Should a beginner rent or buy a violin?

Renting is often a practical starting option because it lowers upfront costs and makes it easier to change sizes or upgrade as the player progresses.

How do I choose the correct violin size for a child?

Measure the child’s arm length and have them hold the instrument; they should be able to reach the scroll comfortably with a relaxed left arm.

How tight should a violin bow be before playing?

Tighten the bow until the hair is separated from the stick, leaving a slight curve in the stick; do not overtighten it.

Free online course Violin

Duration of the online course: 2 hours and 3 minutes

4.9

(10)

Build confident violin technique with a free online course: choose the right instrument, tune, bow smoothly, read basics, and play real melodies.

In this free course, learn about

How to choose a violin: sizing for beginners, renting vs buying, first steps for kids
How to choose a bow, identify violin/bow parts, and use shoulder rest alternatives
How to prep and tighten the bow, tune strings, replace strings, and select string sets
Violin care: cleaning rosin residue and basic maintenance habits
Correct bow hold, bow weight distribution, contact point (lanes), and open-string practice
Bow mechanics: arm shapes for straight bow, elbow role, speed/pressure, divisions & rhythms
Bow strokes: legato vs detache and other common bow strikes
Proper violin hold plus left-hand/arm setup; thumb direction and string-crossing alignment
Using fingering tapes, clear finger strikes, and core first-position finger patterns
Shifting fundamentals and how to start vibrato in a stable position
Music theory basics: octaves, scales, chords, concertos, 3/4 time, sharps & flats order
Playing specific notes/strings (G-D-A-E), slurs, chords, and learning D scale and Canon in D
Finding practice repertoire: scale/etude books, Suzuki beginner songs, and sad music picks
Understanding viola vs violin differences and beginner inspiration pieces

About the free online course

Learning violin feels magical, but the first steps can be frustrating without clear guidance on setup and technique. This free online course helps you start with confidence by focusing on the practical decisions and foundational habits that shape your sound from day one. You will learn how to choose a violin and bow that fit your body and budget, understand sizing for beginners, and decide whether renting or buying makes sense for your situation. From there, you will build a solid routine for tuning, preparing the bow, and caring for your instrument so practice feels smoother and your violin stays in great condition.

The course emphasizes the essentials that many beginners overlook: posture, comfort, and control. You will work on holding the violin and bow correctly, placing a shoulder rest (or simple alternatives) for stability, and developing reliable right-hand mechanics. Through guided exercises, you will improve bow direction, balance bow weight, and coordinate speed and pressure to create a clearer, more even tone. These details are what turn scratchy starts into a sustained sound and help you feel in control on every open string before you move on.

As your confidence grows, you will strengthen left-hand setup with finger placement strategies, learn how to use fingering guides, and explore patterns that make notes feel predictable instead of random. You will also be introduced to shifting and vibrato in a beginner-friendly way, along with core music concepts such as scales, octaves, chords, and time signatures that help you understand what you are playing. Along the way, you will start applying skills to recognizable notes, strings, and simple musical passages, building a path from setup to music-making.

Whether you are a curious adult, a parent supporting a child, or a self-taught learner who wants more structure, this course is designed to remove common barriers and make practice productive. By the end, you will have a more dependable tone, a clearer understanding of violin basics, and a practical framework to keep improving with better technique and smarter practice choices.

Course content

Video class: How to Pick a Violin | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: How can you determine the appropriate size of a violin for a beginner?
Video class: Renting vs. Buying a Violin | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: What is a recommended approach when a child first shows interest in learning the violin?
Video class: How to Pick a Bow | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: _What should you consider when choosing a bow for a beginner violinist?
Video class: Parts of the Violin & Bow | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: Which part of the violin helps produce sound by allowing air to escape from the violin's body?
Video class: How to Properly Place Shoulder Rest | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: What is an alternative shoulder rest option for beginners to provide friction and comfort on a violin?

Video class: How to Prepare a Bow | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: How do you properly tighten a bow for optimal sound?
Video class: How to Tune the Strings | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What is the first step in tuning a violin?
Video class: How to Replace Strings | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What is an important step when replacing a violin string?
Video class: How to Pick Strings | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: _What should you look for when choosing strings for your violin?
Video class: How to Take Care of Your Violin | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What is the recommended method for cleaning violin rosin residue?

