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5 Easy Violin Scales for Beginners with Sheet Music and Violin Tabs

Violin scales with free sheet music, finger charts and audio samples

Not sure where to start practicing scales on the violin?

Learn exactly which scales you should practice as a beginner and how in this article!

Practicing scales on the violin is very important to:

  • learn to play in tune (improve intonation)
  • practice different bowing techniques
  • improve your rhythm skills
  • finger speed, flexibility and strength

Actually there’s nothing you can NOT learn with scales. You get to know the violin fingerboard, where all the notes are and in general scales are a laboratory to improve all aspects of your violin playing.

If you start each practicing with scales, you’ll notice that your overall violin technique improves and you can learn all the piece you love to play faster and better.

I’ll dive right into the most commonly used violin scales with sheet music, violin tabs and audio samples. After that I’ll give you some music theory around what a scale is and after that I will give you some tips to practice scales to set you up for success. Scroll down and start with what you’d like to learn first.

First finger frame on the violin

The following scales are the first ones you should learn on the violin. They have the same positions of the fingers: first and second finger apart, second and third close together and third and fourth apart.

A Major Violin Scale

This is the first scale almost all violinists learn and a very comfortable key to play in. It has three sharps, F#, C#, and G#.

Beginner A Major One Octave Violin Scale

(Sensational Scales p. 2-4)

Start on open A. The fingering pattern is easy here because you just have to follow the tapes if you have them. If you don’t have tapes, make sure your high second finger always touches third finger. For the E, you can choose whether to play four on the A string or open E string.

Sensational Scales includes exercises in broken triads. These are the exact same notes and fingerings, just in a different order. Start on A, skip up to C#, come back down one step to B, skip up again, etc.

D Major Violin Scale

D major has two sharps, F# and C#, and is the next easiest scale for beginners.

Beginner D Major One Octave Violin Scale

(Sensational Scales p. 2-4)

This is the exact same fingering pattern as A major and G major, just starting on the open D string.

G Major Violin Scale

G major has one sharp, F#. It is the second key most violinists learn to use.

Beginner G Major One Octave Violin Scale

(Sensational Scales p. 2-4)

This scale starts on open G, the lowest note on the violin, and goes up to 3rd finger D string. Play high 2’s on both strings. You may notice this fingering is exactly the same as A major one octave, just starting on a lower string.

Violin scale with the low second finger

In C major you learn the low second finger on the violin. This means that you place the second and first finger close together. You’ll learn more low second finger scales in my free scale book Sensational Scales.

C Major Violin Scale

C major is the major key with no sharps or flats. On the piano you play this key easilly with just the white keys. As the violin is tuned in fifths however, we have different finger frames in this scale and it’s not the easiest scale even thought the key seems easy.

Beginner C Major One Octave Violin Scale

(Sensational Scales p. 5-7)

For this scale, you will need to use low 2nd finger, so make sure your 2nd finger touches your first finger when you put it down. Begin with 3rd finger on the G string, up to low 2nd finger on the A string. This is a really great scale to practice with drones.

Violin scale with the low first finger

F major is the first scale you learn with the low first finger. This means that although we’re playing low second fingers, the first and second fingers are still apart. This is because the first finger is also lowered. You’ll learn more low first finger scales in my free scale book Sensational Scales.

F Major Violin Scale

This is the only scale on this list that has a flat in the key signature, B♭. This scale is excellent for practicing low 1’s.

Beginner F Major One Octave Violin Scale

(Sensational Scales p. 12-14)

This scale might seem a bit more challenging at first, but just take it slow. This scale has B and F♮, so all the 1st fingers should be low. Place your finger behind the first-finger tape just a tiny bit above the nut. Use a drone if you have trouble playing those notes in tune.

All the sheet music you see in this article came from my book Sensational Scales. It’s a 85 page violin scale book that goes from simple beginner scales all the way to all three octave scales and arpeggios.

