Free Course Image Violin from basics to advanced

Free online courseViolin from basics to advanced

Duration of the online course: 5 hours and 39 minutes

New

Play violin with confidence: technique, rhythm and shifting in a free online course with practical lessons and exercises—ideal for beginners to advanced players.

In this free course, learn about

  • Proper violin hold and instrument position for comfort and stability
  • Violin parts, string names (G D A E), and fine tuners' role in precise tuning
  • Basic bowing: where to bow, arm levels, and clean string crossing control
  • Reading/playing open strings plus 1st–4th finger notes with beginner finger placement rules
  • Using course songbooks and performance pieces (e.g., 'Gypsy Firelight') to apply skills
  • Scales and key signatures (e.g., D major) and why some keys are more violin-friendly than C
  • Note values, time signatures, rhythm accuracy, and dotted rhythms
  • Arpeggios (e.g., C major) and related left-hand patterns
  • Bowings/articulation: up-bow work, slurs, spiccato, and staccato control
  • Sight-reading strategies to learn new music faster and more independently
  • 3rd position basics, exercises, and shifting; scales in 3rd position and higher
  • Double stops/chords fundamentals and intonation awareness
  • Harmonics: natural vs artificial, and how natural harmonics are produced on open strings
  • Scale technique practice methods to improve speed, tone, and coordination

Course Description

If you have always wanted to play the violin, this free online course guides you from your very first setup to confident, expressive playing. You will start by building the foundations that make everything else easier: how to hold the instrument comfortably, how to place it in relation to your body, and how to use the bow with control so each string speaks clearly. With the right posture and relaxed coordination, you will reduce tension and develop a sound you can trust.

As you progress, the course helps you connect what you do with your hands to what you hear. You will learn the parts of the violin, understand tuning details, and recognize how strings and pitch work together, so your practice becomes more musical and less guesswork. Step by step, you will move from open strings to finger placement, building intonation through repetition, listening, and focused exercises that reinforce accuracy. The lessons gradually bring more notes into your playing until the fingerboard feels familiar rather than intimidating.

To turn technique into music, you will work with pieces and performance demos that show how practice translates into real playing. Rhythm and timing receive careful attention as you develop a steady pulse, understand note values and time signatures, and gain comfort reading basic notation. Along the way, you will strengthen your musicianship with scales and arpeggios that improve tone, tuning, and finger independence, while bowing studies help you shape phrases and articulate with clarity.

When you are ready to go beyond first position, the course introduces shifting and third position in a clear, supportive way. You will train your ear and hand to move with intention, then extend your range with higher-position scales and exercises. The later lessons bring exciting techniques that unlock new colors and repertoire: controlled spiccato, clean staccato, double stopping and chords, and harmonics. By the end, you will have a well-rounded toolkit that supports continued growth, whether your goal is to play for enjoyment, join an ensemble, or build a strong musical foundation for the future.

Course content

  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE | Lesson 1/30 | How to hold the violin 11m
  • Exercise: Which position should the violin be held in relation to the player's body?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE | Lesson 2/30 - Parts of the violin 07m
  • Exercise: What is the purpose of the fine tuners on a violin?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE | Lesson 3/30 - Names of strings 09m
  • Exercise: In violin tuning, which string is the thinnest and has the highest pitch?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE | Lesson 4/30 - How and where to bow 07m
  • Exercise: How should you position your arm when bowing on the violin to avoid hitting multiple strings?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE | Lesson 5/30 - Learning the open string notes 09m
  • Exercise: What is the primary focus of the open string exercises in Violin Lesson 5?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE | Lesson 6/30 - Learning the 1st finger notes 06m
  • Exercise: What is the recommended action after completing violin lessons 1 to 10?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE | Lesson 7/30 - Learning the 2nd finger notes 07m
  • Exercise: What is the general rule for the placement of the second finger for beginners on the violin?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE | Lesson 8/30 - 3rd 09m
  • Exercise: What is the purpose of the new songbook mentioned in the video?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE | Lesson 9/30 - All the notes! 11m
  • Exercise: Which key signature is more comfortable for violinists to play in compared to the key of C?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE | Lesson 10/30 - Summary plus challenge!! 10m
  • Exercise: What is 'Gypsy Firelight'?
  • Video class: Learn To Play The VIOLIN ONLINE - SONG BOOK 1 PERFORMANCE 41m
  • Exercise: Which essential feature should the violin student ensure is correct when playing a G-sharp note on the D string during a piece?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 11/30 - Scales 10m
  • Exercise: Which scale requires a stretch for the third finger according to the violin lesson?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 12/30 - Note Values, Time Signatures 09m
  • Exercise: Which of the following statements best describes what a key signature indicates in sheet music?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 13/30 - The 2nd Finger 05m
  • Exercise: Where does the second finger go in the D major scale on a violin?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 14/30 - Other Notes on the Violin 11m
  • Exercise: Which of the following is not part of the string family on the violin according to the lesson?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 15/30 - The 4th Finger 04m
  • Exercise: What is lesson 15 about in the new violin book?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 16/30 - Arpeggios 11m
  • Exercise: What is the correct sequence of notes for a C major arpeggio on the violin?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 17/30 - Up 08m
  • Exercise: What is the primary focus of lesson 17 in the learn-to-play violin book?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 18/30 - Slurred Bows 06m
  • Exercise: In lesson 18 of the violin course, what is primarily being taught?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 19/30 - Rhythm, Timing, Dotted Rhythms 07m
  • Exercise: What does Lesson 19 in the violin book focus on?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 20/30 - Sight Reading, Learning New Music 09m
  • Exercise: What is the primary benefit of mastering sight-reading according to the violin course?
  • Video class: Learn the VIOLIN ONLINE - SONG BOOK 2 PERFORMANCE DEMOS 16m
  • Video class: LEARN THE VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 21 - What is 3rd Position? 09m
  • Exercise: What is the main topic Lesson 21 introduces in the new violin book?
  • Video class: LEARN THE VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 22 - Basic 3rd Position Exercises 14m
  • Video class: LEARN THE VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 23 - Advanced 3rd Position Exercises 17m
  • Exercise: In which part of the book does the tutor introduce third position violin exercises?
  • Video class: LEARN THE VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 24 - Putting Everything Together/Learning to Shift 18m
  • Video class: LEARN THE VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 25 - Scales in 3rd Position and Higher 08m
  • Exercise: What is the focus of the first part of Alison's Violin Book 3?
  • Video class: LEARN THE VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 26 - Spiccato 06m
  • Video class: LEARN THE VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 27 - Staccato 06m
  • Exercise: Which of the following is NOT one of the methods for developing a nicely controlled upward staccato on the violin?
  • Video class: LEARN THE VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 28 - Double Stopping/Chords 06m
  • Video class: LEARN THE VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 29 - Harmonics 06m
  • Exercise: Which type of violin harmonic is produced by touching the string at one point while playing an open string?
  • Video class: LEARN THE VIOLIN ONLINE - Lesson 30 - Scale Techniques 04m
  • Video class: Learn To Play The Violin in 30 Lessons - Song Book 3 performances 05m

This free course includes:

5 hours and 39 minutes of online video course

Digital certificate of course completion (Free)

Exercises to train your knowledge

100% free, from content to certificate

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