5 Best Online Violin Lessons 2024

Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced violin player, you may be looking for online resources you can sink your teeth into to become a better instrumentalist.

In this guide, we’ll be looking at the best online violin lessons available. Explore these, and you’re sure to find something that’s well-matched to your playing style, skill level, and learning style.

ArtistWorks

ArtistWorks’ course offerings are impressive, to say the least. They cover the most popular instruments like guitar, bass, piano, and violin in almost every style and strive to connect their students with well-established, talented, experienced, and sometimes celebrity instructors.

When you purchase an ArtistWorks course, you’re provided with step-by-step lesson paths, personalized video feedback from your instructor, play-along tracks, and even written materials to complement the lessons.

Content

The ArtistWorks Classical Violin course features instructor Richard Amoroso. As a violinist, Amoroso was a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra and has performed on stages worldwide. He has even performed with luminaries like Sting, Billy Joel, and Yo-Yo Ma.

The course is made up of the following categories:

• Beginner Violin: 52 lessons.
• Intermediate Violin: 56 lessons.
• Advanced Violin: 25 lessons.
• Violin Fundamentals: 11 lessons.

Pricing

ArtistWorks’ pricing plans are as follows:

• 3 Month Plan: $99.
• 6 Month Plan: $179.
• 12 Month Plan: $279.

Overall

Richard Amoroso’s Classical Violin course covers violin fundamentals, bowing, cross-string exercises, shifting, etudes, solo repertoire, and more. The beginner and intermediate libraries are especially extensive, carefully covering all the essentials you’ll need to be successful on the violin.

Regardless of whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced player, you should be able to find content that can help you progress in the direction of your goals. The program is also very well-structured.

One of the best things about ArtistWorks is that you can submit a video and have it reviewed by your teacher, who will provide you with personalized feedback. This guidance can prove instrumental in your growth, as it can help you avoid bad habits and techniques while developing the opposite. The Classical Violin course affords you this opportunity too.

The one downside, if any, is that the Classical Violin course doesn’t cover other genres. To be fair, ArtistWorks does have separate fiddle courses though, so if you’re interested in learning bluegrass, jazz, and other genres, you might want to turn to these instead.

One final note on this course is pricing. A violin is an instrument that can take a long time to learn. Subscribing for any less than a year probably won’t make much sense unless you’re especially confident playing the instrument already. You may even end up having to subscribe for multiple years.

That said, Amoroso is a very good instructor, and you can certainly trust him with your violin journey if you’re resonating with this offer.

MasterClass – Itzhak Perlman Teaches Violin

MasterClass claims to offer some of the best training on any topic imaginable. Just because they have access to celebrity teachers like Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Usher, Christina Aguilera, and Hans Zimmer doesn’t automatically make them the “best” instructors.

Thankfully, MasterClass seems to have some self-awareness in this regard. They know what content to capture as well as what is ultimately going to benefit viewing audiences. Skilled people are working behind the scenes to make this happen.

Itzhak Perlman Teaches Violin currently appears to be the only violin course available on the site. But in the future, more may be added. That isn’t to say it isn’t a great course, because honestly, it is.

Content

Itzhak Perlman, in case you didn’t know, is a Julliard instructor and virtuoso violin player. From classical music lovers to presidents, he has performed for just about every audience imaginable. He’s also a 15-time Grammy Award winner.

His course covers everything from foundational techniques to adding richness to your tone. There are 19 lessons in total, with a four-hour and 13-minute runtime.

The 19 lessons include:

• Introduction
• The Bow
• Advanced Bowing and Left-Hand Technique
• Intonation
• Vibrato
• Comfort and Posture
• Color and Tone
• The Color Game
• Playing Different Styles
• The Performance Mindset
• Practice Essentials
• The Three-Hour Practice Schedule
• Memorization and Practice: Student Q&A
• Collaboration
• A Career in Music
• Overcoming Barriers
• Parting Thoughts
• Bonus Chapter: For Parents and Teachers
• Bonus Chapter: Acquiring a Fine Instrument

Pricing

MasterClass offers three plans:

• Individual: $10 per month billed annually. Allows you to watch on one device. Offline viewing is disabled.
• Duo: $15 per month billed annually. Allows you to watch on up to two devices. Offline viewing enabled.
• Family: $20 per month billed annually. Allows you to watch on up to six devices. Offline viewing enabled.

Each plan gives you access to all classes and sessions.

