[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!

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!

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.