So I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me.

I'm 20 years old now, and started playing violin about a year and a half ago. I really want to play beautiful music, but I feel frustrated when I play because nothing really seems to sound good. I had one teacher for about 3 months, then another one for about 4, but since then I've been trying to learn on my own. The books I've been using are Herfurth's A Tune a Day (I've done book 1 and am halfway thru book 2), a book of first position etudes, and the first book in the Suzuki series.

Without a teacher, I'm not sure exactly what I'm supposed to be learning in addition to what's in the books. Also, I would like to learn some longer pieces of music, but I don't really know what to look for at my level. In addition to classical music, I also really want to learn how to improvise, and play rock, jazz, and other styles. (I'm also interested in someday playing one of Mark Wood's viper violins, when I can save up the money!)

So does anyone have any advice for me? Any special things I should be learning, any books I should look at, any pieces you think I might be able to play...?

i seriously suggest finding a teacher! twenty minutes one on one a week can be enough and won't be so expensive ( if that is the reason why you don't have a teacher) a good teacher can tell you what you need to learn and help you with your technique which is very important, and after a year and a half and 7 months teaching all up won't be too bombproof. keep playing suzuki (i am a suzuki student) by the third book there are double page songs (big whoop you go) but this will give you an idea of what sort of classical you like. i suggest fiddling to play something different and interesting, these are good for busking.
you say you don't think you sound good, keep at it. violin is seriously worth the wait and the work.
waltzes can sound really beautiful, especially slow ones. i think bach and handel are good classical composers, beware mozart, the man was nuts and though his pieces look rather simple they can be deceptively tricky.
it depends on how musical you are to do improv, fiddlers could help you out with this, that is really what fiddling is, changes to other pieces. anybody can compose too if they know music theory, just give it a go, you'll get better at it.
depending on how good you want to be will determine how long you keep a teacher. find a good one and once your skills are pretty sound then you can go out and play on your own. hang around with other violinists if you can, they can help you too especially if they are at different levels.

good luck and keep playing
AND REMEMBER your ear is right beside the violin, some of the crappy sound you hear the audience usually doesn't!

Hi, My fist violin teacher was a nightmare and did not last long. I eventually found one that I liked but I am only having a lesson evfery other week. During the teachers I did try to learn from books and dvds but did to get very far.

Something worth trying is to find someone local who is also learning and practice together.

When I was a beginner I wanted to play long songs too and I tried. It only made me tired, so you should start with shorter songs.
I have played through Suzuki Violin School 1 and it was really good. I am now playing after Suzuki Violin School 2, it's good too.
My advise to a beginner is to have patience. You can't play classical music from the very beginning. Start with songs for children even if it feels embarassing. Good luck!

i'v just started 2 months ago and am making flying progress without a teacher...my teacher is a tuner :DD:D:D:D

I started playing the violin in
September and i go to a orchestra class.
If you can find a teacher that would be good too.
You should practice atleast 30min. a day,
and go to a local music store and find a book
that seems easy for you.
Make sure you practice atleast every-other day
and if u get stuck on a song just keep playing it
then if u get frustrated then move on
to another song and go back to that one later!

hope i can help!,
sweetreddancer

<Added>

I started playing the violin in
September and i go to a orchestra class.
If you can find a teacher that would be good too.
You should practice atleast 30min. a day (by yourself)
and go to a local music store and find a book
that seems easy for you.
Make sure you practice atleast every-other day
and if u get stuck on a song just keep playing it
then if u get frustrated then move on
to another song and go back to that one later!

hope i can help!,
sweetreddancer

A teacher would be able to help you with all those things that can only be picked up with experience, such as sound quality, posture, and the like, so your best bet will be to find one. Ask your violin-playing friends to recommend you to their teacher? However, the Suzuki method is quite good as well, you get to playing easy and beautiful concertos by Book 4. Perhaps you could try playing Pachelbel's Canon in D?

My advice is have fun, love it. When I started, it took me six months to learn "Mary had a Little Lamb" That was 17 years ago, and I'm still trying to make it to where I can live as a pro fiddle player. I love it every day. I remember about 3 years into it, I quit because I hated lessons. After that I just picked it up and let my fingers wander freely across the strings (in first position), improvisation came with time. My advice for improv, learn your scales and arpeggios and in as many variations as you can, then, study some theory and try to follow along with the radio, thats how I came into it. But yeah I agree with the above comments, get a teacher to show you the basics, then become your own violinist, it's an extension of you.

Please get the Essential Elements 2000 book. It is one of the best books out there for readying and understanding music and violin technique. I have been teaching ages 4 to adult for 4 years. There are serious issues with the traditional Suzuki method, but you can buy the Suzuki vol. 1 and read the notes. These songs are very easy. Learning to play violin in difficult but on page 18 of Essential Elements on "putting it all together" it breaks it down into 4 steps. Now listen, everyone always skips the first 3 steps!!! Do all 4. I am 28 and play both violin, viola, and cello and am a composer. If you follow these steps and really really understand what that book is saying hopfully with with help of a good teacher like myself you will succeed. :>

I agree with the essential elements 2000 books. They could be your teacher If you pay attention to all the side notes. Everying in the Suzuki books are good - if you have a teacher. Otherwise they have almost no effect. And if you don't want an actual teacher, there is always videos online that can help tou with your playing.(I learned how to play piano online)

Good luck!