Internet Resources for Violin/Viola Students

FREE: Fiddle Music | Anime | MP3 Files | Violin Videos | Handouts
Study Guides | Media | Free Sheetmusic

Player Resources | String Resources | Viola Resources | Scales | Finger Positions | Links
Jazz and Blues Violin | Gypsy Fiddle | Rock | Fiddle Music
Composer's Corner (free or nearly free arrangements and new works)


Visit our complimentary listings: Teachers Directory | Luthier Directory | Violinists/Violists on the Web

Listserv icon
You are cordially invited to join String_Teacher_Support: Moderated academic list for string teachers, parents and students

Keywords: violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, piano, teacher, private, studio, Suzuki, education, music, string pedagogy, orchestra



Composer's Corner
Original arrangements and new works by
contemporary composers for solo violin, viola or string ensemble

  • Benjamin Crowell: Happy Birthday for string quartet - free
  • Benjamin Crowell: Anthology for Intermediate Strings - free
  • André van Haren: Vl/piano, Vc/piano - score, Vc part - free
  • André van Haren - String Quartets: After work late at night; Cat's Play ; A midday nap - free Website
  • Matthew Hindson, Composer - large catalog of works
  • Robert Reck: Pachelbel Canon: Piano and Easy Solo Vl- $2.00
  • Robert Reck: Pachelbel Canon-String Orchestra - free
  • Robert Reck: Coro from Handel's "Water Music" - youth orchestra - free
  • C.M. Sunday: Anniversary Waltz, Hymns - free
  • Chris Wind, works for violin, viola, cello
  • Finger Positions

    Free Fiddle
    Nigel Gatherer's ABC Collection
    Hope Grietzer: Tune of the Month
    Guitfiddle Academy
    Tune Finder
    Tunes at Ceolas
    The Session
    Hetzler's Fakebook
    TuneWeb
    Chris Peterson
    Free tablature
    Fiddle Sites

    Free Anime
    Free Handouts
  • Analysis of Carl Flesch Scale System
  • Cadential Formulas
  • Common String Articulations
  • Dynamics
  • Modes
  • Musicology
  • Non-Harmonic Tones
  • Non-Traditional String Sound Resources
  • Ornaments
  • Piano Pedals
  • Violin/Viola, Piano: 3 octave fingerings
  • J.S. Bach: Music | Recordings | Books | Links

    Violin/Viola/Piano Literature
    Advanced Violin Literature
    Advanced Viola Literature
    Advanced Chamber Literature
    Student Concertos (violin)
    Viola Concertos
    Collections - "Salon Pieces"
    Duets: Vl/vl, Vl/vla, Vla/vla, Vl/vc, Vla/vc, Vl/guitar
    Easy Violin/Piano Duets | Violin Trios
    Trios with Viola | Four Violins

    Free Study Guides
    Music History/Theory Guide to Studying for Placement Tests
    Grout History of Western Music: Outlines and Time Lines

    Media
    Complete Quartets
    100 Favorite Recordings
    Music in Films
    Theory & String Articulations
    Andrew Manze Collector
    Amy Beach Collector
    Perlman Collector
    Glenn Gould Collector

    Orchestral Masterworks CD-ROM [Contents]
    Complete Parts Violin I and II:
    I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X.
    Complete Viola Parts:
    I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X.
  • Connie's Violin Page graphic

    Would you like to own a copy of the most significant essays, FAQs, Guides and Surveys on these pages?

    Buy paperback book on Amazon

    Book is also available on Kindle and MobiPocket

    Front cover, Table of Contents, First pages, Back cover:

    Click here left arrow


    Gewa - Venetian Oblong Violin Case
    (FREE SHIPPING to all U.S. locations & APO's)

    This special one-of-a-kind case has a plush velvet interior with Italian silk accents. Four bow holders, attached instrument blanket, hygrometer and humidifier. Gewa "Thermo" (composite) construction with leather accents. Black exterior with blue interior. Available in 4/4 only. Weight: 5.80 lbs.

