So you’ve always had the dream to learn how to play the violin but aren’t quite sure where to start. Well, good news! In this post, I rank and review the top 9 best online violin lessons, along with my personal top 3 picks.
tonebase Violin
tonebase offers superior violin lessons with renowned musicians, personalized learning plans, live workshops, and more.
Red Desert Violin
Red Desert violin does a fantastic job at teaching the violin using Suzuki fundamentals. Great for beginners and intermediates.
Artistworks
Richard Amoroso has developed a rich library with hundreds of online classical violin lessons. Learn how to play classical violin from a virtuoso.
Disclosure: I may earn a commission for certain products in this article. All recommendations are genuine and verified by myself!
For each of the lessons in this list, I’ve highlighted the key features and prices so that you can make a sound decision on which course is best for you.
I’ll also discuss what to look for when choosing an online violin lesson program, and how to get the most out of your lessons. So whether you’re a beginner or an experienced musician, there is something for everyone here.
Let’s get started!
What Are the Best Online Violin Lessons in 2023?
Here is my list of the 9 best online violin courses to help you become a better violinist.
1. tonebase Violin
Overview
tonebase is an online classical music learning platform that offers in-depth video courses for several instruments, including violin.
tonebase Violin is known for the quality of its teachers. They include respected music school professors and world-renowned soloists such as Nancy Zhou, Augustin Hadelich, Glenn Dicterow, Rachel Lee Priday, Adrian Butterfield, and Daniel Phillips. They teach step-by-step courses on specific pieces, violin technique, and music theory.
tonebase Violin also comes with live weekly workshops and an active community forum, where you can join skill-building challenges and get tips and inspiration from other dedicated students.
Key Features
- 100+ structured video courses
- Get different perspectives from world-class violin instructors
- A video player equipped with captions, speed settings, and a place to type in your notes
- PDF workbooks and annotated scores to go with each tutorial
- Live master classes and interactive workshops, all of which are recorded for later access
- A Level Quiz that gives you a personalized learning plan, depending on your current skills
- Regular “Ask Me Anything” sessions, mentorships, and intensives with expert violinists
- Extra resources to help you practice effectively, including the “Practice Toolkit” video series and worksheets, violin-specific warmup courses, and community feedback
Price
tonebase Violin comes with a range of plans to fit your needs:
- Monthly – $49.95 billed every month
- Yearly – $299 billed yearly, which works out to $24.95 per month
- Lifetime – $695 billed just once
All plans start with a 14-day trial, and give you unlimited access to all of tonebase’s features as long as you remain a member. After your trial period is over, you’re covered by their 90-day money-back guarantee.
2. Red Desert Violin
Verdict: Best Overall
Overview
Red Desert Violin provides online violin and fiddle lessons that use the Suzuki method as their basis; a well-respected method in music education circles. Red Desert Violin offers many courses available to learners at all different skill levels.
If you’re a beginner, it’s recommended that you start with Suzuki Book 1 before moving on to anything else.
The program provides access to helpful resources like free sheet music and instructional videos as well as weekly live chat sessions wherein students can interact with an instructor.
Key Features
- Uses the Suzuki method to teach violin playing; well-known and highly respected
- Free downloadable piano accompaniments
- Unlimited access to interact with other students via forums
- Practice tips, assignments, and unit summaries to help keep you on track
- The program offers a variety of courses, at different skill levels
- Access to helpful resources, such as free sheet music and instructional videos
- Can be customized to fit any schedule
- Lora, the creator, is an experienced violin player and instructor
Price
Red Desert Violin offers many different online courses which varying prices. However, for most beginners, the Suzuki Book 1 is the best place to start and charges $47/month for 7 months. So, a total of $329 unless you decide to cancel before then.
This price gives you access to your instructor and tech support for one full year as well as access to the videos for two full years.
3. ArtistWorks – Richard Amoroso
Verdict: Best for Teacher Feedback
Overview
ArtistWorks is a great online platform for learning how to play many different instruments. One of them being the violin. This classical violin course taught by Richard Amoroso is certainly one to consider if you want to learn from a virtuoso.
Richard has developed a course with hundreds of violin lessons teaching everything from violin fundamentals to bowing and cross-string exercises. For 2 decades Richard has served as a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra and is known worldwide as one of the premier classical violinists of our time.
Key Features
- 100s of violin lessons
- Sections include: beginner violin, intermediate violin, advanced violin, and violin fundamentals
- Lessons are interactive and well-structured
- Each pricing plan provides access to video lessons, a music theory workshop, and the video exchange library
- The video exchange library lets you learn from fellow students’ experiences
- Each plan includes the ability to submit your own video and receive feedback from your teacher
- Richard Amoroso is an accomplished violinist and instructor whose courses have received excellent reviews from students all over the world
Price
The ArtistWorks Classical Violin course by Richard Amoroso comes with three different pricing options:
- 3-month plan – $105 every 3 months which includes unlimited access to lessons and 5 video submissions to your teacher.