The beginner scales go together with finger charts, so even if you’re not that comfortable with reading notes, you can follow along.

Unique about this book is that it’s not ordered per key, but per finger frame and level of difficulty. It will take you through all the scales step by step. You know exactly what to do in your violin scale practice.

And the price? It’s FREE!

Download Sensational Scales for Violin

What is a violin scale?

A musical scale is any set of notes arranged in ascending or descending order. For example, if you want to start a scale on the note C, all the other notes must be played going up or down from C. There is no jumping around or changing directions.

Complete scales, as they are written in exercise books, typically begin and end on the same letter name, but if you look at any sheet music, you will often see little runs of anything from four to twenty-four notes. Although these passages can look intimidating, they are usually based on some sort of scale, so practice scales diligently in order to play these runs with ease.

So if a scale is a set of notes arranged in a particular order, how do we know how close together to put the notes? All western music is built on steps. There are just two kinds, half-steps and whole-steps. If you were to start at the bottom of a piano keyboard and go up playing every single key, you would be playing half-steps. If you count the half-steps between middle C and the C one octave higher, there are 12. (Note: in music we ALWAYS count the first note we play as step 1.) A whole-step is two half-steps put together.

Most scales are a specific combination of half-steps and whole-steps. Although there are many different types of scales, in this article we will only mention the two most common, major and natural minor. The steps of a major scale are WWHWWWH. The steps of a minor scale are WHWWHWW. For example: for the C major scale, start on a C, go up one whole-step to a D, another whole-step to an E, etc. For a C minor scale, go up one whole-step to a D, one half-step to an E♭, one whole-step to an F, and so on. So even though there are twelve steps in an octave, most scales will only use eight of those steps. Let’s look at the steps of the major scale, as that’s the first scale you’ll learn on the violin:

How to Practice Scales on the Violin

As a beginner violinist you might not be sure how to incorporate scale practice in your practice routine, so here are some tips to get you started.

First play the scale very very slowly and listen carefully for each individual note. Keep playing the same note until it’s absolutely in tune. To check yourself you could use my free online violin tuner right here.

When you’re warmed up you can add rhythm to the mix and practice the scales with a metronome (for example my free online metronome right here). Start with a low tempo, for example 60 BPM.

If you have time left and everything is going well, you can add in different rhythms and bowing techniques. Take the rhythms and bowing techniques from the etudes and pieces you play. In that way the scale prepares you well and will save you time.

When to practice scales?

First of all start your practice routine with scales, so you’re warmed up to play your etudes and pieces better in tune.

How long to practice scales?

About a third of your practice time should be devoted to scales. Say you practice an hour a day, then practice scales for twenty minutes. Even if you have just fifteen minutes, make sure to do a short five minute scale warm up.

Which scale to play first?

Pick the scale that corresponds with the key(s) the piece you are going to practice is in. This warms you up to play the piece in tune.

 

FREE Violin Scale Book

Sensational Scales is a 85 page violin scale book that goes from simple beginner scales with finger charts all the way to all three octave scales and arpeggios

Download!

Hi! I'm Zlata

Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique.

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Congratulations on learning the five most useful major scales on violin!

No matter how long you’ve been playing or what level you’re at, improving your scales is the best step to improving your overall violin skills. After learning these five, check out Sensational Scales for comprehensive exercises and explanations of all violin scales.

What’s the best violin scale book?

To practice violin scales, you need a good violin scale book. There are different ones on different levels and with pros and cons.

In this article I describe seven violin scale books, so you can decide what’s the best scale book for you!

Martelé violin bow stroke explained

Martelé is an extremely important and useful bowing technique. It is another form of articulation that is different from staccato. Learning the different articulated bow strokes will not only teach you many things about technique, but also make your playing more musical.

What is Martelé bowing on the violin?

