Software that helps you learn the violin.

You probably know that learning to play a musical instrument, like the violin, is a great way to help your child succeed in social and academic settings. Research on child development has discovered that children who learn music demonstrate higher grades, more confidence, enhanced creativity, and improved self-confidence. Learn how learning to play the violin can improve children's grades. 

And naturally, if your child has expressed an interest in learning the violin, you’ll want to provide the best tools and resources to help them reach that goal. Early success and enjoyment is crucial for learning any new skill.

However, you may not know that there are many software programs available for aiding and teaching children how to play the violin. As an additional source of instruction, this list includes some of the most popular software programs, designed to help beginners learn the violin by offering fun, interactive ways to learn music notation, violin fingering, and bowing.

My Violin—this software offered by eMedia, is continually rated as among the best resources of violin lessons for kids. Teachers often recommend this supplement because of the superior interaction it allows. Fun characters and interactive features such as the “Finger tracker” make learning easy for children (and adults) by listening to the ‘practice’ and indicating whether or not the fingers were placed correctly. With over 160 lessons that include: an animated finger board and tracker; large-format videos with close-ups that guide students through learning songs; interactive games that make learning staff notes, rhythms, timing, and finger positions fun; and a tuner and metronome, playback, and recording features to help speed progress. Available in multiple formats for compatibility with any system, this violin software is reasonably priced at around $50.

SmartMusic—this award winning software is used by educators and instructors around the world to enhance the learning and skill of their students. The programs offer focused practice sessions that provide instant customized feedback. Moreover, specialized accompaniments play along with the student, which allows him or her to assess the practice performance according to pitch and rhythms at home. Available with an annual subscription, this software features the largest digital sheet music library in the world, and classes are tailored for the customized needs of the student. Yearly subscriptions start at about $40, and accessories (mics, earphones, etc.) can be purchased for around $20. Compatible with iPad, PC, and Mac, and back up discs are available for an additional $5.

The Violin Tutor—is designed to enhance traditional instruction by offering practice help with scales, arpeggios, and specific exercises for violin beginners. This PDF download includes 10 lessons that feature video demonstrations and easy to understand graphics for fingering and music notation. Students may adjust the tempo, see fingering in action, and repeat bars as often as necessary to achieve proficiency. As a relative inexpensive supplement to traditional instruction (about $10), this windows based software can help you child wow her teacher with her progress at each new session. You may also download a free demo before your buy it.    

The Violin Lab—not a traditional software program, this online resource offers companion videos to help all ages learn to play the violin. Featuring over 500 instructional videos that range from novice to expert, this online community helps beginners learn the basics about proper instrument care, maintenance, and playing techniques, as well as fingering, reading music, and more. Designed to complement the Suzuki curriculum, instructors love this library of free videos, sheet music, and bowing methods that can help students practice at home; and the large community of experts and enthusiasts offer feedback and other support for perfect playing and music enjoyment. Membership rates are offered through monthly, quarterly, or annual subscriptions, and the yearly cost is around $6 per month.

You can help your child succeed in learning to play the violin by supplementing his or her instruction with one of these great resources (check out these great apps for learning to play the volin). The more enjoyment and progress, the more likely your child will want to continue building such a beneficial skill.