So, you want to learn the violin…
Many people have a desire to learn the violin, but often never start because they think it is going to be too difficult or require too much of their time. The truth is that with as little as 15 minutes of practice a day, the right materials, and dedication to keep going even when you sound like a dying cat, you can be playing Beethoven in no time.
Once you make the determination that this is something you really want to do, you will need to get a few vital items before you start.
Obviously, to learn the violin, the first thing you will need to purchase is a violin. If you have already purchased a violin, then you are already one step ahead of the game.
If you are an adult wanting to learn the violin, then generally a 4×4, full size instrument is the correct size. If you are a child or teenager, the way to tell if an instrument is the correct size, is to hold the violin under your chin on your left side, holding your left arm out towards the end of the violin. You will want to be able to grab the scroll, the very end of the violin, and wrap your fingers towards the sky around it. This picture shows how your hand should lok over the scroll.
When you are just beginning, having an exceptional violin is not necessary or even recommended, as you are liable to drop, scrape, or be too rough with the instrument while you are getting used to it. An inexpensive, between $100 - $500, violin will be perfect to start out with. I have provided a link to a great beginner violin in case you need a recommendation.
As you become more advanced, you will want to purchase a professional violin from a local violin luthier (violin maker). I will try to get a list together of legitimate luthiers around the country.
Once you get your violin in the mail, or bring it home, the first thing to do, after you make sure it is the right size, is to resist the temptation, and believe it or not…. leave it in the case. I’m serious… When I first started playing the violin, my teacher actually had us not even hold the violin for about 4 weeks.
What you need to do first, and this may sound crazy, but you need an empty egg carton, and a pencil. For a minimum of a week, and better for 2, all you need to do every day is practice holding the egg carton between your chin and shoulder, in a standing position, for as long as you can. While you are doing that, hold the end of the pencil with your right hand so that it is resting on the top of your thumb and your other four tips of your fingers are sitting on top of the pencil. And yes, I am aware how nuts it sounds to do this. But, I truly believe that it is the number one thing that has made the most difference in my playing.
Once you have accomplished the egg carton, you are officially ready to learn the violin. Two books that I also highly recommend are the ABC’s of strings, and my all time favorite, Suzuki violin books. I was taught on the Suzuki method of learning, and truly believe there is no better way to learn the violin then with those books.
Make sure to check back soon as I continue to add lessons and information to help you learn the violin!