Martelé means “hammered” in French and refers to the specific technique of catching the string and creating a strong accent at the beginning of each note. People often think of it as a type of staccato, but it is really more similar to detaché. The strokes are long with a strong accent at the beginning. The bow is stopped after each note just long enough to prepare the next articulation.

Martelé sheet music notation

violin bowing techniques - martelé, accented detaché or grand detachéIn sheet music, martelé is notated with some sort of accent, usually the triangular wedge or a sforzando (sfz) marking. It is not only a dramatic articulation that adds excitement in pieces, but it is also a wonderful technical exercise that teaches sound production, bow division, relaxation, and control.

How to Play and Practice Martelé on the Violin

Martelé is always started from the string, with firm, flat bow hair. The goal is to catch and release the hair, creating a strong and slightly percussive start to the note. It is very important not to press the entire time, but to release after the initial impulse and let the bow do the work, otherwise the sound will be strangled. It is aso important to hold the bow with rounded, relaxed fingers, because the pressure comes from the thumb and middle fingers. These fingers should be free to add and release pressure as needed. These fingers press slightly to initiate the impulse, then release as soon as the first “click” sounds so the rest of the note comes out smoothly.

The most difficult part of learning martelé is getting that initial contact to start the note. Put the bow firmly on the string at the frog, and use it to wiggle the string back and forth without actually making sound. Try this in all parts of the bow, experimenting with how much pressure is necessary to hold the string.

Now we will use martelé to play actually notes. Go back to the frog and wiggle the string again. Now, release the pressure and move the bow very quickly to the middle. (Martelé must be played with a fast bow stroke, but remember this does not mean a lot of pressure. “Poof” is a good word to describe martelé because the pressure is only at the beginning of the sound.) Use a mirror to be sure your bow hair stays straight and flat.

Practice martelé using scales (or, to think of it differently, practice scales using martelé). This helps incredibly with proper bow division (how much bow you use per note) intonation, and coordination. Pick a scale you are comfortable with in as many octaves as you can do. Start with two martelés per bow, dividing the bow evenly per note. Move up to three, then four, six, eight, and twelve, adjusting the length of each stroke. The trick here is keeping the bow strokes fast, but allowing space between the notes. The bow must stop completely between notes. Allow plenty of time at first to relax the right hand fingers throughout.

Martelé vs Staccato

It may be easy to confuse martelé and staccato. Martelé uses more bow and stronger accents than staccato does. The first movement of Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in A Minor uses both martele and staccato. Can you tell the difference? Listen closely to the ending of the phrase at 0:25. In the Suzuki edition, the first two eighths are marked with a martele accent, and the second two with staccato dots. Making those articulations intentionally different creates variety and style.

Hi! I'm Zlata

Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique.

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Improve your violin bowing technique with these lessons and articles:

Do you want to know every possible bowing technique on the violin? Watch this video with 102 violin bowing techniques.

The basis for all bowing techniques is to bow smoothly. This video lesson will help you with that.

A proper and relaxed violin bow hold will help a lot improving your bowing technique and sound. Read this article.

Take bowing technique lessons with Zlata

Join my Violin Bowing Bootcamp to build a great basic technique, make a beautiful sound and learn the most common bow strokes.

Join Bow like a Pro for personal guidance by Zlata and her teacher team combined with an extensive curriculum all things bowing.

20 Best Violin Concertos Of All Time

Discover the most beautiful violin concertos

Over the past 400 years, violin repertoire has continually expanded and evolved. Ever since Vivaldi, concertos in particular have become increasingly elaborate and virtuosic. Several of these, such as the ones by Brahms, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn, are well-known by classical music lovers, while other concertos that are just as beautiful are only famous among violinists. Here I combine everything into my list of 20 of the greatest violin concertos. Many of these will be familiar to you, but if you’re not a violinist hopefully you’ll discover some exciting new gems as well. For most of them I’ve linked to the free sheet music downloads.

