know How the Song Sounds

When you are starting out, playing in tune is easier if you know how the song or problem spot sounds. If you can’t hear the pitches before you play them, you won’t be able to adjust as quickly. 

Record your teacher playing the song. Or, play the song on the piano. The great thing about piano is that the intonation is not up to you! As long as the piano is in tune, you are in tune. You don’t have to be a virtuoso to play your song on the piano. A quick tutorial on the basics is all you need. If you don’t have a piano, there are many piano apps and free online programs.

Another way to hear your song with perfect intonation is to have your computer play it for you using music composition software like Musescore. After you learn the basics of the program, you can type your song then let the computer play it back. 

Try this exercise. Play your problem spot and stop after each note. Can you hear the next note you are about to play in your head? Can you sing it? If you can’t hear it, you won’t know if it’s in tune or not. Listening to the song as much as possible will make this exercise easy.

5. Sing it

Singing a song is the best way to teach your ears what the right intonation sounds like. Once your ears know what they are listening for, they can help your fingers adjust to the right pitch. Use a piano to check you are singing the right pitch. If you are self-conscious about how you sound, close the door, find a closet, or hum the song. Singing not only helps your intonation, it will also help with phrasing and dynamics. 

6. Use Light Finger Pressure

Your fingers are constantly adjusting to play a pitch in tune. No violinist is 100% in tune all of the time. The key to good intonation is hearing and adjusting very quickly to the correct pitch. If you have a death grip on your fingerboard, it will be hard to move your finger with lightening-quick accuracy. Try this exercise. Play your problem spot with your fingers barely touching the strings. It will sound awful. Don’t worry, it’s supposed to. Play the passage several times, gradually using more pressure. You’ll find that you don’t need that much pressure for the notes to sound properly. 

7. Play Slowly

Don’t play faster than your ears can hear. Even if a song is fast, play through it several times very slowly. You have to play slow enough for your ears to tell your fingers how to adjust! 

Learning to play slowly is one of the best things you can do to help your intonation. It will also help all aspects of your violin playing. Next time you pick up your violin, try playing every scale, etude, and song very slowly before you play at a normal tempo. If you are paying attention to your intonation while playing slowly, you will be pleased with the results!

8. Listen to Other Violinists

Listen to as many violinists as you can. It’s not only inspiring, it’s a fun way to teach your ears good intonation.

If you’re getting frustrated with intonation, don’t worry. It’s something we all struggle with. Take a deep breath, practice slowly, and enjoy the results. Happy Practicing!