This is an interactive violin that allows you to play in your browser. All you have to do is use your keyboard (computer), mouse or your trackpad. It mimics how player would use both hands to play the violin. It also splits bowing from fingering. This means you are able to concentrate on what you are doing with each hand separately. There’s no need to know anything about music to get this thing going. But if you have some knowledge of a string instrument then you’ll be rewarded by the interface.
Controls is on the right. Fingerboard is on the left Pitch is set using your mouse or your left hand clicking on markers on the strings. These are represented by the cream colored tape on the strings. They mark out whole and half step finger positions. To set a finger, simply tap the marker to place a virtual finger. It will then remain there until you tap it again to raise your finger. When you tap on the marker above the nut, you choose the open string as your pitch. Each time you set a finger, you get a short preview of the note. This allows you to hear what pitch you have set before bowing.
How to Play the Online Violin
In the bottom section, you pull your mouse over the strings which then makes the sound. The idea here is that you are using your mouse as if it were a bow. To get a note to sustain you need to depress and then move your mouse horizontally along the strings. The volume depends on how quickly you move your mouse. If you move it slowly, it will be softer, but if you move it quickly it will be louder. Try to keep the ‘bow’ moving smoothly for the duration of the note so you don’t lose the tone. If you do, the sound will die down. It would of been as if you stopped playing with an actual bow. You also have the option to slide the bow between strings during the stroke. This lets you play different notes without having to reset your finger position.
On the right-hand side there’s a control panel with some useful functions. You have a volume slider that controls the master output level. Set it to match the volume of your speakers/headphones. There are four buttons marked: G, D, A, and E. They let you play the open strings easily. You don’t need to set your fingers. If you press one of the ‘Play Twinkle‘ or D major scale buttons then an automatic demonstration plays. When you do this the fingerboard illuminates showing you which finger goes where and when to use the bow. It’s a great way of learning how strings are laid out. It also shows how the most frequently used notes is placed. The full-screen button makes the widget take up all of your screen. It provides you with extra room so you can view the fingerboard in detail. There’s also a help panel for when you’re struggling to remember what does what.
Keyboard users has an immediate method of playing directly from the interface. No mouse required! Use the number keys to bow each string in turn: 1 = Open G String; 2 = Open D String; 3 = Open A String; 4 = Open E String. From here you can experiment easily with the underlying notes. Alternatively, using the spacebar will trigger a demonstration of the D major scale. It is a nice addition and a useful learning tool. The help panel can be switched on/off by pressing the question mark key. When you’re confident with how everything works, this is a welcome way of keeping your work space uncluttered.
Variations in bow speed and finger placement are where you’ll find the greatest gains from this widget. With a finger on a string. Drag the bow slowly then quickly, and listen to what happens. It mirrors the effort needed physically to create a note on an actual violin. There’s also a demo feature that will guide your hand motions. Where do the lights show up on the fingerboard? Tap those tapes to repeat the pattern. That kind of active listening helps you get used to the layout off the instrument. It’s quicker than reading about it.
It is tuned like a regular violin (G,D,A,E), which gives you the full range of a normal violin. It provides clear visual feedback. Notes are selected. Highlighted. The middle is very clear with current pitch. Use it to explore string crossings, scales and melodies at your own speed. If you are a beginner then use this as a sandbox. As a musician it is useful to have a quick sound source too. Just tap on a couple of positions and drag your bow around. Then you will hear what you can make.