Easy Violin Songs for Beginners
The easiest violin songs use the open D and A strings and the first three fingers. Hot Cross Buns needs only three notes (F♯, E and D on the D string), and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star starts on the open A and E strings. Below are 10 public-domain songs with the string and finger for every note, and a play-along.
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses UK music words (bar, crotchet, quaver, stave); the US version uses measure, quarter note, eighth note and staff. · US version of this page
Updated · By the Classfern Music Department
Key facts
- 10 songs, in order of difficulty: Level 1 uses 3–5 notes; Level 3 adds quicker rhythms and rests.
- Nine songs are in D major (F♯ and C♯), so the 2nd finger is always high. Twinkle is in A major, on the A and E strings.
- Most songs stay on the D and A strings; Au Clair de la Lune and Old MacDonald add the 1st and 2nd fingers on the G string.
- Every tune is traditional or by a composer who died more than 70 years ago, and every simple version is Classfern’s own.
- Each song has a play-along: slow it down, or use wait mode so the music waits for you.
The songs
Each song shows the note names bar by bar, with the string and finger in brackets. Press Play along to open it in the violin play-along, with the rhythm and the fingering. Self-assessed Can you play the song with the play-along at 80% speed without stopping?
How to read the brackets: the string, then the finger. (D 0) = open D string; (D 2) = high 2nd finger, next to the 3rd; (A L2) = low 2nd finger, next to the 1st; (G H3) = high 3rd finger; (E L1) = low 1st finger. A dash after a note means a long note (2 beats or more).
1. Hot Cross Buns
2. Mary Had a Little Lamb
3. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
4. Lightly Row
5. Ode to Joy
6. Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)
7. Au Clair de la Lune
8. Old MacDonald Had a Farm
9. Jingle Bells (chorus)
10. When the Saints Go Marching In
Play along
The play-along is the same one as on Classfern’s violin play-along: slow it down, switch on wait mode, or press Listen so the page can hear you (the sound stays on your device).
Sounds are made in your browser. The microphone is used only if you press Listen in the play-along, only on this device. Nothing is recorded or sent.
What is the easiest song to play on the violin?
Hot Cross Buns is usually the easiest: three notes, F♯, E and D, all on the D string with the 2nd finger, the 1st finger and the open string. Mary Had a Little Lamb uses the same three notes plus open A.
Say the finger numbers out loud first – “2, 1, 0” – then pluck them, then bow them. Each step is easier than the last, because your fingers already know the way.
What violin songs should a beginner learn first?
Start with Hot Cross Buns and Mary Had a Little Lamb, then Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Lightly Row and Ode to Joy. Together they use every first-position note on the D and A strings in D major.
| Song | Level | Strings and fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Hot Cross Buns | 1 | F♯, E, D on the D string |
| Mary Had a Little Lamb | 1 | F♯, E, D and A on the D and A strings |
| Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star | 1 | A and E strings, A major |
| Lightly Row | 2 | D and A strings |
| Ode to Joy | 2 | D and A strings, steps only |
| Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping?) | 2 | D string, plus A on the G string |
| Au Clair de la Lune | 2 | G, D and A strings |
| Old MacDonald Had a Farm | 2 | G, D and A strings |
| Jingle Bells (chorus) | 3 | D and A strings, quicker rhythm |
| When the Saints Go Marching In | 3 | D and A strings, with rests |
How do you read the finger numbers in violin songs?
In the brackets, the letter is the string and the number is the finger: (D 2) is the 2nd finger on the D string, and (A 0) is the open A string. In D major the 2nd finger is high, next to the 3rd.
How to read the brackets: the string, then the finger. (D 0) = open D string; (D 2) = high 2nd finger, next to the 3rd; (A L2) = low 2nd finger, next to the 1st; (G H3) = high 3rd finger; (E L1) = low 1st finger. A dash after a note means a long note (2 beats or more).
Can I play these songs with other instruments?
Yes. The play-along plays the tune with you, and the same songs work for a teacher on piano. Viola players can read the same finger numbers a fifth lower, and cellists have their own version in D major.
See the easy cello songs page for the same ten songs with cello fingers, or open any song in the play-along and use Change key.
Why are there no pop songs or film themes here?
Pop songs and film themes are still in copyright, so we cannot print their notes. Every song here is traditional or by a composer who died more than 70 years ago, so you can play, copy and share it freely.
The arrangements are Classfern’s own simple versions. For more out-of-copyright tunes, open the play-along’s free library, or try the printable free violin sheet music.
Classfern’s free violin tools on lessonplanner.info run in your browser. The play-along is the same one as the violin play-along, and every note’s fingering is on the violin finger chart.
Quick quiz: easy violin songs
Five questions on notes, fingers and practice. Marked by Classfern Your score stays in this browser.
More music tools
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