15 Best Violin Books For Beginners in 2023

Beginner Violin Book, A Violin Teacher’s Ultimate Guide

It’s generally accepted that the violin is among the most difficult musical instruments to learn. The good news is that a great violin book will be an incredibly useful tool. Used alongside plenty of practice, it can develop your playing in leaps and bounds.

The violin is among the most attractive instruments for beginners. It’s no surprise as it’s a pretty expressive musical instrument. Sure, you can’t play chords on it like you may on the guitar, but it’s more than useful for solo sections.

First, we have a totally fretless neck and an option to do true glissando and true vibrato. Secondly, it’s a bowed string instrument, which additionally opens up a lot of dynamic possibilities. Something from smooth and warm tones, up to “screaming” intense sections – an average violin can do all of it. While it’s mostly related to classical music, it found use in nearly all genres.

Whether you’re simply beginning out or whether you’ve decided to learn to play yet another instrument, you still want reliable materials for studying the way to play the violin. So we decided to bring you a list of the most effective violin books for beginners.

1. Violin for Dummies

We’d wish to kick things off with this universal book by Katharine Rapoport. Coming from the legendary “For Dummies” collection, this book is meant for all ages above 10. In case you actually need to start playing the violin by yourself and have never played a note on any instrument in your life, that is the book that you’ll need to get.

It’s nothing too flashy, but it’s simply the basic stuff that you need. You’ll get all the important information from the book and will have a solid basis to move on to more advanced levels.

Violin For Dummies

2. Fiddle for Dummies

Another one from the “Dummies” collection, this one is dedicated to all those that would rather refer to the violin as the “fiddle.” Technically, fiddle and violin are the same things, it’s just that fiddle or “fiddling” refers to playing folk and country music on the instrument.

And that is exactly what this book will teach you. Some basics are just like “conventional” violin playing. While it’s organized in the same way as the “Violin for Dummies,” it focuses more on this specific style of playing.

Fiddle For Dummies 1

3. Introducing the Positions for Violin: Volume 1

“Introducing the Positions” is a fairly easy book that comes nicely for ages over 10. While it’s not supposed for individuals who are completely unfamiliar with basic concepts, the book continues to be a pretty helpful one for some later beginner stages.

As the title suggests, it focuses on basic positions, with the ultimate purpose to extend the ranges beyond the basic fingerings. While it’s not as “interactive” or enjoyable compared to some other books for beginners right here, it’s a pretty helpful book for individuals who are very serious about conquering the instrument.

Introducing the Positions for Violin Volume 1 2

4. Mel Bay Technical Studies for Beginning Violin

The violin could also be a difficult instrument to learn and master, but writer Craig Duncan made it simpler for beginners in the “Mel Bay Technical Studies for Beginning Violin.” The entire concept is to teach students via a set of easy exercises in the keys of A, D, and G. Figuring out that the standard violin tuning is G-D-A-E, these keys have simpler fingering positions for beginners.

What’s more, you’ll also get a collection of pictures of proper fingering positions. There’s a total of 85 exercises, all separated into 18 totally different lessons.

Mel Bay Technical Studies for Beginning Violin 1

5. A Tune a Day – Violin: A Beginning Scale Book

Many are more than happy with this book, written and compiled by C. Paul Herfurth. “A Tune a Day – Violin: A Beginning Scale Book” includes a collection of lessons and exercises which are organized in a systematic manner and permit gradual progress. Just follow all of the examples step-by-step, go through everything, and learn it, and there’s no chance you won’t be prepared for more advanced phases.

Aside from the extra lessons, basic fingering charts, and systematized lessons, you’ll additionally get a collection of daily practice routines, in addition to a series of questions to check your knowledge. It’s as in case you’re taking actual classes or like you’re going to a music school. Some primary music theory knowledge is required though, but the book still offers all the essential information for playing the violin.

A Tune a Day – Violin A Beginning Scale Book 1

6. Essential Elements for Strings: Book 1

This provides a few of the finest solutions for absolute beginners of younger ages. The team of three authors – Michael Allen, Robert Gillespie, and Pamela Tellejohn Hayes – outdid themselves with “Essential Elements for Strings” where they lead the student through basic exercises, methods, and even songs where all this new information could be applied.

However, this book is also supposed for violin teachers searching for a hands-on approach to delivering all the lessons to their students. In fact, it’s also a very solid and useful resource for any beginner violinist.

Essential Elements for Strings: Book 1

7. The ABCs of Violin for the Absolute Beginner: Book 1

As its title suggests, “The ABCs of Violin for the Absolute Beginner” does indeed deliver all of the basics in a single book. In particular, we’re including the first one in the collection of those books for beginners written by Janice Tucker Rhoda. Meant for all ages, it covers some basic exercises that come in useful not only for classical music but other genres as well.

There’s a detailed guide of some basic music terms and notation elements, together with a collection of exercises and really detailed fingering charts and other graphs and illustrations.

But the exciting feature comes with the download code for access to mp3 and PDF files for piano accompaniments. It’s probably the greatest way to get a grasp of how it feels prefer to perform with another instrument.

The ABCs of Violin for the Absolute Beginner Book 1 2

8. My First Violin Fun Book

Now going over to something for the youngest ones, “My First Violin Fun Book” is among the best violin books for beginners aged between 4 and 7. We’re all familiar with the advantages that come with learning music at the earliest of ages. And it’s this book by Larry E. Newman that gives a really accessible method to educating the youngest ones.

Aside from the large notation and simple examples, all focused on A and E strings, it also comes with activity pages and extra video tutorials. It’s a really helpful and enjoyable little book.

