I am finally getting off my lazy butt and satisfying a drive I've had for umpteen decades: today I'll be picking up my very first violin and try to learn how to play this majestic angel.  

I always wanted to learn how to play the Violin since it's maybe the most versatile instrument next to the guitar but something always got in the way.  Mostly it was a catch 22- I didn't know anything about Violis so I was reluctant to buy one, but  I couldn't learn anything about violins because I didn't have one.   The realization that the time is going to pass whether I learn to play a violin or not finally sunk in.

As a new violin student who can't even read music yet but is hoping the calling will see me through, what am I getting myself into?

Guy I worked with in 87 in Germany purchased a violin at a flea market in Germany and a month later was playing Devil Came to Georgia and it was hard to tell the difference between that and original track.
He never had a lesson nor did he know how to read music..........

Reading basic violin sheet music is fairly simple once you get the fingering and method(for lack of a better word) down. Look at the C major scale (top line) in the attached image:

Attached File


Skip the first note (C) and the low G (the one with the V over it at the top of the staff) corresponds to the lowest open string, next 3 notes are the next 3 finger positions. D corresponds to second lowest open string (ignore the finger annotation above the scale), next 3 notes are the next 3 finger positions. So instead of looking at the sheet music and going okay that's an E so play an E on the D string, in the beginning look at the note and think okay that's first finger position on the second string. After you get that down then you can worry about learning what the actual notes are, the key it's written in, and transposing those keys to sharps and flats and naturals.

That's how I got it to click in my head at least, hope it made sense.

I always wanted to learn, but had been told if you don't start when you are 4 you will never be able to play.  What a bunch of BS!

When my daughter started taking lessons on a little 1/16 size violin, I was helping her.  I thought, this isn't so hard.  Then my wife agreed to get me a violin and start taking lessons too.  Turns out that there is a lot more going on than I realized.  Still not impossible to learn as an adult.  I have been taking lessons for several years now.  The biggest thing I can say is that having a teacher and actually practicing will make all the difference.  

I know a couple guys that want to learn how to fiddle.  Neither is classically trained or taking lessons.  Their own desire to push has them able to make noise that sounds like violin music.  This is probably the case for the guy that learned Devil Went Down to Georgia.  Playing fast covers up a lot of mistakes.  Having a teacher to show you how to bow and finger, and explain the intricacies of playing, will be important.

I have also seen a bunch of kids come and go through our violin teacher's doors.  The kids that are forced to practice advance quickly; and the ones that don't, get bored with the beginning songs.  Like any instrument, practice is vital.  

The biggest concern I have for you right now is the quality of your instrument.  The wood, craftsmanship and finish of the violin dramatically changes its sound.  The sound post should be set by the luthier when it is made, but doesn't guarantee you will like that setup.  The type of string you use also makes a HUGE difference in the sound and playability.  Not all bows are created equal either.  Probably any bow is going to be ok to initially learn on, but the type of material and weight of the bow will limit your ability at some point.  (Even the rosin that you use has an effect on the sound).  Get a decent case, and keep the violin around 40-45% humidity.  Critical in the winter to control temp and humidity, just like an acoustic guitar, piano, or any other wood instrument.

I started playing fiddle when I was 20 years old and have been at it now for a little over 33 years. I began playing paying jobs within a year or so of beginning, and the last 10 or so years have been very busy for me. When I began, I messed around with the instrument for a few months then started lessons with a local guy who was a life long professional fiddle player, who taught using sheet music but also playing by ear. Having taken piano as a kid so I already knew how to read music and used these lessons, a couple of years worth, to develop playing technique.

 The single most important piece of advice I can give you is to immerse yourself in the style of music that you want to play. In other words, if you want to play folk music, don't listen to classic rock on your commute to/from work.

 My advice to new violinists/fiddle players is to buy an entry level instructional book and get into it. As soon as you've mastered the 1st level, buy the 2nd. By the time you've finished the second book, you'll know beyond any doubt whether or not you want to put the effort into learning the instrument. If you do, then find a good teacher and take lessons. As others have stated, practice, practice, practice. Practicing never guarantees success, but not practicing does guarantee failure.

 Regarding a good sounding instrument, it can really be a crapshoot. I've owned more than a dozen through the years and the best I've ever owned and have been playing for over 15 years now, I found at a yard sale in a plastic bag in 5 pieces and paid $5 for it. Stay away from the really inexpensive Chinese violins that have flooded the market. If you know any fiddlers or violinists take them with you to try out instruments as they'll know what to look for in the action, intonation and general set up. Generally speaking an instrument with better looking wood will be of better quality, so look for an instrument with lots of "flame" and figure on the back of it.

Where strings are concerned the options are almost limitless. As with most things, you get what you pay for, but that need only be taken so far. You'll not learn any faster or be a better musician playing $100 strings, but playing an instrument with a good tone builds confidence and encourages playing. I've used Pirastro strings for most of the last 30 years, but many of my contemporaries use D'Addario Helicore's which are moderately price at around $40 and are probably a good place to start.

Finally a bow... It still transcends my understanding that the tone of an instrument varies from bow to bow, but it does! Most new players seem to start out with a fiberglass bow, and I did as well. Bows of this composition are impervious to weather conditions, but most are heavy and akin to bowing with a baseball bat, in my opinion. I'd suggest a decent but not overly expensive carbon bow. When looking at bows of any type, look for a good amount of camber. When the bow is relaxed and held in the horizontal position with the hair down, the body of the bow should touch or nearly touch the hair.

So to FINALLY answer your original question "...what am I getting myself in to?", that is totally dependent on how bad you want to learn and how much you apply yourself.

My 15 year old son started about 6 months ago.  He doesn't practice very much but with a weekly lesson he's doing pretty good.  It helped that he's been a drummer since 4 and has player guitar and bass for 2-3 years as well.

I rented/leased a violin for him.  $20 or so a month.