Scamby Strings

Beginner Violin
Parent/Student
Handbook



A work in progress by
Beth Ann Scamby








A Note from Mrs. Scamby
This handbook is designed for students and their parents. It will be adapted to each
student and may not go in exact order. As each student learns a different way and I teach .
Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


2

Our First Lesson
Starting and Ending our Lesson
Learn Hello Bow saying kon'nichiha (hello in Japanese) and Good bye Bow saying
sayounara (thank you and good bye in Japanese). This is how we start and end our lessons.
3 chords played will be played:
The 1
st
alerts the students know to stand up straight
The 2
nd
is to take a bow and say kon'nichiha (beginning of the lesson) or sayounara (end
of the lesson). Students are to stay bent at the hips until the next chord is played.
The 3
rd
alerts the students stand up.

How to care for the violin and bow:
It is important that this is read by both parents and students. If an instrument is not properly
cared for the repairs can be timely and costly. Please read and keep this handout for any
references you may need.
Always make sure the case is properly shut and locked before picking it up.

Never turn the pegs or fine tuners unless you are told differently by the teacher. If
a string is loose or breaks just leave it until the next lesson. Over tightening the
strings may can cause them to break.

Never try to repair the instrument yourself. If anything happens to it just bring it
to school on the next lesson day. You may be charged for the repairs.

Make sure your bow is not to tight and always loosen it before putting it away.
The stick should NEVER bend away from the hair.

DO NOT touch the hair. It will get dirty and rosin will not stick to the hair.

Always apply rosin on it before playing.

If you would like to clean your instrument do not use water. Only use a dry soft
cloth, such as a piece of an old t-shirt and gently wipe off any rosin dust.

Never let your instrument get too hot or too cold. Do not leave it in a car or near a
heater. As this can cause severe damage to the instrument.

Never let other people play your instrument, including other students. Only you,
your teacher or a trained professional are to play or handle your instrument.


Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Remember you are responsible for your instrument so please follow these steps to care for it.
Learn parts of violin and bow.

*Only Mrs. Scamby should turn the pegs and fine tuners. If the strings get loose Mrs. Scamby
will fix them.




Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Learn where to put hand on violin for rest position.

Learn rest position.

Rest Position Feet together, violin under right arm with back against body, left hand on top of
violin, fingers on side without chin rest, with thumb on other side of neck. Right arm straight at
side, not on top of bridge.
Rest Position Song (Sing to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)

Rest position, feet in line
Scroll out front, thats mighty fine!
Check your bridge cause it should be
Peeking out at you and me
Now its time to take a bow
Ichi, ni and san is how!

(Ichi 1 = stand , ni 2 = bow, san 3 = stand)
Thumb
Fingers
This position is okay for getting
the violin out of the case.
Right arm over chin rest
Holding spot
Left hand, holding
spot
NOT THE RIGHT WAY
Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Playing Position
1. Duck Feet (feet make a V)
2. Baby Step (left foot out)
3. Instrument out (over left foot)
4. Upside down (turn violin upside down, counter clockwise)
5. Up in the air
6. Button on your ear (left ear)
7. On your shoulder
8. Chin on the chin rest
9. Nose to the scroll
10. Stop sign (not done at first lesson)



Duck Feet
Left foot baby step
Upside down
On your shoulder, chin on the
chin rest, nose to the scroll
Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Pizzicato (Plucking the string)
Make an L with your right hand
Thumb on the finger board (not underneath it, make sure it stays there)

Make sure violin stays parallel to floor and we dont suffer from spaghetti arms! Keep back
straight and dont let the left elbow touch your body.
Names of the Strings Song
Elephant Song
Elephants Elephants Elephants stumping on the
Ants, Ants, Ants, digging in the
Dirt, Dirt, Dirt, underneath the
Ground, Ground, Ground.


PRACTICE POINTERS

Hold violin parallel to floor NO SPAGHETTI ARMS!
Dont let left elbow touch your body!
Make sure when you are plucking the string that your thumb stays planted on the side of
the finger board.
Pluck over the fingerboard, out of the rosin and bowing area.

Make an L
Pluck the string = Pizzicato
Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Lesson #_______ Date:____________________
Building the left hand
Add last step of playing position:
10. Stop sign (bring left hand back, making sure not to squish the hamster and to make a
tunnel)
Strum strings with left fingers when in this position. 4 times each string
Learn new notes B, C# (C sharp)- putting 1
st
and 2
nd
fingers down on the strings

Place 1
st
and 2
nd
on the A string, make sure you are on your fingertips.
Test each note and do not move on until the note rings. If it makes a dud sound then you are
not on your fingertips correctly.

1
st
finger = B (white line)
2
nd
finger = C# (black line)
Fingers should be nice and round and your wrist needs to be straight.








