What are some songs/music piece that I can use to practice Violin?

Question

I just started to learn violin. So far, I only know how to play "Ode to Joy" and also learning to play "Canon" in C.

Can you please suggest me some songs that are easy for beginner like me to practice on? thanks

Answer 1

If you want music chosen and edited very carefully for learning, the Suzuki Method has a lot of pieces that are fun to play, nice to listen to, and will improve your ear and violin technique quite effectively.

Word of caution though, if Suzuki is your first exposure to music performance, you absolutely must balance it with something of a theoretical nature. Suzuki encourages you to learn by ear, which is great and all, but it leaves your sight reading and knowledge of harmony really shoddy.

Trust me -- not only is this conventional wisdom (Suzuki himself agrees), I made the mistake of neglecting non-Suzuki stuff, and I'm still in the process of trying to fill in the gaps.

I'd recommend learning a chordal instrument as well when you have time, such as piano or guitar.

Answer 2

There's quite a few books such as the stepping stones and waggon wheel's series that contain lots of simple tunes to learn and play - I'd recommend investing in one or two of these. They also usually come in progressions, so as you work your way through the series they'll get increasingly challenging.

Answer 3

There are several good practice books out there that contain popular tunes. I recommend music targeted at beginner violinists because it will have written fingerings and focus on the positions and shifts that beginners need to learn first. Get some advice from a teacher or any musicians you know in your preferred genre of music. If you don't know anyone, I'd start with classical, because I suspect it has the largest selection for beginners.

Answer 4

I would suggest taking any song you like and play a vocal line from it. Just play the same notes that vocalist sings with his/her voice. This is:

1. Very simple in most cases
2. Very fun, since vocal melodies are easy recognizable.

You can transcribe vocal melodies by ear, which would be the best option, or find some guitar pro tabs on the net - many of them have the vocal lines layed out note by note.