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PICKING OUT A VIOLIN?

• Avoid your local music store if possible. Instead, you want to find a luthier - someone who specialises in string instruments like the violin. Such a store is known as a luthiery, but it's not a common term, so just look for your local violin shop. If there isn't one, your local music store may have an in-house string expert on their staff who will be able to provide assistance. Ordering online can be a crapshoot, and in general should be your last resort. Once you have more experience, you'll find that being able to play on the instrument in question before buying it is the ideal test for finding the right violin.
  
  
• If you've got a teacher, they can be of great help in selecting a violin. Often an experienced teacher will have a particular model, brand, or even luthier that they can recommend to you. They may have extra violins of their own that they're willing to lend, or have other students looking to sell their current outfits for cheap. On top of that, once you've got your violin, a teacher will be able to help ensure that your violin is set up right.
  
  
• If you're not 100% sure of your commitment, renting is definitely the best way to go. Once you're decided you're sticking to it and want something better, some stores may offer rent-to-own or financing plans that can put some of the pricier intermediate-level instruments into your price range. But remember - expensive does not mean better! Once again, the best indicator is to try it before you buy it, and you may find that you prefer the tone of a particular cheaper violin to that of the pricier ones.
  
  
• As a general rule of thumb - if it's hot pink, electric blue, or some other colour that isn't, well, wood - it's crap. As far as I know, the sole exception to this rule is Luis and Clark's line of carbon fibre instruments, but if you're ready to drop five grand on a violin, then you probably don't need any of this advice.
  
  
• Once you've got your violin, changing the strings is highly recommended unless you bought it from a store that already set it up for you. Changing strings isn't rocket science, but you may want to let your teacher or luthier walk you through it the first time. Some strings are quite expensive which will make you think they're good (they are), but remember - in the end, the tone of your instrument is primarily determined by, well, your instrument. If you've only got a $200 Chinese factory violin, save the evahs for when you upgrade, and go for the tonicas instead. However, if you've been playing for a while on a cheap, but decent violin and you find yourself wanting a better sound without the associated price tag, a new set of strings just might breathe new life into your instrument.
  
  
• What strings are good? Honestly, this isn't a question that can be answered easily, because the same set of strings will sound different on two different violins. In fact, some violinists may even have strings from four different sets on their violin! Once you're good enough, you'll be able to experiment with different sets and combinations on your own instrument to find what works best for it. However, if you're just looking to upgrade from your super-sensitive reds, most would agree that this set, the Thomastik Dominant A, D, G + the Pirastro Gold Label E, is the standard to which all other strings are measured.
  
  
• Not sure what a ball end or a loop end is? Generally, you'll want ball end strings, except when it comes to your E string, where you'll need to check your fine tuner. Does it look like a mini tuning fork? Get a ball end E. If it looks like a little hook instead, you'll need the loop end.

I nearly responded yesterday but I didn't want to seem like I should be an authoritative source. My advice may be bad and crippling me and I just don't know it. But since someone chimed in with sentiments that echo my own, maybe this will help?

I just turned 30 recently and am now coming up on the one year mark learning violin (while raising an infant!) so take what I have to say with a profound grain of salt - I have little to no idea what I'm talking about. My only background in music was a course in college that covered intro and basic theory so I'm starting basically from zero.

I've bought Essential Elements, All for Strings, the Doflein Method, ABCs for Violin, Wohlfahrt Easiest Elementary Method, I Can Read Music, Suzuki 1 and a few books geared for instructors to teach. What I find is the more methodical the better I like the book.

ABCs for Violin is arguably the best overall. It contains a DVD which I didn't find that helpful compared to my teacher, and generally starts with basic exercises in preparation for a given piece or series of pieces and seems to introduce things fairly evenly. I wish it were a bit more methodical but the music is much more accessible than some of the others. So far I've enjoyed Ode to Joy, New World theme, London Bridge, Home on the Range, and O Come All Ye Faithful.

Doflein or Wohfahrt are much more methodical and introduce things very systematically and introduce 4th finger use almost immediately - which makes sense to me as an adult with medium to large hands. Doflein seems to focus on duets to help improve playing and is very progression and practice oriented but the music is generally older tunes that are unrecognizable which makes learning to play them more difficult even though I've learned some I liked. Doflein and ABCs are the basic books my teacher is using with me; aside from glancing through Wohlfahrt and playing the first few pages of exercises I haven't gone through it much but expect it suffers from the same issues as Doflein.

Essential Elements I liked and it has the ability to download the music off the website but it takes a really long time to introduce 4th finger. By that point (I started on my own) my teacher noticed I'd already developed a bad 4th finger habit and my teacher thought it was too easy and dismissed it; All for Strings met a similar fate.

I Can Read Music for Violin I only picked up later after I was struggling with rhythm problems and my teacher had copied a couple pages of exercises for me to work on. If you are really new to reading music this might be okay and basically alternates one page for fingering/tone and the next page for rhythm.