- 6-month plan – $179 every 6 months which includes unlimited access to lessons and 12 video submissions to your teacher as well as 25 backing tracks.
- 12-month plan – $279/year which includes unlimited access to lessons and unlimited video submissions to your teacher as well as VIP bonus content.
4. Violin Mastery From the Beginning
Verdict: Beginner’s Choice
Overview
Udemy’s Violin Master From the Beginning course is Udemy’s top-rated online violin learning course with over 17,500 students and 4.8 stars. It’s perfect for beginners who want to learn how to play the violin and will teach you everything you need to learn from the ground up.
The violin teachers, Chuck and Sandi Millar have won many competitions for their music and teachings. In 2002 they started a lesson program and now have amassed over 100,000 students between the ages of 4 and 98.
If you’re looking to get started with violin lessons and want to be taught by teachers who have proven their success in the teaching space, this one might be for you.
Key Features
- Learn the fundamentals and violin techniques in an easy-to-understand way
- Learn how to play the violin from scratch while also learning songs on the violin.
- Learn all the violin scales you need to know
- Learn how to read music
- Backing tracks to be able to play along with to help develop your skills
- Best for beginners who have no prior experience learning how to play the violin
- 25.5 hours of on-demand video
- Comes with 2 articles and 6 downloadable resources
- 30-Day money-back guarantee
Price
The price for Udemy’s Violin Mastery From the Beginning course is a one-time fee of $89.99 (although this price does fluctuate).
5. Itzhak Perlman’s MasterClass
Verdict: Best for Those In a Hurry
Overview
Itzhak Perlman’s masterclass teaches you everything from how to properly hold a bow, to intonation, vibrato, and finger techniques for beginners or advanced players.
He also goes into great detail about practice essentials needed to help improve technical ability as well as breaks down his three-hour practice schedule.
Itzhak also offers some more career-focused advice as a violinist such as how you can stand out as a professional musician, the ways he collaborates with other musicians, and overcoming barriers
The 19 video lessons in this course are an excellent way for anyone interested in learning how to play the violin to get started.
Key Features
- Itzhak Perlman is a great teacher and a world-renowned violinist with 15 Grammy Awards
- Includes 17 video lessons and 2 bonus lessons
- Class length in total is 4 hours and 13 minutes
- Lessons are linear and easy to follow
- Covers everything from key violin techniques, vibrato, playing different styles, career advice, and more
- Great for beginners and experienced violinists alike
- Perlman teaches at the Juilliard School in New York City
- Access to Masterclass’s 150+ other courses with annual membership
Price
Itzhak Perlman’s masterclass is reasonably priced at $180/year given that you are learning from a world-renown violinist. This price also gives you access to all other 150+ courses on Masterclass.com.
6. Violinspiration
Verdict: Best for Those on a Budget
Overview
Violinspiration is a website that offers free violin lessons online. It was created by the professional violinist, Julia, also the founder of Julia’s Violin Academy (as a part of Violinspiration).
She has made it her mission to help adults learn how to play the violin through her website as well as her #1 Amazon Bestseller “The Ultimate Songbook for Beginner Violinists”.
Whether you’re just starting out or need a refresher course, this website has you covered.
Key Features
- Website offers 200+ free violin video lessons
- Free sheet music, free weekly videos, and a free three-day bootcamp
- Website is best for players who are familiar with sight-reading
- Packed with a bunch of free blog articles
Price
Violinspiration offers free lessons for learning to play violin taught by Julia for beginners who want to learn the basics of the instrument. However, she also offers a more advanced and personalized program called Julia’s Violin Academy. The academy costs $49/month or $37.50/month if you sign up for one year.
The Academy provides you with a practice plan, feedback from Julia, and the ability to connect with fellow students. It also allows you to participate in online live lessons.
7. Violin Lab
Overview
Violin Lab is an online violin course website that offers online courses which are suitable for beginners, intermediate students, and advanced students.
Members of Violin Lab receive step-step lesson modules, all music and resources provided, and even private feedback from the instructor, Beth Blackerby.
Whether you’re just starting to learn how to play the violin or have been playing for years, Violin Lab truly offers something for all skill levels.
Key Features
- Modules available for all skill levels
- 24/7 access to all of the online courses
- Track your progress as you complete units
- 600+ high-quality videos
- Soundslice technology makes practicing and learning much faster
- Offers sheet music and audio files for download,
- Access to an exclusive members-only forum
- Private video exchanges with Beth
- No contracts, cancel anytime
Price
Pricing varies based on how many video exchanges you want to have with the instructor. Basically, Violin Lab breaks down into 3 pricing plans:
- Basic – $20/month: Access to all video lessons, sheet music, audio files, plan maker, etc.
