When you’re just starting out on the violin, it’s important that you have some easy violin songs to help you stay motivated and maximize your fun.
Simple violin music can be just as beautiful as its complicated counterparts, and you don’t have to be Paganini to play some expressive and rewarding melodies. Knowing just a handful of notes, you can play tunes from a variety of styles.
If you’re new to violin lessons, your teacher can help you learn some of these beginner violin songs with proper dynamics and technique. With each lesson, you’ll build upon the fundamentals while taking on new material.
Use the following list to discover easy violin music across a variety of genres, including classical, pop, and Irish fiddle. We’ve also included some holiday favorites, as well as the top songs for kids to learn. Read on to find out your new number one violin song!
Easy Violin Songs for Beginners
Easy Fiddle Songs and Celtic Violin Tunes
When it comes to simple fiddle tunes, the traditional Irish and Scottish repertoire contains some of the most iconic songs around. From soaring Celtic anthems to lilting and joyous themes, these simple tunes can pack a serious emotional punch.
Celtic music also heavily influenced the fiddle music of the United States, and many catchy fiddle classics came out of the Appalachians. These are also wonderful songs for beginners to learn. In fact, you may recognize some of the following tunes from the popular country-folk collection!
There are quite a few violin books with traditional (and often easy) Irish songs and fiddling songs. Several of the songs below can be found in “Fiddler’s Philharmonic.” Check out the easy violin sheet music for these songs here.
1. “Bile ‘Em Cabbage Down”
Thank you 1Cranein for the use of this video.
2. “Cripple Creek”
3. “Old Joe Clark”
4. “Arkansas Traveler”
5. Swallowtail Jig”
6. “Si Bheag, Si Mhor”
7. “Scarborough Fair”
8. “St. Anne’s Reel”
9. “Ashokan Farewell”
10. “Oh Susanna”
See Also: The 5 Best Violin Songs of All Time
Easy Violin Songs For Kids
Do you have a budding violinist at home? If so, then it’s a great idea for them to learn songs they can already sing by heart! When your child practices tunes on the violin that they are already familiar with, they’ll be able to tell which notes are correct and be more motivated to play.
Building confidence is important when your child is first starting out on an instrument, and these simple violin songs make it possible for them to showcase their skills as soon as possible. They’ll be sure to celebrate when they get their first few melodies down!
Note: The songs marked as rounds are particularly fun when you have more than one player or singer, and they allow you to create some relatively simple, beautiful harmonies.
1. “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”
Thank you Fiddlerman for the use of this video.
2. “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
3. “Hot Cross Buns (round)”
4. “Go Tell Aunt Rhody”
5. “Frère Jacques” (Brother John – round)
6. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” (round)”
7. “Have You Seen the Ghost of John” (round)
8. “London Bridge is Falling Down”
9. “Old McDonald Had a Farm”
10. “The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round”
11. “Des Colores” (The Colors)
12. “Los Pollitos Dicen” (The Chicks Say…)
Popular Violin Music for Beginners
If your goal is to perform live for a group someday, playing one of these popular tunes is sure to captivate your audience. The good news is that your big performance doesn’t have to be too far away, since you can quickly learn these sing-alongs!
1. “America the Beautiful”
Thank you String Club for the use of this video.
2. “House of the Rising Sun”
3. “Drink to me Only With Thine Eyes”
4. “Titanic Theme: Wherever you Go”
5. “Little Brown Jug”
6. “Do a Deer”
7. “A Thousand Years”
8. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
See Also: 15 Easy Violin Songs That Make You Sound Impressive
Classical Violin Songs for Beginners
Think you have to stick within the pop and folk realm to play beginner violin songs? Then think again. There are plenty of simple violin songs in the classical music repertoire. While the list here attempts to target those pieces that have become more common as solos, there are also many other famous classical melodies from larger works that are easy to play on the violin.
1. “Greensleeves / What Child is This”
Thank you Lindsey Stirling for the use of this video.
2. “Ode to Joy”
3. “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring”
4. “Bach’s Minuets 1, 2, and 3 in G from the Anna Magdelena Notebook”
5. “Schubert’s Ave Maria”
6. “Amazing Grace”
Easy Christmas Violin Songs
If you’re looking for easy Christmas duets specifically, Christmas Duets for Violin and Other C Instruments by the Hal Leonard Corporation is a great place to look.
If you’re playing alone, you can also play the melody part as a solo. Some of the songs from this book can be found in the list below.
1. “Feliz Navidad”
Thank you Violin Tutor Pro for the use of this video.
2. “Hava Naguila”
3. “Oh Hannukah
4. “Happy Birthday to You”
5. “We Three Kings”
6. “Silent Night”
7. “Joy To the World”
8. “Jingle Bells”
9. “Deck the Halls”
10. “Oh Holy Night”
11. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
12. “Frosty the Snowman”
13. “Little Drummer Boy”
14. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
Easy Violin Sheet Music
In order to play these songs, you’ll need sheet music! Here are some of the best online resources for violin sheet music:
- Violin Sheet Music – Downloadable violin and fiddle sheet music
- 8notes.com – Free sheet music
- Musicnotes.com – Printable sheet music
Violin Videos for Beginners
There are also several helpful YouTube channels that will not only give you the sheet music, but also demonstrate how to play various songs.
If you’re looking for even more videos, this guide has great violin YouTube tutorials.
So, there you have it, our list of easy violin songs that you or your child can play today! You can use this list as a resource until you’re ready to move onto intermediate material. Even as your skills progress, you can return to these easy tunes to warm up or unwind.
The best way to approach the violin is with the help of a teacher. Building proper playing habits is important when starting out, and only a violin instructor can give you the personalized guidance you need to reach your full potential on the instrument.
Even if you’ve hardly touched a bow before, you can use in-person or online violin lessons to get a jumpstart on your musical journey today!
Do you have a favorite violin song? Let us know in the comments below!
Post Author: Carol Beth L.Carol Beth teaches violin in San Francisco, CA. She currently plays viola in the San Francisco Civic Orchestra and has been teaching students since 2012. Learn more about Carol Beth!
Maile Proctor