Pizzicato Songs
Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Hot Cross Buns
2 1 0
2 1 0
0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1
2 1 0

Mary Had a Little Lamb

2 1 0 1 2 2 2 -
1 1 1 - 2 2 2 -
2 1 0 1 2 2 2 2
1 1 2 1 0 - - -


PRACTICE POINTERS
Make sure there is a tunnel between your thumb and the neck of the violin.
Dont squish the hamster! Make sure wrist is straight and palm is NOT touching the neck
of the violin.
Fingers should be round and you should be playing on your fingertips.
Make sure the notes are ringing when you pluck the strings. If they make a dud sound
then you are not playing on your fingertips.


Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Lesson #_______ Date:____________________
Reiterate previous lesson
NEW: How to hold the bow
1. Bump in your thumb
2. Place it at the end of the frog (knuckle can touch the hair, tip of thumb should be pointing
up, NO BANANA thumb)
3. Turn palm to the right
4. Lean on index finger between first and second knuckle
5. Roll two middle fingers down over frog
6. Pinky on top


**For up to 2
nd
grade bow hold: depending on the student the fingers may go on top of the bow,
each finger separated like little houses with yards in between them, or as shown, eventually
working towards the 3
rd
grade bow hold.

To be practiced: Do ten Tick Tocks, keep a bump in your thumb, pinky on top and curved.
up to 2
nd
grade bow hold
Bump in your thumb, pinky on top.
This bow hold is for 3
rd
grade and
above.
NO BANANA THUMB!
Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Bow Hold Song

Rocket Song
Up like a rocket
Down like the rain
Back and forth like a choo choo train
Round and Round like a great big sun
Out in front like a kettle drum
Up on your head check your pinky and your thumb

*Parents have your child perform this song for you, please check their pinky and thumb!


PRACTICE POINTERS

When practicing Rocket Song and Tick Tocks:
Everything should be round.
Bump in your thumb- NO BANANA THUMB
Pinky on top (on a ledge of the screw) CURVED
Keep bow straight when vertical and horizontal.

Dont forget to practice the Elephant Song too!


Practice makes perfect and patience is a virtue!

Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Lesson #_______ Date:____________________
Reiterate previous lessons
Getting comfortable with our Strings

Work on Ear Training by repeating what open strings the teacher plucks.
Each then the student will be the leader and the teacher/other students will be the followers
May just use names of strings, may repeat exactly.

Learn a New Bow Hold Song:
Wheels on the Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round
Round and round
Round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All through the town.

Move bow in small circular, counter-clockwise motion while singing.
Two rules of the bow:
1) CURVED pinky
2) BUMP in your thumb (No BANANA thumb!)

Also try it with:
The windows on the bus go up and down bow goes up and down like rocket and rain
The doors on the bus go open and shut bow goes back and forth like a choo choo train
The windshield wipers go swish swish swish bow goes swish swish swish like tick tocks

*Parents dont forget to check your childs pinky and thumb.




* It is very important to concentrate on having a perfect bow hold because in order to make a
beautiful tone the bow must be held correctly.

Always practice previous lessons and check practice pointers!
Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Lesson #_______ Date:____________________
Learn to put the bow on the strings - Arco
Bow goes between the bridge and the fingerboard
Violin, Arm, and Bow should make a diamond shape
Always pull (down bow) the bow first then push (up bow) keeping it straight and parallel with
the bridge
Go for a beautiful and nice even tone

Practice the following rhythms: (will be selected by Mrs. Scamby)
1) Play each string 3 times like Elephant song (same as 1,2,3, circle bow)
2) 1, 2, 3 circle bow
3) Mississippi Hot Dog
4) Ice Cream SHH! Cone
5) Strawberry Strawberry
6) Pepperoni Pepperoni
7) Oreo Oreo
8) Chocolate Chip Chocolate chip
9) 1, 2, 3, 4
10) Long ------- Long -------
11) Make up your own food rhythm


All rhythms will not be done in the same lesson as we will come back to this over and over
again.


PRACTICE POINTERS
Try to only play one string at a time focus and balance bow on each string
Always pull (down bow) the bow first, when switching strings circle bow, and place at
frog on the next string.
Focus on the A , E, and D strings the most. Try not to play the G string as much.
Keep bow in between bridge and fingerboard, and make sure it is parallel with them.
\

DONT FORGET BOW HOLD PRACTICE POINTERS!
Bump in your thumb No banana thumb
Pinky on top and curved

Date: ____________ Rhythms to Practice: _________________


Date: ____________ Rhythms to Practice: _________________


Date: ____________ Rhythms to Practice: _________________
Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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CHECKPOINT

At this point we should know and be able to do the following:

o Rest Position
o Feet together
o Bridge should be showing
o Scroll out in front
o How to take a bow
o Playing position
o Left foot out
o On shoulder
o Elbow not touching your side
o How to pizzicato (pluck)
o L
o Thumb on fingerboard
o Use index finger to pluck the string
o Pizzicato Songs
o Hot Cross Buns
o Mary Had a Little Lamb
o How to hold the bow
o Bump in your thumb
o NO BANANA THUMB
o Pinky on top
o How to put the bow on the open strings
o Term Arco
o Bow goes between fingerboard and bridge
o Keep bow straight
o Pull (down bow) / Push (up bow)
o How to play several food named rhythms
o Play Pizzicato songs Arco




Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Lesson #_______ Date:____________________

Last step in Playing Position
#10 Stop Sign
Learn a new note F# (F, sharp)
Place the first finger on the white tape on E string making a box, the note that sounds is an F#.


