Beginner Violin Tips

This part is easy. The violin plays in only one clef, called treble clef. Therefore, as a violinist you don’t really need to worry about it (unless you are for some reason trying to play sheet music written for an instrument that uses a different clef).

Basically, because some instruments have a very wide range of notes (like the piano) or play in a lower register (like the string bass), the clef defines which pitch range the notes on the staff correspond to. Don’t worry too much if this doesn’t make a lot of sense to you at the moment; for beginning violin all you need to know is that the violin plays in treble clef, so this will be one constant that will not change.

Here are some other clefs, just so you know what they look like:

From left to right: Alto clef (viola), Bass clef (cello, bass, etc.), and Treble clef (violin, etc.).

What’s Next?

Go to the next lesson, about Repeats and Multiple Endings (coming soon).

See a list all our lessons about How to Read Sheet Music for Beginner Violin.

Check out our favorite book/CD combo for How to Read Beginner Violin Sheet Music.

Tags: Violin Sheet Music