Learning the Violin: A Guide to the Basics

Your own instrument - you can rent one, but why rent when you can purchase a student violin for around $110.00. It will be yours and you can always upgrade in the future when you improve. And most student violins come with a case, a bow, and some rosin. A good place to look for a student violin is southweststrings.com. They have good quality instruments for prices just as good.

A Shoulder Rest - This is something every violinist uses. They make it much more comfortable and easy to hold your violin in the correct possition. If you don't get one playing will be a chore.

A Metronome - this will help you keep good timing when you practice and ensure that you are practicing the piece correctly.

A Tuner - this will help keep our instrument in tune. You will not be able to play a piece correctly unless your instrument is tuned.

A Qualified Teacher - private lessons are important for anyone looking to progress. Start looking online, in the classifieds; ask your local symphony orchestra if any of the violinists are offering lessons. Make sure you are getting what you pay for. Don't pay someone $45 an hour if they don't have any formal training or experience.

A Scale Book - You will want to learn and memorize your scales. They are the basis for all music you will play. I recommend the "Essentials for Strings" book. Although, your teacher will most likely give you one that he or she would like you to buy. They will also give you a small list of other music books you are to purchase. They usually range from $6 - $20 in price and are also necessary for learning to play the violin.

A Text Book on Music Theory - If you are serious about learning the violin you will need to know about music theory. You violin teacher will teach you some, but to fully understand, you should go to a music shop or a book store and find a text book for music theory and read it through and take notes.

Extra Strings - you will want to have extra strings on hand in case one breaks. This sometimes happens when they wear down or when you are tuning.

A local Group - once you know the basics and can play fairly well you should invest your time and money in a local orchestra or chamber group. Playing with other musicians will help you gain a greater understanding of music and theory and it is just so much fun.

Above all, when learning to play any new instrument, it is important that you pace yourself. Do not go too quickly or you can easily miss some of the basic foundation. Always practice each piece with great concentration and make sure you can play each measure correctly before moving on. It is so easy to only play what sounds good to us while practicing. But you must always remember, what sounds the worst is what you should be practicing, otherwise you will not improve. Work on your problem areas first and foremost.

Good Luck and don't give up if it seems difficult or discouraging at first. And last of all; don't compare yourself to other players. Everyone advances at their own pace.