Violin Concerto in C Major by Dimitri Kabalevsky

Kabalevsky was a Russian composer who was most famous for his piano compositions. While teaching piano in a school he realized there was a lack of material suitable for children. He then dedicated his time to writing pieces that children could both learn from and enjoy. His short violin concerto is very popular among serious young students. It has also been professionally recorded by artists such as David Oistrakh and Pinchas Zukerman. While often being considered a “student concerto” it still has some very challenging elements, such as double stops and fast arpeggios. The middle movement is beautifully ethereal and contains a chromatic section that sounds like the whispering of wind.

Click here to buy the sheet music.

Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor by J.S. Bach

A Book 4 milestone for any Suzuki student, this brilliant piece can never be enjoyed too many times. Both violinists get equal chances to play the melodies, and it is a wonderful opportunity for two advanced students to play their first concerto with orchestra if there is an ensemble available. The rhythms and notes of this concerto are mostly straight-forward while presenting important challenges in shifting and accidentals.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto No. 1 in C Major by Joseph Haydn

This is the first and most famous of Haydn’s three surviving violin concertos. Haydn wrote it in 1761 for Luigi Tomasini, who was a talented violinist and composer in his own right. This joyful concerto contains a sprightly and sophisticates solo part with room for cadenzas (i.e. opportunities for virtuosic improvising by the soloist). It is a standard in both student and professional classical repertoire.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi

Do you know how many violin concertos Vivaldi wrote? That’s right, two hundred and thirty. He’s credited with making the concerto form popular, and his work is still popular three hundred years later. The Four Seasons is actually a set of four complete violin concertos, each with three movements. Every movement describes a particular country scene Vivaldi would have witnessed in his native Italy as the seasons changed.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concertos by Mozart

Mozart wrote five beautiful violin concertos before the age of twenty. Only three of these are frequently performed, and the first two less so. No. 3 in G Major is the most playable and stays mostly in first through third position. Nos. 4 and 5 are more fiery and dramatic, especially the opening movements, and extend into higher positions. No. 5 is probably the most famous of them all, and it is very interesting to listen to multiple recordings to hear how different players interpret Mozart.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Symphonie Espagnole by Edouard Lalo

This one is different: violin concertos traditionally have three movements, but this has five. The first one is the most famous. This work started a period where Spanish-themed music was all the rage, and it inspired Tchaikovksy when he created his violin concerto.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor by Max Bruch

This concerto has long been a favorite among audiences. In fact, Bruch was envied and insulted by fellow composers during his life because of this work’s popularity. His detractors were ultimately ignored, however, as it still remains a concert hall staple and mandatory repertoire for serious students.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto No. 3 in B Minor by Camille Saint-Saëns

Saint-Saëns dedicated this concerto (his only on still frequently performed) to the Spanish virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate. Much like his spectacular showpiece Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, the Spanish flair is evident particularly in the third movement. This concerto is not quite as virtuosic as Saint-Saën’s other two, but its challenges include unusual rhythms and sustained legato lines in the second movement, double stops, and sixteenth-note sequences that go into the highest positions.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major by Niccolò Paganini

Paganini is most famous for his 24 Caprices, but he wrote many other pieces including six violin concertos. The first one is the most famous. The third movement is charming and playful but with a deceptively challenging ricochet theme. This concerto is often performed with a cadenza by Sauret, which is considered probably the most difficult cadenza ever written. Even the top soloists will often opt for a different cadenza! This recording however does use the Sauret.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto by Samuel Barber

American composer Samuel Barber wrote this gorgeous concerto in 1939, and the piece reflects the uncertainty of the times. The lush, romantic first two movements are filled with nostalgia and unanswered questions. The frantic third movement, which Barber added later, is an incredible challenge to both soloist and orchestra. Listen to it here played by Anne Akiko-Meyers, who has performed it over 1,000 times.

Click here to buy the sheet music.

Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Minor by Henryk Wieniawski

His music is timeless, but the story of Polish native Henryk Wieniawski is brief and tragic. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at only eight years old. He began touring after graduation and became internationally famous, performing his own extensive compositions. Audiences loved his brilliant performances, but the stress of constant travel and work eventually wore him down. He died of a heart attack while touring Russia in 1880. 

Wieniawski wrote two violin concertos that are both standard repertoire. The second is performed more regularly in part because of its easier key signature (D minor is much easier than F# minor) and is an excellent piece for college music school students. 

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto in B Minor by Edward Elgar

The famous 20th century violinist Fritz Kreisler considered Elgar his time’s greatest living composer, and so asked him to write a violin concerto. Elgar and Kreisler originally planned to record the concerto together, but that fell through and elgar eventually recorded it with a young Yehudi Menuhin instead. Kreisler hailed Elgar’s sense of harmony, grandeur, and orchestration as equal to that of Beethoven or Brahms, and his violin concerto (though of course stylistically different) proves that. Tumultuous and elegant by turns, it has some similarities in style to the Barber concerto, but it fits more into the Romantic Era than into the American 20th-century movement.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto in A Minor by Alexander Glazunov

An interesting fact about this concerto is that there are no labeled divisions into movements. Musicologists have divided it into three or four movements in various ways. It appears that the second movement is actually inserted into the middle of the first movement. IT is also unusual that Glazunov actually wrote the cadenza, since most cadenzas are written by famous performers after the fact.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto in E Minor by Felix Mendelssohn

Classical music lovers can debate endlessly about what the four greatest violin concertos are, but you can be sure Mendelssohn’s will be on the list. Written in 1844, it incorporates the best of both traditional classical styles and Mendelssohn’s budding romanticism. And in case you were wondering, Mendelssohn also wrote a little-known Violin Concerto in D Minor earlier in his life that is also worth a listen.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto in D Minor by Jean Sibelius

When Sibelius premiered the original version of this piece in his native Finland in 1904, he had just finished writing it. Although Sibelius had enough time, unfortunately the violinist performing it didn’t, and the debut was a disaster. Sibelius revised the concerto to make it “easier,” and this new version was performed much more successfully in 1905. It is still one of the most difficult concertos, which is perhaps why it requires special permission from the Sibelius family to play the original harder version.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto in D Major by Peter Tchaikovsky

Okay, I know you’re wondering at this point why so many violin concertos are in the key of D, but maybe that’s a subject for another article. Tchaikovsky wrote this concerto while trying to recover from depression, and it is heart-on-your-sleeve, alternating between deep reflection and unrestrained joy.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

#17 Violin Concerto in D Major by Johannes Brahms

Like the Beethoven Concerto, the opening of this piece sounds as though Brahms started writing a symphony and then suddenly remembered he was supposed to be writing a violin concerto. When the soloist finally does come in, he does it in style with some fiery runs and perfectly tuned double-stops (playing more than one string at once). It may not be as melodic or violin-centered as Beethoven’s but the sheer amount of energy in the work is breathtaking.

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Violin Concerto in D Major by Ludwig van Beethoven

Clocking in at a cool 45 minutes long, the Beethoven Concerto is considered one of the most challenging in the repertoire, and a major accomplishment for anyone who learns it. In the beginning, the orchestra plays an intro lasting over two minutes, which gives the soloist plenty of time to stand there in front of the audience wondering if his or her entrance will sound good. In this recording by violin super-star Hilary Hahn, however, you probably won’t notice her worrying. After you watch this recording, check out her Germany debut where she played the same piece at the age of fifteen (!).

Click here to download the free violin sheet music.

Hi! I'm Zlata

Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique.

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How difficult are these violin concertos to play?

The ‘big’ violin concertos on this page are generally on the more difficult side and to be played by advanced or even virtuoso violinist.

… but there are also easy violin concertos for beginner violinists

Even beginners can play violin concertos by Küchler and Rieding for example. You can find them in my free violin beginner course.

