I want to play the violin so badly!

I Always liked the violin. Seems such an underappreciated instrument. Just take lessons. Your chin may get sore until you get used to it.

Stick to practicing, at least an hour each day. I currently play piano as a hobby, but at most half an hour each day. Trying to do it more though because I'm never going to get really good at it unless I dedicate more of my time to it.

Your initial goal should be consistent, daily practice.

Annalafrenchy7 said:

I have been so obsessed with the violin for a while, I have always been into classical music. I want to buy a violin and take it up, I know it will be hard but I really want to try. Any advice for starting to play? Merci!

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Invest in some rosin.

Annalafrenchy7 said:

I have been so obsessed with the violin for a while, I have always been into classical music. I want to buy a violin and take it up, I know it will be hard but I really want to try. Any advice for starting to play? Merci!

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I used to play the viola as a child, so I can empathize with this desire.

Annalafrenchy7 said:

I want to play the violin so badly!!

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I hope not, because I think you'll learn to play it very well!
The violin is beautiful - I love it heard in music, especially classical music.
Wishing you all the very best with it.
Amitiés.
A

Annalafrenchy7 said:

I have been so obsessed with the violin for a while, I have always been into classical music. I want to buy a violin and take it up, I know it will be hard but I really want to try. Any advice for starting to play? Merci!

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I started to learn the viola at the age of 32, and played it for ten years. I was fortunate that when I went to Teachers College I got into their orchestra after learning it for just one year, and the leader was good. He told me to start playing just one note in a bar at first, and as I gained confidence I became better at playing in an orchestra. I play in that orchestra for four years. In my last year at Teachers College I played in the local orchestral society.

When I got up to Auckland and joined a Presbyterian church, I got a violin and played it in church for a number of years. I haven't played it much lately because my wife hates the sound of it. She has acute hearing. I am a guitarist and have been playing since I was 19, so I could still play something.

I wanted to learn to play the banjo, but couldn't afford one, so I got a tambourine, learned woodworking to be able to make the neck, learned how to install frets, and made my own very playable banjo! I learned three chords in the key of G and I was able to play most mountain country songs which are in that key. Then a kind man at church gave me an old banjo which I tidied up and that was great. I learned other chords which extended my range.

Then I wanted to learn the mandolin, so I made one and learned to play it!

If you don't want to spend mega bucks on the violin, you want to look at Youtube and find out how to make a cigar-box violin. If you have woodworking skills and the right tools, it should be quite satisfying.

But I would recommend learning. I learned through "A Tune A Day" books and they were excellent in getting me started. But once you have mastered the basics, get with other musicians to increase your speed in being able to finger the notes quickly and automatically.

Also, you can go two ways with the violin - classical, or mountain country. Both are good fun.

Ignatius the Kiwi said:

Stick to practicing, at least an hour each day. I currently play piano as a hobby, but at most half an hour each day. Trying to do it more though because I'm never going to get really good at it unless I dedicate more of my time to it.

Your initial goal should be consistent, daily practice.

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Agreed. One can eat an elephant only one bite at a time.
When I am teaching someone to play the guitar I tell them to split up the hour into 15 minute sessions with coffee in between. But they have to practice every day to make progress.

LovebirdsFlying said:

I'm not a violinist, or really any kind of musician at all, but I understand the desire. For me, it's that I've wanted piano lessons my entire life. Ever since they sent home those flyers from school when I was in first grade... oh how I wanted it. At day care after school, where they had an old piano, I would bang on those keys constantly. I was only pretending to play. I know I sounded awful, but I had no teacher, and lessons were never provided. Left a big hole in my life. Over the years, I learned on my own to read music, and where the notes were on the piano. Eventually I could plunk out a few tunes by ear, but I always wanted to learn to do it *right.*

So now, having received an inexpensive keyboard last Christmas, I am practicing daily by watching YouTube lessons. I'm still awful, and I'll probably never be great, but I'm a lot better than I was on day one.

If you can't afford an instructor, maybe there will be YouTube videos for playing violin also.

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That's how I learned the banjo and the mandolin. I can't play them in a very fancy way - I play the banjo like I play the guitar, and I know just three chords on the mandolin. But I enjoy making a joyful noise!

You never know how God will work in your heart with music. Just do it and He may very well meet you in it as He has me with piano and many others with their instruments of choice !!

Annalafrenchy7 said:

Thank you both very much. I am going to make myself a schedule so I can fit violin in since I’m always studying for school , but I need a hobby

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Your grades will improve as you spend more time practicing. As you learn to "accomplish" music through repetition and practice, you will understand, hands on, that repetition and practice is the key to learning everything. You will watch less TV.

A funny/strange story about learning to play the violin: