JULIA'S VIOLIN BLOG

Easy guide to learning chromatic scale on the violin Even if you're a beginner violinist, you probably have heard of scales, as well as the benefits of studying them (have a look here if you haven't), and that there are basically two types of them: major and minor. This is a simplification of the various [...]

Tremolo is a technique used mostly by string instruments. Bowed instruments, meaning the violin, viola, and cello, frequently use it in orchestral repertoire, while plucked instruments such as the guitar and percussion instruments use it even in solos. The same technique in wind instruments is not as easy to achieve, but it is possible, and [...]

Let's have a look at the nuances of legato and tenuto bowing techniques! What Is the Difference Between Legato and Tenuto? Legato and tenuto are two techniques that are similar but produce a different sound effect. Legato means to play the notes smoothly and connected. Tenuto, is more of articulation and means simply to sustain [...]

Let's have a closer look at the violin legato bowing technique! What is Legato? Legato is an Italian musical indication from composers requesting a smooth, continuous sound between notes. In other words, you’re playing the full length of the notes with no interruptions in between them. For violinists, this means connecting multiple notes together as [...]

The violin glissando is a fun technique that pops up in many genres of music we play. It's essentially a slide from one note to the next and is used as an expressive technique. This easy violin lesson will help you understand what the glissando is and how exactly to play it. Be sure to [...]

One of the most common musical ornaments is the trill. It varies between different instruments and styles and it can be found in virtually all music styles. But how can you play trills on the violin? This article is an easy guide on how to learn and improve trills as well as recognize the different [...]

I'm so excited to teach you today My Heart Will Go On and provide you with my arrangement of violin sheet music for this song! Do you know this famous tune from the movie Titanic? It sounds beautiful and haunting played on the violin! Keep reading to learn the story of the song and how [...]

Have you ever heard of the martelé violin bow stroke? As we advance in violin playing, we see so many bowing and articulation markings in the sheet music, and it's important that we understand them and can play them! Today we're focusing on martelé, a technique that isn't quite legato, but not quite staccato. Keep [...]

Today I'm sharing You Raise Me Up violin sheet music, along with a guide to help you learn how to play it. This is a beautiful tune made popular by Josh Groban, and it sounds so lovely on our instrument. Keep reading to get the sheet music for a small fee and learn a few [...]

Having a good tone on the violin might seem very challenging at first and it does take some time to improve it. The good news is that you can do a lot to change your violin sound for the better! There are a number of possible reasons for a not-so-good tone or even a scratchy [...]

Once you've started practicing the violin, it's important to learn about our go-to bowing technique: détaché bowing. This is basically our default bow stroke that goes Down Bow, Up Bow, Down Bow, Up Bow back and forth, over and over again. In this article, I'm sharing exactly what détaché bowing is, how it's written in [...]

Today I'm excited to share with you my arrangement of Hallelujah for violin! Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen is one of the most popular songs, and I always have students begging to learn to play it! Here I'm sharing my digital sheet music with you, along with some tips for you to learn how to play [...]