City of Stars (La La Land) violin sheet music, practice tips, and free warmups.
If you’re looking for a beautiful movie soundtrack to add to your repertoire, my City of Stars violin sheet music is a wonderful choice. This Oscar-winning song from La La Land has a simple, dreamy melody that sounds beautiful on the violin.
I’ve created both an easy and an intermediate arrangement, complete with tutorial videos, piano accompaniments, and a free scale warmup to help you get started.
Whether you’re learning your first shifting piece or prefer staying in first position, there’s a version that’s right for you.
Ready to learn City of Stars? Grab your violin and let’s begin!
Beginner Version – Violin Sheet Music
City of Stars from La La Land
Intermediate Version – Violin Sheet Music
City of Stars from La La Land
Free Scale Warmup for City of Stars
One of the easiest ways to prepare for a new piece is by warming up in the same key.
Both the beginner and intermediate arrangements are written in D minor, so you only need one warmup before practicing either version.
D Minor Scales, Arpeggios
and a Bonus Exercise
City of Stars Violin Sheet Music (Easy and Intermediate Arrangements)
I’ve created two versions of City of Stars so you can choose the one that best fits your current level.
The beginner arrangement stays comfortably in first position and is a great introduction to expressive movie music with accidentals and syncopation.
The intermediate arrangement keeps the same beautiful melody while adding shifts into 3rd and 4th position for players who are ready for a new challenge.
Easy Sheet Music
First, listen to the beginner arrangement to see if you like it and if it’ll suit you:
- violin solo
- violin + piano accompaniment
- piano accompaniment
Beginner Version – Violin Sheet Music
City of Stars from La La Land
Intermediate Version
If you’re comfortable in first position and want to begin exploring higher positions, maybe the intermediate version is a better fit.
- violin solo
- violin + piano accompaniment
- piano accompaniment
Intermediate Version – Violin Sheet Music
City of Stars from La La Land
Piano Accompaniment
Both arrangements include a piano accompaniment track to take your playing to the next level. You’ll feel like you’re right there in the movie!
Download the beginner and intermediate accompaniment tracks for free here:
Piano Accompaniment – Audio Recordings (.mp3)
City of Stars from La La Land
City of Stars Violin Tutorials
Ready to start learning? I’ve made helpful tutorials for both arrangements to help you practice smarter, not harder!
First I’ll play the song for you, then we’ll practice together: first slowly, then I’ll share the piano accompaniment at the same tempo for you to play along with by yourself. Then we’ll do the same thing up to tempo. You’ve got this!
Easy Tutorial
Intermediate Tutorial
If you like my video lessons, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel – click the YouTube button to the right!
Practice Tips for Playing City of Stars
1. Warm up in D Minor
Like I mentioned earlier, you always want to warm up with the scale that corresponds with the key your music is in. City of Stars has one flat (B flat) in the key signature, which puts us in D Minor.
Practice the D Minor scale before working through the song to remind yourself where your fingers need to go, to perfect your intonation, and to listen to your tone.
Download the free D Minor scale warmup here!
D Minor Scales, Arpeggios
and a Bonus Exercise
2. Let the Melody Sing
One reason this piece is so memorable is its simple, flowing melody, and the laid back, jazzy vibe.
Avoid rushing between notes: stay cool, calm, and collected as you play through the piece.
Give each phrase room to breathe, and imagine you’re singing the tune as you play.
3. Keep Your Bow Smooth
Most of this piece is played legato, with many slurred eighth notes.
Use long, relaxed bow strokes and aim for an even sound throughout each phrase. Smooth bow changes help the melody feel calm and expressive.
To change your bow smoothly, use your wrist to initiate the direction change and keep the bow speed steady. A suddenly faster bow speed will create an accent!
4. Listen to the Piano
The accompaniment helps shape the rhythm and emotion of the piece.
Practice with the piano track early on instead of waiting until you’ve mastered every note. It’ll help you develop steady timing, and the accompaniment makes the music feel complete.
5. Practice Shifts by Themselves (Intermediate)
The intermediate arrangement introduces shifts into 3rd and 4th position. Shifting gives us access to a higher range of notes, and in City of Stars, the higher notes add drama!
Isolate each shift, instead of just playing the phrases they occur in. Play the note before the shift and the destination note several times back and forth until the movement feels comfortable.
If you’d like extra help with shifting, I have a guide to 3rd position and one on 4th position here on the blog!
Free Violin Sheet Music in Your Inbox
Try the City of Stars Violin Sheet Music
I hope you enjoy learning this beautiful song from La La Land.
Don’t forget to download your free D minor scale warmup before you begin, and grab the piano accompaniment to practice with.
Beginner Version – Violin Sheet Music
City of Stars from La La Land
Intermediate Version – Violin Sheet Music
City of Stars from La La Land
If you enjoy lyrical movie music, you might want to learn A Whole New World or Edelweiss next. Hope to see you there!
Please share your progress in the comments. I’d love to hear whether you chose the beginner or intermediate arrangement!
