Beginning Violin Foundations: First Skills and Songs for a Great Sound
In this 6-week self-paced course, students will learn how to play their first songs on the violin and the secrets to sounding good from the very beginning!
Rebecca Portillo
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(47)
What's included
27 pre-recorded lessons
average 7 mins per video6 weeks
of teacher support3 hrs 17 mins
total video learning hours1 year access
to the contentHomework
1 hour per week. Students should practice the assigned exercises and music for 5-10 minutes per day, 4-6 days per week. Practice is most effective when it is spread out over the week.Class Experience
Beginner Level
Do you want to learn to play the violin, and get right to the good stuff - how to play a real song and get a good sound - right away? That's what this class is all about! This class is ideal for students who have no prior violin experience or who have a little experience and would like to learn how to play with a better sound. In this 6-week class, students will learn how to care for and tune their instrument, hold the violin comfortably, develop the bow hold and technique to produce a beautiful sound, understand how left hand fingering affects pitch and intonation, play both the theme and a variation of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", and compose their own simple song for violin. They will finish this class with a good foundation for future playing! This is a self-paced class, so there will be no live meetings for this class. I will demonstrate all of the skills that we will cover in this class on my own violin, in short, easy-to-follow steps. Each week's material is posted to the classroom, and you can view it anytime that week at your own convenience! The material will include several short videos every week, and some weeks will also include pictures that you can refer to and text to help you remember key points for the week. Students will be able to receive feedback by posting videos of themselves practicing each week's assigned music and exercises. Students will need to have their own violin and bow in their correct size (and in good working condition), rosin, a small soft cloth, and a shoulder rest or foam pad in place of a shoulder rest. Please see the learner supply list section below for more information on violin sizing. I recommend that an adult assists with the initial tuning of the student's violin. I believe that the beginning stages of learning to play the violin should always be filled with encouragement, and progress should always be celebrated! Every learner is unique, and it is always worth taking your time in the beginning stages of learning an instrument like the violin, because a good foundation pays off later on. My goal is to meet every student exactly where they are and help them get the best start they can on their instrument!
Learning Goals
Main parts and basic care of the violin and bowRest position with the violin
Syllabus
27 Lessons
over 6 WeeksLesson 1:
Parts of your violin
This lesson covers all the main parts of your violin, which parts are more delicate than others, and the functions of each part. 10 mins of video lessons
Lesson 2:
Violin accessories
This lesson covers the most common violin accessories, including those that are absolutely necessary, those that are often recommended, and some that often come with beginner violin outfits. Lesson 3:
Tuning your violin
This lesson will teach you how to tune your violin and how to avoid breaking a string when you are tuning. While this is a big task in the beginning, it is also essential to having all your songs sound right when you start playing! Lesson 4:
Violin playing hold
This lesson teaches the proper form for a secure violin hold that will set you up for success with your future playing. 15 mins of video lessons
Other Details
Supply List
Students will need to have their own violin and bow in their correct size (and in good working condition), rosin, a small soft cloth, and a shoulder rest or foam pad in place of a shoulder rest. Violins are made in fractional sizes so that children can play successfully. Common fractional sizes for students in the 8-11 year old range include 1/4 size, 1/2 size, and 3/4 size. A full-size (4/4) violin is usually too large for children in this age range. If you are not sure what size violin your child needs or how to select a good beginner instrument, please send me a message - I am happy to provide information about this! In the third week of class, learners will need a small sticker (flat, not raised, around 1/4 inch wide or less - little star stickers often work well for this) or finger tapes (which are long stickers) designed for violins. Adult assistance with tuning the instrument may be required, especially if the violin is brand new or has not been tuned in a long time. It is recommended to have an extra set of strings in case a string is broken while learning how to tune the instrument.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined September, 2021
5.0
47reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Music from California State University Northridge
I teach violin, viola, general music, and music theory - sometimes all at once!
I have been playing the violin for 30 years and teaching music for over 20 years. I learned how to play a variety of other instruments in college through my college studies, and I received my B.A. in music education in 2003. Right after that, I taught elementary school orchestras in Los Angeles for four years. Since then, I have been teaching violin and viola, mostly as private lessons but I love getting students together in groups, too!
I love music, of course, but I love teaching even more. If I wasn't teaching music, I would teach something else - anything else! - because there's no greater reward than watching those "aha" moments and making learning a joyful experience. However, I think teaching music is probably the most rewarding career that exists because there are so many benefits to studying music, and I get be a part of helping students grow in all those ways.
If I'm not teaching or practicing, there's a good chance I'm thinking about some chocolate or ice cream...or better yet, ice cream with chocolate in it! But I stay very busy between my husband, son, two crazy dogs, and one not-too-crazy cat, so there usually isn't much time left in my day to eat that chocolate ice cream!Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$10
weekly27 pre-recorded lessons
6 weeks of teacher support
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Completed by 63 learners
Ages: 8-12
