Course Overview

Pick up your bow and confidently fiddle your way through a thorough and accessible beginner’s violin course.

If you have ever dreamed of playing soulful tunes or lively jigs on the violin, this course is for you. In “How to Play the Violin,” professional musician and instructor from the Youth Arts Academy, Jules Whelpton, guides you step by step from never having held a violin to performing on any stage.

This comprehensive 24-lesson series covers everything from basics to advanced techniques. You will learn to play by ear and sight-read music, mastering pieces ranging from classical to folk music. The course begins with choosing the right instrument and understanding its anatomy, progressing to rhythm, bowing techniques, resonant tuning, improvisation, and playing scales in major and minor keys.

With a thorough roadmap provided, you can grasp essential concepts to learn any violin piece, achieving mastery with time, patience, and dedication.

Video Lessons

01: Hello, Violin!

Explore the anatomy of the violin, learn how to care for and tune it, and perform your first exercise, “Monkey Dance.”

Duration: 20 min

02: Violin Rhythm and the Bow

Learn to read note values and practice rhythm through new exercises.

Duration: 11 min

03: Violin Notes and Phrases

Master simple tunes using finger tapes and practice making your violin sing.

Duration: 15 min

04: Developing an Ear for Violin

Train your ear to play by rote and understand the importance of scales.

Duration: 15 min

05: The Rhythmic Rest in Violin Play

Master rhythmic rests with essential bow patterns.

Duration: 14 min

06: Violin Bowing with Style

Develop bowing techniques such as legato and staccato.

Duration: 16 min

07: Dynamics and the Use of Violin Volume

Explore how volume changes bring emotion to music with four primary dynamics.

Duration: 18 min

08: Reading Violin Music

Begin to sight-read by understanding the musical alphabet and notation.

Duration: 8 min

09: Violin Scales: Your Magical Toolbox

Dive into Western music styles by studying scales and accidentals.

Duration: 18 min

10: Playing Violin as Fiddle

Learn the art of fiddling and play your first fiddle piece, “Swallowtail Jig.”

Duration: 10 min

11: Orchestra: Playing Violin with Others

Discover the benefits of playing in an orchestra and enhance your musical experience.

Duration: 11 min

12: Violin Playing in Key

Practice intonation, scales, and resonant tuning.

Duration: 15 min

13: Violin Playing in Time

Learn to improvise melodies within chord progressions using arpeggios.

Duration: 11 min

14: Adding More Violin Rhythms

Explore syncopation and compound meters for advanced rhythm techniques.

Duration: 12 min

15: Americana Fun for Violin

Practice improvisation within Americana folk music ensembles.

Duration: 11 min

16: Violin Chords and Harmonies

Learn to play chords and harmonies using resonant ringing.

Duration: 16 min

17: Double Stops on Violin

Master double stops with Pachelbel’s “Canon.”

Duration: 16 min

18: Playing Violin with Confidence

Gain confidence for public performances.

Duration: 7 min

19: Playing in Violin’s 3rd Position

Explore and learn to play notes in the third position.

Duration: 15 min

20: Playing in Violin’s 2nd Position

Learn second position for advanced note transitions.

Duration: 14 min

21: Playing in Violin’s 4th Position

Master fourth position, essential for vibrato.

Duration: 15 min

22: Vibrato Basics for Violin

Start practicing vibrato for rich, deep tones.

Duration: 20 min

23: Violin Ornaments, Trills, and Tremolo

Develop trills, tremolo, and ornament techniques.

Duration: 16 min

24: How to Be a Violinist

Review key concepts for learning any violin piece on your own.

Duration: 13 min