Handbook | Version 1.

0
Table of Contents
01 About Us

02 What is Practice?

03 The Importance of Practice

04 How to Practice

18 Frequently Asked Questions-: Violin

21 Frequently Asked Questions: Trala

28 Essential Materials

Appendix I: Printer-Friendly Practice Journal

Appendix II: Sheet Music

About Us
From the Trala team, thank you for downloading Trala! We are a team of 6 based in Chicago, USA:

1 designer | 2 violinists | 3 programmers

Our mission is to help you learn the violin! This handbook is a guide to help you become a great
01
violinist by using Trala.

We want to connect with you!

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Join our private Facebook Group >> Join

Tune in every weekday to twitch.tv/tralaapp at 5:30pm Central Time for a group practice session.
What is Practice?
Trala is an app based on practice. It will help you get great practice results and show you

specifically what to practice.

How do we improve or learn a new skill? The answer is through practice. So -- what is practice?
02
Practice is when we carefully play our violin repeatedly and regularly in order to improve. It is

through the process of deliberate repetition that we are able to progress and learn. This is the

secret to becoming a better violinist! The best violinists have countless hours of rigorous practice

under their belts.

The Importance of
Practice
Practice helps us develop. We can target areas of struggle with specific exercises. As beginners,

that will be every aspect of the violin. This can seem daunting, but the first thing to tackle is how

to hold the instrument and the bow. Trala starts with the fundamentals of violin and bow hold and 03
gets you quickly started. Although it might take a few weeks to get the hang of holding the bow,

it will take years of practice to master. It’s important to keep that in mind from the beginning. It

can be a slow climb. Practice requires self-discipline, patience and clarity of mind. Without regular

practice there can be no progress. With regular practice you will see yourself grow as a violinist.

Some weeks will bring drastic jumps in skill. Other weeks any inroads will be hard to measure.

Trust in the process and you will get there. Every day that you practice brings you closer to

mastery.
How to Practice?
How much should I practice?

To begin, aim for 5 days and a total of 100 minutes per week. In Trala you can set your specific 04

practice time goals. You can always add more to this as you become more advanced. It's ok if you

don’t make your goal every week. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Every week is a new chance to

be your best. Students that practice 3 or more times per week make real measurable progress.

Students that practice less than that are basically spinning their wheels and learning the same

material over and over.

Make a Plan

Without a plan it will be hard to make good on your plans to practice. Find times in your schedule

that you can regularly practice. Trala can send you push notifications to remind you it’s time to

practice. Some people like to practice early in the morning when they are clear of the day’s

distractions. Some like to take a break from work and bring their violins to the office. Most

children practice first thing after school. Start with small goals in mind. It will be easier to stay 05

motivated with achievable goals. For instance: “my first goal is to score 3 stars on E String Blues.”

With a goal and a plan of when to practice you now know exactly what needs to be done! This

helps avoid distractions. Included in this guidebook is a weekly practice journal where you keep

track of what you want to improve on and when you practice.

Practice Efficiently

Sometimes students practice extra long in order to make up for missing

days. Unfortunately practicing 1 day for an hour is not as effective as

practicing 3 days for 20 minutes each day. Shorter more frequent practice

sessions move you forward more quickly. Splitting up your practice session

will bring even better results. Try three 10-minute sessions in one day 06

instead of one session of 30 minutes. Make sure to practice the same

material every practice session for at least a week or more. Try not to scatter

and practice different things every time. Concentrate your energy and you’ll

see rapid improvement. You’ll know you’re on the road to success when you

meet your time goal.

Focus on Posture

The foundation for good sound is your violin and bow hold. Odds are If you

are struggling with something like tone, intonation, physical pain,

articulation, and/or bow strokes something is wrong with your posture.

During the first year of practice regularly review Chapter 1: Fundamentals.

Try putting your phone at eye level on a music stand when using Trala. 07

Focus on keeping your spine straight and holding the violin and bow

correctly every time. Eventually it will become muscle memory. It’s easy to

develop bad habits and hard to fix them later. Take the time to learn it right

and it will save time in the end. Having good posture will set you up for

success. All additional skills are built on this groundwork.

At first start by concentrating on one thing. Just pick one element of your

posture i.e. bow hold or left hand position and concentrate on that for each

practice session. Pick a new concentration each week.

Create a Good Atmosphere

It’s hard to concentrate if your practice space is too noisy or there are

distractions like TV. Practice in a quiet area and try to find a private

space where you’re not afraid or embarrassed to make mistakes.