- Premium – $35/month: Everything in the basic plan plus one private monthly video exchange with Beth.
- Premium Plus – $60/month: Everything in the basic plan plus one private weekly video exchange with Beth.
8. Fiddlerman
Overview
Fiddlerman is a website that offers free online violin lessons for students of all levels. The lessons cover a wide range of topics, including teaching new songs and styles. As it’s free, this makes it a great option for those looking to learn the violin on a budget.
The downside is that this website isn’t laid out as nicely as some curriculum-based online violin lessons.
It may be hard to figure out where you should start. That being said, there is tons of useful information and videos on the Fiddlerman website if you’re willing to dig around.
Key Features
- Videos are available to help teach violin techniques, skills, and the basic understanding of the instrument
- Lessons cover a variety of topics, including how to read sheet music, how to tune your violin, and how to improve your violin playing skills
- Access to free sheet music
- Players can learn how to measure themselves in order to purchase the perfect size violin
- Fiddlerman provides additional tools like a metronome, a fingerboard chart, and a violin tuner
Price
Fiddlerman’s violin lessons are available free of charge.
9. Violin School
Overview
Violin School offers great courses if you would like to learn the fundamentals of the violin but would also like something that is geared toward your unique needs.
They have many online lessons for violin which are available for purchase and also have a physical school in London, England.
Key Features
- Violin School online sessions, live classes, and physical paper books
- Lessons for both adult beginner and intermediate violinists as well as courses for children
- Offers violinists lessons that are both free or paid
- The beginner’s course is free of charge
- Focuses on the importance of good habit building, performance training, and developing your intuition
- Led by Simon Hewitt based in London, UK
- Paid programs include video lessons, feedback from teachers, written materials, and exercises
Price
Violin School’s prices vary depending on which course you decide to take as they have various courses that cover various topics and skill levels.
Best Online Violin Lessons FAQ
How to Choose the Best Online Violin Lessons?
When you are looking for online lessons for violin there are a few things that you need to take into consideration. The first thing is the quality of the lessons. Makes sure that you find a couple of sample videos and look for good video quality.
Second, sure that the lessons are from a qualified instructor and that the material is up-to-date and relevant. You may even want to learn a certain musical genre so finding an instructor who is proficient in the genre you want to learn is essential.
Lastly, make sure that you are getting good value for your money. Check out the reviews of the program to see what other people have said about it.
Is It Possible to Learn Violin Online?
There is no doubt that learning to play the violin is a daunting task; one that can seem impossible if you’re starting from scratch. However, with the right resources, it is possible to learn violin online.
One of the best things about learning violin online is that you have access to a wealth of resources. You can find video lessons, audio lessons, and even PDF guides that will teach you how to play the violin.
The instructors I’ve mentioned in the courses above have all though hundreds if not thousands of students through their online curriculums. So it’s certainly possible.
Are Online Violin Lessons Good?
Online violin lessons can be a great way to get started learning the violin, as long as you have the right teacher for your goals and learning style.
When done well, online lessons can be just as effective as in-person lessons, with the added benefit of being able to learn from the comfort of your own home.
However, while online lessons can be a great resource, they are not necessarily better than in-person lessons. Ultimately, the best way to learn the violin is to find a teacher with whom you connect and who can help you reach your musical goals.
What Is the Best Way to Learn Violin Online?
There are a number of different ways to learn violin online, but the best way depends on your individual needs and goals. Some people prefer to learn through video lessons, while others prefer to learn with interactive software.
Still, others prefer to have a personal tutor who can help them develop their skills one-on-one. Ultimately, the best way to learn violin online is the way that best suits you and helps you achieve your goals.
That being said, our number one recommendation for the best online violin lesson is tonebase violin.
Can I Learn Violin Online Free?
There are a number of ways to learn violin online for free. You can find lessons, tips, and tutorials on how to play the violin all over the internet.
YouTube is a great resource for free violin lessons, and there are also plenty of websites that offer free instructional materials such as Violinspiration or Fiddlerman.
However, while it is possible to learn how to play the violin online for free, it is often best to invest in some quality instruction from a professional instructor if you want to become a proficient player.
Final Thoughts
The list of the top 9 violin courses for beginners and experts that we’ve compiled should help you find a course that suits your needs.
With the help of online violin lessons, you can learn the basics and even more advanced techniques from the comfort of your own home.
If you have any questions about finding the best online violin lesson, feel free to ask me in the comment section below! Which course will you be taking?
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