Musical Notes- Part 3 The violin

Photo by Midiman

The violin in particular it is an instrument which relies heavily on touch and listening to get the exact pitch desired.

I started out learning the violin when I was about 8yrs old and slowly move my way up the graded exam ladder to a Grade 7 when I was 16yrs old.

To be able to play the violin one must first know the different parts of it.

Lets start from the top – The Pegs

Each peg is used to tighten and tune the 4 violin strings. The violin is normally tuned each time before practice/performance.

When the strings are plucked or bowed on, these are the notes that will resonate from the vibrating strings.

Here is a fingering chart to the notes that can be played on a violin.

To be able to play the violin you will need to have a bow.


It is important to  know how to position your hand on the bow. If you have a bad hold on your bow you won’t be able to exert the correct amount of pressure needed to generate a good sound on the violin.

I went through a different violin teacher while studying in Sydney and he helped to correct my bowing technique. Here is a video which shows you how to hold your bow correctly.

The violin site has an interactive teaching site on the various parts of the violin. You will just need to mouse over the parts for it to pop up and say it’s name.

There are a couple of online resources which can aid you in learning how to read a violin score.

The violin case has online music flashcard which tests your ability to read notes on the staff.

Here are some Videos on how to play the violin. There is also an extensive collection of videos on the different parts of a violin and how each part is related to another.

Stay tuned for the next part on the Piano.

Pass Post on the series

Musical Notes101 A Five Part Series

Musical Notes 101-( Part 2) Note Reading