    Price: $285.00

    Free SHEET MUSIC
    See also: Composer' Corner (free or almost free arrangements or new works)

    Sheet Music


    Puffy Half Moon Violin Case
    Puffy Half Moon Violin Case, 6.5 lbs.
    Click Here for other color combinations.
    Price: $199.00
    FREE SHIPPING to all U.S. locations & APO's
    Pink Glasser bow
    299WH Pink Glasser bow - Premium fiberglass with nickel silver grip
    Also available in red, green, blue, purple, yellow, black
    Design time is usually 5-8 business days


    FREE SHIPPING to all U.S. locations & APO's

    Violin: $98.75
    VIOLIN Bow Size
    Viola: $108.75
    VIOLA Bow Size

    FIDDLE
    See also: Fiddle and Alternative Styles - with Bibliography
    Jazz and Blues:
    Gypsy Fiddle:
    Rock:


    Fiddle:

    The Violinist's Guide to Fiddling

    Aaron Copland: Ukelele Serenade Music download

    The American Fiddle Method [Goes well with Suzuki materials]:
    Book and CD: Vol. 1, Vol. 2.
    Book, CD and DVD: Vol. 1, Vol. 2.

    The Fiddler's Fakebook: Edited by David Brody. Fake book for fiddle. With lead melody, chord names, instructional text and performance notes. 302 pages. Published by Oak Publications.

    Country Fiddle
    Learn to Play Country Fiddle

    You Can Teach Yourself Fiddling: Designed for beginning fiddle students, these 36 lessons present basic techniques by applying them to fiddle tunes. Reading music is unnecessary, as the lessons are explained step by step, and fingerings are given for every note. Each version builds on the previous one and helps students to create their own arrangements. Includes a split- track CD. Forty-eight songs from the book are on the CD.

    How To Play Fiddle by Larry McCabe

    Fiddlers Philharmonic: (Traditional Fiddling in the String Orchestra) Written by Andrew H. Dabczynski, Bob Phillips. Violin solo songbook for violin. With standard notation, bowings, introductory text, chord names and glossary. 40 pages. Published by Alfred Publishing.
    The Band Violin Pickup
    The Band Violin Pickup


    Berry Violin Pickup
    Berry Violin Pickup

    Click on photograph to purchase on Amazon
    300 Fiddle Tunes: Solo fiddle songbook for fiddle. With performance notes, introductory text and standard notation. 96 pages. Published by Hal Leonard.

    Famous Fiddlin' Tunes: Arranged by Craig Duncan. Fiddle songbook and performance CD for fiddle. With standard notation and chord names. Series: Qwik Guide Series. 61 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

    Celtic Fiddle Tunes for Solo and Ensemble, Violin 1 and 2: Piano Accompaniment Included. By Craig Duncan. For Violin. Ensemble (mixed). Celtic/Irish. Level: Beginning-Intermediate. Book. Size 8.5x11. 64 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

    The Craig Duncan Master Fiddle Solo Collection: Edited by Craig Duncan. Book for fiddle. Intermediate-Advanced level. 152 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications.

    The Irish Fiddle (A Complete Guide to Learning): Written by Paul McNevin. Instructional book and examples CD for fiddle and violin. With introductory text, instructional text, standard notation, bowings and black & white photos. Series: Walton, method. 112 pages. Published by Walton's Mfg., Ltd.

    Natalie MacMaster's Cape Breton Island Fiddle: 41 Fiddle Solos. By Natalie MacMaster transcribed by Stacy Phillips. For Fiddle. Solos. Fiddle Tunes. Level: Intermediate. Book. Size 8.75x11.75. 64 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

    The Cajun Fiddle: By Craig Duncan. For fiddle. Solos. Cajun-Zydeco. Level: Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.75x11.75. 104 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

    Fiddle Tunes: (Irish Music For String Quartet) Arranged by George A. Speckert. Full score and set of performance parts for violin I, violin II, viola (or violin III - part included) and cello. 31 pages. Published by Baerenreiter-Ausgaben (German import).

    English, Welsh, Scottish, & Irish Fiddle Tunes: Edited by Robin Williamson. Violin solo songbook and examples CD for violin. With standard notation, chord names, performance notes, introductory text and black & white illustrations. 96 pages. Published by Oak Publications.

    Easy Fiddle Solos: y Dick Weissman and Mike Connolly. For fiddle. Solos. Value Line. Bluegrass & Country. Level: Beginning. Book/CD Set. Size 8.75x11.75. 32 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

    Complete Fiddling Book: By Craig Duncan. For Fiddle. Solos. Complete. All Styles. Level: Intermediate-Advanced. Book+DVD. Size 8.75x11.75. 208 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

    Decorative Violin Cradle
    Decorative Violin Cradle
    Available in four finishes: brown, bronze, gold, and white.