Make sure you have enough light to see what you’re doing. Try to

clear your mind and fully focus on the task at hand. If it’s too noisy, 08

Trala will have trouble hearing your violin and this will affect your

score.
Tune Your Violin

An out of tune violin will never sound good no matter how much you practice. Use Trala’s tuner in

the app! The tuner is located on the second tab from the left, at the bottom of the screen. Click

the HELP button on the top right corner of the tuner for a full tuning tutorial.

Tune every time you practice and tune in the middle of practice if you suspect the strings have

slipped. It’s normal for changes in temperature and humidity to cause the violin to go out of tune. 09

Expect extra tuning during changes of season. If a string keeps slipping you might need to take

your violin to a repair shop to refit the peg.

Warmup

Warm up first by playing something simple and familiar. Play

open strings, scales, rhythm exercises, or other review to get

your fingers moving and your mind in the zone. During

warmup pay attention to your posture and make sure you’re

set up correctly. Review Chapter 1: Fundamentals if 10

something is off. Pay attention to any tension and relax your

shoulders.
Go Slow to go Fast

Sure--you want to play faster. But how? The answer is the opposite of what

you might think. Start slowly and practice with a metronome. Trala has a

built-in metronome that you can adjust with the Tempo Control. Starting too

fast can lead to sloppy playing, poor technique and bad habits.

Find a tempo (speed) that’s just a little too slow. Start there and move it up 11

in small steps. 2 bpm (beats per minute) is a good place to start. It’s almost

unnoticeably faster. Only move the tempo up when you’re able to play

smoothly without stopping or making mistakes. Keep going until you reach

your goal tempo. The goal tempo or “finished” tempo of your music may be

clearly marked in the sheet music. Other times you need to do some

research and listen to some professional recordings.

Identify the Hard Part

Every piece of music has a section that is more difficult. Identify that passage and practice it 5 to

10 times on its own every time you practice. Go back and try to play the whole piece only after

you’ve done this concentrated work. Don’t be tempted to play through the whole song or go

back to the beginning every time you make a mistake. Focus and isolate the hard part. In Trala,

the exercises are created to prepare you for the hardest parts of each song. We’ve done the work 12

for you. Once you’ve mastered the exercises the final song will be a breeze.
Record yourself!

It can be very revealing to make a voice memo or video. It becomes very clear what needs

improvement. This can also be a great way to mark your progress. Now you can look back and

see how far you have come. Also, it’s fun to share with friends and the Trala violin community.

13
Practice without your Instrument

What? That’s right - practice without your instrument occasionally. Try your bow hold on a pencil.

Sing the letter names or fingerings of your music. Count and clap the rhythms. Watch Trala’s video

lessons. These are all good ways to work on your skills without your instrument in your hands. If

you’re feeling tired try one of these to keep moving forward.

14
Take it Easy

Listen to your body. Violin uses a lot of small underdeveloped muscles. It is not

normal to have pain when practicing or playing. Pain means something is wrong

with your posture. Check to make sure your phone is at eye level. You should

always circle back to the Fundamental Lessons.

It’s important to take breaks. If you feel tense, tired or have any kind of soreness, 15

put the violin down. Take the time to gently stretch your neck, shoulders, wrists

and arms after your practice session. You’re building new muscles and they’ll need

stretching so they don’t get too tight.

Take a rest-day every once in a while. Don’t start off with hours of intense

practicing. Instead, practice little by little, day by day. Gradually increase your

practice time and you won’t experience burnout.

Take Care of Your Violin

The violin is a delicate instrument. Never leave it in the car. Extreme temperature or humidity will

cause the top to crack or the wood to warp. Don’t drop your instrument. If you’re helping a young

student, try to practice on a rug and be prepared to catch the violin while they’re learning to hold

it with their chin and shoulder.

Make sure to change the strings at least once a year. Old strings have poor sound. Buy your 16

strings and supplies from a reputable violin shop. They’ll have exactly what you need.

Don't touch the bow hair. Oils from your fingers can damage the horse hair and hinder the sound.

