No classical romance would be deemed complete without the melodious sound of violins humming away in the background. Picture this for a moment.
You and your significant other are standing on the balcony of a luxurious beach house overlooking the ocean. You’re sipping on some bubbly as you take in the beautiful golden sunset while enjoying the cool evening breeze. Now, if you want this moment to be etched in your memory forever, the sound of violins playing in the background would do that for you.
A bit of a stretch? Maybe. But you get the gist.
The common misconception about violins is that they are too difficult to master or just plain expensive. You’ll be surprised to learn that both these assumptions are false. Sure, some might cost you an arm and a leg, but if you prefer to keep your body intact, there are many options out there that cost a fraction of what you would expect.
If learning how to play the violin has been at the top of your bucket list year-in-year-out, it’s time to check it off. The best part about it – You can learn from anywhere and at any time because going to a conventional brick and mortar music school is so mainstream…
Without further ado, here are the top 10 sites to learn violin online that will have you playing the Game of Thrones soundtrack in no time.
ArtistWorks
Imagine having a world-class instructor teaching you how to play the violin right from the comfort of your home. It would be a dream, wouldn’t it? Well, that’s exactly what ArtistWorks brings to the table.
Richard Amoroso, a world-renowned concert violinist and long-standing member of the Philadelphia Orchestra, shares his more-than-two-decades’ worth of experience with the world through the site’s Video Exchange Learning Platform. ArtistWorks offers prospective students three different price packages for their 3-, 6- and 12-month subscription plans.
Depending on your experience level, you can start from any point in the program and build up from there. The course clusters consist of beginner, intermediate, and advanced lessons, as well as, violin fundamentals to give you the basics of the instrument and turn you into a pro in no time.
Pros
- It’s a great course for beginners with zero violin-playing knowledge and advanced players looking to brush up on their skills
- Has three affordable subscription options
- It’s highly-interactive allowing students to submit videos for Richard to review after which he records a personalized response to guide them on the way forward
Cons
- The number of video submissions you can make is capped at 5 and 12 for the 3- and 6-month plans respectively
- Doesn’t have a free trial option
MasterClass
As far as expert violin instructors go, it doesn’t get any better than Itzhak Perlman. This 15-time Grammy Award-winning violinist has performed on hundreds of stages across the world and made several appearances on top-rated television shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He has even performed for many prominent people, including presidents and royals, and continues to share his music with classical music lovers the world over.
Thanks to MasterClass, you can now learn to play violin from the guru himself at a pocket-friendly price. The course has 19 lessons and is specifically designed for violin newbies with little to no playing experience. His unconventional approach guarantees that you’ll pick up the skill in a short amount of time.
Pros
- You get to learn from a world-class violin master and Julliard School instructor
- The site provides unlimited access to all 19 lessons for a measly $15/month that’s billed annually
- HD-quality videos
Cons
- No free-trial option available
- It’s designed to complement another form of instruction
Udemy
If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for violin lessons for beginners and intermediate players, Udemy has just what the doctor ordered. The site has several classes to choose from, each of which has different focus areas from teaching you how to play violin from scratch to honing your existing skills if you already have some experience.
The Beginner Violin Course by Chuck Millar, for instance, is one of the bestselling online violin lessons at Udemy. It is designed to give you an in-depth understanding of how to master the instrument in addition to a host of other techniques to help you finesse the skill and play like a pro once you complete the program.
One of the great things about Udemy violin courses is the 30-day money-back guarantee they come with. So if you don’t like it, rest assured that you’ll get a full refund.
Pros
- Has several top-rated violin courses to choose from
- Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee
- Very affordable pricing for lifetime access
- Accessible on both mobile and TV
Cons
- No trial-option available
- Despite it being detailed, the course doesn’t offer one-on-one lesson support
Wendy’s Music School
The vast majority of online violin courses you’ll come across all have one thing in common – That they are pre-recorded videos designed to take you through a structured program that teaches you how to play the instrument. While there’s nothing particularly wrong with this approach, especially when both the videos and explanations are clear, some people may prefer to have a violin teacher take them through the lessons in-person.
Wendy’s Music School has an individual online program where you get one-on-one violin instruction from a music teacher via Skype. The course is broken down into weekly 30-minute long lessons that last over a 3- to 6-month duration. The site has courses that cater to children and teenagers aged between 3 and 19 years as well as adults aged 20 years+.
Pros
- Adopts a great lesson format
- High-quality one-on-one instruction via Skype
- Courses are custom-designed for people of all ages
Cons
- Classes might be slightly pricier than your run-of-the-mill online violin classes
Preply
If you like the idea of having an online violin tutor that offers one-on-one coaching via Skype, but don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for it, then you’ll love Preply. The site connects you to highly qualified violin teachers whose lessons are Skype-based.
You’ll, therefore, be able to browse through the different instructor profiles to get a feel for each teacher before settling on the most compatible one. You can book a trial session to get a feel for each instructor before settling on the one you like best.