Overall

Itzhak Perlman is largely considered one of the best violin players of all time. If you want to learn the ins and outs of his mindset as well as how he approaches the instrument, then this is your opportunity. You will not find another course with as much depth and detail as this.

The course is quite thorough, and the content is at a gentle enough pace to be digestible for beginners. Those who stick with the program will undoubtedly become much better players. Of course, more experienced violin players will probably find something to grab a hold of as well.

Those who are looking to pursue music will also benefit from Perlman’s perspective on the topic, along with lessons on performing and overcoming challenges.

Since a MasterClass subscription will give you unlimited access to their other classes, the membership will practically pay for itself. That said, if you are only interested in learning to play violin, this might not be much of a value proposition for you.

Also, you cannot get feedback from your teacher on MasterClass, so if you think you will need personalized attention, it may not be the right solution for you.

Further, while this course will give you a solid foundation in violin if you want to keep learning long-term, you will likely need to purchase other courses or resources to keep growing as a player.

tonebase Violin

tonebase is a site offering over 1,000 courses on guitar, piano, violin, cello, and flute. Their instructor roster is largely made up of graduates of Julliard, Eastman School of Music, Yale, and other notable and reputable institutions.

tonebase is also home to an online community, which allows you to interact with learners from across the world. You can participate in a variety of community events and even get feedback on your playing.

tonebase can be accessed from any device, and they have apps for iOS and Android too.

tonebase Violin promises to set you up with the best violinists from across the world and help you learn your favorite pieces. They also offer weekly live workshops and free PDF resources with every lesson.

Content

While there is no easy way to calculate exactly how much content tonebase ultimately offers (there are reportedly hundreds of courses), here is a rough overview of what we found on their site:

• Pieces: 54 courses covering Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Celtic music, and much more.
• Skills & Knowledge: 27 courses covering practice, scales, music theory basics, and more.
• Past Live Events: 73 workshops on bowing, practice habits, Tai Chi exercises, and more.

There does appear to be some overlap with some courses appearing in multiple categories, but overall, tonebase has got plenty on offer.

Pricing

For those looking to take tonebase for a test spin, they have a 14-day trial.

If you’re interested in joining, you will need to choose from one of the following three plans:

• Monthly: $49.95 per month.
• Yearly: $24.95 per month billed at $299 yearly.
• Lifetime: $695 billed once.

Overall

tonebase ostensibly features hundreds of violin courses, with new sessions being added frequently. It features a great repository of content, especially if you know what you want to – or should be – working on right now.

Daniel Phillips, Giora Schmidt, Nancy Zhou, Eric Silberger, and Daniel Kurganov are just some of the many top-notch instructors you can learn from on tonebase Violin.

In addition to the courses, members of tonebase get access to weekly live streams, as well as a community where they can go to discuss relevant topics.

Much of the content, however, is intermediate-oriented. If you’re a complete beginner, it may not prove a great place to start, and likewise, advanced players may require more challenge.

There is still some content for every type and every level of player, but if you’re thinking about becoming a tonebase member, you should review their course offerings first.

Pricewise, tonebase probably is one of the more expensive courses out there. If you like what they have to offer, though, their Lifetime package is a great deal.

Violinspiration – Julia’s Violin Academy

Violinspiration is home to an array of violin resources, including free video lessons, sheet music resources, a blog, and a violin gear shop. It is also home to the highly rated Julia’s Violin Academy online course.

Along with a detailed step-by-step plan, the academy also gives you access to personalized feedback and live classes. The course serves players of all playing levels.

Violinspiration also caters to a market that tends to be underserved – adult violin players. If you’ve been told that it’s much too hard to begin learning as an adult, you might want to check out what the course has done for others before giving up on your dream.

Content

Julia’s Violin Academy gives you access to over 700 video lessons along with personalized support. As there are also opportunities to join live events, in the academy you get to be a part of a broader community of players from across the world.

Pricing

Violinspiration has a simple pricing scheme for members interested in joining, which is as follows:

• Quarterly: $65 per month.
• Yearly: $45 per month.

If you’d like to enroll in the program, however, you will be required to fill out a survey in advance.

Overall

Julia’s Violin Academy membership gives you instant access to all video lessons, monthly additions (new lessons and sheet music), sheet music for all exercises, personalized video feedback, and daily live events.

The site is chock full of testimonials, which is not the “be all end all” of credibility, but it’s certainly reassuring for anyone looking to join. Users have almost unilaterally praised Julia for the level of support offered, and the progress they’ve made after joining.

