About Violin Time

Many children start between about five and eight years old, once they can follow simple instructions and hold a correctly sized (fractional) instrument comfortably. Violin Time and Viola Time are written for school-age students, and the String Time group books suit school string programs from around Year 2. Because the method starts from the very first steps, older beginners can use it too.

Both are held under the chin and played with a bow, and the technique is the same. The viola is slightly larger, with a deeper, warmer sound, and mostly reads alto clef; the violin plays higher and reads treble clef. Violin Time and Viola Time follow the same sequence of pieces and skills, so the best choice is simply the instrument whose sound you love.

No. Violin Time and Viola Time teach reading music from the first lesson. Students sight-sing directly from the score, so they learn to read music and play it at the same time.

The method is based largely on the Kodály approach, where singing is the first instrument. Students who can sing in tune, and can hear whether a note is in tune or out of tune, are able to play in tune, so sight-singing is built into every stage of the books.

A teacher is the best way to set up a correct posture, bow hold and left-hand shape from the start, which is what produces a lovely warm sound. To support practice between lessons, every piece in the books has a video tutorial on the Online Tutorials page, so students can see and hear exactly how it should sound.

It depends mostly on regular practice. Book 1 covers the beginner stage: posture, open-string bowing, the first finger patterns, scales and the basic bow strokes. Book 2 then adds shifting and vibrato and prepares students for AMEB Grade 2, Grade 3 and early Grade 4 exams. Short, regular practice sessions make the biggest difference.

For students learning individually or in a small group, start with Violin Time Book 1 or Viola Time Book 1. These comprehensive beginner books start with posture and open-string bowing. For a school string class, the String Time group series is designed for exactly that setting.

String Time is the group series, with books for violin (Violin Time Group), viola (Viola Time Group) and cello (Cello Time Group), so a mixed class of string players can learn together. The books are shorter, less expensive versions of the original Violin Time and Viola Time Book 1, which makes them ideal for school string programs such as a Year 2 instrumental program. They are available as printed books, and students can still use all of the online tutorials.

Book 1 begins with posture and open-string bowing, focusing on a lovely tone and using the whole bow. Fingers are then introduced, beginning with the 3rd finger, and the pieces travel through different keys and finger patterns. Scales are introduced in a logical order alongside pieces that use each new finger pattern, and bow strokes such as détaché, legato and staccato are covered along the way.

Book 2 focuses on shifting and vibrato. Shifting is taught with the "lift, glide and press" method so students learn to shift silently: first between 1st and 3rd position, then 1st and 2nd, and later briefly up to 4th and 5th position. Vibrato is introduced with exercises that build a secure arm vibrato, and more complex bowing, including off-the-string bow strokes, is introduced. Every piece comes with a scale and an exercise, and the music ranges from tangos and waltzes to études and duets.

Yes. Students study Violin Time Book 2 or Viola Time Book 2 in preparation for their AMEB Grade 2 and Grade 3 exams and the beginning of Grade 4.

Yes. Cello Time Group is part of the String Time group series, alongside the violin and viola group books, and is available as a printed book.

Yes. Each piece in Violin Time and Viola Time Book 1 and Book 2 has a video tutorial on the Online Tutorials page, demonstrated on the violin by Nicole LoBartolo with piano accompaniment by Jane MacDermott. For Book 2, the play-alongs for viola players are recorded separately, in the right key for the viola.

The piano accompaniments for Violin Time and Viola Time Book 1 and Book 2 can be downloaded free from the Piano Accompaniments page. For the String Time group series, the accompaniments are a printed book, String Time Piano Accompaniments.

Yes. The Backing Tracks page links to fun play-along tracks with the music on screen, so students can read the music as they play.

Yes. Teachers can get access to a Canva slide presentation that supports online teaching with Violin Time. Please get in touch through the contact page for access.

Violin Time and Viola Time Book 1 and Book 2 are available both as printed books and as downloadable e-books. The String Time group series is available as printed books.

As soon as your payment has gone through, you will receive an email with your download link. The e-book is a PDF, so it opens on a computer, tablet or phone.

Printed books are delivered anywhere in Australia for a flat $10. You can also choose Local Pickup at checkout at no charge. For delivery outside Australia, please get in touch through the contact page.

Payment is through PayPal. You can pay with a credit or debit card through PayPal even if you don’t have a PayPal account. Visit the Buy page to see all of the books.

Nicole LoBartolo, a violin, viola and classroom music teacher from Melbourne and the Director of Violin Time. She holds a Bachelor of Music Performance from Monash University, a Graduate Diploma in Education and an A.Mus.A, was Coordinator of Strings at Lowther Hall Anglican Girls Grammar School, and her students regularly achieve excellent results in their AMEB examinations.

Yes. Nicole teaches private violin and viola lessons from her home in Melbourne. Please get in touch through the contact page to ask about lessons.