Have you been considering learning how to play the violin? Or maybe you have a little one who has been showing interest in learning? On the other hand, you may teach beginners how to play the violin. Regardless, you will want a book that makes the process of learning the violin easy and effective. Let’s take a deep-dive into the 6 Best Violin Books.
1. KIDS VIOLIN SOLOS -50 easy songs
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- 48 pages
- Paperback
- includes 50 easy-to-learn songs
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- No play-along CD
- May be too easy for anyone who already knows how to play a musical instrument
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2. Best Beginning Violin Book for Kids
In addition, this book comes with a piano accompaniment book, online videos, and play-along tracks. Since the book is designed for children, it contains limited material on every page, child-centered illustrations, and extra-large notation.
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- 78 pages
- Paperback
- Play-along music and video lessons
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- Aimed at children only
- Could use more images for the kids to enjoy
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3. Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus
With 80 pages, you will learn Wayne’s one-of-a-kind, easy-to-use tab system, and standard notation. Additionally, there is a total of 37 songs written out and available on the CD. You will learn to play songs such as Amazing Grace, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Cluck Old Hen, Cripple Creek, East Virginia, Groundhog, Joy to the World, House of the Rising Sun, Old Joe Clark, Old Molly Hare, Wildwood Flower, and more.
Previous readers praise Erbsen for his clever method for reading music even stating that if you know how to read music, this book is a great way to get a refresher. However, the book is designed for beginners. An experienced violinist will not benefit from it and should consider more advanced options.
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- 80 pages
- Spiral-bound or available on kindleunlimited
- Play-along CD included
- Learn a unique method to read music
- Author has been a fiddler for over 50 years
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- The kindleunlimited version of the book is hard to use
- Written for beginner’s only
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4. Violin for Beginners: Comprehensive Beginner’s Guide to Learn the Art of Playing Orchestra Violin
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- 162 pages
- Paperback or available on kindleunlimited
- Learn more than just how to play the violin
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- No play-along CD
- Some users complained about the kindleunlimited version being difficult to us
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5. Early Start on the Violin
Kurt’s book will teach you or your child dotted rhythms, sixteenth notes, and double steps. Overall, users are very happy with this purchase; however, it is important to note that this books is aimed more towards children meaning adults may not benefit the same.
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- Paperback
- Written by well-known author, Kurt Sassmannshaus
- Teaches some more advanced techniques than other beginner books
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- Number of pages unknown
- No play-along CD included
- Aimed more towards kids
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6. A Tune a Day
Similar to the book we just discussed above, Harfurth’s book is highly praised and recommended as one of the best starter books for new violinist due to how it teaches proper playing techniques and music theory. This book may be better for older children or adults due to the request to practice daily. However, even if you only use the book a couple days a week, you will still great improvements in your violin playing abilities.
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- 48 pages total
- Paperback
- Great for group classes
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- No play-along CD
- May be too hard for young children
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Tips for Beginner Violinist
When it comes to learning a new instrument, especially a beautiful string instrument like the violin, you are going to need more than a book to become a master violinist. To help you or your child get off on the right foot and maximize your time spent practicing, we have put together some tips for beginners:
- Set up a practice schedule: If you are not taking classes with a music instructor, you need to create a practice schedule for yourself. Add it to your planner or calendar at the times that work best for you and hold yourself accountable to show up on those days. Also, try to practice at the same time every day so that you are less likely to make excuses and skip the session.
- Use effective practice methods: It does not do yourself any good to practice the same mistakes over and over. This is where a music teacher can come in handy because they give you their expertise on correcting the mistake. You can also use an app to track your practice sessions and progress.
- Tune your violin at beginning of every practice session: Violins are handcrafted from wood meaning they are sensitive to factors such as temperature and humidity. When exposed to such elements, the wood and strings can impact the tuning. Be sure to purchase an electronic tuner when getting all of the necessary accessories.
- Take breaks when practicing: You will become a better musician overall by allowing yourself time to stop and relax or stretch during practice sessions. This will help prevent any serious injury from occuring.
- Loosen your bow if you are not using it: Releasing the tension of the bow will remarkably extend the lifespan of the bow. To loosen your bow, you typically have to undo the screw located on the back.
- Replace strings and rosin once a year: The typical rule of thumb is to replace your violin strings and rosin once a year. If you play a lot, you may need to replace them more frequently. The rosin is especially important because if there is no rosin, there will be no sound.
- Be patient: It is impossible to become a master violinist overnight. If you really want to succeed as a musician, you need to take it slow and get a really good understanding of the basics before attempting any advanced techniques. Trying to learn everything at once will only have negative effects.
- Always warm-up: Anytime you pick up your violin for the first time that day, you need to warm-up your instrument. Just like you would before a workout, you need to stretch your muscles and fingers. As a beginner, you should always perform some finger exercises before practicing to prevent injuries.
- Be aware of your posture: Proper posture is very important when playing the violin. Bad posture can make it difficult to hold the violin properly and retain correct finger placement which only makes learning a new instrument even more difficult.
- Record yourself: If you do not practice with a music teacher try recording your practice sessions. This is a great way to make sure you are keeping great posture and hear how it sounds to others. You can use the video as another learning tool to improve quickly and efficiently.
- Play with a friend: If you have a friend or family member who also plays the violin, ask to play together sometime. You can learn from each other while also having some fun. Learning how to play with accompaniment is always beneficial for any beginner.
- Use a metronome: Utilizing a metronome while practicing will help you keep the beat while playing and teach you how to play at different tempos.
- Never stop learning new sounds: As a musician, it is very important that you never stop learning. This is always something more you can learn, regardless of the instrument you play.
For more tips and tricks, check out this video to learn the things one veteran violinist wishes she would have known when she started. If you are an adult beginner, check out this video for the best tips for new adult violinist.
Beginner Violinist Commonly Ask
Trust us when we say you are not the only one who may be struggling to learn the violin. To ease your worries, here a couple of the most frequently asked questions from beginners just like you.
Is my child too young to learn how to play?
Children can start learning the violin as early as 3 years old. Violins are made in a variety of sizes. Finding the right size for your child will require you to take some simple measurements. If the violin is too big, they may have a harder time learning.
Why do I need to use rosin on the bow?
The rosin is what creates the resistance on the bow. That resistance is what creates the sound from the strings. You should rosin your bow every time you play; however, it is important to be aware of how much rosin is on the bow. If there is too much or too little rosin on the strings, then it may not have the right pitch or turn into a sticky mess all over the violin.
How do I clean my violin and bow?
First, you should wipe your violin every time you are done playing. You can simply use a duster for this, just be sure to use a separate cloth to remove the excess rosin from the bow. Once you have cleaned the violin and bow, you may loosen the bow and store both in your storage case.
Summary
Whoa, that was a lot of information to take in. Remember, at the end of the day, the most important thing is picking the book that you feel will work best for you or your child. If you are purchasing for a young child, we would recommend sticking to number 1 (Kids Violin Solos) or number 2 (Best Beginning Violin Book for Kids) from the list.
For those who would prefer to learn solo instead of with the use of a teacher, we recommend purchasing a book with a play-along cd, such as Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus (number 3 on the list).
If you are a music teacher looking for new teaching material, checkout number 5 from Sassmannshaus or number 6 with original content from Herfurth. Your teaching style will most likely be the determining factor.
Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
