Violin CD Songs
These are the songs that are featured on your violin CD. You can practice along with them, listen to them, and download them onto your computer or phone for practice and listening. Listening to songs you haven't learned to play yet will help your ears and brain get ready to learn the next thing. Have fun!
My Violin and Me: Sing and show the parts of your violin!
Rest Position Song: Practice rest position and playing position in slow motion.
String Song: Tap, point, pluck, or play all four strings on your violin. Sing the note names while you play!
Twinkle Bells: Using your wiggle-worm pointer finger, play ringing bell sounds on your E string. Make sure to pluck the string in the "sweet spot" between the bridge and the fingerboard.
Merry-Go-Round: Keeping a good bow hold, move your bow around and up and down. For an extra challenge, put a small cup or a little hat on the tip of your bow. Can you do the whole song without dropping the cup or hat?
The Wheels on the Bus: Keeping a good bow hold (no ice cream cones!), use your violin bow to do the motions of the song.
POP! Goes the Weasel: Listen carefully to the song. Can you tell when to pluck the four strings of your violin?
Frere Jacques: Pluck your two highest strings in this pattern: A E long-A, A E long-A. It will sound like bells saying, "Ding Ding Dong". Play along with the bells on the recording. Listen for the end of the song, where it slows down a little bit.
Twinkle Twinkle Little E String: Using a good bow hold, and keeping the bow in the "sweet spot", play long bows on the E string.
Freehold Learning Center Song: Keep a good bow hold and play in the "sweet spot" of the E string. Use the rhythm of "Freehold Learning Center".
E String Concerto: This song uses your "Freehold Learning Center" rhythm without any pauses in between. Listen carefully so you know when to start playing.
A String Concerto: This one is just like the E String Concerto, but you will play it on your A string. It's a little trickier, because your A string is between two other strings. Try to stay on the A string only!
Carnival in Rio: a longer song using the "Freehold Learning Center" rhythm on the E string. You will revisit it in your second book, with your fingers on the fingerboard.
Cross Lake Blues: long bows on A and E, alternating through the whole song. Listen carefully for the extra long A at the end!
FLC on A and E: the Freehold Learning Center rhythm alternating between the E and A strings. You have time to switch strings each time.
Tiger Tails!: This rhythm has a rest in the middle of it: ti-ger (rest) tail. Play it all on the E string.
A-E Crosswalk: A longer song using "Freehold Learning Center" rhythm, this time on the A and E string alternating, starting with A.
Two-String Tiger Tail: the "tiger tail" rhythm alternating between the E and the A strings.
Tango to Trinidad: a longer song using the "Tiger Tails" rhythm. There is no break between "tiger tails" in this song! You can play the whole thing on open E.
Strawberries: Straw-berry straw-berry, all on the E string
Bow River Fiddle: a longer song using the "strawberry" rhythm. The whole song can be played on open E. Listen carefully for the special ending!
Triplets: on the E string.
Two-String Strawberries: the "strawberry" rhythm alternating between the E and A strings.
Chopsticks: A longer song using the triplet rhythm: based on the piano song "Chopsticks". The whole song can be played on open E for beginners. Second or third-year violinists will revisit this song with their fingers on the fingerboard.
The FLC Express, Practice Tempo: This fast-paced song uses our Freehold Learning Center rhythm on the strings A,E,E,A with no pauses in between. The pattern plays twice. This recording is slow, for practice.
FLC Express -- Performance Tempo: When you can play the song at practice tempo, try this recording. The faster tempo makes it fun and challenging to play, and very exciting to listen to!
Jingle Bells: this recording will work with open strings, the way first graders are playing it, and with the fingers on the fingerboard the way second graders are learning it. Listen to it once or twice before playing along so you will know when to play.
Two-String Triplets: the "triplet" rhythm alternating between the E and A strings.
I'm a Little Monkey (E String): the Freehold Learning Center rhythm climbs up the E string and back down again. The notes are E, F#, G#, high A, high A, G#, F#, E (openE, 1E, 2E, 3E, 3E, 2E, 1E, openE)
I'm a Little Monkey (A String): the Freehold Learning Center rhythm climbs up the A string and back down again. The notes are A, B, C#, D, D, C#, B, A (openA, 1A, 2A, 3A, 3A, 2A, 1A, openA).
Alexander March: Based on a march by Ludwig Van Beethoven, this lively piece uses the notes A, B, and E. Use firm, short bow strokes to keep the song marching along!
Magnolia Waltz: a pretty song using long bows and the first finger on both the A strings and the E strings. This song has four notes in it: A, B, E, and F#.
FLC Steps: our Freehold Learning Center rhythm steps down on the A string, starting with three fingers on A. The notes are D, C#, B, A (3A, 2A, 1A, OpenA).
Kum Ba Yah: Another song that uses A, B, E, and F#. This time the switches are a little quicker, which makes it a tiny bit harder than Magnolia Waltz.
Hot Cross Boogie: The tune "Hot Cross Buns" uses three notes on the A string: A, B, and C# (OA, 1A, and 2A). You will play the tune two times.
Tiger Steps: our Tiger Tail rhythm steps down on the A string, starting with three fingers on A. The notes are D, C#, B, A (3A, 2A, 1A, OpenA).
Strawberry Steps: the strawberry rhythm steps down on the A string, starting with three fingers on A. The notes are D, C#, B, A (3A, 2A, 1A, OpenA).
Triple Steps: The triplet rhythm climbs up the A string and back down again. The notes are A, B, C#, D, D, C#, B, A (openA, 1A, 2A, 3A, 3A, 2A, 1A, openA).
Tickle Steps: the tickle rhythm climbs up the A string and back down again. The notes are A, B, C#, D, D, C#, B, A (openA, 1A, 2A, 3A, 3A, 2A, 1A, openA).
Mountain Climbing: the Freehold Learning Center rhythm climbs all the way up the A string and the E string, and then comes all the way back down. The notes are A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, high A; and then back down again.
Once you can play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, try playing it with all your special rhythms! It will help to listen to each variation many times. You can play each rhythm on the E string while you listen to the recording, as well.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Theme)
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Freehold Learning Center)
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Tiger Tail)
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Strawberry Strawberry)
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Triplets)
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Tickle Tickle)
Ode to Joy - Performance tempo