Suzuki I won't comment on as I've only looked through it but never really used it. After researching it for a few days and comparing it against what I know about learning physical skills I just didn't feel that it would be the best way for me to learn - I can't follow the logic that created it. It has been used by millions worldwide and quite a few swear by it, and it is definitely accessible because of it.

I have no teaching advice to give since I'm still a relative beginner myself, but as an adult learner perhaps I can give some advice from the student's perspective.

My first lessons (after my teacher showed me how to hold the instrument, do pizzicato, bow from the elbow, etc.) were taught using the Essential Elements book. I thought it did a decent job as a first step to learning intonation. We also did the Twinkle Theme and variations from Suzuki Book 1, because of course every beginner has to learn Twinkle Twinkle Litte Star lol. Honestly I don't remember much after that, because she wasn't a very good teacher. The one thing I do remember clearly, and am thankful to her for, is that she taught me to do scales with normal (separate) bows, slurred bows, and in sequential thirds. Sequential thirds in particular have proven to be really good finger exercises for me, and I was surprised when I looked through the ABRSM scale book that it's not part of their repertoire. (If anyone doesn't know what sequential thirds are, look at measures 19 - 26 of this score.)

My second (and current) teacher instructs me using the Suzuki Books(see note below), with lessons modified for me since I'm an adult (the Suzuki Method is meant for children). I've been very happy with this teacher and the Suzuki Books - they contain good tunes and the progression can be quite demanding, which is good if you're up to the challenge. Being an adult beginner, one of my biggest issues was/is stiff fingers, so I remember having a lot of trouble when I was first introduced to G Major, with that low 2nd finger C (when I played the low 2nd finger it would also pull my 3rd and 4th fingers flat). So be prepared for that, and other similar issues. My teacher is really good at both pushing me to improve, but at the same time being very laid back and always making a point to instruct me to relax and not beat myself up - which is important because as we all know, learning violin can be very frustrating.

• Note: Just buy the paperback version of the Suzuki books. No need to pay extra for the version with the CD, since you can find all the Suzuki pieces on YouTube. Check this thread I made here a while back for the relevant links.
  
  I hope that helped a little. I'll edit my post if I think of anything else that might be useful to you.

I don't know what you like, but there's old disney films

Pop and Rock hits for easy violin

Easy pop Melodies

Phantom of the Opera

Lion King

Harry Potter

More pops stuff

Top Charts

Some of those might have cross over with others. Some might have one or two you can play easily and several that will be a little hard for right now. But it's a lot easier learning music you're more familiar with. There are plenty other books out there like these, I just did a quick search of amazon and alfred. Music shops like Sam Ash, perhaps Guitar Center, and others will have some of these too.

As far as building music reading, it's just practice like anything else. I take many students through the I Can Read Music series because it eliminates a lot of extra information and just practices the basics. Setting the metronome at 60 and forcing your way through, trying to look ahead instead of what note you're currently playing is sometimes all you need. However, I got better at sigh reading by finding extra books with pieces I liked and reading through them.

edited because I can't format well...

Intonation is ALWAYS relative. When you ask about being in tune, you must always think and ask "in reference to what?"


Example: 2nd finger C# played against a 4th finger A to get a great sounding pure 3rd (That A in tune with the open A string) will be in a very different place than a C# played against an open E string, in order to get a GREAT sounding (AKA "pure") 6th. Further that C# played against an open E string will be a very different C# when played against a 1st finger E on the D-string. All 3 of the aforementioned C#s are correct, depending on the circumstance. The tuning needle is always wrong and will tell you the ALL 3 of those C#s are "wrong"...which they are, in the context of equal temperament. But in the context of just-intonation they are all valid depending on what circumstance they are played in.


If you have the technical chops to play double-stops you are ready to enter the pseudo-quantum-mechanical world that "intonation" actually is. That everyone pretends it is not, for the sake of not blowing kids minds up. As a primer, I'd HIGHLY recommend reading Duffin's "How Equal Temperament Ruined Harmony and Why You Should Care. This book is the most readable on the topic by far, and can be read by a quick reader in a weekend.

http://www.amazon.com/Equal-Temperament-Ruined-Harmony-Should/dp/0393334201


Intonation is the art of figuring out how to bring out a specific key with a bunch of stuff going on. Lots of smart theorists over the years have tried to explain what to do...but actually doing it is a nightmare, and the ear is always right-not the tuning needle. For octaves, practice against a drone...all other intervals are best guided by ear, although typically the bottom note is what must be "right(er)" with respect to tonic. As /u/Teslaviolin alludes to, getting the correct balance between notes correct is important as well; however 50/50 even pressure on both strings is not in all circumstances desirable according to some pedagogues.

You want a practice mute. Regular mutes are used in orchestral and chamber music to change the tone, but they don't really affect the volume.

A rubber practice mute is lighter, and since it dampens less of the overtones, it sounds nicer but diminishes volume less than a heavier mute. A metal practice mute will give you maximum volume control, but since it dampens so much of the sound, it can mislead your ear if you ONLY practice with it on. The Artino rubber-coated metal mute came out a few years ago, and it's supposed to give you the best of both worlds. I find that it has a little bit nicer sound than a traditional metal mute, but mostly I like that it grips the bridge better and won't vibrate off while playing, which metal mutes will sometimes do.

A practice mute is definitely something you should own. But I wonder, why don't you want to annoy your family? Unless the only time you can practice is in the middle of the night, they should just deal. Practicing is important and necessary to get better; they need to understand that. Plus, they have to love you no matter how bad you sound. Being self-conscious just because they might be able to hear you is counterproductive. I hope you're concentrating on doing what you need to be doing when you're practicing, and not what anyone else is thinking.

Your uncle is right. The older one is, the harder it is to pick up something as technical as the violin. However, because you have experience as a musician, I don't think it's out of the question that you could reach a basic proficiency, at the very the least.


With that aside, I would definitely check out the videos from Violin Masterclass, Todd Ehle, and the great virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin. In terms of method books, check out the Learning the Positions series, the Tune a Day series, and also the Sevcik and Schradieck scale books. Violinist.com is also a great place to ask around. I'm going off the top of my head here, so perhaps other people can chip in as well, since I know I'm missing a bunch.


Anyway, you need go into this like a sponge; listen to everything your uncle suggests. Watch videos and listen to recordings of the great performers, such as Perlman, Oistrakh, Menuhin, Heifetz, Zukerman, Hahn, Mutter, Bell, Shaham, etc. (i could go on and on about this one, haha) and see what you can learn from them. Attention to detail is a must! Most of all, be patient! I have been a violinist for the majority of my life, and yet I am still constantly learning new things from my teacher and other violinists.


I hope this helps, and best of luck to you as you learn this wonderful instrument!

Hey Hayabusa, good on you for being so supportive of your friend and his hobbies. u/leitmotifs isn't far off in estimation of the prices, and if your friend is super-serious about this, then that's the route he should probably go. That being said, I also had a buddy who decided he wanted to pick up violin as a new hobby, and who didn't have $700+ to spend on an instrument. What he did instead was get this guy.

I'll be straight with you: with some qualifiers, as far as he was concerned, it was a good fit for him. Qualifiers: it didn't take him long to figure out he needed a different shoulder rest and better strings, and the action is a little high. It's not as nice as a full-price instrument. But he's been playing for a while now and (while I imagine that if he keeps it up over the years, he'll need to upgrade to a much nicer instrument), it's worked pretty well. Not gonna lie, if what you're looking for is a serviceable violin-shaped object that doesn't cost much so that your buddy can figure out if this is a hobby he wants to pursue, this seems to be a decent way to go about it.

Disclaimer: Generally speaking, buying an instrument at so low a price point is not a great idea, BUT I wouldn't have recommended this violin without having seen and heard the model in action myself. And you don't have to listen to just me, this is a review of the exact violin I linked you to by a British lady named Alison Sparrow who runs a YouTube channel that is all about learning to play violin and piano.

Whatever you decide, good luck to you and your friend!

(Edited for phrasing/clarity and stuff.)

1. Could you be more specific about your tuning issues? Are you having trouble with turning the pegs, matching a given pitch, or lacking a reference pitch entirely, or something else? As a beginner, the most important thing you should know when using the big pegs is ALWAYS tune from below the pitch UP TO the correct pitch. This will prevent putting too much tension on the strings which can break them. If the big pegs are not turning smoothly, get some of this and put some on where the peg goes in the hole and turn it a few times. One of these sticks will last a lifetime. If the fine tuning pegs (the smaller ones on the tailpiece) are not turning clockwise, they are probably in as far as they will go. Loosen them until they are as loose as they can get before coming out, and then use the big pegs to get close to the correct pitch and then finish off with the fine tuners.
   
   
2. It's not something to "worry" about, but pay attention to how much hair is left. Eventually, all bow hair needs to be replaced. Some people do this as often as every six months or so, depending on how much you play. If too much is coming out, just go and get the bow rehaired.
   
   
3. If you are already at a full size (4/4) violin, I would recommend waiting at least a couple years before upgrading. Otherwise, you upgrade when you "outgrow" the smaller instrument.
   
   
4. In general, you should avoid playing with mutes all of the time. Many beginners like playing with mutes because they don't sound as bad with them. But learning to play the violin isn't just about putting the fingers in the right spot and moving the bow in the right direction, and if you can't hear yourself clearly, it will be so much harder to develop a good tone, which is what everyone wants. That being said, if you have family and/or neighbors to be considerate of, search on Amazon for "violin metal practice mute" and get one of the big metal ones. They reduce the volume tremendously.
   
   
5. I don't know about tuners on Amazon, but there are many great smartphone tuning apps, which I find to be more convenient to use and just as accurate. I won't recommend any right now because the one I've used for years just started having problems and I don't know yet if it's just me. However, almost all of them are cheaper than buying an actual tuning device, and you don't need to replace batteries.
   
