Aria’s Violin StudioAuckland · New Zealand
Practice Library · Hi Violin! · Famous Songs · Grade 3

Grade 3 Famous Songs

50 famous tunes to learn at Grade 3 level: about one a week for a year. Listen with the piano, learn the notes on the fingerboard, then play along with the piano on your own and earn a ⭐ for each song.

⬇ Grade 3 songs (PDF)

Tap any note on the music to jump to it.
Tempo
Fingering for this note
✎ Your own fingering is saved on this device.
0 open string I E · II A · III D · IV Gstrings 1234 fingers

On a computer: → next note · ← back · Space play / stop. No sound on iPhone or iPad? Turn off silent mode (the switch on the side) and turn the volume up. Tap any note on the fingerboard to hear it.

For teachers: edit the fingering and the music

Each note is written as note/length/string+finger, for example F#4/e/D2. Lengths: t demisemiquaver, s semiquaver, s. dotted semiquaver, e quaver, e. dotted quaver, q crotchet, q. dotted crotchet, h minim, h. dotted minim, w semibreve; triplets e3, s3, q3. Rests: r/q, r/h … Use | for a bar line. Signs go after a 4th slash: ( slur starts, ) slur ends, ~ tie, . staccato, > accent, - tenuto, ^ pause, v up-bow, n down-bow, e.g. A4/q/A0/(.. Dynamics (p mf f …), hairpins (< or > … !) and words such as "pizz." go just before their note.

“Apply” saves it on this device. To change it for everyone, copy the code and paste it into the code line for this song in famous-songs-grade-3.html.

How to learn a song: press Play and listen first, with the piano. Then switch to Learn and play it slowly, note by note, with Next ▶, watching the fingers light up on the fingerboard. When you know the notes, choose Slow, untick 🎻 Violin tune, and play along with the piano on your own. Move up to Steady and Target, then press ☆ I can play it! to earn your star. Grade 3 songs stay in 1st position (with the odd high C) and bring in 6/8 jigs, quick semiquavers, more keys (including F, B♭ and minor keys), and classical themes by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Grieg and Tchaikovsky. Every song here is out of copyright, and every arrangement was written for Aria’s students.
Famous Songs · Grades 1–5

50 songs for Grade 3: about one a week for a year

These songs are arranged for Grade 3 violin (up to 2 sharps or flats · 6/8 time). Grade 3 songs stay in 1st position (with the odd high C) and bring in 6/8 jigs, quick semiquavers, more keys (including F, B♭ and minor keys), and classical themes by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Grieg and Tchaikovsky. Each song has chord names over the music, so a teacher or parent can also accompany on piano or guitar. Press Play to hear the violin tune with a simple piano part, or untick “Violin tune” to play along with just the piano.