My First Violin Fun Book 1

9. Suzuki Violin School: Volume 1

Written and compiled by Shinichi Suzuki, a renowned and well-respected violin instructor and performer, the first volume of “Suzuki Violin School” is another example of a helpful book for violin teachers and students. It contains a collection of some basic exercise examples and a repertoire of some easier classical pieces where the student can implement a few of the techniques.

In fact, there’s also the essential theory and notation guide that can assist any student in learning all of the essentials. Overall, this can be a nice selection for adult beginners, possibly those who are already familiar with basic music theory. If we’re speaking about younger students, this one could work better if the student is showing great potential immediately and is taking lessons.

Suzuki Violin School Volume 1 2

10. The Violin Fun Book: For Young Students

Something for the youngest ones once more, “The Violin Fun Book” is one other collection of exercises and interactive lessons written and compiled by Larry E. Newman. Once again, we now have a book with larger-sized notation for super simple reading, letter names within noteheads, kid-friendly illustrations and explanations, and even play-along tracks. It’s pretty easy but effective for ages up to 10.

As soon as this one is successfully covered, the kid can move on to Newman’s next work within the collection, “The Intermediate FUNdamental Violin Book.”

The Violin Fun Book: For Young Students

11. The Pascale Method for Beginning Violin

A very detailed and super-easy-to-understand book written by Susan Pascale, we have now “The Pascale Method for Beginning Violin” as one of the essential works on this list. The entire thing revolves around a simple 12-week program that will take the student from a complete beginner as much as the beginning stages of the intermediate phase.

While it’s aimed at the youngest ones, it’s a bit more of a serious (and effective) method in comparison with a few other kids’ books we mentioned on the list.

The Pascale Method for Beginning Violin 1

12. The Ultimate Songbook for Beginner Violinists

If you’d like something song-based, however, that also includes a very balanced level system, then “The Ultimate Songbook for Beginner Violinists” by Julia Teermer would definitely turn out to be useful. With over fifty songs in this collection, each piece is presented with very simple-to-read violin tabs.

The entire book is designed to work with the author’s YouTube channel, cleverly named Violinspiration. By itself, the book won’t be as clear to an absolute beginner, so we might point this out as something that will come as a potential downside. On the other hand, this makes it a good selection for individuals who are somewhat familiar with music theory, probably musicians who are looking to learn to play the violin as their second instrument.

The Ultimate Songbook for Beginner Violinists 2

13. Violin Lessons for Beginners: Teach Yourself How to Play Violin

In fact, generally, you’ll need more than only a book in case you’re a complete beginner. In any case, as we said – the violin is a complicated instrument to be taught for absolute beginners. That is why Peter Gelling came up with “Violin Lessons for Beginners: Teach Yourself How to Play Violin” and added a bunch of audio examples for the complete violin lesson experience. These examples can be found through an online platform.

Along with basic principles, the writer also adds totally different techniques, including pizzicato. There’s also an abundance of music theory lessons, all applied to the violin. Since the book requires at least some additional knowledge but features very useful systematized lessons, we might argue that this can be a good solution for many who play other instruments but also wish to learn the violin.

Violin Lessons for Beginners: Teach Yourself How to Play Violin

14. Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus!

Is there anything that even comes near the enjoyment of listening to the classic fiddle tunes? In case you’re feeling this way but have never played violin before, “Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus!” by Wayne Erbsen could be a great addition to your beginner literature.

This one provides a really accessible method of learning classic fiddle tunes, with 37 completely different pieces all written with notation and tablatures, in addition to humorous commentary. It also comes with a link to instructional materials. Pretty helpful for individuals who wish to learn stuff like “Amazing Grace,” Cotton-Eyed Joe,” “Joy to the World,” and other easy songs fast.

Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus

15. Fiddle Primer Book for Beginners Deluxe Edition

The “Fiddle Primer – Deluxe Edition” by Jim Tolles is designed to bring an absolute beginners to a level from which they’ll be capable of excelling further in the world of violin. It covers all of the essentials needed for a steady technique, positions, and reading music notation. To place it simply – it’s a full package deal bringing the basics for each beginner.

What’s more, the book also has just a few interesting arrangements of bluegrass songs that come after these basics. It’s all accompanied by tutorial videos and audio files.

Fiddle Primer Book for Beginners Deluxe Edition

Conclusion

Talent isn’t the only ingredient to succeed in the journey of violin playing. It takes patience, lots of practice, and reliable violin books for beginners to inspire and guide you in training.

Although there could also be various methods for studying the instrument, books will help you answer any specific questions on playing as well as get inspiration from historical past, biography, and other written knowledge about any music from the composer’s or professional’s viewpoint.

Most violin books have instructions and tutorials that make the steps of learning or mastering the violin a lot simpler. By using any book, be it a method book or a history book about violin origins, and a talented music teacher, playing could be a lot easier.

Speaking about one of the best violin books for beginners, your best option is determined by the student’s age. These up to 7 years of age need a very brief yet detailed guide for notation and methods. That’s exactly what “My First Violin Fun Book” provides, and this could be our suggestion for the youngest ones.

As for a bit older kids, ages between 7 and 12, something more demanding would come in useful. Our suggestion right here is “The ABCs of Violin for the Absolute Beginner” because it offers some more advanced exercises along with detailed explanations of basic concepts.

Finally, our third best option is for the adult beginners and the younger ones who are showing huge potential straight away, we’d go with “Suzuki Violin School” While it is a bit more demanding literature, this is probably the most “advanced” way to go for brand new violinists.

Bill Hood

Bill Hood

My name is Bill, and I am a musician and music enthusiast who has a deep love and passion for anything and everything stringed that moves my soul. It is an honor to be a part of the team at our website dedicated to stringed instruments, and I look forward to sharing my passion and knowledge with our readers as well.

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