Trala: Learn Violin Reviews

by Bob58):7:)(/34

I’m a beginner and started at the beginning, as one does. The problem I have is the tuning, I have a tuner attached to my violin, it says the notes (open strings) are perfectly tuned (within reason), but Trala thinks it knows better and will not let you advance until you hit their note. I have learned several instruments before and learning the fingering is more important than perfect form or delivery, but Trala seems to disagree. I find myself sitting their plucking the same string just to get pasted the stupid ‘missed note’. Also say I am playing two D’s in a row, the first goes off no hitch, then without moving anything I go to play the second and it has me move my finger. If they say it’s a tempo thing then why does it stop scrolling all together, and completely disregarding the tempo? It would be better if it let you play all the way through then have you a grade at the end. Stopping every few seconds because of fat fingers and poor beginner technique is counter productive. If a band is playing a song and the guitar misses a beat or note does everyone stop and repeat the note till it’s perfect? Or do they move on and keep improving?

by SuperSwaggy5000

Most music learning apps have a free version and a premium subscription. Trala does not. To even get past the intro screen, you need to make a year-long commitment, or, a monthly subscription for double the price. I get that violin lessons are expensive, but there should at least be free things. Take Yousician, for example. They have a premium service that is great for more serious musicians. If you just want to learn the basics and be able to play a few songs, they have a free version. Trala, once again, does not. I'm sure Trala works great, but I don't think anyone should have to make a commitment without getting to try it out. And since most corporations are just hungry for money; devs, consider this. The reason so many apps have a free version with a premium subscription is because the free version hooks the people who download Trala . They are more likely to buy the premium membership. Many people are just going to delete Trala if they have to make a year long (or month long for double the price) commitment without seeing if they like the teaching style, content, etc. If there was a free version so that I could try it out, I would be much more likely to buy the subscription.

by NiloV333

I think Trala is a great idea, but it can learn a lot from other piano teaching apps out there. Perhaps better for absolute beginners, but as someone who used to play the violin before and wants to take it back up again after a decade, I find it incredibly frustrating that they don’t offer the option of using sheet music instead of whatever abomination is their system of floating colored letters.

I can’t believe this is even good for beginners, because how are they going to make the transition to sheet music well? Also the way they do completely eliminates bow information, silences, etc. So what I’ve been doing is playing along with the teacher when the piece is introduced, which while difficult is at least marginally better.

I wish they would take a note from apps like flow key and the way they teach pieces - from actual sheet music, with the ability to loop specific section and speed up and slow down. So much potential here that’s only half met...

by Bruce111111111111

Trala is incredibly frustrating. Not only does it disagree with my two other tuners, but there is no way to skip to the advanced stuff, and certainly no tempo controls in the lessons. Every time I played on of their things, I sounded terrible because I had to move my bow to obnoxiously slow. Add to that the sudden stops, and it just frustrates the heck out you. Additionally, everyone I have ever met says if you miss the intonation of your finger position, don’t adjust. Instead just practice that passage until you get it right. Trala doesn’t do that. It forces you to adjust. Add to that their indicators would be easier to use if they flipped them. When you are too low you need to move higher on the fingerboard, but if we are practicing intonation, I would rather have a distance indicator, which doesn’t show up until you seem stuck. All in all, More frustrating than educational.

by Tasti.greent

I do not like Trala for multiple reasons. The first reason is that it doesn’t hear the bow separations so whenever I play an A and there’s an A next to the note it thinks I’m playing that note. The next reason is that people think you can learn an instrument without face to face contact with. Personally I have been playing for two years. I like how it refreshes me from what I’ve learned before but i feel like the things that you learned in the beginning are kinda things you do for practice. If you want to do this as a stage act I do not recommend this. For beginners it’s good to put the sharps and flats next to the notes but for experienced players put them in the key signature. I think that Trala needs improvement on microphone quality and needs improvement on the teachings. Most of these songs I learned a year ago. Trala is not the best quality honestly but it’s fun to do in your free time.

