Okay, so I’ve been wanting to learn “Carol of the Bells” on the violin for, like, forever. It’s such a classic, and it just sounds so magical, you know? So, I finally decided to just go for it.
First, I needed to find some sheet music. I looked around a bit, and turns out there are a ton of different arrangements out there. Some looked super complicated, and I’m definitely not a pro violinist, so I wanted something a bit more manageable. I mean, who wants to get frustrated right from the start?
Eventually, I found this version that said “Easy Violin Sheet Music” – that sounded perfect! It was from a place called SilverTonalities, I think. It was a solo arrangement, which is exactly what I was after. I also stumbled upon another one labeled “Very Easy/Beginner” by some guy named Mykola Leontovych from Cadenza Editions. More choices! Good stuff.
After I downloaded the easy version, I printed it out and grabbed my violin. I made sure I was all tuned up and everything. Then, I started going through the piece really slowly, note by note. It’s in a minor key, which gives it that kind of mysterious, haunting vibe that I love.
The beginning was pretty straightforward. Just getting the notes and the rhythm down. There’s a lot of repetition in this song, which is kind of nice when you’re learning it. It means you can get comfortable with those main parts, before moving on to the next section.
- First: Find sheet music, easy version if you’re a beginner like me.
- Second: Tune your violin.
- Third: Start slow, note by note.
- Fourth: Get comfortable with the repeating parts.
The trickiest part for me was probably the bowing. There are some quick string crossings, and you gotta make sure you’re getting a clear sound on each note. I had to practice that part a bunch of times, over and over. My arms definitely got a workout!
I also watched a few videos online of people playing it, just to get a feel for the overall flow of the song. There was this one violinist, Lindsey Stirling, her version is awesome, though probably way too advanced for me right now. But hey, it’s something to aspire to, right?
Practice Makes Perfect!
It took a few days of practicing, but I finally got to the point where I could play through the whole thing without messing up too much. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but I’m pretty happy with how it’s sounding. It’s such a satisfying feeling to learn a new piece, especially one that you really enjoy. And it’s like I’ve done that, with this old New Year Carol!
Now I just need to keep practicing and maybe try to get a bit faster and smoother. Maybe one day I’ll be able to play it like those pros online. Who knows? But for now, I’m just enjoying the process and having fun with it. It’s really cool to be able to bring this classic piece to life with my own two hands, you know?