The courses are mainly beginner to intermediate-oriented, though we cannot confirm or deny the presence of more advanced content. Since new content is being added to Violinspiration all the time, there will likely be more challenging lessons added down the line.

The pricing of the program isn’t the cheapest, but it isn’t outrageous, either. The annual plan is probably the best value for the money.

Violin Lab

Violin Lab promises to be a suitable learning platform for learners of every level – beginners, intermediate players, and advanced students. Along with step-by-step lesson modules, membership gives you access to all content, music resources, and private feedback.

Overall, the website is quite sparse, but you can view testimonials, what video lessons are offered inside the course, and some helpful resources before joining. Its design is kind of outdated, but Violin Lab has been around since 2009, so this is somewhat expected.

Content

Violin Lab’s content offering is quite extensive. Observe the following:

• How to Use This Website and FAQs: 8 lessons.
• Getting Started: 17 lessons.
• Beginning Lessons (Level 1): 20 lessons.
• Beginning Lessons (Level 2): 18 lessons.
• Beginning Lessons (Level 3): 24 lessons.
• Beginning Lessons (Level 4): 30 lessons.
• Learning Vibrato: 24 lessons.
• Intermediate Lessons (Level 1): 34 lessons.
• Intermediate Lessons (Level 2): 36 lessons.
• Intermediate Lessons (Level 3): 33 lessons.
• Intermediate Lessons (Level 4): 34 lessons.
• Advanced Bowing Articulation: 20 lessons.
• Advanced Lessons (Level 1): 33 lessons.
• Advanced Lessons (Level 2): 16 lessons.
• Advanced Lessons (Level 3): 18 lessons.
• Supplemental Repertoire, Etudes, and Exercises: 36 lessons.
• More: 44 lessons.

That means there are a total of 445 lessons on the Violin Lab.

Pricing

Violin Lab’s pricing is as follows:

• Basic: $35 per month. Gives you access to all video content, sheet music, audio files, play-along practice players, practice plan maker, and the ability to add personal practice tips.
• Premium: $45 per month. Everything in Basic plus monthly video exchange lessons.
• Premium Plus: $75 per month. Everything in Premium plus weekly video exchange lessons.

Overall

There is no denying that Violin Lab is extensive in scope. Covering beginner, intermediate, and advanced lessons, there probably isn’t a whole lot you can’t find here. Premium membership also gives you personal access to instructor Beth Blackerby.

The site has had some time to build up to the point it's at. As a result, the video content varies a little in quality, but it’s quite professional, all told.

Violin Lab membership costs about the same as most courses out there and is more than competitive in terms of what it offers students and learners.

What To Look For In A Violin Course

Still not sure what course is right for you? No problem. In this section of the guide, we’ll be looking at several factors you should be investigating when considering a violin course. They are:

• Content
• Personalized guidance
• Community
• Instructor
• Testimonials
• Budget

Let’s take a closer look at each:

Content

Ensure that the content is well matched to your level of playing – beginner, intermediate, or advanced. Also, investigate whether there’s a bit of learning runway. It’s not much fun to have to spend money on one or two lessons only to discover the rest are too easy for you.

Personalized Guidance

Do you require personalized guidance on your journey? Beginners especially should have someone evaluating and offering feedback on their technique. Be sure to join a course with personalized guidance if think you will need support.

Community

Some courses also have a community component to them. If you think you’d have more fun learning the violin with peers and friends, then it’s well worth looking for a course that has a community component to it.

Instructor

“Best” is marketing speak for “Don’t bother comparison shopping.” Let’s face it, it doesn’t mean much. The best instructor for you is someone you resonate with. Explore your options and decide who you feel you can learn from.

Testimonials

The presence or absence of testimonials shouldn’t necessarily be a deal breaker, but it’s always nice to know who has taken the course as well as how they’ve benefited from it. Testimonials are a nice credibility indicator that the course instructor is doing something right.

Budget

No matter how you cut it, you’re going to spend something on your violin education. The question is – how much?

For most students, price will be an important consideration and we don’t suggest overlooking it. Also, we strongly recommend avoiding going into debt for any purchases you might make.

Top Online Violin Lessons, Final Thoughts

One of the best ways to learn the violin is through a step-by-step, meticulously organized program. Free articles and videos will only take you so far. So, if you’re committed to your growth, make sure to invest in it with an online violin course.

We wish you all the best on your violin journey!