   
6. At your level, I would stick with any cheap rosin. It really won't make much of a difference at this point.

I'm an adult learner and I started with Suzuki. I actually like it. I also use Whistler's Introducing the Positions Vol. 1 and my preferred scale book is The Complete Scale Compendium for Violin by Larry Clark although I also have Galamian's Contemporary Violin Technique. I like Larry Clark's because it's good for beginners and very thorough. Galamian's and Carl Flesch's Scale System are good if you're really familiar with scales and need something more advanced.

YouTube has a lot of excellent videos. I prefer Eddy Chen if I'm stuck with something really particular. His advice helped me to really develop a practice routine that helped me stay focused and actually accomplish something. If you do Suzuki, there are some instructors who do play along videos (some even do slower tempo versions) of the etudes which I find helpful.

Thanks everyone for the replies! I'm replying to this comment, but I also encourage anyone else (and esp /u/Skripka) to reply as well!

I think I'm more than discouraged enough to stay away from the two I linked in my original comment. What about Stentor 1 and Stentor 2? I've seen a few places (and a comment here) that recommends them.

The plan is for my first child to use a violin for a couple of years then move to a full size. I actually own a couple of full size violins and hope to hand down one of them. I have a second child as well, who will hopefully then pick up this same 3/4 violin when the time comes.

I've also been playing violin for about 16 years. I stopped studying violin privately after I graduated high school, but played in orchestra through college while practicing a bit on my own. Just orchestra music and random practicing wasn't enough to keep up technique and I started deteriorating, especially in bowing technique. I found doing very slow bow practice and etudes (Kreutzer and Sevcik) on my own helped, but the most useful thing by far was to find a teacher again. I'm in grad school and have very little money and time to take lessons, but just going to my lesson twice a month, even if I've only practiced once or twice in between, has been really helpful and I've had noticeable improvement in the last year. As for practice mutes: I really like the one I have. It's metal coated in rubber and it mutes mine enough to play in my apartment late at night.

You might enjoy The Complete Musician, by Steven Laitz (former theory professor at Eastman, currently a professor at Juilliard). It's used for undergraduate music theory courses in many conservatories and universities these days; the explanations are extremely thorough and there are many examples. However, I don't think it goes through the very basics (such as how to read music).

You won't really *need* this sort of knowledge until you're working on more difficult repertoire, although an understanding of form and musical structure can be very helpful in learning more basic repertoire as well. Some people learn music by hacking through it and imitating their teachers (or imitating a recording); others learn by analyzing it from a theoretical and historical perspective, and applying that knowledge to inform their approach. You might find that you enjoy music (even more than you do currently) if you know more about its processes and inner workings!

As for the very basics, you might find Teoria to be helpful - it has a lot of great tutorials and exercises that'll help you get a good handle on the fundamentals.

Similar to what the other poster said, bluegrass is a living music form, with lots of improvisation and some particular "sound" that is bluegrass.

There are a lot of levels of layers to even the simplest songs, so that an "advanced" bluegrass player would be playing the exact same song as a beginner, but because they layer on more and more techniques and textures, it becomes a wonderful sound.

Also yes, most bluegrass and traditional violin music is not written as played. There are guidelines and sheet music for anthropological reasons (ie to keep a record of the music of particular musicians before they die of old age), but the real "advanced" bluegrass is being invented by the next generation all the time.

A great intro to some bluegrass sounds is Matt Glaser's Bluegrass and beyond fiddle book. https://www.amazon.ca/Bluegrass-Fiddle-Beyond-Etudes-Fiddler/dp/0876391080/

It's got a CD that I really love and I play it all the time and try to jam to it.

Matt is a faculty at Berklee College, and he together with Bruce Molsky are my favourites at the moment for old time and bluegrass fiddling.

The auditory component will always be there. You still need to primarily develop the mechanical muscle memory side of things but violin intonation is about constantly adjusting based on your ear.

Here is a great video by Nathan Cole, associate concertmaster of the LA Phil discussing how to nail shifts that I think you'd find useful. Keep in mind he is talking especially about how to do big jumps, from first to sixth+ position for instance. It's still very important to teach your muscles where the basic positions are, such as knowing where third or even where first position is, which is where the muscle memory mechanics come into play.


Edit: The practice exercise you described is exactly how you should be developing the motions. Slide up to the pitch that you are going for and eventually you can start hiding the glissando sound, through shifting fast enough and/or by slowing down your bow/changing bow direction. I highly recommend you also start practicing 3 octave scales with basic shifting, even if you only go up to the highest note you can play in third position for now.

The Whistler shifting book is a staple resource for developing all this.

Teaching at a public school, I see a lot of the Amazon instruments. Stentor is probably my favorite of them, though the Cremona are all right. The quality can really vary on those cheaper instruments, especially when the peg box or bridge are poorly cut. Amazon has a pretty good return policy if you want to consider buying a cheaper one and asking your child's teacher if they'll be successful on it. If you end up buying one of the cheap ones, you're probably better off getting a $30 bow from Shar to use instead of the one that it comes with.