Violin concertos for intermediate violinists

Violin concertos exist on all levels. Check out my list right here with 107 (!) intermediate violin concertos including free sheet music.

What’s your favorite violin concerto?

Leave a comment below this article.

How to Play Tremolo on the Violin

Tremolo is one of the most fun violin bowing techniques!

As long as you have your basics covered, tremolo is easy to play and always adds excitement and drama to the music. Tremolo is particularly found in orchestral music. It is a very rapid detaché stroke typically done at the tip of the bow. Depending on the context, it creates a shimmering, mysterious, or triumphant effect.

There are three types of tremolo: unmeasured, measured, and fingered

All tremolo is notated by putting slashes through the beams of the notes. If there are three slashes through the stems, it means to play small detachè strokes as quickly as possible. This is unmeasured tremolo. A variant of this is a sforzando tremolo that starts with a fast accented down bow to the tip followed by an unmeasured tremolo.

Measured tremolo means dividing a note into a specific number of shorter notes. For example, if you see one slash through a half note, it means play four eighth notes. Two slashes mean eight sixteenth notes. It gets a bit fuzzy with quarter notes: two slashes can either mean sixteenth notes or unmeasured tremolo. At that point, it depends on the musical context and ultimately the wish of the conductor.

Fingered tremolo sounds similar to a trill, but it is notated differently. The bow just plays one long note, but the fingers rapidly alternate between two notes. This creates a very shimmery, mysterious sound. Fingered tremolo can be measured or unmeasured. One very important tip is that you always play the two notes on the same string rather than trying to alternate between strings.

Tremolo in violin sheet music

Difficulties in violin tremolo

It doesn’t seem that complicated, so what are some difficulties people encounter when playing tremolo? The biggest issue for most students is tension. The hand and wrist move quickly while the whole arm stays relaxed. It is easy to just start shaking the whole arm, but over long periods of time this is tiring and perhaps even dangerous. Instead of jumping straight into fast tremolo, build up to it gradually.

Start by placing the bow on the string at the tip (E string is easiest at first) and notice how your arm feels. Is it relaxed, or are there areas of tension? It is a fact that no matter how tense you are, you can always find a place in your body that is relaxed and go from there. It might help to put your elbow against a wall in order to isolate the wrist and arm movement. Start by playing quarter notes to become comfortable with the movement, then double the tempo each time. So eighth notes, sixteenths, etc. If the tremolo is unmeasured, don’t worry about the exact number of notes, just play as fast as possible. A good trick for not getting tired is to only keep your thumb, index, and middle fingers on the bow.

Examples of different types of tremolo

Unmeasured Tremolo: Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker

Measured Tremolo: Beethoven’s Coriolanus Overture

Fingered Tremolo: Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D Minor

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In the fingered tremolo example, the tremolo is not in the solo violin but rather in the section violins who can be seen in the background. Fingered tremolo notation can be confusing in sheet music if you have never seen it before. For example, you might see two half notes connected with two dashes. How many beatles is that supposed to be? That counts as two beats, because it means you alternate (similar to trilling) between the two notes for two beats. This stumps players when they see two whole notes in one measure connected by dashes and wonder how they are supposed to play eight beats!

All three types of tremolo are very common orchestral bowing techniques, so I hope this article helps you feel more prepared at your next rehearsal!

How to Practice with a Metronome as a Beginner Violinist

Do you feel that the metronome is hard to follow or makes your playing mechanic? Here are some practice tips for beginners:

Have you ever had a teacher or peer gently suggest that you should practice with a metronome? Perhaps like me you resisted the idea for a long time. Common responses are “It takes the fun out of practicing!” “It confuses me, I can’t focus!” “I can’t follow the beat so I play even worse!” If you struggle with these, it is totally fine. You can still learn to play with a metronome if you break down the steps and go slowly. In this article, we’ll talk about the types of metronomes, their functions, and how to start using one in a way that won’t drive you crazy.

What is a Metronome?

