hi there, i play bass in a band, and our violin player just bought a new elec violin, and im borrowing hers because i really want to learn how to play. any tips on best way to start? my music theory is good enough to get it sounding okish, but my technique is all over the place?
thanks alot.

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If you have any background in guitar or bass it will help out quite a bit. The easiest way to get started is to put thin strips off masking tape to mark finger placement. Once you get the hang of the finger placement, I suggest removing the tape because you don`t want to become too dependant on seeing where to place your fingers. If you don`t already have this done, you can look up the exact measurements on the internet. Make sure to tape off correctly because if the tape is wrong, you`ll learn wrong. If you don`t want to use the tape technique, you`re in for a challenge, but it is definately not impossible. I also suggest using a shoulder piece at least until you get the hang of things. It will make everything more comfortable which allows you to concentrate better on your music. I hope you find some of this advice useful, ....if not, I`m sorry! Just practice hard!

thanx alot! i will be getting a shoulder rest, i havent got one, and being an elec violin, it hurts! haha, ill ask our violin player to mark it out for me, but i dont want to ask her for too much help, i just wanna suprise everyone! hehe, is there any good sites on the net for learning?

Well, I`m not sure about web sites. But in my opinion, violin is easier to play than guitar. I can give you some tips though. Make sure when you hold your violin, you hand is not resting on the neck. It makes it harder to move your fingers. When you get your shoulder rest, it`ll make that easier to get used to. The shoulder rest will feel weird at first, but you`ll get used to it. One other thing: When you hold the bow, make sure your index finger is streched up so you have better control over the bow.

I`m just repeating stuff I hear my orchestra teacher says. *sweat*

I hope I helped you out some. ^_^