FOR VIOLIN - VIOLA - Cello
Beginners
Tuneful start
Make Music brings together independent materials for beginners' lessons. Independent in the sense that Make Music is not tied to any specific method — it is fully compatible with all commonly used teaching approaches. The core idea is to complement existing concepts, not to replace them.
The Tuneful idea
Tuneful is the first series of teaching materials designed for very young beginners on the violin, viola, and cello. It is intended for children aged approximately 4–10 years. The idea is to begin in fourth position, allowing teachers to address common challenges by taking advantage of the child’s natural physical and cognitive conditions. These include:
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inward rotation of the left arm,
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fear of shifting positions,
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developing a sense of tone quality from the very beginning, and
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learning appropriate finger pressure and the ability to "let it go" it.
Volume 1
Volume 1 for violin, viola, and cello has already been published. It contains 44 teaching units, each divided into three sections:
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The first section focuses on developing the fingers of the left hand and establishing basic coordination.
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The second section concentrates on the development of bow technique.
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The third section focuses on making music with the skills and means already available.
The booklet is characterised by a number of special features:
- Divided into teaching units with three areas each.
- Equal attention to left-hand technique, bowing technique and "music-making".
- Students start in the middle of the fingerboard.
- Children play pieces and songs using open strings, harmonics, pizzicato, and other musical means — exploring and gradually mastering the entire fingerboard.
The booklet can be used in different ways:
- Alongside other instructional guides
- as an independent guide
- as volume 1 for later or simultaneous beginning in the 4th position (violin/viola) / beginning in a position other than the 1st position (cello)
The notation is color-coded throughout the book, with the final units gradually introducing the transition to standard black-and-white notation. Practice suggestions for the students are represented with simple, easy-to-understand symbols.
Teachers can view the Tuneful booklets in full with a free mini subscription. Simply register by clicking on the cover below! In addition, there are opportunities to take part in various workshops announced in the Events section.
Erdmute Maria Hohage, Angelika S. Schepke, Make music. Tuneful from day one (violin) | ISBN 978-3-9824267-4-7 | 88 pages | 29€ | With approx. 10 QR Codes*, that link to further information *The use of the QR codes is optional: there is no legal claim with regard to the QR codes.
Erdmute Maria Hohage, Angelika S. Schepke, Make music. Tuneful from day one (viola) | ISBN 978-3-9824267-5-4 | 88 pages | 29€ | With approx. 10 QR Codes*, that link to further information *The use of the QR codes is optional: there is no legal claim with regard to the QR codes.
Erdmute Maria Hohage, Angelika S. Schepke, Make music. Tuneful from day one (cello) | ISBN 978-3-9824267-4-7 | 88 pages | 29€ | With approx. 10 QR Codes*, that link to further information *The use of the QR codes is optional: there is no legal claim with regard to the QR codes.
Coming next in Tuneful
The next volumes are currently in their final stages of preparation. We’ll be happy to keep you informed through emaNews as soon as they are released. Here’s what’s coming next:
- Volume 2: Tuneful in 4th and 1st position
- Volume 3: Tuneful in 3rd and 2nd position
- Volume 4: Tuneful in 1st–4th position
- Volume 5: Tuneful Throughout the Year
All upcoming volumes are based on songs from around the world, each paired with short, focused exercises. Selected sections also include dedicated technique pages. Like Volume 1, these books can be used either independently or alongside other established teaching materials.