Beginning Violin Foundations: First Skills and Songs for a Great Sound

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!