Check how tight your bow is. When you are playing, the hair should be a pinky’s width away from

the stick. The stick will have a slight inward curve. Over tightening the bow could cause it to break

or warp. Make sure to loosen the hair when the practice session is over. Don’t be alarmed if a few

hairs come loose when playing. This is normal. Remove the loose hair from the frog and/or tip

where it is still connected. Eventually you’ll need to have the bow rehaired.
Connect with other violinists

Nothing is more motivating than learning and growing with others! Join the Trala Llamas

Facebook Community. Search #tralaapp or #learningviolin on Instagram. Reach out to Trala’s

professional violinists via Instagram:

Katie Jacoby | Rob Landes | Nune Melik | Grace Youn

17

Contact Team Trala by clicking ‘Contact Support’ in the Settings Page of Trala or emailing

support@trala.com. We usually respond within a few hours!

Frequently Asked Questions: Violin

I don’t have a shoulder rest: what should I do?

Most people find the violin to be difficult to hold without a shoulder rest. Does there seem to be a

lot of room between your chin and the chin rest? In that case try a proper shoulder rest. A Kun or
18
Everest is a good place to start. If there doesn’t seem to be a lot of room between your chin and

chin rest, try a sponge or a bit of shelf liner. These aren’t as good for keeping the violin firmly in

place, but they’ll keep it from sliding off your shoulder.

I broke a string: what do I do?

It’s normal to break a string, especially when you’re first learning to tune your violin. Make sure

that you take your time tuning and only use the pegs when the string is very loose. The first step

is to observe how the old string was attached. Now remove the old string. There may be a little

bit of the broken string left on the peg or fine tuner. Next take your new string out. It’s important

to only change one string at a time. Secure the ball or loop end on the tailpiece or fine tuner.
19
Wind some of the string on to the peg. Now while pushing the peg into the peg box slowly take

up the slack until the string is close to the desired pitch. Check the pitch during this process to

make sure you don’t over tighten it. Once it’s holding use your tuner to get it back to pitch.

If all this seems too much for you - it’s ok! Most music shops are happy to put a new string on for

you.
I’m a lefty: what should I do?

As violinists use both hands equally, most left handed students are recommended to learn violin

the same as right handed individuals. There are very few left handed violins for this reason.

A specialty violin shop would be able to convert your violin to a left handed instrument, but at

great expense. At minimum - the nut, bridge and pegs all need to be recut. Also the bass bar

and the sound post would need to be moved in a full conversion.

20
Frequently Asked Questions: Trala

How Advanced is Trala? What’s in the App?

Trala will take you from absolute beginner to an intermediate student. You’ll learn to hold the
violin and bow, work on sound and tone production, the key signatures of A, D, G and C, major
and minor scales, time signatures and rhythms for 2/4, ¾, 4/4, ⅜ and 6/8, reading sheet music, 21
slurring, and vibrato. Most importantly Trala helps you learn how to be in tune and in rhythm using
state of the art pitch and rhythm detection.

How does the playboard work?

Note blocks come from the right side of the screen and move to the left. When they reach the
vertical line on the left it’s time to play. If you’re late your score will be lower. Hold the note until the
end of the note block. If your finger on your left hand is not in tune a graphic will pop up giving you
feedback on where to place your finger. Your overall score is a combination of your timing and pitch.
How high is considered a good score?

3 stars with 92% or higher is considered a very good score. It’s almost impossible to hit 100% as
no one plays absolutely perfectly. There will always be a slight variation in pitch and time. That’s
what makes us human.

Trala isn’t picking up my notes?

Sometimes Trala has trouble registering your notes if they’re played too quietly or there’s too 22
much ambient noise. Make sure you’re set up to practice in a quiet area. If there is an
accompaniment playing from the phone, use headphones.
Always use your bow. If Trala still isn’t registering your sound it means something is going wrong
with the bow stroke. Do some long bows and work on developing a strong concentrated sound.

Can you sync progress between different devices (i.e. tablet and phone)

Unfortunately not right now. Plans are in the works for this feature. For now pick which device
you’re likely to practice with and stick to it.
Where can I Find?

Posture
Refer to Level 1: Fundamentals under Section 1: Holding the Violin and Bow to follow the video

instructions during your practice!

Scales
Scale practice is dispersed throughout the levels. All scales are located in the Songs tab at the
23
bottom of the Home Page.

Exercises
Pitch, rhythm, fingerings, bow strokes, etc. Exercises and Pieces are located within the courses

inside of each level on the Home Page, gradually increasing in difficulty. Each activity is labeled

for you to pick and choose from if needed. Pieces are also found in the Songs tab at the bottom

of the Home Page.

How do I use Trala to practice?

Position
Prop your smartphone or tablet up on a music stand or somewhere at eye level. Avoid laying your

device flat on a table, ledge, or floor. This promotes bad posture.