I love that the affordability of these instruments opens up the opportunity for more kids to play violin, but they really do make playing harder for the kids using them. If you think the kid will stick with it long enough to get to a full size, I think that's more reason to invest in an instrument that is more playable and produces a better tone so they enjoy it more. But I get it when parents can't afford that extra cost.

1.) I bought this and I live in an apartment with very thin walls and floors. Speaking too loudly causes my downstairs neighbor to bitch, as does walking around for too long in a single session (pacing on the phone for example). I've been playing with this mute for about 2 weeks and I haven't heard a word from her. It doesn't fit my violin the way it does in the picture, but that doesn't seem to matter..

2.) I'm a new player, I started about 3 weeks ago and I can play 5 or so Suzuki book 1 songs decently. I practice from 20 minutes to an hour a day and focus on very particular problems each time. I'm 23 and rather pleased with my speed of learning the instrument.

3.) There's a lot of resources online, and being a beginner I might not be the best to advise but here's some things that have been working for me.

• When starting posture and good habits are key.
  
• Be very, very mindful of how your hand is holding the bow, follow online tutorials from (there are several youtubers, professorV, theonlinepianotutor, 1stfiddlerman are some).
  
• Play in front of a mirror or a webcam, make sure the bow is parallel to the bridge at all points during your bow stroke
  
• Some teachers say taping "frets" onto your violin help you learn the finger positions, again, many youtube videos on this topic.
  
  Last thoughts are: playing with a mute is sort of depressing. It barely sounds like a violin half the time, and you'll hear the bow friction on the string more than some notes which makes intonation sort of tricky but it's not insurmountable and it's good to find a place to play without it sometimes

For some people it's a matter of tricks like leaving music and instrument out on the stand (which i strongly recommend you not do with a string instrument), others (math and software dev types) seem to congregate in San Francisco startups that have MIDI keyboards and guitars laying around so they can take practice breaks.

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Some people write out schedules in advance and/or journals on their progress (the latter is pretty important) like: http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2011/10/10/intentional-practice/

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i recommend a few books about what playing music means to you:

http://artofpracticing.com/book/

http://www.amazon.com/The-Musicians-Way-Practice-Performance/dp/0195343131

also Kenny Werner's "Effortless Mastery" (pls overlook the hype-seeming title)

I use a high fidelity earplug in my left ear when I practice. They were $20 on amazon. It takes the edge off the volume and frequency but does not compromise the quality of the sound and I can still hear the harmonics and nuances (subtle sympathetic vibrations and "ring-tones" of my sound that are muted by a practice mute or regular foam earplug) of my sound. I already have tinnitus from years of exposure to damaging noise (aircraft and vehicles, weapons etc) from the army so I want to preserve the hearing I do have left. As violinists we do have less to worry about than percussionists but the high frequency directly in the left ear shouldn't be dismissed; in my opinion a good quality earplug in the left ear for practicing sessions is wise. Hope that helps!!

Edit: link to earplugs I use

Etymotic High-Fidelity Earplugs, ER20XS Standard Fit, 1 pair, Polybag Packaging https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RM6Q9XW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3vj.zb6KH6JW0

You shouldn't have major technique issues if you are taking lessons and your teacher believes you are ready for that piece. It could be something subtle that your teacher won't see unless you say something, so I wouldn't rule it out completely, but I wouldn't call it the most likely suspect. How do you cross strings? Do you use your whole arm, from the shoulder, so that each string has its own hand and elbow level, and keep your elbow on the same plane that the wrist passes through when its in a neutral position? Does your wrist move with your bow strokes? Is your hand relaxed, with no death grip on the bow? Are your fingers close together on the stick and not wrapped around it in a claw hold? Are your pinkie and thumb bent? If all of that is true and your teacher has not corrected anything, and you are not tired after an hour of practice and do not experience pain or new mistakes that would point to you stumbling over yourself due to exhaustion, then my gut is that it has nothing to do with kinesthetic aspects of your technique but rather with your lungs.

We don't talk about breathing much when learning to play the violin because, unlike vocalists and wind and brass musicians, our lungs don't directly power our instruments. However, especially when we play something high energy with fast string crossings, our bodies need more oxygen. Otherwise, you default to a metabolic process called lactic acid fermentation, a form of anaerobic respiration (feeding your cells without oxygen). As a very short-term solution, lactic acid fermentation is a good way for your body to get emergency energy. However, if you use it for longer periods of physical activity, the byproducts of that process build up in your muscles, and it will result in pain until your body can break it down.

Weight lifters typically do not lift weights seven days a week. They have rest days, or they will focus on different parts of their body on different days, to allow themselves recovery and prevent pain and injury. They also have to know how to breathe and work in activities that are naturally more aerobic, like running or swimming or yoga, to compensate.