F# song

See the Pretty Flowers
(E) See the pretty flowers
(F#) Blooming in the garden
(E) See the pretty flowers
(A) Red and green and purple

Always practice everything from previous lessons.
Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Lesson #_______ Date:____________________
Learn new note D (3
rd
Finger) on A and First Half of A Major Scale

Place 3
rd
finger on the A string.

1
st
finger = B (White Line)
2
nd
finger = C# (Black Line)
3
rd
finger = D (Red Line)
First half of the A Major scale song
Monkey Song
(A) Im a little monkey
(B) Climbing up the ladder
(C#) Climbing way up high to
(D) Eat the blue banana
(D) Im a little monkey
(C#) Climbing down the ladder
(B) Climbing way down low to
(A) Eat the blue banana




PRACTICE POINTERS
Keep violin parallel to floor and left elbow off the body.
Dont let left palm collapse, dont squish the hamster
Dont let left thump peek up, keep a tunnel!
Make sure finger tips touch the fingerboard when placing them down on the string.
Keep fingers round, flat fingers will not let the strings ring.


Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Lesson #_______ Date:____________________
A Major Scale, adding notes G# and the high A
We are now ready for our A Major Scale Sheet. On this sheet you will see the string and what
finger to play, for example:

3
A = means 3 fingers on the A string.

We will be using both A and E strings now and all 3 fingers.

We will use the Mississippi Hot Dog Rhythm first for the A Scale, and our first Twinkle
Variation.

Please note depending on the childs age and style of learning we will work from more handouts
or we may now be moving into Suzuki Book 1.

At this time it is required that ALL students purchase the Suzuki Book 1 for their instrument as
we will be working towards using it in the near future.

In conjunction with Suzuki Book 1 I will be using "I Can Read Music, a note reading book for
VIOLIN students Vol. 1 " by Joanne Martin, and Suzuki Violin Book 1. This book is also
available for viola, and is highly recommended to be purchased.

Every student is different and we may find that the I Can Read Music book is working well
so we may work from that for a longer time than the Suzuki book and vice versa, but we will be
working from both in our lessons, just not at the same time.


The next page is the A Major Scale Sheet/ Twinkle Variations Handout













Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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A Major Scale

0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
A A A A E E E E

3 2 1 0 3 2 1 0
E E E E A A A A


Twinkle Variations
(A) Mississippi Hot Dog (B) Ice Cream SHH! Cone (C) Strawberry Strawberry
(D) Pepperoni Pepperoni (E) Oreo Oreo

0 0 1 0 3 2 1 0
A E E E A A A A

0 3 2 1 0 3 2 1
E A A A E A A A

0 0 1 0 3 2 1 0
A E E E A A A A


Twinkle Theme

0 0 0 0 1 1 0 ________
A A E E E E E

3 3 2 2 1 1 0________
A A A A A A A

0 0 3 3 2 2 1________
E E A A A A A

0 0 3 3 2 2 1________
E E A A A A A

0 0 0 0 1 1 0 ________
A A E E E E E

3 3 2 2 1 1 0________
A A A A A A A



Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Piece No. 2 Lightly Row

Our next selection we will be working on is called Lightly Row. Below are our preparation
songs to this piece and the next page is our actual piece!

Prep Songs for Lightly Row




Bird Song
string crossing and prep for Lightly Row
E0 Listen to the bird tweet
A0 Singing with his bird beak
A2 Perched upon his bird feet
A0 He thinks he sings real neat!







Cuckoo Bird
independent finger prep for Lightly Row
E0 Cu-
A2 ckoo
A3 Cu-
A1 ckoo


















Scamby Strings Beginner Violin Parent/Student Handbook (a work in progress)


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Lightly Row
(All numbers are on the A string.)


E 2 2____ 3 1 1_____

A 1 2 3 E E E_____

E 2 2 2 3 1 1 1

A 2 E E 2 2 2 _____

1 1 1 1 1 2 3_____

2 2 2 2 2 3 E_____

E 2 2 2 3 1 1 1

A 2 E E 2 2 2 _____




At this point we should be working from our books and all other handouts are supplemental
material.