Pros
- One-on-one lessons via Skype
- The majority of tutors charge pocket-friendly prices for the lessons
- Free trial lesson available
Cons
- While most of the teachers can communicate effectively in English, many of them are not native speakers
Violin School
If you’re looking for online violin lessons that are designed to be fun, interactive, and easy-to-use, then Violin School offers all that and more. One of the best things about it is that the beginner lessons on the site are 100% free. This gives you a strong foundation before advancing through the more technical phases of the curriculum.
It’s also a great way to figure out if you like what you see, to help you decide whether or not you’ll continue with the program. All courses are available at an affordable $19/month fee.
Pros
- Courses are designed for beginners, intermediate, advanced and professional learners
- Makes learning fun and interactive
- The beginner course is free
Cons
- Song library could do with a little sprucing up to feature more well-known selections
Play With A Pro
This website adopts two models: You can either sign up for a master class with world-renown award-winning violinists like Maxim Vengerov and Daniel Hope or choose from the 40+ teachers on site for online in-person violin lessons.
Simply browse through their profiles to get a feel for their experience, style of teaching, and half-hourly rate to see if they match what you’re looking for. Play-With-A-Pro prices start at $10.
Pros
- Masterclasses available
- Supports one-on-one lessons from highly qualified music teachers
- Prices are not fixed
Cons
- It would be great if the site also had a repertoire list for practice
Pro-Am Strings
If you want to learn how to play violin from scratch or are looking to get violin teacher training, Pro-Am Strings has it all. One of the interesting things about the site is that it allows students to pay as they progress from one stage to the next. That way, you don’t have to commit to the entire course at a go.
The course content includes a beginner course to teach you the fundamentals of violins and several technique videos designed for newbies and advanced players alike. It also has an expansive repertoire list, video exchange lessons, and Skype lessons for individuals who prefer in-person coaching. If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for all your learning needs, Pro-Am Strings has it all.
Pros
- Has a massive repertoire list
- It’s tailored for beginners, intermediate, advanced and professional players
- Includes a free trial lesson
- Supports Skype in-person classes
Cons
- Videos are not available for offline viewing
iMusic School
If you’ve never held a violin before, then you’ll need a structured course that gradually advances from one level to the next. iMusic School understands this all too well, which is probably why they developed lesson packages that progress in this manner.
They are specially designed for beginners, intermediate, advanced, and expert players while focusing on providing comprehensive content guaranteed to help you master the skills in the shortest time possible. Prices start at $16 for the VIP annual plan.
Pros
- Offers great value for money
- Great site for beginners
- Available in multiple languages
Cons
- No free-trial
Violin Lab
It’s never too late to learn how to play the violin. Violin Lab was expressly developed for adults who never got to learn the instrument when they were younger. The beginner section of the course starts slowly before gradually building up to more complex concepts at a comfortable pace.
The program features more than 600 instruction videos with 24/7 access for its members. The site adopts a subscription-based model with the basic plan priced at $20/month.
Pros
- Great for beginners
- Specifically designed with adults in mind
- It’s goal-oriented
- Has lots of video content to make learning easier
Cons
- Doesn’t offer free-trial lessons
How to Choose the Best Online Site for Violin Lessons
Taking an online violin course essentially means that you will be teaching yourself how to play – with a little (okay, maybe a lot of) help from the instructors. So make no mistake about it. You need to choose the right course from the get-go if you want to reap the results.
There’s no sense in forking over a ton of cash only to realize a couple of months down the line that you know nothing. Well, not enough anyway to convince anybody that you’re a violin student. So, here are a couple of pointers you should keep in mind when choosing the best online site for violin lessons to guarantee that you’re getting the best value for your money.
Let’s begin with the obvious one – price. While it’s certainly a great hobby to have, you shouldn’t have to break the bank to learn how to play this coveted instrument. Prices for violin lessons are all over the spectrum, so pick one that is well within your budget.
Next, you need to consider the level of support offered with the course in question. All courses will generally offer some level of support – the keyword here being – level.
Great support means that there should be a clear-cut way of getting in touch with the course instructors if you’re stuck or need clarification on some aspect of the content. Granted, it doesn’t have to be instant, but they should at least adequately respond to your query in a timely fashion. 48 to 72 hours is ideal.
You also need to think about how flexible the course is. Different sites have different course models designed for the online learning platform. Ideally, if you’re just starting, it might seem like a good idea to go for a course that forces you to go lesson by lesson in a strict order.
The problem with this, however, is that trying to impose a one-size-fits-all learning structure, and forcing everyone to follow it, is a recipe for frustration. It makes it all the more likely that students will drop out before completing the program.
Find a course that organizes the learning material in a way that makes the most sense to you. If you’re the sort of person who prefers to have lots of video content to grasp the material better, then look for a course that does just that. If you have some prior violin knowledge and would rather skip through the basics, find a website whose lessons allow you to start from the point where you feel the most comfortable.
If you thrive under pressure and prefer to have a course that has weekly deadlines to help propel you forward, there are several programs specially designed to cater to your style of learning.
At the end of the day, finding a violin program that delivers course material in a way that fits your needs and aligns with your musical goals is what ultimately matters. Don’t compromise.