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| Title: | A Town with an Ocean View |
| Composer: | Joe Hisaishi |
| Performer: | – |
| Genre: | Film/soundtrack |
| Form: | – |
| Key Signature: | E Minor |
| Time signature: | 4/4 |
| Number of pages: | 2 |
| Duration: | 2:21 |
Today I’m so excited to share with you A Town with an Ocean View violin sheet music and practice tips!
A Town with an Ocean View (海の見える街) is from the Studio Ghibli film Kiki’s Delivery Service and is loved by many. This great piece of music was composed by Joe Hisaishi, who has written many of the soundtracks for Studio Ghibli films, including Merry Go Round of Life from Howl’s Moving Castle.
A Town with an Ocean View Violin Sheet Music
I’ve created two versions of the song: an easy version with tabs (suitable for learners in between beginner and intermediate levels), and an intermediate one with more difficult techniques. Take a look at both arrangements and purchase the one that best aligns with your current abilities!
First, you can listen to the easy version of A Town with an Ocean View:
- violin solo
- violin + piano accompaniment
Easy Violin Sheet Music
A Town with an Ocean View – Joe Hisaishi
Take a listen to the intermediate version of A Town with an Ocean View:
- violin solo
- violin + piano accompaniment
Intermediate Violin Sheet Music
A Town with an Ocean View – Joe Hisaishi
How to Play A Town with an Ocean View from Kiki’s Delivery Service
Check out my video tutorials with play-alongs and sheet music shown in the videos below.
Easy Version
In my tutorial above, I share a regular play-through with the piano accompaniment, then go through slower practice runs. Finally, I share just the piano accompaniment for you to play along with.
Intermediate Version
If you like my video lessons, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel – click the YouTube button over here!
Practice Tips for A Town with an Ocean View
Before you begin, let’s go over a few practice tips!
Key Signature: E minor
My arrangement of A Town with an Ocean View is in the key of E minor, which means there’s only one sharp: F sharp.
On the violin, this means that the second finger will be placed low on the A string to play C natural, and it’ll also be low on the E string to play G natural.
One of the best ways to prepare for a new key signature and just any new piece is to practice the corresponding scale and arpeggio! Warming up in this way helps you remember what’s in the key signature and where your fingers go for each note.
Download the E minor scale and arpeggio booklet below to prepare for the song:
E Minor Scales, Arpeggios
and a Bonus Exercise
Pizzicato
There are two ways you can play the pizzicato in A Town with an Ocean View.
The first way is by hovering your right hand in the air and just pulling the string with your index finger. This method of playing pizzicato will give you the best tone.
The second way is by anchoring your right thumb underneath the fingerboard and pulling the string with your index finger. This method feels more secure, but the tone can be a little more muted.
Try both ways and see which one is more comfortable for you!
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Bow Strokes and Articulations
There are a few different articulations in this piece that require different bow strokes.
Most of the time we’ll play detaché, which is just your average back-and-forth bow stroke.
Next, we’ll sometimes play legato. Legato means “smooth”, and is usually marked with slurs. When we see a slur, we play the notes all in one bow direction, without any pauses in between. This creates our smooth “legato” sound.
Now for the opposite of legato, staccato! We have quite a few staccato markings throughout the sheet music, which tell us to play short and disconnected. You can create a staccato sound by either stopping your bow between notes or lifting it.
Finally, we also see tenuto in the sheet music. Tenuto is a line written just above or below a note, and it tells you to hold that note for its full value. Don’t cut it off early!
Struggling with bow strokes? Read more about them and find exercises here!
Mordent
One technique that appears only in the intermediate arrangement is a mordent. This symbol above a note tells you to play the written note, one note above it, and the original again, all in one bow stroke. It’s almost like a quick trill with only one turn.
Learn More…
Looking for more violin sheet music and piano accompaniments with practice insights and lessons? Consider joining Julia’s Violin Academy, where you can learn your favorite songs and essential techniques through video lessons and personalized feedback. Hope to see you there!
Remember to purchase your copy of A Town with an Ocean View by Joe Hisaishi and download the free E minor warmups before you go. Happy practicing!
Easy Violin Sheet Music
A Town with an Ocean View – Joe Hisaishi
Intermediate Violin Sheet Music
A Town with an Ocean View – Joe Hisaishi
