Friday, November 19, 2010

Learning To Play Violin - What Does It Take To Start?

Introduction
Many people want to learn to play the violin and are just stuck on exactly what it takes to get started. The violin is one of the most rewarding instruments to learn how to play and with the right resources, anybody can start playing regardless of their age.

Choosing a Violin
The first step to learn to play the violin is choosing the right violin. Many instruments are available over the internet but it is important to take a few things into consideration before going this route. Violins can be made quite cheaply if they are manufactured with fiberglass or cheap wood. This is why it is common to see instruments that you can buy for less than a hundred dollars on many different websites. If a violin is made of cheap wood, even as a beginner you will be dissatisfied with the quality of the sound it produces. A cheaply made violin can sound like a tin can and sound totally uneven from string to string. My recommendation is to read different reviews of violins that are in the one hundred to three hundred dollar range to see what others are saying about it. Otherwise buying an instrument at a local shop is a great way to go so that you can hear the way it sounds. Many shops also give you the option of renting which makes it so you pay a lot less initially to make sure it is something you want to pursue.

Choosing a Bow
Many instrument packages come with a bow and a case. Many times the bow that comes with cheap outfits are not the best quality and a bad quality bow can be difficult to play on even at first. Many beginners start on playing what is called a fiberglass bow which is the cheapest quality you can buy. The next step up from this is what is called Brazil Wood Bows which are a lot better quality than fiberglass. This would be a great bow to start on as a beginner and you can upgrade to better quality wood later.

Obtaining the Right Accessories
To learn to play violin it is important to have the necessary accessories that it takes to get started. The first accessory you will want to have is a shoulder rest which is what is used to hold the instrument comfortably. These can be quite inexpensive and start as cheap as ten dollars. The next accessory you will need is what is called rosin. Rosin is what gives the bow hair friction so that it can be played. Many different types of rosin will do the trick but I would stay away from what is called boxed rosin. This comes in a box and has a lot less rosin concentrate than other rosins. Boxed rosin almost always comes in violin outfits and I recommend getting rid of it and buying a better rosin which is in a cloth. These can start as low as ten dollars. The last accessory that you will want to have is a case which will aid in carrying the instrument around. Soft cases work really well because you can store more things in them over a hard case. Many violin outfits come with cheap cases and it is totally preference if you want to upgrade to something that suits your needs better.

Getting the Right Instruction
Learning violin is very difficult especially at first and it is very important to have the right teacher making sure you are doing everything correctly. Private lessons are a very good way to obtain violin instruction but can be costly. Normally violin teachers charge anywhere in the range of $20 to $30 per half hour lessons. Another option is to learn the violin online which saves a lot of money and can make it so you can learn the violin on your own in the comfort of your own home.

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