13 Best Intermediate Violin Books: A Violin Teacher's Guide

As soon as you learn the basics of note reading, bow control, and left-hand muscle memory, a whole new world of violin books opens up to you. Whatever your style, whatever skill you’re wanting to learn, the realm for intermediate violin books is endless. Here are my top picks for the best intermediate violin books, from fiddle tunes to double stops!

Also check out my guide to the Best Beginner Violin Books, scale books, hymn books, and fiddle books!

Best Violin Technique Books for the Intermediate Player

These books focus on technique, including etudes, double stops, and higher positions.

1. I Used to Play the Violin

If you studied violin in school and haven’t picked it up in a few years, this a great book for you. There’s beginning and advanced scales, etudes, refreshers on major vs. minor, and great exercises for bow technique and more advanced bow strokes. There’s also a nice collection of songs that adults will find very appealing. 

2. Open String Bow Workouts

Many advancing violin students tend to focus on the left hand and forget the bow. But mastering the bow is crucial to violin technique. Start early with this easy-to-use bow workout featuring all open strings. Each page introduces you to a new technique to master with your bow. 

3. Superstudies for Violin

These short songs or etudes are easy to read for the advanced beginner, but they offer some advanced rhythms and bowings to get students ready for “real” etudes. My favorite part? All the harmonics! Who says you have to wait several years before playing something as fun as harmonics on the violin.

4. First Etude Album

A great collection of etudes that sound pretty! Each etude is half a page, very manageable for the advancing violinist. Each two pages focuses on one key signature so students can get a good understanding of finger patterns before moving on.

5. Finger Exercises for the Violin

If you really want to give your left hand a workout, this is a wonderful book. Build dexterity and finger flexibility with these great exercises. It’s a good pre-cursor to more advanced technique books. 

6. Third Position for the Violin

For students eager to get a taste of playing in a different position, this is a great introductory book with a good mix of exercises and songs. 

7. Introducing the Positions

If you want a more in-depth study on playing in higher positions, this book will deliver. There’s lots of exercises, mini-etudes, shifting studies, and note familiarization. The exercises focus on one key signature at a time so you can get familiar with the finger patterns. The first book covers third and fifth positions and the second volume covers second position, fourth position, and the higher positions.

8. Developing Double Stops

Playing two strings at once is not only extremely fun, it’s crucial for developing your left hand chops. Learning to keep your fingers down whether you are playing double stops or not, will help your playing and dexterity immensely. This book offers an easy introduction on how to play intervals on the violin. The first few pages are easy enough for an advanced beginner. This book will last you for years and take you through advanced triple and quadruple stops as well as double stops in higher positions.

Best Solo Pieces for the Intermediate Violinist

9. Suzuki Volume 2

Suzuki’s second volume offers several beautiful songs for developing tone, advanced bow strokes, and some third position.

10. Solo Pieces for the Intermediate Violinist

This book is a great alternative to Suzuki Volume 2. It includes a varied selection of classical pieces from Mozart to Handel to Vivaldi and more. Some songs are slow and beautiful, others are fast and exciting (like my favorite Espana Waltz). Once students complete this book, they are definitely ready for full-length concerti.

11. Mel bay’s Complete Irish Fiddler

For advancing fiddlers, this book will last you a while! It’s got lots of songs and information on Irish fiddling. The first song is The Irish Washerwoman to give you an idea of the starting level. It slowly introduces the various ornaments in fiddling by adding one more advanced element for almost every song. You’ll learn various bowing patterns, grace notes, mordents, short rolls, and more.

12. O. Rieding Concerto in B minor, Op. 35

This piece is the perfect introduction to playing concerti. There’s the typical three movements (fast, slow, fast), varied key signatures, sixteenth notes, and catchy melodies, all in first position.

13. Seitz Second Pupil’s Concerto in G, Op. 13

This concerto is a must for all advancing violinists. In fact, it was the first piece I ever performed in a recital. (My recital program is still tucked away inside the piano accompaniment). It’s all in first position but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. There’s fun cadenzas, double stops (real double stops!), grace notes, a luscious second movement, fast-paced sections, and grand finales.

I hope you enjoy my top picks for intermediate violin books. Also check out my guide to the Best Beginner Violin Books, scale books, hymn books, and fiddle books! Happy Practicing!