Effective Practice Routines for Violinists, Violists, and Adult Learners
Finding consistent time to practice can be one of the biggest challenges as an amateur violinist, violist, or adult learner. It isn’t always possible to sit down for the same amount of time each day, and sometimes we can only make a few minutes practice work in our busy days. Still, even a short session can make a difference when it is intentional and focused.
I’ve found that I make the most progress when I can dedicate an hour or more to practice. But on days when I have less time, planning ahead and setting clear goals helps me get the most out of the minutes that I do have. Below are a few practice routines for violinists and violists that can help you build consistency and continue making progress on violin or viola, whether you have 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or a full hour.
15-Minute Routine
5 minutes – Warmup and Scales
- Open strings with long bows
- Legato string crossings on open strings
- One scale: practice with rhythm variations, long bows for intonation, or a bowing technique such as spiccato
5 minutes – Technical Exercise
Choose one exercise and stay focused:
- A Vibrato drill
- Bowing exercise (like one from Sevcik’s 40 Variations)
- A Shifting exercise
- A short etude excerpt
5 minutes – Repertoire
- Select 1–2 short passages
- Set a single goal (intonation, tempo, cleaner shifts)
- Play through at the end as if performing
- Bonus: Record yourself and jot down one improvement and one goal for next time
30-Minute Routine
10 minutes – Warmup and Scales
- Long bows and string crossings on open strings
- One scale, focused on a single technical target (rotate daily):
- Accelerations
- Rhythm variations
- Slow intonation work (with drone or tuner)
- Bow strokes (spiccato, martelé, détaché)
- Arpeggios
5 minutes – Technical Exercise
- Short, focused work on an etude or exercise
- Possible areas: vibrato, a bowing technique, tone production, or fast passagework
15 minutes – Repertoire
- Choose 1–2 passages in solo or orchestral repertoire
- Define a goal for each passage
- If time allows, perform the passages and record yourself
- Reflect: What improved? What still needs work? What is your next step?
60-Minute Routine
15 minutes – Warmup and Scales
- Begin with simple warmups
- Expand scale practice to target multiple areas (intonation + rhythm, tone + speed)
- Include arpeggios along with scales
15 minutes – Technical Exercises
- Work deeply on one technique or split your time between two
- Example: 5 minutes vibrato work + 10 minutes etude or bowing exercise
30 minutes – Repertoire
- Select a few key passages
- Define specific goals for each (tempo, shifting accuracy, phrasing, dynamics)
- Allocate an amount of time to dedicate to each passage or just follow where the work leads
- End by performing passages or even a full movement to put your work into context
Closing Thoughts
Intentional practice can help you make progress on your musical goals even if you don’t have much time. Whether you have 15 minutes before work or a full hour in the evening, setting goals and structuring your practice sessions helps you grow steadily over time. Approaching practice with focus, curiosity, and taking the time to listen to yourself can make a huge difference when it comes to learning and making progress in your music.
Looking for more ways to strengthen your practice routine?
Explore related articles on Tuning in Fifths:
- Planning Effective Practice Sessions – tips to make every minute count.
- The Benefits of Practice Journaling – why tracking your work leads to steady growth.
- How to Keep a Music Practice Journal – practical formats and ideas to get started.
Keep building a practice habit that supports your progress and brings more joy to your playing.