    $80.00
    (Includes FREE SHIPPING to all U.S. locations & APO's)


    Color

    I found this interesting observation on the rec.music.makers.piano. It was written by a jazz pianist/teacher, but I think it's very worthwhile and applies to strings:

    Why Practice Scales:
    There are many possible answers, depending on your background and your goals. For a complete beginner, they help build finger dexterity by giving you something to play that you can work on without being slowed down by reading. They also teach you what notes are found in each key, which makes reading music go more smoothly as you'll cease having to read each note one at a time and start to see patterns within the key. If you're planning on playing jazz or any other style with improvisation, it teaches you what notes are available for use in improvisation, and teaches your hand good fingering habits that will hopefully come into play while improvising.

  • Handout: Violin/Viola, Piano - 3 octave scale fingerings
    Makeup of Major and Minor Scales
    Identifying Key Signatures
    • Method for Memorizing Fingerings - Violin | Piano
  • Handout: Analysis of Carl Flesch Scale System
  • John Krakenberger: Galamian Scale System - Methodology
  • Free one- to three-octave Printable Violin and Viola Scales
  • Violin Scale Books
  • Viola Scale Books
  • Piano Scale Books
  • Two Octave Major and Minor scales for violin, viola, cello and bass

    Galamian has a scale study method covering much the same material, but includes more contemporary harmonies, more diverse choice of fingerings, and a separate book with bowing options. Notes are only note heads, which is different than the Carl Flesch.

    An even more contemporary scale and arpeggio study book with a jazz/rock influence is Mark Wood's Electrify Your Strings. This may be studied with an acoustic instrument and is well worth examining.

    For fiddlers, I recommend the Mel Bay Fiddling Chord Book.

  • Violin Scale Books
    A Tune A Day Beginning Scales for Violin
    Barbara Barber: Scales for Advanced Violinists
    Susan Brown: Two Octave Scales And Bowings For The Violin
    Paul Rolland, James Starr: Three Octave Scale Fingering Alternatives
    Hrimaly: Scale Book - violin
    Schradieck: School Of Violin Technics: Bk. 1, Bk. 2, Bk. 3
    Sitt: Scales Studies For Violin, Op. 41
    Carl Flesch: Scale Studies - violin
    Galamian Contemporary Violin Technique: Vol. 1, Vol. 2.
    Viola Scale Books

    STRING RESOURCES



    Suzuki Viola books and CDs
    http://beststudentviolins.com/sheetmusic.html#viola

    Viola Fingerboard Chart
    http://beststudentviolins.com/fingerboard.html#viola_fingerboard_chart

    Viola Resources
    http://beststudentviolins.com/violas.html#violaresources

    Barbara Barber Books and CDs
    http://beststudentviolins.com/sheetmusic.html#barber

    Viola Literature (études)
    http://beststudentviolins.com/sheetmusic.html#violalit

    Advanced Chamber Literature
    http://beststudentviolins.com/lit.html#adv_chamb_lit

    Viola Concertos
    http://beststudentviolins.com/lit.html#viola_concertos

    Viola Scale Books
    http://beststudentviolins.com/sheetmusic.html#violascales

    Free Viola Music
    http://beststudentviolins.com/freemusic.html#freeviolamusic

    Advanced Viola Literature
    http://beststudentviolins.com/lit.html#adv_vla_lit

    Viola da Gamba
    http://beststudentviolins.com/lit.html#gamba
    Viola List
    http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/viola/

    American Viola Society
    http://www.americanviolasociety.org/

    International Viola Society
    http://www.viola.ca/ivs/ivs_home.html

    Duets
    Violin/Viola, Viola/Viola, Viola/Cello

    Trios with Viola
    http://beststudentviolins.com/lit.html#trios

    Viola Outfits
    http://beststudentviolins.com/violas.html#studentviolas

    Step-Up Violas
    http://beststudentviolins.com/violas.html#violastep-up

    Master Level Violas
    http://beststudentviolins.com/Professional.html#proviolas

    Master Level Viola Bows
    http://beststudentviolins.com/Professional.html#probows

    Viola Cases
    http://beststudentviolins.com/bobelock.html#viola



    Also see: Tuning instructions for Violin/Viola
    which includes ranges and link to chromatic tuner.