Start Every Practice Session by Tuning

Didn’t I read this already? Yes you did. It’s so important we put it in here twice. Play each open
24
string one at a time while following the instructions on the screen. When the line turns green your

string is in tune. Repeat for each string. Check them again at the end. If you are having trouble,

click the HELP button located in the top right corner of the screen.

Watch the Video Tutorials

Each level contains easy to follow video tutorials taught by professional violinists that will help you

learn everything you need to conquer each level.

How do I use Trala to practice?

Play the Exercises and the Songs

There are several exercises in each level that will help you master the most difficult spots of the

song. Practice these exercises methodically and with at least 5-10 per repetitions per day. Practice

songs slowly at first. Use the tempo control function in the hamburger menu to find a speed that

works for you. Move the tempo up by 2 bpm only after your score is 92 or higher.
25

Sheet Music Library

In the Bottom Tab of the Home Page there is a library of sheet music label Songs. It has excerpts,

popular classical pieces, etudes, solo pieces, fiddle pieces, and scales! Use these to select an a la

carte practice in addition to moving through our lessons.

How do I use Trala to become the violinist I want to be?

Be consistent with your practicing and the time you spend on the app. Always repeat lessons until

they are perfect. Trust in the progression. Each skill is built upon the previous one. Each lesson will

refine your skills with small achievable steps. Work on the details - this is crucial to success! The

more you work at it, the better you will become - simple as that! Good things take time - lots and

lots of time. Consider that most professional violinists have been working diligently on their craft

for at least 15 years.

26

What Are the Core Components to a good practice session?

A good practice session starts with 5 to 10 minutes of review, scales and exercises. While you

warm up on these, pay careful attention to your posture. The next step is to spend a couple

minutes sight reading some sheet music. Finally spend the bulk of your time - at least 15 to 20

minutes on your new music or skill. Focus on any difficult passages and practice them carefully

until they improve.

How Long does it take to learn the violin?

It takes about a year of study before the violin student starts to make a satisfactory sound with

their instrument. Be patient with the process. The more time you find to practice the faster you’ll

sound good and reach your goals. Keep in mind that professional violinists have thousands of

hours of practice under their belts.

27
Essential Materials
Case
Protect your violin and bow

Shoulder Rest/Sponge 28
· Prevents the violin from slipping off your shoulder

· Makes holding the violin more comfortable

· Adds height to fill the space between your shoulder and chin
Rosin
Rosin helps the bow hairs grip the string to help you make good tone

· 10-20 strokes per day are needed to maintain the bow hair grip to the string

· If your bow is new or freshly rehaired, you may need to use a lot more rosin to get a sound

(up to 50-75 strokes)

· Plan to spend around $10 on a good rosin. Odds are the one that came with your violin is not

up to the task.

29
Music Stand
Position your music or phone in your line of sight.

· Promotes good posture

· Helps you see the music or activity you are practicing

Mute
Beneficial if you are playing orchestral music and/or playing with others

· This soften the volume of your instrument

· It also alters the tone of your violin to a softer, warmer timbre

Consider a practice mute if you live in an apartment building or are worried about bothering your

housemates. This will make the violin very quiet.

30
Strings
· Have an extra set on hand, you never know when a string might break.

· Change your strings at least once a year. You’ll have a huge improvement in tone.

· Plan to spend around $40 for a decent set of strings.

Soft Cloth
Wipe the rosin dust off your strings, fingerboard and instrument after you’re done playing.

· Too much rosin build up can be harmful to the instrument and dull your sound.
For anything you may need involving instruments, cases, rentals, repairs, strings, accessories, or

help, feel free to reach out to our violin shop partners listed below!

FiddlerShop

1-800-595-0592 (US)
support@fiddlershop.com
@fiddlershop on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube! 31
www.fiddlershop.com

Kennedy Violins

1-800-779-0242 (US)
info@kennedyviolins.com
@kennedyviolins on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube!
https://kennedyviolins.com
Appendix I
Practice Journal
 Appendix I: Practice Journal-Sample chart I

SAMPLE: Weekly Practice Journal-Week 1

Below is a Sample entry for your weekly practice journal. This is an example of your first week in Trala app. The first week you will spend most of your
time learning how to hold the violin and bow.

