I'm a new violinest, need help

[FronzelNeekburm]

Hello,
I'm a new violinest. I was wondering if there are any tips you could give me. I also have a question. I'm having trouble keeping my violin in tune. I tune it and then it goes out of tune right away. It is just because new strings are new?
Fronz

[Rudolph the Red]

if you ever want progress beyond just fiddling(haha pun!) around, you'll porbably want to take lessons...

Don't worry about your strings; new strings always take a while before they stay in tune well. Just keep re-tuning them...

[FronzelNeekburm]

Thanks for responding. I have another question. Is a shoulder rest mandatory? I don't have one yet but do I need to get one?

I'm not going to take lessons until I see that this is something that I really want to do. I play the piano and guitar.
Fronz:)

[Rudolph the Red]

as far as i know, it isn't mandatory, but i've never seen anyone without one... if you're low on money, you can just use a large foam sponge or something similar, using a rubber band to hold it on...

[flig_chris]

Fronz,

As a violinist of 11 years, I have a major suggestion: take lessons. I also play viola, piano, guitar (acoustic/electric/electric bass), harmonica, and drums and I feel the instrument that needs lessons for correct playing ability the most is any classical string instrument such as the violin, viola, cello, bass. In lessons you will learn many aspects of correct playing. Correct posture and hand position is very critical in learning the instrument. The violin, or any non fretted string instrument for that matter, is not an easy instrument to learn. I agree completely with the previous post about taking lessons if you don't want to fiddle around.

I understand not wanting to take lessons unless you are going to stick with it, but the habits you learn before you start taking lessons will be hard to break if they are incorrect. You may end up spending more time learning the correct methods of playing in lessons than if you started with lessons in the first place.

Just my 2 cents.

Flig

[soaring_eagle]

lessons are good! yeah i find playing the violin really hard and that's with having lessons with a fab teacher every week! It's a really hard instrument to learn (i found neway) so good luck!

[Unregistered]

Quick note-
It's so much easier to use a violin with a shoulder rest. But just like Rudolph said, you can use a sponge or something; you need that support.
Happy learning!

[Unregistered]

Practice, practice, practice!

[FronzelNeekburm]

Thanks everyone. I will definatly look into getting a teacher. That's a great idea with the sponge thing. I'll try it.
LaTer
Fronz

[sfc]

yes I too have been playing violin for ten years...have played guitar forfour...guitar was really easy to learn...casue of violin...but yeah...lessons definitely help...make sure you find a good teacher too...and about shoulder rests...they really help...it is so much mroe comfortable playing with a shoulder rest...

and about your pegs...when you tune...try to push them into the head of the violin as hard as you can...nto breaking it of course...but just enough to keep them there...at first you gotta be kinda aggressive...but soon...they will stay...

[FronzelNeekburm]

Here is a pic of my new violin. :) I really enjoy playing and I play all day!

[Rudolph the Red]

another thing to try with the pegs is this stuff that makes it stick better, should be able to buy it at a music store....I think it's called peg dope....

[StraightEdge]

About the shoulder rest. Is there a way to make it left handed or right handed? The violin I may purchase is left handed so could I switch it to right handed? Thanks for any replies.

*Save the Pledge of Allegiance!*

[FronzelNeekburm]

The main difference between the left handed and the right handed violin is which side the chin rest is on. In order to change the kind of violin it is you would have to pull the chin rest off and glue it to the other side. I wouldn't recommend doing that. Right handed people should have the violin on there left shoulder because you hold the bow with your right hand.

Hope this helps you.

[StraightEdge]

Ok, Thank you so, so, so very much.:D

[Unregistered]

the reason why your violin goes out of tune is provably because you replaced all of your strings at the same time. Weather is another factor, hot, cold, and humidity are key to tuning. too much humidity makes the pegs slip as does the swelling of the pegs in cold and the heat also makes the pegs slip. I sometimes have to tune my violin 3 times per practice, which is about whenever I feel like playing. Some times 20 minutes, sometimes 2 hours or more. I always tune my violin before practice so if I create something then I can say what the notes are instead of having to guess around. Also so I can figure out what something is truely supposed to sound like. Well Happy Tuning, and Practice! Practice! Practice!

[UltimaX4]

-_- Without the violin, I'd have no musical talent (Well I don't know for sure) Violin's cool. It gets really annoying and frustrating sometimes, but it's really fun, so easy to play along with your fav songs. No need to spend hours trying to figure out chords..LoL, but it's all good. Keep fiddlin, it gets tough but you gotta keep trying. Remember, don't think you can fiddle, Know you can fiddle!:lol:

[Colleen]

I am entering my 7th year of violin, and I am also left-handed. I actually think that we lefties got the better deal because it's much more important to have the hand that presses the strings (traditionally the left) be quick and agile than the hand that holds the bow (the right hand). A left-handed violin is incredibly rare and I'm sure quite expensive, plus it makes it awkward to play in a group and interrupts that cool symmetry you see in good orchestras. :) Me and my lefty-string-player friends would recommend that you just stick with the traditional violin. Have fun! :)

[Bill the Pony]

i have been playing violin for several years so here is my 2 cents worth. I don't use a shoulder rest just b/c of personal preference. i'm just kinda weird with stuff like that. for some reason i don't remember it being all that hard to learn, just make sure you practice and don't quit practicing even if you quit taking lessons b/c you will regret it forever. i quit practicing for a few months and hated myself for it. I didn't have to relearn it, but it was hard to pick back up. also try to find someone to practice with, it makes it more enjoyable and you can help each other. If you have any other questions or just wanna talk, feel free to e-mail me at jesusfreak6787@yahoo.com.

[BabyBear]

When I first started (eight years or so ago) I didn't use a shoulder rest, but my teacher insisted I use one after about four years. It really helped with my position which in turn helped my playing. But yeah a teacher is most certainly a must, and the most important thing to remeber is to HAVE FUN!!!

BabyBear

[Born2Worship]

Okay... I've been playing nearly a year and here's my opinion on the subject.
1) Lessons are a waste of money with something such as the violin... piano on the other hand... take lessons. lol
2) Shoulder rest is by no means mandatory.. I never use mine.
3) New strings will go out of tune more often... wiping them down after each use will help them stay in tune and they will last longer... (plus it will sound better when the rosin isn't caked up)... the oils on your fingers get on the strings (duh) and cause the strings to stay out of tune and eventually break...

Hope this helps!

[FronzelNeekburm]

Originally posted by Born2Worship
Okay... I've been playing nearly a year and here's my opinion on the subject.
1) Lessons are a waste of money with something such as the violin... piano on the other hand... take lessons. lol
2) Shoulder rest is by no means mandatory.. I never use mine.
3) New strings will go out of tune more often... wiping them down after each use will help them stay in tune and they will last longer... (plus it will sound better when the rosin isn't caked up)... the oils on your fingers get on the strings (duh) and cause the strings to stay out of tune and eventually break...

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the help. Right now my violin has been packed up and I've put it in my suit case. I'm moved back to the states. I also haven't had that much time to practice because I've really been focusing on piano. So, yah. :) Thanks anyway though.
Fronz