Violin Equipment and Recommendations

Essential Elements for Violin Book 1 teaches the very basics of the violin. It is great for an individual who is trying to teach themselves (which was my case when I was a kid). It really illustrates what notes are played with which finger, and where they are on the string. It looks like the cover has changed a lot since I've used it (I didn't have any CD's with my version of the book, and the cover used to be red), but it still has the helpful information that I remember.

This is Book 2 from the Essential Elements series. I didn't use this book as heavily as I had used Book 1, but it helped advance me into the Suzuki method books.

This book has lots of cute little tunes and teaches important basics. I highly recommend anyone who is learning from the Suzuki method to also play from this series to gain another playing perspective.

I also used book 2 a lot. It's very similar to book 1, but with a little more technique required.

This is the book I first started to learn fiddle tunes from when I was a beginner (including Swallowtail Jig). The cover of the book has changed a lot from what I remember, but I'm assuming its contents haven't changed. It's a good book for beginners who are interested in fiddle music because it covers a lot of popular tunes. ^_^ I never had a CD version for this book (and I don't think this links to a CD version), so I can't say anything about the CD. The listing is a bit deceptive because I don't think this comes with a CD. It's still a great book!

Suzuki Book 1! Many people learn from the Suzuki method, and it's a standard Japanese violin method used by many violin teachers in the United States. I learned from the Suzuki Method through their fourth book. I think they are good books with good pieces, but that they need to be supplemented with other tune and exercise books (like the one's I've suggested in this list, especially the String Builder books).

Here is the Suzuki Method's Book 2. It has a lot of good pieces in it, too! I think the book is significantly more challenging than book 1, but the pace is reasonable. By the end of the book, you feel like you are able to play some really complicated violin music! It really makes you see how quickly you can progress.

I'd say that Suzuki Book 3 is an "intermediate" playing level, so my list of "beginning violin music book suggestions" pretty much ends with this book. I continued on to book 4, but I recommend starting to branch out into other violin repertoire once you complete this book. Perhaps try looking for more intermediate fiddle tunes, or some intermediate classical pieces to supplement Suzuki book 4. If people request, I could try to create an "intermediate violin playing level recommendations" music book list, but for now, this list is mostly focused on beginning violin players. =)

This is a good book in addition to Suzuki Book 1. I think it fits well between Suzuki Book 1 and Suzuki Book 2. I remember I really liked playing out of this book. Craig Duncan (the author of this book) writes really good books.

Similar to the above book, I also really liked this Christmas book as a beginner. It's only Christmas songs, so it might not be for everyone, but it's a lot of fun! ^_^ One of the reviews mentioned the violin part was missing in their order. It should come with both the violin part (comes as a sub-booklet stored inside the main book) and piano accompaniment (seen as the main book part). If yours comes missing the violin part, I'd send Amazon a message.

I remember I really liked this book, too. It's a little more on the intermediate side, but I think violinists who have played through Suzuki book 2 could also play a lot of the tunes in this book. It's kind of a difficult book to find in stores nowadays, but I think it's nice to vary things between the more "classical" Suzuki method's pieces, and fun Irish tunes. I’m sorry that I do not have a link to purchase it…

Scales are super super important. I didn't practice my scales very much, and I really paid the price for it later in my violin playing. If I could go back in time and tell myself to do one thing differently, I would tell myself to practice scales more. They aren't fun, they're kind of boring and annoying, but they are so important! They teach you intonation, note positions, hand positions, speed, agility, and so much more. My intonation was TERRIBLE and incredibly difficult to correct because I neglected scales. I really recommend practicing scales! This is a good beginner book to start with because everything is in 1st position. =)

With playing music in higher positions comes the need to practice scales in multiple octaves. This is the book I used to begin the journey into those super-high and squeaky positions. That said, I don't think it's a "standard scale book" among more professional violinists, so it's really just a good introduction. A lot of the standard scale books that are used by professionals are kind of intense and geared towards those with advanced playing levels, but I think this is a good scale book for intermediate players. Please keep an open mind that scale fingerings will probably change in more advanced scale books (such as the Flesch Scale Book System).

I remember playing out of this book as well. This is an excellent beginner to intermediate set of studies for the violin. It's kind of like the scale books in that it's not the most enjoyable book to play out of, but it presents some tricky challenges to work through, and I remember how exciting it was when I finally figured out how to play each exercise. It really boosts your technique!

Bowing and tone is super important and often forgotten in the beginning stages of learning the violin. This book has lots of open-string exercises that will help you develop better bow control. It helps you focus on keeping a good bow hand, straight bow, and even tone while you work through these exercises. Many beginning violin books ignore the bow hand and arm, which I think is a mistake -- so this book helps fill that common void. ^_^

This book breaks down double-stops by teaching how to plan finger placement. I don't remember it having a lot of "fun pieces" to play, but it's a really good exercise book for learning double-stops (a double-stop is the technique of playing more than 1 note at the same time on the violin). I'd characterize this book as one targeting those who play at an intermediate level.

After you have worked your way through Suzuki Book 2 and have made your way well into Suzuki book 3 (or equivalent book series and playing level), I think it's time to start working through this book. 3rd position is a nice next step to start to explore while in Suzuki Book 3, but 5th position may sound really scary! Don't worry -- it's not as bad as you might initially think. This book teaches that 5th position has the exact same fingerings as 1st position, only one string lower and in fancy-looking 5th position. With this book, before you know it, both of those positions will start to feel more comfortable. =) I consider this a book for those who play at an intermediate level, but I still use it (and book 2) as a good refresher on the positions. It's a good book to always come back to.

I wish I could provide a link to where to buy a violin just like mine, but all violins are very different. I purchased my violin from Von's Violin Shop in Denver, Colorado in 2006. My violin is an 1899 Ernst Kreusler “Copy of Antonius Stradivarius” violin from Germany.

I currently use Evah Pirazzi Violin Strings. These are professional-level violin strings. They are quite bright, and I like how responsive they are and the depth of sound they add to my violin's tone. I usually replace them every 4 - 6 months with daily practicing, but I used to keep a single set of strings for up to a year when I didn't practice as much. Be careful of the "Ball E" vs. "Loop E." I use a "ball E" string, but they also make a "Loop E String" version. The type of string you need depends on the type of fine-tuner that your violin's e-string uses.

I use the CodaBow Luma Carbon Fiber 4/4 Violin Bow. I tried all of the CodaBows, and my top two favorites were the Luma and the Diamond GX. I couldn't justify paying the higher price for the Diamond GX, and I liked the response and feel of the Luma version a little better. I've since learned that the CodaBow Luma is often used by fiddle players! I was drawn to this bow by how "stiff" it felt -- meaning I could get a big huge sound from it when I needed to (something my old bow lacked), and how lightweight it felt.

I use the LR Baggs Violin Pickup Bridge to amplify my acoustic violin. It comes with a bridge with the pickup installed, and an external jack that clamps onto the side of the violin. It produces a good sound and has become very popular among violin players looking to amplify their violin. The biggest drawback that I have found with this device is the bow noise it picks up. Overall, it does its job and I like it. =)