The interactive way to learn to read music from first position.
First Notes for Violin requires Windows 95 and a sound card.
To read about the program - click here.
To download the zip file - click here.
The file size is about 226K . You must unzip the program after downloading and read the (easy) instructions on installation in the readme.txt file.
Like its sister program, "First Notes for Cello", "First Notes for Violin" provides an interactive environment for violin students to learn to read the staff and identify the note names and finger numbers for first position. It may be used by children or adults, but is particularly well suited to younger students, especially those students using the Suzuki method. The program allows you to learn to read music while having fun creating melodies and playing along with the computer. Students can use the program independently or with guidance from their teacher or parent(s). A series of mini-lessons are provided in the Help file to guide new users through the variety of methods available for teaching reading.
The principle behind the program is learning through doing. Providing the ability to compose melodies by clicking on the fingerboard graphic or directly on the staff, "First Notes for Violin" allows users to learn the note names, their position on the fingerboard and on the staff, and enjoy music making at the same time. By letting your imagination take control, learning to read becomes just part of the process. The program also offers a computerized version of traditional flash cards to help students identify and correlate note names with positions on the fingerboard. Additionally, the question and answer mode (Show Me!) provides practice on locating notes on the fingerboard and the staff.
You can save your compositions as special files, and open these files later. The ability to save melodies allows you to share your creations with friends and even show them to your teacher. "First Notes for Violin" also provides "Print" and "Print Preview" to create your own sheet music!
In addition to reading practice, the program is great for practicing routine assignments. Teachers will appreciate how useful "First Notes" can be in helping students practice their pieces. Scales, exercises or difficult spots can be improved by using a variety of practicing techniques.
