I recently quit the music program at school, but I am thinking of resuming the activity next year at a different school. I used to play the violin, and I did not find it very elating because my intonation errors and so on, but that`s not the point. I want to play a different instrument, and I was wondering what would you suggest and why. Thanks.

if you`ve only been playing for a year or too your pretty much average if you cant play perfectly intune(probally one of the more popular reasons why the violin is so hard to learn). i`d suggest if you wanna work on it to take it up again, but if you dont you should pick something that has the tones set up for you like....say a piano or guitar(since its fretted). But i`d have to warn you piano is a pretty hard thing to learn(lots and lots of multi-tasking with your hands plus you have to read two lines of music at once, duh)

i would go with piano it would be alot of multi tasking but so is violin because of the bowing ,fingering,notes but the piano is tremble clef and bass clef and violin is tremble clef

haha, tremble clef!

Would any of you suggest some wind instruments, like the flue or clarinet? I`m pretty much over the strings, and they don`t teach piano or guitar at school.

I`d suggest clarinet. Easy to learn. Lots of music available. Harder when you get to the upper levels though, as is any instrument.

the flute!! it is nice

are you wanting to stay off string instruments? try the flute, maybe baroque flute.. (my fave)

From my experience, once you learn the piano, you can learn anything else with ease.

in my opinion, Since you already know the basics of violin, I would stick with a string instrument and learn cello!!! It is beautiful! My sister plays cello and i play violin and it`s alot easier to switch between instruments.
Cello is just bigger, reads bass clef and has one more finger to use, that`s all! Most all serious cellists know treble clef anyway so it will be a breeze if you`re really serious about this!! PLEASE CONSIDER!!!!

How does cello have one more finger to use? Just curious because I thought I was using all my fingers on violin .

I`d encourage you not to give up violin so quickly. It is tough, because in the beginning it`s hard to produce a good sound. But since you`ve only been playing for a year, there`s still so much that you can learn and improve (actually, there is no matter how long you`ve been playing), and I`m sure you could get much better with a little work and an excellent teacher. Did you find the intonation problems frustrating right from the beginning? Have you taken private lessons, or just orchestra classes in school?

There`s so much you can do with violin, and such a diverse range of music you can play with it, please keep trying! As you improve your intonation and develope a better tone, you will be able to have more fun with it.

hmm, if u give up that easily, pick up a clarient or a sax... those are hella easy in the beginning, but get harder... (the clarient is mre of, "OMG this is so friggin easy" and then all of a sudden u need to go above a Bb and ur going "WTF? this is so frggin hard why did i pick this instrument...")

i play bassoon... it`s damn hard, but oh well, it`s not impossible, it`s just that u need extra long fingers and stuff...

if u quit that easy (sry for harsh words, but COME ON) i can also tell you NOT to play oboe, or the french horn. they frustrate everyone in the beginning, and u will not even know how to make a good sound until a few month after starting... ;LOL

hi alice...

i played a small instrument called "recorder" in school for three years, and then moved on to the "pianica" and clarinet for 3 and two years respectively. This rotation was due to the fact that i was in my school marching band for many years. I enjoyed the clarinet...the basics are so easy...but the high notes are a killer!
now 12 years later, having cultivated much love and respect for violin music , i have started violin classes. I am suffering too..its very hard, and rite now, when i play, it just sounds like cats screeching..but violins are classy and are able to produce such a diverse range of music...
i will definitely stick with the violin...
hang in there girl..never ever give up...

Thanks for your advice people! Happy New Year!

Hi Alice, I wouldn`t reply to an old thread, but I see you`re here today. Happy New Year to you too.

If you really hate the violin, then give it up. I see many young players with that problem. ALL of them have continued and succeeded at it. We put tape or stickers on the fingerboard to help find intonation. If you quit, you would be a first, from observations.

But if you must quit, play the instrument of YOUR choice. It IS about you, your own ability and ultimately, your taste.

I`d be leaning towards woodwinds though. Strat man Dwight - strategies for musicians