Hello. This is Dr. Yuliyan Stoyanov.
I would like to welcome and congratulate you for your desire to learn to play the violin. With my courses you can fulfill your dream of becoming an advanced violinist from the comfort of your own home. Regardless of your innate talent, age, or physical capabilities, if learning to play the violin is your heart’s desire, I'll help you attain that goal.
Hello. This is Dr. Yuliyan Stoyanov.
I would like to welcome and congratulate you for your desire to learn to play the violin. With my courses you can fulfill your dream of becoming an advanced violinist from the comfort of your own home. Regardless of your innate talent, age, or physical capabilities, if learning to play the violin is your heart’s desire, I'll help you attain that goal.
Let me tell you a secret - you already know how to play the violin. All the movements we utilize to hold the violin or draw the bow on the strings, you already know how to do. They are part of your daily life. The only thing you need is to make a connection between these movements and the movements required to play the violin. Let me be the teacher who will guide you every step of the way to mastery and will show you the true beauty of playing the violin.
Don't hesitate. There is no better time than now. First little steps will soon become great strides toward your success.
theVIOLINcode is designed for you to get results:
Short lessons, so you can focus easily
Gradual introduction to each technique
Detailed explanations
Exercises in "call and response" fashion
Structured lesson plan
The biggest challenge for you as a beginner violinist is not simply to imitate your teachers in order to learn how they play the violin...
…It is to understand how to use your own body, to find the most comfortable and healthiest playing style for yourself.
I will work with you to help you discover it, making your violin journey even more exciting.
Over 4,500 students in more than 100 countries all over the world.
I am so grateful for your incredible support. It gives me the inspiration to keep working and provide high-quality violin instruction.
Check out what the others are saying about the course and come to see for yourself how much more efficient and exciting your violin journey could be:
"This was the first useful course on the violin I've seen on Udemy. Others were either too basic or too slow-going or not technical enough. But this one was awesome in that he goes over the proper form for holding the bow, good posture and holding the violin and does a very good job of building up fundamentals."
"This course is perhaps the most useful I have seen for the violin. It is full of very specific and practical information that helps the student really understand the process."
"Exercises are deceivingly simple but very effective."
"This course covers the subject from scratch the instructor is as clear as possible and his knowledge and passion give me the excitement to learn and study and to bring it into my classroom for my students."
"Wow, I love the technical depth that he's gone into, so far, for the violin's anatomy and how the human physiology affects playing the violin."
"This Course is extremely thorough and helpful. Would recommend it to anyone."
"Great course, really enjoyed it. Excellent coverage of the fundamentals. I thought the step-by-step process of learning the songs at the end by doing them a small chunk at a time was a great process. Thank you so much for this course, I'm looking forward to your next level violin course. "
"The instructor is very clear in his explanations and is highly positive in his teaching approach which motivates me to practice the violin every day. His experience with this instrument is clearly visible in the way he gives attention to even the very small details. Overall, a great course for a beginner like me."
"It helped open my eyes to how the violin works and how to hold the bow in a more comfortable way. I also learned new songs quicker than I usually do because of the clear teaching methods involved. I feel I am getting better at the violin already."
"This a great course, very informative. With information not only about the violin, but anatomy as well. Amazing. "
"Blown away by how well he breaks down all the gazillion technicalities you need to keep in mind while playing. HIGHLY recommended."
"Very detailed, never realized there was so much to learn in just holding the bow."
"Very concise explanations about the process of using the bow and also how the left hand is used on the finger board. Excellent course so far."
"Wow, this course is wonderful. I had been doing everything I am so glad i got this course. The instructor couldn't possibly be better. "
"I was able to really understand what he was doing and why. Great teacher."
"Very clear and comprehensive explanation. Just the right amount I needed."
"Over and above all my expectations."
"It was very informative. Your teaching method is very thorough and interesting. I have been teaching myself since my bow arm wrist has been smashed about 1-5 years ago, and I am learning more than ever, I am very happy. "
"Very easy to follow; super helpful for a beginner because of engaging instructor."
"I love this course. I have never picked up a violin before taking this and am surprised how successful I have been. Yuliyan takes everything step by step and is encouraging. If you've ever wanted to learn to play, this is the course for you. The lectures are informative, quick and easy to follow. It's also so great that you can go back and watch them as often as you need to. You will not be disappointed. "
What you need to take this course
VIOLIN AND A BOW
You can take the first module without an instrument, but for the rest, naturally, you need a violin and a bow. Your first instrument should be easy to play, don't worry so much about value and sound. Head to your local violin shop or get a cheap violin online. Don't make this a reason to postpone your violin dream.
Hear the sound of everything around you, feel the rhythm inside you, think about all the music you will be able to play and get going with the step-by-step lessons.
PRACTICE
The more you practice, the better you will play and the easier it will come along. Use every minute on hand to fiddle with the violin and you will discover that it can become your good friend very quickly.
What you don't need to take this course
Violin and a bow
Yes, you read this right. You can start with the first module armed with a simple pencil. I have found that many times students develop stiff bow hold because at the beginning they are afraid of dropping the bow. They hold it tightly and this becomes a habit later on. Until you learn to secure the bow without a tight grip, we will be using a pencil. This way you will develop a light and flexible bow hold.
