Violin

[Sundance]

I want to learn to play violin. I play guitar. Ive been looking at cheap violins. Anyone have any advice etc? Good info sites? Help!? Am i wasting my time without the guidence of a teacher?

Any information appreciated,

Thanks

[Afro Droid]

My brother plays violin and guitar, but reckons there's very little in common with the two. Different tuning, different technique entirely.

[Ollie]

i disagree. Pick up a cheap violin package off of ebay. Just muck about with the violin till u get a sound that u like. Obviously learn the basics, like how to hold the bow and shit, but the strings are eadg which is more similar to guitar than u think.

Ollie.

[Doc Ascension]

eadg is the first four strings on a guitar anyway? Are you sure that is a Violin tuning - I thought it was a little different to this although I can't remember what exactly.

[Mac Atom]

strung in 5th's though, instead of 4th's. so it runs G D A E, like a mandolin i think.

[Mac Atom]

don't you just hate it when that happens

[Doc Ascension]

yes that's more like it - i knew it wasn't strung like a guitar, with E lowest.

[Ollie]

well basically the same

[Doc Ascension]

yes but not really - it makes quite a difference in fingering when G is the lowest string

basically you will need to learn to play by reading sheet music - that is probably the hardest task if you don't already know how to read it....

[TR!ΔNGL€ T€€TH]

The main problem with learning the violin, unlike the guitar, is that it takes quite a while before you have the technique to not sound awful when playing anything... It's not like being able to play some nirvana songs after having yr guitar for a week, you spend most of yr early period of learning trying not to sound like yr strangling a cat...

[the evil cheese]

It's the opposite for me. I play violin but want to play guitar.

Violin is rather challenging, unless you're lucky enough to have a natural flair. I mean, I've played for 7ish years and am on grade 5/6 stuff. It requires a lot of work, and I could have done so much better if I just could have been arsed practising. I wish I had now!

About getting a violin, don't go for a really cheap one. At school we were given these horrible cheap ones until we bought our own. They sounded awful. And it's normally better getting an older one, not a brand new one, because they normally have a better sound. Get some decent strings as well, that makes all the difference to the sound.

Hope that helps a little bit....

[flossie suvara]

I was taught violin for 8 years, but never put the work required into practicing, so I don't consider myself to be a particularly good player.

If you are serious about learning how to play the violin, I would definately recommend getting lessons - if you already play the guitar, then the actual physics of the sounds and how the fingers relate to producing the required notes shouldn't be too hard to pick up. However, posture and the correct method of holding the violin and the bow is crucial to learn correctly straight off - I had two violin teachers and the second one had to make me unlearn all the bad habits and poor posture that the first one had taught me. Today, when I play the violin, I find the fingers of both hands stiffening and cramping fairly quickly - partly due to lack of practice, but mainly I'm sure to poor posture and technique. And I'm sure that you want to keep your fingers supple for playing the guitar as well.

Hope that helps

Regards

Flossie