You've always wanted to learn violin...

Stop dreaming, stop dabbling. Start learning!

The violin is a timeless instrument that has captured our hearts and souls for centuries. From classical to fiddle music and everything in between, it’s also one of the most versatile instruments…and one with a notoriously steep learning curve.

Lots of people want to learn the violin, many people attempt it, few people move beyond dabbling with a few songs.

After teaching violin lessons for over fifteen years, I’ve developed a method of teaching violin that ensures success. Instead of struggling with that steep learning curve, you’ll learn to tame it.

I break down all of the complicated tasks into easy to manage sections so you can master the fundamentals. I cover common mistakes throughout the course so you can avoid bad habits. You’ll learn how to place your left hand fingers without having to rely on finger tapes or stickers. You’ll learn bow technique and ear training tips that will help you make continuous progress.

If you want to make lasting progress on the violin and learn to play the songs you love, stop trying to piece together videos on the web. Learn everything you need in a structured, easy-to-follow method.


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This course is part of my online violin studio. When you sign up, you'll get access to this course along with all of my other great courses and violin resources.

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Course curriculum

    1. Welcome!

    2. Parts of the Violin and Taking Care of Your Violin

    3. How to Tune Your Violin

    4. How to Put the Shoulder Rest On

    5. How to Adjust the Shoulder Rest

    6. Tips for Better Posture

    7. Common Terms

    1. Left Hand Checklist

    2. Stretches and Posture

    3. Left Hand Position

    4. Tips for a Comfortable Left Hand Position

    5. Finger Decals and Intonation

    6. Common Mistakes: Crooked Wrist (Why You Need to Pivot the Elbow)

    7. Left Hand Exercises

    8. Note Names

    9. How to Play Pizzicato

    10. How to Play the First Finger

    11. Ear Training Tips and Tools

    12. Bonus: The Basics of the Piano Keyboard (For Better Violin Intonation)

    13. How to Play Second Finger

    14. Hot Cross Buns Tutorial

    15. Hot Cross Buns Pizzicato Play-Along Track on Every String

    16. Mary Pizzicato Play-Along Track

    17. How to Play Third Finger

    18. How to Play Fourth Finger

    1. Easy Violin Songs Tablature

    2. Tetrachords

    3. Tetrachords Pizzicato Play-Along Track

    4. Common Posture Problems

    5. Boil 'Em Cabbage Down

    6. A Note on Finger Tips

    7. When the Saints Go Marching In

    8. Fourth Finger Songs

    9. Jingle Bells and the 1 to 4 Stretch

    10. Ode to Joy

    11. How to Play a Scale

    12. Pizzicato Alternative

    13. Doe A Deer

    14. How to Keep Practicing and How to Relax

    1. Bow Hold Checklist

    2. Right Arm Checklist

    3. Parts of the Bow and Tightening the Bow

    4. Tips for Tightening Your Bow

    5. Forming a Relaxed Bow Hold

    6. Tips for a Comfortable Bow Hold

    7. Bow Hold Exercises

    8. Common Bow Hold Problems

    9. Understanding the Concept of a Straight Bow

    10. Bow Arm Mechanics

    11. Bow Rhythms

    12. String Crossings

    13. How to Rosin the Bow

    14. Bowing on the Violin

    15. Bow Rhythms on the Violin

    16. Weight Vs. Pressure

    17. Bow Weight on Different Strings

    18. Common Bow Problems

    19. Straight Bow in a Mirror

    1. Coordinating Left and Right Hands

    2. Tetrachords with the Bow Play-Along Track

    3. Scales with the Bow

    4. Hot Cross Buns Play-Along with the Bow (Arco)

    5. Mary Had a Little Lamb Play-Along Track with the Bow

    6. Boil Them Cabbage Down, With the Bow

    7. When the Saints Play-Along Arco

    8. Jingle Bells Arco

    9. Doe a Deer Arco

    10. Ode to Joy Arco

    11. A Note on the E String

    1. How to Practice the Left and Right Hands

    2. Ringtones

    3. Arpeggios

    4. D Major Scale with Arpeggio Arco

    5. Can-Can

    6. Boil Them Cabbage Tags and Double Stops

    7. Boil Em Cabbage with Double Stops

About this course

  • 102 lessons
  • 5.5 hours of video content

Meet Your Violin Teacher

Lora Kilpatrick

I have been instructing violin to all ages for over fifteen years. I hold degrees in Violin Performance as well as String Pedagogy, but I'm most proud of the hundreds of students who have learned to play the violin under my instruction. I'm excited to show you the wonderful possibilities of the violin, overcome its challenges and frustrations, and enjoy playing beautiful music!