Are you a budding violinist looking for beautiful pieces to play? As a beginner violinist, it's important to start with pieces that are appropriate for your level. To help you get going, we've compiled a list of eight great violin pieces for absolute beginners (with sheet music), along with some tips on how to play them. Whether you're looking for classical melodies or modern tunes, there's something for everyone!

You can also check out our collections of pieces for learning the violin - each one focuses on a different hand position:

▶️️ Discover our collections of pieces for learning the violin

1. Greensleeves 

▶️️ Play Greensleeves on the violin accompanied by the piano 

Greensleeves is a traditional English folk song which many believe was written by  King Henry VIII for his lover Anne Boleyn in the 16th century. However the song only first appeared in recorded history years after Henry’s death, so the mystery of who the real composer is continues. The song has been used in various contexts, including as the tune for the Christmas song What Child Is This as well as covers by jazz artists.

This timeless folk tune is perfect for violin beginners. Start by mastering the simple melody by focusing on the correct finger placement and bowing technique. Use Tomplay’s tempo changer to slow down the piece and practise playing it slowly, gradually increasing your speed as you gain confidence. 

Our arrangement of Greensleeves is set at a very easy level and includes the piano accompaniment. 

2. Minuet in G Major, BWV Anh. 114 by Johann Sebastian Bach

▶️️ Play Minuet in G Major on the violin accompanied by the piano 

Minuet in G Major, BWV Anh. 114 is often attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach as it appeared in his collection Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (1725). However, it was actually written by Christian Petzold, a German composer and organist.

This charming minuet is ideal for beginner violinists as it is in the key of G major and has a simple melody with easy bowing patterns. In order to play the melody in a graceful and elegant way, it’s important to follow the phrasing provided. 

The violin beginner sheet music of Minuet in G Major is set at a very easy level, plus you can play accompanied by the piano. 

3. El Condor Pasa

▶️️ Play El Condor Pasa on the violin accompanied by the piano 

El Condor Pasa is a traditional Andean folk tune and a wonderful choice for beginner violinists who want to explore different musical genres. It was written by Peruvian composer Daniel Alomia Robles and it's known for its haunting melody and distinctive rhythm, which captures the spirit of South American culture. It is now considered the second national anthem of Peru. In 1970, American duo Simon & Garfunkel released their cover version of the hit titled El Condor Pasa (If I Could) to great international success.  

This is a great violin beginner piece thanks to the basic rhythm patterns and manageable tempo. Once you’ve mastered that, focus on the dynamics as a way of conveying the emotion and story of the piece. With its unique melody and cultural significance, El Condor Pasa is sure to captivate both the player and the audience alike. This violin beginner sheet music piece includes the piano accompaniment. 

4. The Four Seasons ‘Spring’ - I. Allegro by Antonio Vivaldi

▶️️ Play Allegro on the violin accompanied by the orchestra

Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons is an iconic piece from the Baroque era and one of the most famous classical pieces of all time. It is split into four concertos, each representing a different season. The first concerto is for the spring season and the opening movement, Allegro, is a joyful introduction to this blooming period. 

Our arrangement of The Four Seasons ‘Spring’ - I. Allegro is ideal for violin beginners. There are two variations of melody for you - the first one is mainly based on semibreves while the second variation is crotchets. Start with the first variation so you can get comfortable with the structure of the melody, then move onto the second one for a bigger challenge. The sheet music includes the orchestral accompaniment, so you can play along from the comfort of your own home.

5. Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns

▶️️ Play Aquarium on the violin accompanied by the piano

Camille Saint-Saëns took his job as a composer very seriously…so much so that he banned his work Carnival of the Animals from being performed in public during his lifetime for fear of its lightheartedness affecting his reputation. It was therefore published in 1922, a year after his death. 

This musical suite is made up of fourteen short movements, each representing a different animal. The seventh piece, Aquarium, is a fitting tribute to the underwater world with the tinkering piano notes imitating the sound of water. The strings layer the melody over the top, which is both mesmerising and expressive. 

The Carnival of the Animals - Aquarium is an ideal violin beginner piece for practising phrasing and dynamics. Remember that Tomplay offers the loop feature, so you can practise a part of the piece (for example a phrase of the melody over several bars) in a loop until you’re happy with the result. This violin beginner sheet music includes a high-quality recording of the piano for you to play along with.

6. The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II

▶️️ Play The Blue Danube on the violin accompanied by the piano

You may not know the name of this piece but you will certainly have heard it! The Blue Danube is one of the most popular and regularly played classical pieces in the world. It was written in 1866 by Johann Strauss II who was commissioned to write a piece of music to lift everybody’s spirits after a post-war economic depression…and he certainly achieved that! 

This beautiful waltz, The Blue Danube, is uplifting, optimistic and a fantastic piece to play. Our violin arrangement is set at a very easy level and includes the piano accompaniment. If you find it a bit tricky, use our tempo changer to slow down the piece while you learn it, before tackling a quicker pace to convey the lively and rhythmic melody.

7. Theme from Game of Thrones by Djawadi

▶️️ Play Game of Thrones on the violin accompanied by the orchestra

Not all violin beginner pieces have to be classical. At Tomplay, we offer a range of beginner pieces in different genres including film and TV series music like the theme from Game of Thrones.

This fantasy mediaeval saga is an American TV series adapted from the novels by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire). It is famous for its realism and many sources of inspiration taken from real events, locations, and historical characters. 

The music was composed by Ramin Djawadi and the theme song is the signature piece of the series. Our violin beginner sheet music for Game of Thrones is in a minor key (the original piece flits between major and minor) and is essentially the riff of the theme. This makes it a good piece for beginner violinists because there is a lot of repetition in the melody. The orchestral accompaniment is included. 

8. Adagio by Albinoni

▶️️ Play Adagio on the violin accompanied by the orchestra

To round off this list of pieces for violin beginners, we have Adagio by Tomaso Albinoni, although the composer isn’t actually responsible for writing the piece. It was written by Remo Giazotto, a musicologist from the 20th century specialising in the works of Albinoni, who found a fragment of the composer’s music in Dresden, and was inspired to compose the Adagio. 

The haunting melody offers a great opportunity to beginner violinists to work on dynamics, phrasing and rhythm (including triplets). The phrasing is key to be able to convey the emotion required to play this moving piece. Adagio is available at a very easy level, plus you can play along with the orchestra. 

In conclusion, these eight great violin pieces for absolute beginners are perfect for those who are just starting their musical journey on the violin. Remember to practise regularly, focus on proper finger placement, bowing technique, and dynamics, and gradually increase your speed as you gain confidence. With dedication and practice, you'll be able to master these pieces and create beautiful music on your violin. Happy playing!