How to Learn Violin at Home by Yourself
You might hold an unyielding desire to learn the violin, but inaccessible classes, lack of credible tutors and time constraints impede your dream. You’re not alone, many aspiring violin students face the same challenges, only those who don’t bow out make it to the top. What is their trick? Learning at home!
If you’re hell-bent on mastering the fiddle, learning home by yourself is the best direction you can take. With multiple online resources, autonomy, and flexibility you can immerse yourself into the violin scene and achieve more than you have ever imagined. How?
Read: Methods to Learn Violin Quickly
Take the First Step
Taking the first step towards self-learning is the hardest stage in your violin quest. Procrastination and overthinking can hold you back immensely. You’ll need to motivate yourself and point out where you’re going to start.
You’re starting level depends on your experience. You can start from theory, practical or rummage for pro-tricks to polish your skills to violin mastery.
If you’re new, inspired by airy tunes of top-notch violinists, with no clue where to start learning, you’re better off starting from theory. Comb online and offline sources for basic violin guides and lessons.
People with considerable violin knowledge can start with both theory and practical. The level you start with doesn’t count much, as it’s only you who knows your skill gap.
Next, gun for a nice violin to start your learning journey. Look for credible music stores where you can spot a flawless piece. Ensure your violin bears no defects as its state impacts on the quality of your learning.
Ways of Learning the Violin
So, you’ve made your mind to take on the violin learning quest to the butt-end. Next, choose your ideal way of learning. You can learn through online classes, videos, blogs, and even social media.
3 Steps on How to Learn Violin at Home by Yourself
1) YouTube and Videos
You-tube is now the top platform where all and sundry share their knowledge. You can learn all violin techniques from beginner to pro styles. Besides pro violinists reveal their tricks and share tips around their professional experiences in YouTube
There are also lessons ranging from five minutes to hours for violinists of all levels. No one moderates the quality of the videos, so take caution while choosing or subscribing to YouTube lessons. Ensure you choose the lessons with the highest number of followers and positive reviews for quality.
You can also search for your favorite songs and play along them to learn while rocking to the tunes of your best artistes.
2) Online Classes
E-learning is now the trendiest way of learning. Learners of all caliber prefer taking online classes for their affordability, convenience and easy to access digital learning material. Also, after wrapping the courses, students get the privilege of accessing learning platforms for ages.
There are multiple learning platforms offering violin classes online. Because of inadequate online controls, the internet harbors all standards of classes packed with varied types of tutors. Hedge your bets well when selecting a learning platform or you’ll land on some second-rate sites.
Some of the best violin online learning platforms include MasterClass, Artistsworks, Udemy, and Violin Lab. Most of these sites feature crème of the crop violin tutors.
- MasterClass
The MasterClass is a top-notch learning platform, featuring the finest tutors in the world, all legends in their fields. Easy to use features, affordability and well-planned learning sessions set the platform apart.
If you join MasterClass, you’ll learn from the world’s reigning whiz violin player; Itzhak Perlman. Perlman has seen it all playing the violin for royals, presidents and music lovers around the globe. Turned instructor for the love of the violin, he drills on technique, strategy, and sound tricks.
Read: MasterClass Itzhak Perlman Online Violin Lessons
The MasterClass from the 15-times Grammy award winner covers an array of topics which include but not limited to;
- Bow mechanics
- Advanced harmonics and playing styles
- Intonation
- Vibrato art
- Multi-skill playing
- Life lessons and more
After completing the class, you’ll receive a workbook from the master; full of essential tips to guide you along your learning journey.
- Artistworks
Artistworks is another platform you can join for violin training. The website features a collection of art lessons from tutors around the world. They have unique course designs and instructors focus on providing classes on mainstream instruments from violin to guitar to saxophone to harmonica to the piano and many more.
You’ll be allowed to upload your video practice sessions to their website. Your tutor and other students will review, provide feedback and offer improvement suggestions. You also learn from other students as they share their video practices with the whole class.
Artistworks features a range of top tutors from the music scene including violin lessons from the fiddle maestro Richard Amoroso.
Read: Artistworks Richard Amoroso Online Violin Lessons
Lessons from Richard entail a massive collection of violin video classical content. The courses encompass interactive sessions based on sheet music and the master’s plays from top tracks.
The Curriculum of Richard’s Violin Lessons Features
- Bowing tactics
- The fret of the hand skills
- Positioning, bow changes and shifting insights
- Pizzicato
- Vibrato, etc.
The course delves further into intermediate and advanced violin classes and training.
- Udemy
Udemy is a fast-growing e-learning platform. The site prides itself on its simplicity and user-friendliness. Anyone can post video lessons to the site and users can access at a small fee. The classes cover all fields including the violin.
3) Learning Violin Through E-books
If you find YouTube and Online classes un-ideal, you can use e-books, books, blogs, and violin learning guides. Books, however, require a lot of time but are less distractive. Many books are rich with enlightening violin playing tricks and might contain untested violin learning information.
Some violin books and titles you can try include;
- Suzuki Violin School
- Franz Wohlfahrt–60 Studies, Op. 45 Complete: Violin Books
- Ivan Galamian; Principals of Violin Playing and Teaching
Practice Makes Perfect
You won’t turn into a violin expert in a day. Apart from learning, you must commit to a practicing schedule. Practice as much as you can, record your practice sessions, and seek mentors to hold your hand in the epic violin learning journey. Join online forums and Facebook groups comprising independent violin learners for motivation, tips, and guides.
Steps to Self-Taught Violin
Learning by yourself will not be easy. It requires exceptional levels of discipline, remember no one reminds you or monitors your training. You must focus and stay committed to a learning program. Define your objectives, goals and set a clear learning schedule.