by Isabork

I love Trala it has helped me advance quickly and shake off the rust seeing as I haven’t touched a violin in years. The major thing I have an issue with is that on certain sections it doesn’t register as complete like the crossings section only the right side gets marked as complete so it tells me to redo the whole section. The other spot was the last sub section before the reading sheet music lesson. The only way I got past it the first time was to uninstall and reinstall but that got rid of all my data, it wasn’t too much of a hassle to get back. The second time it’s much harder to get back and on top of that it won’t let me pass the crossings again. This is just really frustrating for me, I set a goal to get to the sheet music and I was so close but I couldn’t advance due to it not registering I had completed it.

by Kenzie12thefirst

I just downloaded Trala today, and have instantly fallen in love. I’m a beginner on the violin so I haven’t really gotten very far yet, but I would have no problem paying for the subscription. My only problem is that the money seems to be due on a yearly rather than a monthly basis, which requires a little more commitment to Trala than I think I’m ready for.

Edit: Now that I’ve gotten to sheet music, the process seems a lot more arduous because it keeps having me repeat the same part over and over. Also sometimes when I play the note it can’t properly hear me and if there are three of the same note in a row it counts for all of them and says your playing the next note wrong so you have to repeat it. I do like the sheet music, but I feel as though there should also be an option to play or learn the songs with the auto scroll feature used previously.

Also you can pay monthly but it’s double the price??

by Yavuzc123

I used this in the last and I wanted to renew that, just to see that it only comes with private lessons. So I skip for now. In general it has good videos showing up how to play, and also measures your play quality and scores you. Songs are boring and unknown folk songs, kind of boring and not motivating. You do not feel the achievement if you don’t play something you know. App is missing some convenience. When performing, you need to use earphones as it gets confused from its own sound. But it captures your pitch well, but I think lagging in timing. And some scenes do not work horizontal and some don't work vertical; so you need to keep flipping your phone. You cannot turn your iphone upside down, imagine putting it down somewhere vertical with earphones plugged at the bottom. Lessons keep a looping, until you notice that you listened to them before and click next

by Mattbklyn

Cant say much about beginner lessons since I started at intermediate level. Anyway I have been playing around with Trala for two days now. It is really fun and useful to add to your practice. The only reason I did not put five stars is because I think the description is a little misleading. It definitely does not replace a teacher even for those who use online teachers you definitely get more out of a live person on a video telling you how to do things properly. Trala is great to keep intonation in check especially for those of us who practice on our own. I actually enjoyed practicing pieces already knew to check that I was playing them in tune then actually doing the lessons. Great boost of confidence. Some definite cons are the lessons are way too short, the sheet music for pieces does not have Bowing. I had to check with my regular sheet music for correct bowing. I also noticed that couple of the étude sheet music had wrong key and some of the half notes were not correct. So I had to play wrong notes in order to move on within the lesson.

by Belleleirmoe

Original rating {3 Stars}: Haven’t played the violin in some time. Decided Trala would be a good way to help me get back on my feet. Downloaded Trala . Got past the first lesson which took two minutes for me because I already knew what was going on but was a nice refresher. Now every time I click on the next lesson the entire app shuts down and boots me out to my home screen. I’ve tried shutting off my phone, I’ve deleted Trala and reinstalled, I’ve reached out to tech support. It’s such a shame, I was so excited to finally get a violin app. Sigh.

UPDATE: Staff did respond within 24 hours. They mentioned the update will fix the issue of users getting booted from Trala . That being said, I wish there was a way to set the tempo while practicing. I’d also love to see an option to use a metronome. After all, using a metronome is one of the commandments in the this app bible lol.... Hopefully with time the library will include popular songs on the radio, or number one hits, as well as the classical stuff.

I will continue to my review as necessary.

by Good But Needs Work Ya Know

I feel that this is a good app however some of the notes are off. Maybe they can not jump right to the bow on the first lesson because some people might not know the notes however I experienced some work with the violin so I pretty much know all the strings except one. One good thing about Trala is they do the correct bow hold and if you don’t do the correct bow hold it may sound a little weird. I might say this is one of the best apps for a new or an experienced violin keeper. Like I said some of the notes are wrong so be aware if you download this so make sure you get a book, every time I do it I have to do the incorrect notes for me to be able to pass. Overall I guess I would say this is a pretty good violin teacher.

by Decoy-

As a brand new, never picked up a violin before beginner, I’ve been using Trala daily for about three weeks now and have seen rapid improvement. The lessons make sense and the song library available is pretty big. The pitch check function is really nice.