Violinists could actually learn a lot from weight lifters and other athletes. We need to learn to breathe, perhaps by building something that encourages it into our exercise routines. We need to learn to breathe while we play, give ourselves a slow warmup, and take breaks if we are tired or experience pain. Since ideally we do practice everyday, we need to learn to have a different focus each day, vary our routine so we don't end up with repetitive strain injuries.

Here are some books that cover these ideas, if you are interested:

https://www.amazon.com/Musicians-Yoga-Practice-Performance-Inspiration/dp/0876390955/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479054081&sr=8-1&keywords=musician%27s+yoga

https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Less-Hurt-Prevention-Musicians/dp/1423488466/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479054162&sr=8-1&keywords=playing+less+hurt

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810833565/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0810833565&pd_rd_r=RWHBKW02B6M7TF94YYKR&pd_rd_w=46ibZ&pd_rd_wg=u4M4j&psc=1&refRID=RWHBKW02B6M7TF94YYKR

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195343131/ref=pd_sim_14_3?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0195343131&pd_rd_r=E19SZTNCKQQDJQ6RBHGM&pd_rd_w=xqfGw&pd_rd_wg=92fpR&psc=1&refRID=E19SZTNCKQQDJQ6RBHGM

Save your ears!

This mute was recommended by a master builder who has won many awards for his Violins (not the make of the mute):

https://www.amazon.com/Position-Violin-Mute-Amber-Orange/dp/B07DFV76DW/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=Wiessmeyer+and+Son&qid=1567830325&s=gateway&sr=8-3

It works well for practice while keeping a good tone.

The set of Dominants with Pirastro E is standard, but you want to pay careful attention. You want one of these two:

https://www.amazon.com/JSI-Special-Violin-String-Set/dp/B000V6E01I/ref=sr_1_7?crid=ZT52RD2Z3UFF&keywords=dominant+violin+strings+4+4+set&qid=1564428453&s=gateway&sprefix=dominant%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-7

https://www.amazon.com/JSI-Special-Violin-String-Set/dp/B000V6FY8Q/ref=sr_1_3?crid=ZT52RD2Z3UFF&keywords=dominant+violin+strings+4+4+set&qid=1564428453&s=gateway&sprefix=dominant%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-3

But which one you pick is going to depend on whether your E-string is a ball end or loop end. You should be able to easily tell by looking at how the E-string hooks into the fine tuner. Like people are saying, by the time an A-string breaks, it's long past time to change strings anyway.

Be careful taking the advice of people who like more premium strings. That's a question only you can answer after trying many different setups (some of which can cost up to double the ones linked above).

I like to start most of my beginning students (age 8+) in the Essential Elements book The notes are bigger than Suzuki method, as is an emphasis in reading and theory. Musical jargon is explained in highlighted areas on the pages. Music literacy makes comprehension a lot easier. It is a focus of mine from day one with each student (as young as 4).
Suzuki books are used as a supplement once the student makes it through Essential Elements book 1 and they typically fly through the Suzuki songs, about 2 a week until the minuets in book 1.

If the student understands what is on the page, it's easier for them to figure out music as they get into more complicated pieces and areas of their violin - rather than being overwhelmed by a bunch of random finger numbers and random Italian words.

One thing I would encourage, is to have the student fill in the letters to all the notes until g string is introduced and then start taking them off and practicing the old stuff with fewer letters. And then start all over with writing in the newly introduced notes. Literacy takes practice, just like practicing writing letters or multiplication tables in grade school.

Proper hand shape and figuring out the right shoulder rest will be the most challenging things to emphasize. (I've inherited students that have atrocious hand shapes and low literacy levels- so education is no guarantee that you're set up for success.) Everest is the brand that about 80% of my students prefer for shape and cushy level. ~18% go for the Kun and 2% of are taller people with longer necks and the wolf is the one to try out.

Guitar position lasts for about a week or two. Then we split time between guitar position to up on the shoulder (it is exhausting building up proper posture) and after about 2 months, all of them prefer to play with the bow all of the time.

I make my students do a clap test once the violin is up on their shoulder. Make sure they use the right shoulder joint to raise the elbow to a string height. I dislike seeing lazy T-Rex arms for string crossings. The student should feel the back working for it, not puny wrist and finger muscles.

I'm both a gigging jazz violinist and a music educator. In my opinion, the Jazz Philharmonic book ( https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Philharmonic-Violin-Bob-Phillips/dp/0739010387 ) is a good in between of "You can play everything just as it's written on the paper and it will sound like jazz" (Piano accomp. plus the head and a few sample solos are notated) so that my classically trained colleagues don't freak out when I bring it in-and "You can totally improvise if you want." The tunes are very simple and accessible, and so are the solos. If I recall correctly, most of them are your standard 12 bar blues in violin friendly keys, so if your student actually wants to improvise it's a great place to start.

We are in the same boat! I am ok at guitar as well, and played with it for a few years. I played trumpet(but switched to euphonium) and played it throughout high school.