DATE: WEEK 1 March 2nd- Mar 8th

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Weekly total Weekly Goal

Bow Prep 1 1 1 1 1 5 5
Bow Hold 10 6 5 6 6 33 30
Violin Hold 10 2 1 1 2 16 15
Bow Placement 5 2 2 1 2 12 10
Bow Strokes 10 2 5 6 7 30 25
Tune 5 1 1 1 2 10 5
Play Open E 5 6 7 5 6 29 30

Total
46 20 22 21 26 135 120
Unit: min

* Allow more time for the 1st day. There’s a lot to learn!
 Appendix I: Practice Journal-Sample chart II

SAMPLE: Weekly Practice Journal-Week 2

Below is another sample for your weekly practice journal. This is based on the first song “E String Blues” in Trala app.
Here you can keep track of what you practice and record your practice time. Use the blank chart to help you reach your practice goals.

DATE: WEEK 2 March 9th- Mar 15th

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Weekly total Weekly Goal

Bow Hold Review 2 2 2 5 2 13 10

Violin Hold Review 1 - 1 1 1 4 10
Bow Exercise 2 2 2 2 2 10 10
E String Blues video 5 3 1 1 - 10 10
Exercise 1 3 2 2 2 2 11 10
Play E string Blues 15 17 15 22 16 85 80

Total
28 26 23 33 23 133 130
Unit: min

* The weekly goal in this example is low. This number will grow as you become more experienced. After the first few weeks, try for 100 mins of practice.
5 days a week for 20 mins.
 Appendix II: Practice Journal-Blank chart

DATE:

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Weekly total Weekly Goal

Total

Unit: min
Appendix II
Sheet Music
 Play Open E

                    


 E String Blues 1

 = 135

                 


 E String Blues Level 2

                         

 = 135


 Hot Cross Buns

      


          

3
 Boil 'Em Cabbage

            


             

5
 Claire de Lune


 = 80

            

            
5
 Boil 'Em Shuffle

                         


                        
6

                        
10

                        
14
 A Major Scale

            
         

           
        
6

       
            
11

       
     
  
16

       
     
  
20
 Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

         
     

             

5

        
     
9
 Level 1 1812
        
                 
 = 120
 

           
              
10
 Ode To Joy

                                        
 = 120



 Megalovania
Level 1


                                  
 = 140

                        

10

   
  
   

  
  
   
18

 
         
             
26
 Boil 'Em (B Part)

                   
  

                        
5
 Ode_to_Joy
Level 2
  
Beethoven


 = 120

         
      

 
               
6


                      
10

 
                         
16

 
            
23
 Hop High Ladies

                             


          
            
5
 Great Big House in New Orleans

        
       

    
          
5

       
      
9

    
          
13
 Peg Ryan's Polka

          
      

         
     
9

         
      
17

         
     
25
Level 1 Scarborough Fair


     
           
2 3 4 5 6 7 8

 
              
 
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

              
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Level 1 Hebrew_Melody
Joseph Achron

                
 = 68



              
 
9

           
      
17

         
       
25
 Level 2 Scarborough Fair

  3  4    5   7    8    
 
 = 120

                   
2 6 9

            
         
     
10 11 12 13 14 15 16

           
               
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
 Go Tell Aunt Rhody Play

         
              

        
             
5
 London Bridge

            
  

        
   
5

           
  
9

        
   
13
 Sourwood Mountain


 = 120
                 
   

                 
  
5
 Canon in D

  
Pachelbel

   
 = 60

           

 Frere Jacques

    
 = 60

            

         
          
5
 When the Saints Go Marching In

                               


                      
10
 My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean

  
    
 = 120
   

      
    
4

    
      
8

     
     
12

     
     
16
 One Octave G Scale

 
 = 100

    
   

       
6

        
     
10

 

        
   
 
14

 
 2 Octave G Scale

 
 = 100

    
   

    
   
6

   
    
10

     
14

   
    
    

17

   
          
21

         
           
 
       
25
 Drunken Sailor

                     


               

6
 Bunessan Waltz

        
     
 = 100

       
  
8

 
        
14

 
       
20
 Minuet in G


    
Bach

        
 = 100

   

   
          

 

6


        
      
10

   
            
14
 Chicago - That Toddlin Town

                                 
Fisher

 = 100

       

                           
             
9

               
    
           
 

17

                       
         
 
26
 Megalovania 2
Fox


                    
      

             
 
     
 
     
 
9

                           

17

      
                
          
25
 Level 3 1812 Overture

                             
 = 120

  
 

                          
  
6

                          
  
    
10

                          
  
14
Learn Violin from the World’s Best Violinists

https://trala.com