A metronome is a device that simply gives steady clicks and can be set to any speed, i.e. tempo. Metronomes are primarily used by musicians but can also be helpful for other artists such as dancers and marching band flag-twirlers. There are three main types. First, there are classic mechanical metronomes that must be wound up and have a metal pendulum. There are also electronic metronomes that click or beep and have a blinking light. These days however, more and more people are switching to online metronome apps. This way you’re not carrying an extra piece of equipment around, and most online metronomes are free! Additionally, they often have special features that traditional metronomes do not.

Where to find a Metronome?

Great Zlata, so where do I find a good online metronome? There are so many options! After a lot of experimenting, I’ve developed a free, online metronome available on my website and as an app. In my own practicing I always had difficulty hearing the metronome, so I needed to see the pendulum. Unfortunately, most online metronomes only have a blinking light. My metronome app looks like a mechanical one so you can watch the needle. It has an attractive, easy-to-use design that lets you choose tempo, beats, and rhythms. One nice thing about this metronome is that it can play subdivisions. For example, if you set it to 120 beats per minute, you can also set it to play eighth-notes, triplets, or sixteenths at that tempo. This is especially useful for beginners who are learning to subdivide mentally. The metronome also lets you place an accent on the first beat of each measure depending on the meter. Overall, it is much simpler than many other online options, but still includes everything necessary and is more visually appealing.

Click here to go to my free online metronome.

Why Practice with a Metronome?

Practicing with a metronome is one of the best things you can do for your playing. It helps with rhythm, tempo, precision, ensemble skills, and being able to play all the way through without stopping. In fact, there’s no reason not to practice with a metronome! Yes it can be daunting at first, and students often give up in frustration. It simply takes patience to absorb the rhythmic pulse and make it part of your playing. We’ll go over some tips on the simplest ways to incorporate metronome work into your practice routine so that you’re ready for more complex things later on.

How to Start Playing with a Metronome?

The best way to learn almost every single violin technique is through scales. Pick a scale you’re already very comfortable with. Set the metronome at around 60 bpm, or whatever is comfortable for you. Starting with one click equals a quarter note, play four bows per note going up the scale. Set the metronome a bit faster and do the same thing. Make sure you are changing bows exactly with the clicks. When you are comfortable with quarter notes, start doing eighth notes, two per beat. Then do sixteenth notes. You can also do this for triplets or any other rhythm you want to practice. The goal right now is simply to get used to playing with the click so that you can use it with pieces later on.

If you have a complex rhythm in a passage, a metronome can help you break it down. Start very slow, setting the metronome to subdivisions (i.e. one beat per eighth note instead of one beat per quarter note). You can even draw little dashes in the music where the main beats are. The trick is to always start the metronome slower than you know you can play. That way you will feel comfortable and can gradually build to a faster tempo without developing sloppy habits.

The same principle applies to practicing pieces with a metronome. Make sure you are comfortable with the fingerings and bowings first, otherwise you will not be able to keep a steady pulse. Make sure you are also still doing musical things like dynamics and phrasing. This is totally possible with a metronome, and if you leave these details out when you are practicing you may not do them when performing!

free online metronome app
Go to my free online metronome

Hi! I'm Zlata

Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique.

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Getting things up to Tempo

Practicing involves a lot of repetition, and metronomes encourage focused repetition. The main reason people practice with a metronome is to help speed up fast tricky passages at consistent tempi. Picking a metronome speed to work towards turns practicing into more of a fun challenge. When you start slow and increase the tempo by only a few clicks each time, it basically tricks your brain into thinking you haven’t sped up at all!

Over time, regular use of a metronome will transform your practicing and performance. And since you have such wonderful free tools at your disposal, why wait? The sooner you begin, the more quickly you will adapt to it. Just remember to start slow, have patience, and let yourself learn over time.

Do you practice with a metronome?

Let me know which metronome you use and your best tips in the comments!