There are a few features I wish they would change. The availability to stop the metronome and just look at the sheet music in the lessons would be nice. It’s difficult to concentrate on a single section when you have to start from the beginning every time. Also showing the sheet music from the beginning would be useful. There are a few bugs where videos won’t close and you have to restart Trala , but that is rare.

Overall a great app for the price.

by SBCat5

I was searching for a teacher at the time I purchased the this app app.
I thought it would be a real challenge to find the right instructor for myself. I had a couple of violin apps already downloaded but discovered that the this app app was not just another ordinary violin app. To my amazement, it was a door to a garden of musical treasures, of video lessons and exceptional professional violinists, almost 500 songs to practice on Trala from beginner to advanced, scales and arpeggios. Trala helps you in practicing rhythm, tempo, and pitch as you are learning. Then my this app experience exceeded my expectations when I no longer had to search for a violin instructor. this app has many professional violin instructors for you to choose from for private lessons. My violin instructor Rachael Miller has been instrumental in accelerating me
forward in my musical journey with her teaching and encouragement. I hope one day I will play as fabulous as Rachael.
Thank you,this app, for providing a field of talent and opportunities that this app offers for learning violinists to make their dreams and aspirations possible in becoming an actual reality.

by Jpcbuff

It’s been just over a week and I’m having fun learning. A couple of years ago I took a almost private course and didn’t get half the information I’ve received from the beginner lessons. I have been a little confused by a few minor things and sent off an email, to be returned with 4 private zoom lessons and conversations about Trala . Free. Way more than I expected. Rachel is very helpful in pointing out problems where my last instructor in person didn’t seem to listen. I don’t have another app to compare to, but I’m really enjoying this one. $120/yr is easy to take. Thanks

by AKpapaDragon

I was told years ago I could never learn by my dad. I lost all passion for music and trying out after being told that. Skip forward many years later and I got a spur after listening to an electric violin player and was like I am going to do it. Then again life threw me curve balls. I did not know how to start, where, or even who to ask. Come to Christmas this year. My wife buys me new strings, shoulder rest and gives me the confidence to try this time. She uses Trala for her piano and was like their is one for violin. So today I got started and just wow. I wish I started so much sooner. Still just in the trail and learning for ground zero but the lessons so far are easy and great to understand. I am overjoyed on hearing myself play and wanting to say thank you for all the teachers on Trala for making these lessons and giving us your experience to help us old guys fall back In love with a passion we lost.

by Hilariia

I’m an experienced player for a little over 4 years in high school level orchestra. Trala excellent, especially for parents who are unsure of putting child through lessons OR getting a little knowledge of playing. The videos are small and excellent for children who don’t want to spend a lot of time but get a lot out of playing. I enjoy Trala, and it helping me and improving my levels of playing. The yearly cost if you want premium is verrry inexpensive, for a real private lesson cost around $60 for one day, and to have yearly pay of $119 and being able to open Trala when ever for a private lesson is fantastic. Would recommend👍🏽

by NidaMarie 26

I’ve been using this app for 4 months now and I absolutely love it! I was skeptical about online learning at first but I’m so glad I took the leap of faith and tried it! It’s really helped me get started on the violin and the way Trala is set up makes you really feel accomplished as you go along! I’ve been taking private lessons with Nikki Naghavi, and I highly recommend her!! She’s so patient and explains everything in a way that makes it easy and fun to learn. Every half hour lesson I leave with pearls of wisdom that I can put into practice- and I’m actually progressing!! I definitely recommend Trala , private lessons and Nikki!

by Sestina13

I’ve been using the this app app for a few months now, and it’s fantastic how quickly I’ve been able to progress. The lessons and practice materials are well paced and structured, and the ability schedule private, 1-on-1 video lessons with professional instructors is a great way to support your progress. (I’ve personally taken lessons with Rachael Miller, and had a very good experience.)

