10 of the Top Violin Games for Beginners To Check Out
If you’re a beginner violinist, chances are you’ve spent hours practicing the same scales, etudes, and compositions over and over again. While it’s important to master these fundamentals, sometimes it’s refreshing to switch things up and have fun with your instrument.
And what better way to do that than with some fun violin games?
Violin games for beginners offer a fun and engaging way to practice your skills, improve your technique, and learn new concepts. Here are 10 fun violin games to help breathe new life into your practice sessions!
Games for beginners of all ages
Whether you’re a 5-year-old or a 50-year-old, these three educational games for beginners are designed to be fun, engaging, and a beneficial supplement to learning for all skill levels.
1. Pitch imitation
Pitch imitation is a simple, fun game that involves mimicking pitches on your violin. How the game works is quite simple: One person plays a note (or series of notes) on the violin, and the other has to imitate it with their own violin.
Pitch imitation helps improve your aural skills, or the ability to hear, identify, and replicate different pitches and tones.
What will you learn?
You’ll constantly refine your listening and tuning skills. Being able to differentiate subtle differences in pitch is a foundational skill in music, and by practicing this game, you’ll improve your ability to stay on pitch, even when playing complex pieces. It’s also an excellent exercise for ear training, which is crucial when playing in an ensemble or orchestra.
2. Musical storytelling
Violin playing isn’t just about technical skills; it’s also about creativity and self-expression. Musical storytelling allows you to create and tell stories (sad, funny, spooky — you name it) using only your violin sounds.
Your music teacher or fellow violin students can give you a theme or idea to work with, and you can let your imagination run wild. Musical storytelling's creative freedom and spontaneity help develop your improvisation skills and musicality.
What will you learn?
Emotions and musical expression go hand in hand, and by playing musical storytelling, you get to tap into your emotions and use different techniques (such as vibrato or dynamics) to make your music more expressive and captivating. This adds depth and personality to your playing and helps you to connect with your audience on a more emotional level.
3. Violin charades
Violin charades is a fun twist on the classic game of charades. Instead of using words or actions, players must convey specific cues solely through violin sounds.
For example, if the cue is “ocean,” players can use a combination of bowing technique, pizzicato, and dynamics to mimic the sound of waves crashing. It’s a great way to test your knowledge of different violin techniques and sounds while having a good laugh with your friends.
What will you learn?
When playing violin charades, you’ll learn how to convey specific cues through different techniques and sounds on your musical instrument. This requires a deep understanding of the nuances of musical interpretation, such as how to use vibrato, dynamics, and articulation to create a certain mood or feeling in the music.
By honing your skills in violin charades, you’ll become more aware of these subtle details and be able to apply them in your regular violin practice and performances.
Games for child beginners
Children bring a special kind of energy and enthusiasm to everything they do, including playing the violin — but their attention span can be short-lived. Beginner games for children use interactive visuals, colorful designs, and child-friendly concepts to make learning the violin fun and exciting for younger players.
4. Bow hold buddies
Young children often struggle with getting the correct bow hold when first learning the violin. Bow hold buddies is a game that uses visual aids (like colorful stickers or plush toys placed on the bow) to guide proper violin bow hold. Its highly interactive nature makes it perfect for children, turning the learning process into a fun and playful activity.
What will you learn?
Bow hold buddies help children learn how to position their hands and fingers correctly, which ultimately results in a better sound quality. With constant practice, their muscle memory will improve, and they’ll be able to maintain the correct bow hold without having to think about it constantly.
5. Violin scavenger hunt
The violin scavenger hunt combines the thrill of a treasure hunt with violin knowledge. It involves players finding and identifying different parts of the violin (such as strings, bow, scroll, fingerboard, etc.) using clues in the form of riddles, puzzles, or descriptions given by the game leader or violin teacher.
What will you learn?
Violin anatomy helps children understand the different parts of their string instrument and how they work together to produce sound. Children will learn about the various components of their instrument, what they do, and how to properly care for them for longevity and optimal sound quality.
6. String colors game
Visual aids are a powerful tool for learning, especially for young children. The string colors game uses colored tapes on the fingerboard to teach children about note placement and finger positioning. It’s a fun way to introduce the basics of music theory and help children develop their finger dexterity.
What will you learn?
