Violin for a family member.

[Carbonite]

A young family member has become enamored with the idea of playing the Violin.

I tried and tried to get her interested in the guitar but she likes what she likes and who am I to force her choice.

Besides, at least she will have some string experience if she ever decides to pick up a guitar.

 

Anyways, so I have been looking to pick up a Violin for her.

I have run into some problems. I pretty much know next to nothing about Violins.

So I was looking around and all I can find out is that for a first Violin you really need to spend a little more and get something decent as a cheap Violin will hamper the learning of a new student.

 

So does anybody know about Violins? What are the top brands? Do those brands have decent lower priced learning options?

Anything at all would help me at this point.

[pippy]

Although I know no more than you do about violins it would seem a safe bet to get one from a trusted manufacturer such as Yamaha.

 

At least you know the quality will be there and I'm sure they will do a 'Student' series for those who don't need a Strad quality and price.

 

They will also do them in 1/2 scale, 3/4 scale as well as full-scale.

 

Your local instrument dealer will no doubt have helped many people in your situation.

 

If, in the future, she decides the violin isn't really for her after all, it should be easy to sell-on as it's a brand well known for quality.

 

Good luck.

[Bowdiddley]

Pippy they actually have a 1/4, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16, 1/32 scale violins. lol

 

My son took violin for 8 years and I will say that he got a rock solid foundation in string theory. Because of his violin he was able to pick up a guitar and with minimul time was able to play as if he had been playing for a long time, of course it doesn't hurt that he has perfect pitch.

 

Carbonite I would suggest you decide who will be her instructor first, and then go have a discussion with them about what their suggestions are for the proper violin. That is of course assuming you do some research and make sure the instructor is top notch. Having the correct violin will be very helpful in the childs progress. I will say the quality of the instructor is more important than the price you pay for the violin, but you are correct that the quality of violin is a factor.

 

Good luck to the young lady!

[pippy]

Pippy they actually have a 1/4, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16, 1/32 scale violins. lol

 

1/32 scale? Really?! In case your house has musical mice???

 

LOL!

 

+1 about discussing the choice of violin with the tutor.

 

Very good advice.

[Carbonite]

Thanks guys.

 

I had already begun the search for an instructor, which is proving to be hard in my area.

Its going to be a bit of a drive it seems for her to take lessons, but it will be worth it.

 

I will definitely find out what her instructor thinks she should have and go from there.

 

Thanks again.

[Bowdiddley]

1/32 scale? Really?! In case your house has musical mice???

 

LOL!

 

+1 about discussing the choice of violin with the tutor.

 

Very good advice.

 

The smallest I've personally seen is the 1/8 scale. I was attending one of my sons concerts and spotted the child with a tiny violin and I thought it was just a toy but after I pointed it out to my son he informed me she was a new student in the orchestra and that she was a dwarf (not sure if that is PC, wasn't meant to offend). But it was funny looking it was so small.

[TommyK]

They make some awfully small fiddles... I mean violins that put out a lot of sound.

 

1st. Find a Suzuki music teacher in your area. (this is a type of musical instruction, not a motorbike.)

2nd. Find out whom they recommend for purchasing a violin for a youngster.

3rd. Take the youngster with you and have her 'fitted', yes 'fitted' for a violin. What they normally do is rent you a violin for a young child, then as part of the rental agreement, your daughter can be up sized as she grows for no additional rental. In most cases part or all of the cost of the rentals you pay go towards the purchase of a new one when she has grown to the 4/4 size. I've seen them down to 1/16 size used for 3-4 year olds with about 6 sizes in all. That might be a bit too many different intervals between smallest and 4/4 size violins, but what do I know?

 

Violin qualities are similar to guitars. Cheaper violins are made out of laminated woods, better ones, solid. you pay for 'bling' flamed backs and such, as well as any fancy purfling around the top.

 

Differences:

Violins have peg boxes and are almost universally, friction pegged tuners. Planetary tuners (like banjo) are sold for use on violins.

 

What we call a saddle, they call a bridge. What they call a saddle... we call.. :huh: a tail piece... well sort of. The bottom of the strings thread through a tail piece which is attached to the end button with a cord or lanyard. Where this cord crosses over the edge of the sound board, there is a bit of plastic or leather that keeps the cord from digging in... that is a saddle. A nut is... well a nut. Violins don't have frets, so what we call a fret board is a fingerboard.

 

She will need a bit of rosin. Here again you can pay for the expensive stuff with silver dust or meteorite dust (

yes meteorite) in it or just get the plain stuff. They also sell tuning peg friction material, but good old fashioned chalk board chalk works just as good.... and is cheaper.

 

Some rental agreements come with free replacement string service and bow re-hairing service if that becomes necessary. Violinists don't generally change strings as often as guit tar pickers. And the price shows it. While I have never done it I cannot imagine re-hairing a bow is that difficult.

 

I'm not speaking as a pro on this, just from talking to violinists before acquiring my first fiddle, which I've yet to master.

 

If it were me, I'd see what the rental agreement would cost from now until she's about 15 or 16 when she'll probably be into a 4/4, then do a cost analysis. I'd divide the number of violin sizes between where she's currently sized by two in order to compare how much a purchase plan would cost.. then I'd compare one or two price points lower than the rental violin.

[Bowdiddley]

They make some awfully small fiddles... I mean violins that put out a lot of sound.

 

1st. Find a Suzuki music teacher in your area. (this is a type of musical instruction, not a motorbike.)

 

 

Great suggestion, its a great teaching method.

[pete c]

i have two daughters that both play violin. be careful where the teacher sends you to purchase or rent, some get kickbacks for sending their students to them. go and look see what fits them then look around at prices. you do get what you pay for, the sound quality and playability come with a price. my oldest we tried the cheap route she got discouraged fast ended up paying 1,500 for a good fiddle. and the quality of the bow makes a huge difference also. and last avoid ebay trust me on this one. you dont want to get into bridge and sound post problems set ups and repairs get expensive fast

[TommyK]

Oh, yeah, the sound post. This is a short piece of dowel rod that is wedged between the top and the back, roughly underneath, but not quite, the treble foot of the bridge. It's just wedged in and not glued. It's supposed to transmit vibrations from the top to the back. Get an idea where it is and maybe mark it with a pencil, via the sound hole, so that if it comes loose you can put it back. There are special tools for this. I've never heard anyone complain that they have to constantly reset this piece, so I don't suppose it is a common occurrence.