10 Easy Violin Songs for Beginners (With Sheet Music)
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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!
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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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
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