Hey all you violin lovers out there! I`m currently 17 years old and have been playing the violin for roughly 1 1/2 years. I find great enjoyment and love towards the music a violin brings. However, at times I become distressed due to the playing of wrong notes and wrong finger positions - hence untuned notes. HELP!! I was just wondering if this was normal? I`ve read many messages stating how many violinists have only been learning violin for a few years and are already up to grade 5 or 6! Although I have a great passion and love for the violin, is this inability to play normal? Will I ever play perfect music?

Dun be discouraged. If u luv it and work hard enough,then one day u will get it. Remember, music is not a race! So why mind about who finishes first and last..It`s about enjoyment and discipline...talking abt. discipline, how often do u practice? And is yr method of practice efficient? And most importantly, Do u have the guidance of a teacher? Thank You.

Ryan, what you should do is put your heart and soul into it, meaning work hard. It doesn`t come just like that. As you work towards perfecting every part of violin playing, you will progress. It is the body`s natural tendency, if anything, to adapt. Practice everyday, making sure you progress even the tiniest step, every time you pick up the violin, even if it is knowing that you played a wrong note.

Psychology bit: I think you are worried about the high standards that you see your peers at. Don`t worry about them. You`re setting your own pace to fit yourself.

At the end, it is all about perfecting music. (did I use synonyms there? :D )

Thanks DW! Currently, I dont` have a huge amount of time to practice as i`m in grade 12 - and practically all my time has been devoted towards academic work / study etc. However, I honestly try to fit in as much practice as I possibly can! And yes, I do have a good violin teacher. Well, I suppose she`s a good teacher. I keep reading messages about whether or not you have a good teacher etc. What really makes up a good teacher? Are there any important things to look out for in particular?

Thanks for your advice Jay! I think you psycological stuff was really true! All of my friends and people that I know whom play violin have been playing since they were really little. I dont` know anyone who`s like me and has started out at such an older age. That`s probably the major problem that`s distressing me. I don`t know if im normal, slow etc. How much do you guys put towards practicing? After the next 6 weeks of final exams (including all of my dreaded IB exams) I`m going to devote myself to perfecting my skills! Any tips welcomed!!
Thanks

A good teacher is not just one virtuoso that can play like hell, but rather one that has been there, done there...this means that she herself probably had met with those problems when she was still a student herself. And thus is able to enlighten u on yr problems...be it technically or musically. A good teacher is also one that if flexible ih her methods of teaching. As I`ve discovered along the way, that no two kids/individual can be excatly the same. So, what will work on one student, will not work on the other. So, she has to adjust her method sometimes. And not be like...`Why can`t u get it? !!!This is so darn easy!! U stupid!!! If blah blah blah can get it, so why not u!!!`...And most imp. a good teacher is one who is always so willingly to share her experience with u, Thank You. Have a nice day.

Thanks again for your advice. In that case, I`m probably safe to say thatI have a pretty good violin teacher. She makes things extremly flexible and teaches me things only if I enjoy that type of music. For example, I`m not a big fan of contemporary music so she intorudces peices that are more of my liking. In addition to this, she`s also an extremly friendly and likable person to be around. Violin lesson`s are always heaps of fun with time always flying by. However, are there any pieces of advice that you can offer me? Maybe some practice techniques that you have adopted etc? Antying would be helpful! Thanks again!!

Okie...I can give u one simple technique ex. It`s really simple...just full bow, open string ex. Remember, they must be in full bow, meaning from the tip to the frog. Don`t underestimate this simple warm up ex. It enables u to develop a firm grasp and firm/even tone and smooth bowing.And this is sure to come in handy. Don`t rush into playing heaps of repertoires when yr bowing is still not secured. And DON`T IGNORE IT over time, simply becaz one has progressed and maybe too advanced for this simple ex. Caz that`s bull####! No ex. is too simple...it all depends on yr perspective and yr speed. I get all my students to do this ex. as their warmup routine, and I find their bowing so much secured, and tone colour so much warmer/rounder, even for those who`ve been playing for yrs. So, remember, just simple full bow ex. to the tip and frog. And remember to adjust yr arm`s angle as u bow on different strings. U can make variation on this simple ex. once u feel that yr in much control. Caz this is what I do every day. Full bow,IE:G G D D A A E E slowly
GGGGDDDDAAAAEEEE faster
G soft G loud A soft A loud etc.If u wanna do the last ex. with dynamics/strength control, then be sure to start with a down bow on soft, caz all string players tend to exert more force on a down bow, thus do the reverse on the up bow to balance yr strength output. In this way, yr bowing will sound really balanced in time to come, esp. so when u play yr scales. By then, all notes will sound balanced, no matter up or down bow. Thank You.

Thank you very much for your excercise! I`ve just finished trying it, and its amazing that someone so simple can actually help to such an extent! Thanks again! Also, I never knew you were a teacher! Honestly speaking, am I a slow learning? What is the `normal` learning speed for your students? Thanks again!

Yr welcome...Hmmm, regarding yr question about learning pace. It`s difficult to say caz, I`ve students who complete their G1-G8 and diploma in just 2-3 yrs, but on the other hand, I`ve students who did it in 5 to 10 yrs. It really depends on how much effort u put in. And whether yr commited to doing it the proper way. Normally those with music background will complete faster. But really, the most imp. thing is to do it the proper way. Caz I`ve got some students who completed their G8 in 2 yrs, but OH MY! Their tone colour is really horrible, and they just don`t give a damn about it...They just want the cert. and that`s it. So what`s the pt. of having just technic but no beautiful tone colour? And likewise, what about beautiful tone colour but no technic? So, as I always say...Music is not a race...Do in yr own pace, but do it the correct way. And there can only be one way, that is practice makes perfect. And perfect as in `marvellous technic with beautiful tone colour `...And as I`ve discovered, the funny thing about music...One usually don`t develop these two to full potential, even if you`ve completed yr grade8, it usually comes much, much more later...perhaps I should put it this way...5 yrs to learn the instrument, 8 yrs to know it well, 10 yrs to feel comfortable with it, and at least 15 yrs to perfect it. Thank You. Have a nice day!

Thanks again for your input. Its really nice to have someone to chat to once in a while that really understands what I`m doing. Do you have an e-mail or do you use MSN? If you want, you can send me an e-mail at the address provided! Thanks!

Hi was searching the web and found 8notes seems like a great forum.

My son is wanting to learn Violin but he is currently institionalized. Although he should be graduating soon it makes getting lessons impossible. I was wondering if you could recommend any instructional CD`s. I bought him a book which I feel is very well written but not enough help even with a CD included or a well illistrated book and fingering. Please understand my Son can barely read so a vocal instruction would be better than a book full of text.

This is a review I wrote on the products I bought to help hime get started.

http://www.epinions.com/content_126418783876

Also the Violin he has is next to impossible to keep tuned. the string key rely on friction to hold them in place is this normal should we invest in a better Violin or have the keys replaced?