Violin Methods 1

Ready to take your violin playing to the next level? This beginner-oriented course teaches the hows and whys behind making the best sound possible on your instrument. It is perfect for both the curious violin student working independently, as well as the motivated player looking to enhance, expand, and reinforce the work they are doing with their current teacher.

The course focuses on four key areas: tone, scales, rhythm, and strength and sustainability. You’ll learn playing fundamentals, techniques for improving your performance and sound, and how to create long-term practice habits to meet your goals. All throughout the course, you’ll receive solid technical guidance that will allow you to play more advanced and exciting pieces, while enhancing your musicianship so that you can more fully enjoy performing with others on and off the page.

The course unlocks the pro secrets that guarantee that you’ll have more fun and freedom on the instrument, while building the stamina, practice habits, and mindset that ensure long-term musical success.

What you will learn:

✔ Play practice patterns for any scale to improve intonation, bowing, and rhythm               
✔ Build an efficient and effective practice routine to make the most of your time               
✔ Perform for your teacher and classmates while giving and receiving constructive feedback               
✔ Make a rhythmic “obstacle course” to improve your sight-reading skills                
✔ Measure your progress through before-and-after videos of your playing and feedback from your teacher

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Prerequisite Skills:

• Read and play all the notes of the D Major scale
• Tune your own violin with a tuner and/or reference pitch
• Play and define legato and staccato bowings
• Read and execute dynamic range from piano to forte
• Read quarter, eighth, half, whole, sixteenth, dotted quarter, dotted eighth, and dotted half notes
• Read and explain 4/4, 2/4, 3/4, common, and cut time

What you need to participate

• Computer or mobile device with Internet. Internet speed must be at least 1.5Mbps download and 800Kbps upload. For students using a mobile device, download the Canvas mobile app and select “Interlochen Online” as your school.
• Access to a printer to print manuscript paper and sheet music
• A pencil
• A tuner and metronome. The following free and for-purchase options are recommended:
  • Free tuner
  • Free metronome
  • For purchase tuners: Tonal Energy Tuner, D'Addario NS Micro, or Snark ST-2
  • For purchase combo tuner/metronomes: Korg TM-60, Intelli IMT-202 or IMT-301, and Boss Dr. Beat
• Video/audio recording capability for practices and assignments

How the course works:

Interlochen Online courses are designed to be inspiring and flexible, with weekly learning units that combine video segments and guided instruction that you can complete on your own schedule during the week. You will interact regularly with your teacher and peers inside the learning environment. 

You can also participate in an optional weekly hour-long video class meeting, where you can learn from the teacher and interact with your classmates in real-time. At the beginning of the course, you will complete a survey indicating your preferred times for the class meeting. The teacher will make every effort to identify a meeting time that works for everyone. The teacher will also post recordings of the meetings and you can view them when it is convenient. 

The goal is that you walk away not only with practical skills and friendships, but that you are inspired and motivated to pursue your art and realize your potential.