Any knowledge about the violin
You don't need any previous knowledge about the violin. We start from the very beginning. However, if you have some previous experience and feel that the course is moving too slowly for you, simply watch these parts in a faster speed of the video player. Or, my recommendation is always to review carefully the basics, as they come back again and again.
Note-reading skills
Even if you don't know how to read notation you will be able to learn and practice all the exercises and songs in the courses. The added bonus here is that while you practice the songs by ear, you will be learning the notation subconsciously, as it is included on the screen, pointing out to each note we play. You will see what I mean, it's pretty cool.
Stop wasting your precious time searching the Internet for more random instructional videos. You deserve a better teacher than a violinist who would simply show you where to put your fingers. Let me be a true coach for you and help you achieve great results in the least amount of time.
Learn the names of the different parts of the violin and what happens when we draw the bow on the strings.
Learn the correct position of the right hand thumb and why it is the foundation of a good bow hold.
Learn the position of the rest of the fingers on the bow. Follow a step by step practice session.
Join me for a few exercises for getting a relaxed bow hold, as I explain the role of each finger.
Learn about the difference between the "Russian" and "Franko-Belgian" bow holds.
Join me in a few exercises developing the flexibility of the wrist.
Learn the main elements of the bow arm movement and practice them with me.
They say "The best way to learn something, is to teach it to someone else"! And this is so true! So, take your phone and make a two-three minute video, explaining the most exciting thing you have learned so far. Teach someone how to hold the bow, or why the position of the thumb is important, or the main parts of the bow arm movement. Then send it to your friends to see their reaction, or simply keep it to compare with the videos you will make later and follow your progress easier.
Learn about the different posture traditions.
By finding the correct body alignment we are facilitating the process of playing and can get better results with less effort. Join me in a few exercises to discover the correct body alignment and get the most natural posture.
Join me in two fun exercises to warm up and strengthen the shoulders.
Step by step guide on how to hold the violin.
Learn and practice the important aspects of the violin hold: rotation of the left arm, the angle of the wrist and the position of the fingers.
Time to make another video. Teach someone how to find the most natural posture, or how to rotate the left arm before they lift the violin, or something else you were glad to learn in this section. Send it to your friends to surprise them how well you are doing. Make sure you keep it for comparison for later, you need videos like that one to remind you where you started.
Learn about the different ways we can change the sound of the violin: sounding point, bow speed, and bow pressure. Troubleshoot some of the most common problems with the sound when you start playing for the first time.
Join me in finding the correct angle of the violin and a position where the left arm can be comfortably held in the air for longer periods of time.
And here we go playing! Starting in the middle of the bow, in the same manner we used in the exercises from lecture 8.
Learn the specifics of playing in the lower half of the bow.
Challenge your coordination and learn how to use the entire length of the bow, starting with rests between each note.
In this lecture you will be presented to two of the basic bow strokes - portato and legato, and the difference between them. You will learn how to fluently connect all parts of the bow in continuous bow strokes without the rests.
Time to make another video. Don't forget: "The best way to learn something, is to teach it to someone else"! Teach someone how we can play softly on the violin, or how we make a louder sound; show them how to play with a straight bow, while moving the arm in different directions. When you initially bought the course, you were provided with a link, on which you could upload your videos for me to revise. Send me your best video and I will personally look at it, pointing out the things you do well and the areas you need to improve. Share it with your friends to inspire them with your persistence in learning how to play this beautiful instrument.
Learn how to place the fingers on the strings. Join me in a fun exercise on how to feel the fingers in their full length, starting all the way from the wrist.
Learn to play the notes on A string, paying special attention on the little finger.
Learn some shortcuts on how to remember the notation easier. Discover the importance of preserving the same frame of the fingers on each string.
It is time for another video. Teach someone the names of the notes on A string, G string, D string, and E string. Show them how we align the left arm, so the little finger is right above the place it is going to press on the string. Compare this video with the ones you took at the beginning and see how much you have advanced. Share it with your friends and tell them to get ready, very soon you will be playing your first songs!
Great job learning your first songs! Now teach someone to play them in a video. Play each song section by section and explain how to learn it faster, before performing the entire tune at the end. Then, compare the video with the ones you made earlier in your progress. Watching your previous videos will remind you of some important aspects you might have overlooked, but will also make you realize what a long way you have gone. Share it with your friends, you deserve a word of praise!
Hey, congratulations for getting all the way to here! Use this backing track to practice the song along. Take your time and learn it well in the slower version, before you go up to the performance tempo. Most importantly, have fun:).
Good job keeping up! You are almost there! Stay at this tempo until you feel comfortable with it and feel relaxed performing it.
You did it! You are the real deal! Practice with the click track until you feel you got the song down and it feels easy.
Congratulations! I am so proud of you! Enjoy the song and enjoy yourself performing it! Fun times!
CONGRATULATIONS! You have completed your course! Not only you now know a few songs, but you have learned a very healthy and intuitive way of playing the violin. Some things may be harder than others and may need more time to feel effortless, but you have a great foundation and you can use it to learn more songs and develop even more flexibility in your body and fluency with the instrument. Don't forget to share a video with me, so I can give you my comments, or with your friends, to impress them with your new skill! I am honored you have chosen me as your teacher. I hope you enjoyed the course as much as I did making it.
We all enjoy completing quizzes! This one covers the topics all the way from the beginning, so you can check if you remember the most important parts of the course. Great job!
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