Grade 1D, A and G major · 1st positionGrade 2adds C and F major, minor keys · slursGrade 3up to 2 sharps or flats · 6/8 timeGrade 4up to 3 sharps or flats · 3rd positionGrade 5up to 4 sharps or flats · 3rd position
The songs
  1. Row, Row, Row Your Boat Traditional round (USA, 1850s)
  2. Three Blind Mice English round (1609)
  3. Pop Goes the Weasel English dance tune (1850s)
  4. Oh Dear! What Can the Matter Be? English song (1780s)
  5. Greensleeves English tune (1580s)
  6. Scarborough Fair English ballad
  7. Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes English air (1770s); words by Ben Jonson
  8. Oh! Susanna Stephen Foster (1848)
  9. Camptown Races Stephen Foster (1850)
  10. Michael, Row the Boat Ashore African-American spiritual (1860s)
  11. My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean Scottish folk song (1880s)
  12. Battle Hymn of the Republic (Glory, Glory, Hallelujah) American camp-meeting tune (1850s)
  13. Korobeiniki (The Peddlers) Russian folk song (1861)
  14. Drunken Sailor Sea shanty (1830s)
  15. Turkey in the Straw American fiddle tune (1820s)
  16. The Irish Washerwoman Irish jig (1780s)
  17. Soldier's Joy Scottish and American fiddle tune (1700s)
  18. The Girl I Left Behind Me Irish and English fife tune (1650s)
  19. St Patrick's Day Irish jig (1740s)
  20. Arkansas Traveller American fiddle tune (1840s)
  21. Haste to the Wedding English and Irish jig (1760s)
  22. The Sailor's Hornpipe English hornpipe (1760s)
  23. The Lark in the Morning Irish jig (1800s)
  24. Cock of the North Scottish jig (1800s)
  25. Fisher's Hornpipe English hornpipe (1780s)
  26. Sir Roger de Coverley English country dance (1690s)
  27. We Three Kings John H. Hopkins (1857)
  28. Ding Dong! Merrily on High French dance tune (1588)
  29. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Felix Mendelssohn (1840)
  30. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Richard S. Willis (1850)
  31. Angels from the Realms of Glory Henry Smart (Regent Square, 1867)
  32. O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum) German carol (1824)
  33. As with Gladness Men of Old Conrad Kocher (Dix, 1838)
  34. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming (Es ist ein Ros') German carol (1599)
  35. Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer (Cwm Rhondda) John Hughes (1907)
  36. I Vow to Thee, My Country (Thaxted) Gustav Holst (from The Planets, 1916)
  37. Eternal Father, Strong to Save (Melita) John B. Dykes (1861)
  38. Rock of Ages (Toplady) Thomas Hastings (1830)
  39. How Firm a Foundation American hymn tune (Foundation, 1832)
  40. Crown Him with Many Crowns (Diademata) George J. Elvey (1868)
  41. Grandfather's Clock Henry Clay Work (1876)
  42. In the Hall of the Mountain King Edvard Grieg (Peer Gynt, 1875)
  43. Gymnopédie No. 1 Erik Satie (1888)
  44. Für Elise Ludwig van Beethoven (1810)
  45. March of the Wooden Soldiers Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Album for the Young, 1878)
  46. Soldiers' March Robert Schumann (Album for the Young, 1848)
  47. Bourrée in E minor Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV 996)
  48. Hallelujah Chorus George Frideric Handel (Messiah, 1741)
  49. Can-Can (Galop infernal) Jacques Offenbach (Orpheus in the Underworld, 1858)
  50. Brother James's Air James Leith Macbeth Bain (1915)
Questions
What is in the Grade 3 songs?

These songs are arranged for Grade 3 violin (up to 2 sharps or flats · 6/8 time). Grade 3 songs stay in 1st position (with the odd high C) and bring in 6/8 jigs, quick semiquavers, more keys (including F, B♭ and minor keys), and classical themes by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Grieg and Tchaikovsky. Each song has chord names over the music, so a teacher or parent can also accompany on piano or guitar. Press Play to hear the violin tune with a simple piano part, or untick “Violin tune” to play along with just the piano.

Are these songs free to use?

Yes. Every tune here is out of copyright (traditional, or by composers who died long ago), and each arrangement was written for Aria’s students. You can print the PDF for your own practice and lessons.

How do I play along with the piano?

Press Play to hear the song with the piano. When you know the notes, untick “🎻 Violin tune”, choose the Slow tempo, and play the tune yourself while the piano plays the chords. Tick “Count-in bar” to get a bar of clicks before you start.

Which finger do I use for each note?

Switch to Learn or Practise. Each note shows a coloured finger number above the music (0 is an open string) and a Roman numeral for the string underneath: I = E string, II = A string, III = D string, IV = G string. Type a different string and finger under “Fingering for this note” to change it. Your change is saved on your device.

Does it work on a phone, and offline?

Yes. It works on iPhone, iPad and Android in portrait or landscape. After your first visit it also works without internet. On an iPhone, turn off silent mode to hear the music.