Well I have a dillema. I`m about to be 20 years old, and I wanted to start playing violin. Is it possible for me to still actually play it quite right or am I too old? My fingers are in good shape, cause I`ve been playing guitar for 2 years now almost constatly [about 5-6h a day]. I would REALLY appreciate if You could help me.

NO!! as long as you have great motivations..you`ll be as great as any violinist who started earlier..or even better..! i didn`t start until i was 14 cuz of the dilemma too..and i caught up..it just takes determination and practice. =) tell me how you`re doing later on.

There are plenty of us old enough to be your parents, and damn near old enough to be your grandparents, who have just started.

You haven`t even got an idea how You cheered me up !!! playing violin was always my fream since childhood!!! Geez i`ll surely report You about my progress Geez how I wan`t to play them ! i`ll be starting my lessons next week!

.....its better to learn now then never......

its good to add something musical to ure life!!!!
and no..ure not too old!

noone is too old to learn any instrument!
as long as you got the love for it, go for it!!

>>i started piano recently and im 16.
i thought i was too old but i found out that there were ppl even more older than me who were learning!

Good luCK! and have fun!

xxx

I`ve found a friend, who has found in his attick violins from early 1921. Damn, i think I`m in love... he wants to sell them to me for...87,50$ men how some ppl don`t now the real value of`em...they`re hand crafted, german made. My girlfriend is gonna leave me :P

You`re less than half my age! I am 41 and I just started playing! It`s coming along great and I love it!

Well, today I turn 37. I`ve been playing for 2 weeks! (I got one for Christmas)

It isn`t just about the destination - the journey is just as important. I plan to have fun with it, even if I`m still making screeching sounds years from now.

Not at all, I took violin since I was 19 years old. Now I am 22 years old. At the beginning I was very excited. Weekly practice didn`t seem enough for me. I wanted everyday to be Tuesday, just because Tuesday is the day I practice along with my friends. Being able to play violin gives me a great pleasure. Start to learn it now.

I`ll be honest- The younger you start learning an instrument, then easier it is. But no matter what, if you truly love the instrument. Play it.

I know it surely won`t be easy. But I hope I can manage it!

In our time, I think it is quite a popular myth about age having a decided advantage or disadvantage for learning the violin. It has to do more with cultural and social realities. Modern social pressures leave little time for us to devote to absolute study as we grow older, but that just means that we need to study more wisely than in our youth, Unfortunately, as long as novels, movies and teachers continue to pedal the notion of the "child prodigee" this type of attitude and cultural myth will prevail.

I have yet to hear a violinist under the age of 20 perform all of the `master pieces` with believable emotional interpretation and mature musicality that only comes from living life.
Technical proficiency, brilliancy and professional media promotion do not a great(nor convincing) artist make.

I am a serious clarinetist and I just came to this post cuz my sis is into bluegrass but I would like to say that all the posts listed here are so refreshing you have no idea! Over in the clarinet section, people are mean instead of encouraging. I`m glad to see that this 20 YO person, whoever he is, is going for what he really wants. My best wishes to you and I`m glad that you were encouraged by the kind people who replied to your first post. Good Luck!

I thank You all for saying all theese nice words. At the begining i was afraid of even starting, now when i read all theese words i can`t wait untill friday for my first lesson! from the bottom of my heart i really thank You all!!!

Kakaroth:

Earlier you wrote

I know it surely won`t be easy. But I hope I can manage it!

It won`t be easy, but you will manage it. It will sound `orrible at times but, it will come and when music comes out, it is one of the best feelings in the world.

Enjoy your lesson and come back.