Fingerboard geography helps children understand the layout of notes and how to play them accurately. Through the string colors game, children will learn how to place their fingers correctly and produce in-tune notes. This lays the foundation for proper intonation and helps develop their finger dexterity and coordination, setting a foundation for more advanced music theory.
Games for adult beginners
Older students often have a different approach to learning compared to children. They often prefer self-learning and independent practice as they have a deeper understanding of music theory and a greater appreciation for the intricacies of violin playing.
Games for adult beginners cater to this unique learning style by providing practical, engaging, and challenging activities that help develop essential violin skills while keeping things fun and exciting.
7. Scale bingo
Scale bingo combines the practicality of scale practice with the excitement of bingo. Students get a bingo card filled with different scales to play on the violin, and they must play each scale correctly and in tune to mark it off on their card.
The goal is to get a row, column, or diagonal of marked scales, just like traditional bingo. The motivational aspect of this game lies in its competitive nature, as players strive to be the first to get a bingo or cover their entire card.
What will you learn?
Mastering scales in different keys and positions is crucial for developing technical proficiency on the violin, improving finger dexterity and intonation, and advancing one’s musical repertoire. Scale bingo adds an element of fun and competition to scale practice sessions, accelerating the learning process and motivating players to perfect their scales.
8. Flashcard challenge
The flashcard challenge is a fast-paced game that tests players’ note-reading skills and sharpens their reflexes. Players get a set of flashcards with different notes on them, and they must quickly identify or play the correct note before the time runs out. This game is designed to improve note recognition, sight-reading skills, and musical memory in a fun and competitive way.
What will you learn?
Flashcard challenges in your music lessons will help you improve your note recognition and sight-reading skills. As the game is fast-paced, it helps develop quick reflexes and the ability to read notes on the fly. These skills are essential for efficient music learning, as they allow players to quickly identify notes and play them accurately.
9. Musical phrase puzzle
Musical phrasing is a fundamental aspect of musical expression and interpretation. It involves dividing a piece of music into smaller phrases and playing them with proper phrasing, dynamics, and articulation.
The musical phrase puzzle takes this concept and turns it into a game where players are given short musical phrases that they must rearrange to create a cohesive and expressive musical piece. This game helps players develop their musicality, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
What will you learn?
You’ll learn about song structures and musical phrasing, crucial elements of expressive playing. By rearranging the given phrases and creating a cohesive musical piece, you will develop an understanding of how different parts of a song fit together to create a whole. Additionally, the puzzle aspect of this game sharpens your problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, making you a more well-rounded musician.
10. Name That Tune
Name That Tune adds a fun and familiar twist to traditional ear training exercises. In this game, players are given familiar melodies or songs but with some wrong notes mixed in. The challenge is to correctly identify the tune despite the incorrect notes. It’s a fun way to develop ear training, musical memory, and critical listening skills.
What will you learn?
Playing the violin requires a keen ear to produce in-tune and harmonious notes. Name That Tune hones your aural recognition skills by presenting familiar melodies that you must identify despite the wrong notes.
You’ll learn to distinguish between correct and incorrect notes, improving your ability to play in tune and develop a better musical ear. Familiar melodies also help train your musical memory, allowing you to recognize and recall musical patterns and phrases quickly.
Bonus for all ages of beginners: Trala’s learning app
The Trala app combines technology and gamification to create a fun and efficient way for beginners of all ages to learn the violin. With interactive beginner violin lessons, personalized practice plans, and real-time feedback, Trala makes learning the violin accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
Our app also incorporates gamified elements, such as earning points and rewards for completing practice sessions, to motivate beginners and make practicing more engaging.
The “playboard” practice exercises gamifies practice sessions by awarding points for completing exercises and tracking progress. This adds an extra layer of fun and motivation for beginners, making practice feel like a game rather than a chore.
The app’s signal processing technology also allows for real-time feedback, giving beginners instant recommendations and tips to improve their playing.
Choose Trala for a fun, educational learning experience
Despite the challenging and often windy journey of learning the violin, incorporating games can make the process more enjoyable and rewarding. Whether you’re a beginner just starting your musical journey or an experienced player looking to spice up your practice sessions, these violin games will add an element of fun and motivation to your learning experience.
Trala combines technology, gamification, and expert instruction through structured beginner violin lessons from world-class teachers to make your learning process more efficient, enjoyable, and rewarding.
Looking for more great beginner practice resources? Check out our free sheet music and get started today!