Video class: How to Hold the Bow | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: _What is the correct way to hold the bow properly?
Video class: How to Distribute Bow Weight | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What is the key to achieving a sustained sound on a string instrument using a bow?
Video class: How to Place Bow for Bowing Open String | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: Which lane provides the optimal sound for open strings?
Video class: Bow Division While Bowing Open Strings | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: How can you ensure a sustained and even sound when practicing open strings?
Video class: How to Do the Pencil Hold | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: _What can you use instead of a bow to practice your bow grip?

Video class: Right Hand Finger Exercises | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: What is an important step before practicing advanced bow grip flexibility exercises?
Video class: Bow Arm Movement & Direction | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What shapes does your arm form during bow direction for a straight bow?
Video class: Bow Speed & Pressure | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: How does bow speed relate to note length when playing a half note versus a quarter note?
Video class: Bow Divisions & Rhythms | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What is the basic concept of bow division in music practice?
Video class: How to Do a Right Elbow Swing | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: What is the role of the elbow in playing strings like a roll?
Video class: What Are Different Bow Strikes? | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: _What is the difference between legato and detache strokes on the violin?

Video class: How to Hold a Violin | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What is the correct method for a beginner to hold the violin?
Video class: How to Position Your Left Hand | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: _Where should your thumb point when placing your left hand on the violin neck?
Video class: How to Position Your Left Arm | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: How does arm position change when playing different strings on a violin?
Video class: How to Apply Fingering Tapes | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: _Where can you get fingering tapes for the violin?
Video class: How to Finger Strike | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What is crucial for achieving clarity in finger striking on the violin?
Video class: What Are Finger Patterns? | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: What is emphasized as crucial for left-hand finger patterns on the violin?

Video class: What Is Shifting? | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What is a crucial aspect of shifting on a violin?
Video class: How to Do Vibrato | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What is the recommended position to start learning vibrato on a string instrument?
Video class: What Is an Octave? | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: What are octaves in music theory?
Video class: What Is a Scale? | Violin Lessons 04m
Exercise: _What is the importance of practicing scales for a violinist?
Video class: What Is a Concerto? | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: What is a common characteristic of most violin concertos?

Video class: How to Play G, A & B Notes | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: _What are all the first position Gs that you can play on the violin?
Video class: How to Play Slurs | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: What is a key aspect of playing slurs on the violin?
Video class: What Is a Chord? | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: _When playing a four note chord on the violin, what is the recommended way to attack the chord?
Video class: How to Play a D Scale | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: Which scale is recommended for practicing difficult concertos on the violin?
Video class: What is 3/4 Time? | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: _What is the big beat in 3/4 time in the violin?
Video class: How to Play C Natural | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: What is the difference between C sharp and C natural on the violin?

Video class: How to Play an E String | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: _Which string on the violin is the highest and considered the sweetest?
Video class: How to Play an A String | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: Which string is considered the most important for tuning on the violin?
Video class: How to Play a D String | Violin Lessons 00m
Exercise: _What is the name of the famous piece played by two violins and orchestra that features the D string entrance on the second violin?
Video class: How to Play a G String | Violin Lessons 00m
Exercise: What is the lowest string on the violin?
Video class: What's the Order of Sharps & Flats? | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: _What is the correct order of sharps on the violin?

Video class: Beautiful but Sad Music Suggestions | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: Which piece is a beautiful, sad music for the violin?
Video class: How to Find Good Practice Music | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: _What are some recommended books for scales and etudes when practicing the violin?
Video class: Good Beginner Songs | Violin Lessons 03m
Exercise: What is a popular beginner violin song from the Suzuki method?
Video class: How to Play Canon in D | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: What is the initial note played on the E string in the beginning tutorial of Canon in D?
Video class: Viola vs. Violin | Violin Lessons 01m
Exercise: What is one main difference between a violin and a viola?
Video class: Play the Violin with Julie Artzt Becker | Violin Lessons 02m
Exercise: _What was the first piece that Julie Becker played on the violin?