A Beginner's Guide to Violin Finger Positions

Learn proper violin finger positions, also known as violin finger placement, with this instructional video from expert teacher, Naomi S. If you're a beginner, this video will help you master some of the basics of violin fingering!

This video is a beginner's guide on proper violin fingering and placement. There are several positions or areas of finger placement on the violin. But as a beginner the first one you will need to learn is called first position.

First position includes the first or lowest five notes that you can play on each violin string. Since violins don't have frets or marks that show you where to put your fingers the way guitars do, one of the most challenging aspects of learning the instrument is finger placement on the violin.

If you don't have your finger in exactly the right spot, even if it's just a hair off, the note can come out sounding out of tune. The most common way to get around this issue is to place finger tape on the fingerboard that can show you where to place your fingers.

Over time and after thousands of repetitions your fingers will develop something we call muscle memory and eventually you will be able to remove the tapes and play in tune without them. Most beginners keep their tapes on anywhere from six months to a couple of years depending on the student.

To get started you will need some finger tape. You can find a roll of finger tape online or at your local violin shop, or you can use pinstripe tape for cars found in an automotive shop. You also need a chromatic tuner or a smartphone for tuning up your violin. Lastly, you'll need a pencil.

To finish this tutorial, keep learning in the video above.

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[Claysovaysusmotas]

You are the first person that manages to make me understand, because you explain without the preconseption that I know a single thing about music.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[michellepedrano]

The very first vid i really understands and learned violin so well.

[newtoatheism]

Violins are the most beautiful instrument ever

[herbertpoland]

I am in my sixty and just really learning about music!
So thank you for your help and the great video!!

[ellieparfitt]

i played for about 5 years using finger tape for the first half or so. I then stopped and began to listen by ear with a new teacher. I’ve not played for a few years now so I’m going to put them back on for a bit while i learn again :)

[Moebn]

Your video is literally the first video on the entire YouTube that has actually explained every important thing we need to know on the violin in one video & in a very straight and simple way...these informations actually took me months to learn!!! Thank you!!! You’re great! 🙌🙌🙌

[tonyquinn]

I got it straight away, the best I've seen on were to actually put your fingers, and get the right notes, and what the notes should like, to bring your ear in,  and get going in tune, brill

[julesjustjules]

I have never understood music notes, I watched this and 12 mins later it ALL MAKES SENCE!! Thank you

[spaice]

For many days I was searching for a video that I can understand finally I find I start my violin school but was difficult before to learn alone at home

[shazzam]

So helpful, so well explained, as a 65 year old absolute beginner on the violin and reading music, I thank you 😍

[pratim]

What a comprehensible explanation, in the most lucid mode possible ! God bless you !!

[Dumplinggsz]

I'm listening to this when i don't have a violin 😭😭😭

[ms.midorin]

OMG. this is really helpful. I can understand what you're saying. thank you I want to learn playing violin

[isaacbilodeau]

I could not have found this video at a better time, I just found a second hand violin yesterday and after spending a few hours getting discouraged by one video after another about bow-holding techniques, I can actually use this! Thanks for breaking it down!

[hermandormehl]

3:05 should be F# on the E string, since Every first position equals one WHOLE note from the open strin position : GDAE (open stings) change to AEBF# on the first finger position

[qxd]

I had my first violin lesson today, this helps, we got to bring ours home, so this is fine anyway for the instructor, we can’t tune it at all. The teacher tunned it already. Also, the tape was there before we opened the case.

[subramaniamarumugam]

Great video. You covered all the essentials necessary for a beginner. Very easy to understand.
Well done. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 🌹

[MaxMerrier]

Thank you so much for this very clear instruction! I was thinking there should be some way to understand simply the notes positioning on the violin. And you explained it clearly!!!

[j.d.schultzsr.]

I've been fiddling by ear for 5 years, but never got dependent on stickers. Easiest way for me to learn left hand was to play mandolin (same tuning as violin, ergo, same LH positions---even double stops) for 10 years. Before I took up mando, I played guitar for 50 years (good background for chords, i.e. harmony). But of all these methods, the most important thing is to memorise the piano (or electronic) keyboard.

If you do not know anything else about music, THAT is the most important thing to know before attempting ANY instrument, other than percussion. That is why a major or minor in music ALWAYS requires at least one semester of piano.

[madisonwatts]

I’ve been playing for ten years (I’m nearly 14) and I still have my tapes on and all four fine tuners.