Unless you're going to be playing outside (where humidity CAN be an issue, electric may be better. But, if not.. I heard godly things about this pickup my music teacher recommended to me. So you still can do electric sounds and pedals etc. http://www.amazon.com/Cherub-WCP-60V-Violin-Pickup/dp/B008LMS4MK
I am going to be picking it up next paycheck.

When switching from guitar to violin, there were a few things that were easy. Loose arm/wrist/hand movement. The second, finger speed. The neck on the violin is a whole new beast (for me at least). No frets, using ear/ tuner to get the right notes. It is pretty crazy compared to the guitar. It may be different for you though.

For the pickup, if you want something inexpensive just to play around with, I would recommend the Cherub for $7 (https://www.amazon.com/Cherub-WCP-60V-Violin-Pickup/dp/B008LMS4MK). It works surprisingly well for its price, and if you start adding distortion and other effects or are playing in a noisy environment (i.e., a bar), the difference in quality between pickups is going to get washed out anyway.

The next tier of pickups with be ~$100-200. I personally have the Fishman V-200 which I really like. It might require a pre-amp (a box that is between the pickup and the amp) to get a good sound.

Make sure your shoulder rest (if you use one) is properly securing your violin. You should not have to adjust your grip on the violin after a shift.

I personally had my shifting improve substantially after adjusting my shoulder rest.

Second, don't forget your open string checks. In 3rd position, you have 2 checks that are easy: 1 and 2 can be checked with the lower and higher strings, respectively.

Also, this book has very good exercises: http://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Positions-Violin-Volume-Position/dp/1423444876

Get into the habit of playing scales regularly. Scales will help you develop pitch recognition (getting used to what "in tune" sounds like), tone quality, bow usage (use full bows!) and it will help you learn the higher octaves/positions once you advance.
When I started learning violin, I used the "Essential Elements" method book, which has pretty useful information and exercises. (http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Elements-Strings-Book-Violin/dp/0634038176)

I am somewhat confused as to how you could already be a college sophomore and have never bought new strings -- idk, maybe your teacher always bought them? It's just a bit unusual -- but that's a question for some other time :)

For my entire life I've been using Dominants for G, D, and A, with a Pirastro Gold E.

Most violins' tailpieces, including mine, are set up to take ball-end E strings: https://www.amazon.com/JSI-Special-Violin-String-Set/dp/B000V6E01I/

But if yours is set up for a loop-end E string, they also make those: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V6FY8Q

The G, D, and A strings are always ball-end so you don't have to worry about those, if for whatever reason you move to buying strings separately rather than as a set. The Dominants+Gold E set is sold that way because many professionals use that combination, but many others have their own individual taste, sometimes even by mixing and matching strings form different makers.

To know which type of E string your tailpiece is set up to accept, this article could help: http://blog.sharmusic.com/blog/bid/81287/Do-You-Need-a-Loop-or-a-Ball-End-for-Your-E-string

In my (very limited) experience, violin is easier, though I did have guitar/bass experience first.

As far as neighbors go, as long as you're not a jerk about it, like playing at 3 in the morning, you should be fine. I have invested in one of these mutes recommended in another thread. They are much more effective than just a plain rubber one.

edit: I also am starting at the age 34. I always wanted to learn, and decided to pull the trigger. I'm taking an adult introductory group class at the Old Town School of Folk Music, and I think the average age is upper-30s/lower-40s, ranging from mid-20s to 60s. It's never too late to start.

In addition to the Suzuki repertoire, I had these books when I first started:

• String Builder
  
• Introducing the Positions for Violin
  
• Hrimaly (Scale Book)
  
• Practical Method: Violin Method
  
  String Builder, Intro to the Positions, and Practical Methods all have several books in the series, and I went through quite a few of them. If I recall correctly, they're filled with fairly simple etudes that aid in building fundamental techniques. I wonder if a teacher would recommend other progression books for adults, however?
  
  You could also use that extra time to practice one octave scales for intonation, finger positioning, and bow variations (whole notes, quarter, eighths, then different slurs such as 2 notes in one bow, 4 notes, 6...). Not only do scales help in solidifying fundamentals, but just knowing how to play/identify different scales, as well as it's minor, harmonic, and melodic counterparts goes a long way when playing more complex music.

You don't need an expensive violin for beginners. Anything from $100 or $150 is just fine if you want to learn from zero. Don't be afraid that the violin itself will sound worse, any good violinist can make a cheap violin sound decently fine.

I'd recommend you to start with these cheap factory-made violins and if you really like it playing after a year or so then you can start looking for better hand-made violins.

Just glancing at the piece, it looks like you should start in third or fourth position. I personally would start in fourth, so that high E can be played without an extension.

I would highly suggest getting the two Whistler positions books, which will help you get your fingers placed properly in the positions, and help you shift to them properly as well.

Book 1.

Book 2.

You could also try something called "peg compound". I'm not sure what it is, but I bought an $8 tube years ago and it's still going strong. It prevents slippage, but also generally makes the pegs easier to turn!