I’ve encountered a few technical hiccups in the software itself, but have been told by the support team that they are in the process of being ironed out.

Overall would definitely recommend this app as a great resource for an instrument that has historically been less accessible to home learners.

by Ryepence

I am new to violin, but I play several other instruments. I’m not classically trained on any of them, so I don’t have a background in reading sheet music. I started with the Beginner lessons. For the most part they use the colored notes that other music teaching apps use, but they also mix sheet music into the lessons. I’ve been surprised at how quickly I’ve been able to pick things up, and I’ve even been able to read simple sheet music from the internet. Of course there are some elements you can only get from in person lessons, but I think that is outweighed by the convenience of completing lessons on your own time and having guided practice sessions. I’ve found that Trala works best when I use my iPad and headphones.

by Gamblohr

I have been playing guitar my whole life. But I’ve always wanted to try something new. I’m in the military and stationed in a rather remote location in the United States. When a friend sold me his violin for cheap, I was looking everywhere for lessons. I even took out an add for an instructor on Craigslist, with no avail. I found this app in Trala Store and tried their 5 days free. It’s perfect for me. I can practice with it at any time. I don’t have travel for lessons, which I was prepared to do; and I’m paying a fraction of what I was willing to pay for lessons. I’d suggest trying the 5 day trial. Keep in mind, learning an instrument takes self-discipline. If you couple that with Trala, you can’t go wrong.

by Fledgling Fiddler

This is a great tool for practicing intonation. It is interactive and provides instant feedback. It even records your own playing and allows you to listen to your progress.

I wish it had 2 modes: the one it currently offers where it stops you at every wrong pitch, and another where it flags an incorrect pitch but allows you to continue the piece to the end.

So far, this has not been a good tool for timing and rhythm. Having to stop and correct inaccurate pitch completely breaks the rhythm of a piece. There needs to be a rhythm and timing practice feature added where tempo can be isolated and practiced independently. I would also like to be able to alter the speed at which the selected phrases are presented—I find some much too slow.

I would also like to be able to see and print an entire song. The phrase by phrase approach does not allow the student to grasp a tune in its entirety.

All in all, though, a very useful and well thought out tool for what it does. I recommend it highly for developing good intonation.

by Grimmkane

I started off a complete beginner no clue what I was doing and in three months of practicing only on the weekend I can play several songs and scales now!!! I’m so proud of myself and overwhelmed by how good Trala helps and I have no music reading skill Trala make it easy to learn notes only thing is I wish the could put the no fret sticker on the actual violin on screen so if you have the sticker as well you can better understand where your supposed to be placing your fingers for the notes your playing but other then that I definitely recommend this to everyone who wants to play the violin and is a complete beginner

by LydJoys

One of the difficulties with learning tricky violin passages, is that the rhythm and intonation can get a bit muddy as you are trying to learn it. Trala gives you immediate feedback on both rythym and pitch, which is extremely valuable for both beginner and advanced alike.

The developers of Trala are always very quick to respond to any questions or concerns, and are always looking for ways to update Trala and make it even better - like adding more music, or allowing you to upload your own.

I would highly recommend Trala to anyone looking to get the most out of their practice time.

by Gwaeron76

I always wanted to play the violin and never had time. With being a mom, a wife, and having a full time job, I thought I’d never have the time or the money. Now I’ve finally found a convenient way to learn on my iPad with this app.
It’s fun and engaging as you progresses through the lessons and you can take a specific lessons as many times as you need to, practicing a technique or one of the quick little training songs you find along the way. Thanks this app team for implementing my suggestions, I hope everyone enjoys being able to revisit a lesson as much as I do. Great job!

by Yoosungs Yandere Bb

Just picked up a violin today, and found Trala. The beginning lessons are great. I found Trala helpful, detailed, and very encouraging. When you actually practice the notes to the tempo, it feels as if you really being listened to by a teacher. It keeps a streak when you consistently hit notes. I am trying out the free trail, I am heavily considering purchasing a year’s worth of lessons. My boyfriend walked in as I was playing and he was amazed at how far I have come along in only two hours! Thank you for Trala! I can’t believe I am able to learn to play the violin!