[Peg compound=magic!] (http://www.amazon.com/Hill-The-Original-Peg-Compound/dp/B000F3KSOU)

this is a good idea.

there are three (or four) styles of practice mute

rubber - works pretty well, easy and safe: https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-USA-Rubber-Violin-practice/dp/B00ICK6D9C/

metal - even quieter, but balances more than it sticks, so you have to be careful that you don't let it fall off and scratch your instrument while using it: https://www.amazon.com/Mudder-Violin-Practice-Silencer-Silver/dp/B01N0GKLZR/

hybrid - i don't have one, supposed to be good combination of the other options, but i heard they don't always fit right: https://www.amazon.com/Otto-Musica-Artino-Practice-violin/dp/B006GCNUHQ/

DIY- till you get one of the others: https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Wooden-Clothespins-Shirts-Sheets/dp/B01KGBP6I8/

I normally start by doing the bottom A, C, D and G major scales with different pattern bows strokes, then do the full scales top to bottom. After that i'm kind of jumping into playing a few pieces from this book:https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/9043127515/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1, then practice a few things from the either Suzuki book 1, or one or two things from this book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0955438462/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 or this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0634038176/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. After doing that I normally try and do some 3rd position scales (Which I'm still really having to work at) and have recently started learning to do double stops.

When I notice I'm getting out of tune I normally stop, go back to the start of the phrase I was playing, play the notes in the key I'm playing, then go back over the phrase to see if it sounds better.

I also normally have a go at a few pieces from The Lord of the Rings book, from Full Metal Alchemist, a book of Disney songs (as they're familiar) or another piece that's caught my ear from gaming.

If an electric violin is anything like an electric guitar, you would be able to adjust the volume on the amplifier.

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As for mutes, I bought this on Amazon and it seems like exactly what you need. It dampens the sound. Like, a lot. So much so that you could probably realistically leave two adjacent bedroom doors open and another person in the other room would only just hear it.

I bought this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006GCNUHQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This works perfectly fine in the sense that it mutes the sound almost by half? Imagine playing an electric guitar that is not connected to the amplifier. However, the mute itself does not "fit" perfectly, out of the 4 legs, only 2 fits in? It still works though - and it is rather heavy. My only problem is that I'm new to the violin (4 months in) and I still have to see my bow on the strings to make sure its in the right lane. This prevents that, visually (unless you practice in front of a mirror, I guess). It's inexpensive so you have nothing to lose, really..

This is a very good starting book for just $6. It'll give you a good idea of what to do with your fingers. It takes just a week or two to work through.

I ordered a 2014 Mendini from Amazon today! It should be arriving this week and then I'm going to start lessons within the month. I'm really excited after wanting to learn all these years to finally have the wheels in motion :)

What sort of price range/brand might you recommend? Is "solid body" generally the quietest type of electric violin?

I already have an acoustic violin that I practice with at home, so maybe a heavy mute is the way to go if they'll be similar in volume. Do you have any recommendation on heavy mutes? /u/Yawzsheek recommended this mute, would that be considered a "heavy" mute?

Learning on acoustic tends to start people off better. If the loudness is what's concerning you I'd recommend buying a practice mute for an acoustic and that way it's still very quiet but you can practice. I bought this a while back for while I was on your so I could practice in the hotel room, it works well and is very quiet.violin practice mute

You could consider a violin mute. I use one myself and it’s working very good!

This mute can make an acoustic pretty quiet: https://www.amazon.com/Artino-Practice-Violin-Viola-japan/dp/B006GCNUHQ

I like the heavy metal mute

https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Practice-Mute-Violin-Viola/dp/B00CICR3H

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and the rubber-covere heavy metal mute
https://www.amazon.com/Otto-Musica-Artino-Practice-violin/dp/B006GCNUH

I completely disagree. I have a surprisingly well made cheap violin (~200 $) that sounded pretty shit with some random cheap strings. I switched to dominant strings and Pirastro gold label E and it completely changed the tone and playability of my violin. The difference between good and bad strings is clear on any violin regardless of its quality.

Dominant + Pirastro Gold Label E combo

Pirastro Tonica (cheaper but still great)

No problem! As for the mutes the quietest ones are metal, not rubber.

The heavy duty ones are like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Practice-Mute-Violin-Viola/dp/B00CICR3HG

I'm afraid of those metal ones because they are REALLY REALLY heavy. If you drop it on your violin you're basically screwed.
I currently use this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Artino-Practice-Mute-Violin-Viola/dp/B006GCNUHQ
It isn't quite as effective, but it feels less risky to use it.

I use a metal practice mute, but with a rubber outer layer to prevent damage.

I would say it's maybe 30-70% louder than an electric depending on which mute you are using. Just guesstimates, people are generally bad at comparing volumes.

Here's a recording of muted (this mute, different from the one I linked just now. this is a heavier one), unmuted vs the Yamaha YEV104 electric violin, which is not marketed as a silent violin.

https://soundcloud.com/user-924209568/recording-12


(pardon the crappy playing and the mic cracking on the unmuted violin, and also the order of playing, I only realised how retarded the order is in hindsight)