I`m finally starting to play the violin again (thanks suzzie! don`t know if your reading this). I`ve read places that it takes twice as long to make it to grade 1 standard than other instruments is that true?

I would also like to know how long it takes to get to like grade 8 level

thanks

I think that seriously depends on you and your innate abilities.

If you have no experience with playing and instrument or reading music - but were `average` all told...I`d guess two years to master the Grade 1 material.

Grade 8 is another story...you should be able to do a Grade a year if you`re `average`, but the technique gets harder as you go along and some may need more time.

I`m in my 2nd year of trying to master the Grade 4/5 material (after a VERY long hiatus)...the music isn`t an issue for me...but the proper shifting to 3rd (without loosing it) and keeping my timing steady are...

... in my opinion violin is harder than other instruments to learn... i mean hey... we dont get frets... but if you can play some other instruemnt... say the piano, it sholudnt be that hard to pick up violin

I know u violins get it hard !!! For me on the oboe its meant to be one of the hardest (along with bassoon,tuba,violin,cello and the rest) but cause i had some experience im already going for grade 1 (and ive only been playing for 3 months. Plus im going for grade 2 a few months after that!!!!!!)

mmmm, I don`t know--there are actually even different definitions concerning what skills are considered grade 1 versus 2 and so forth. Some standards include Suzuki 1 and 2 in grade one, other only Suzuki 1. I would guess that a basic set of skills would comprise successful Grade 1: bowing, reading, tonalization, posture, noting, and mastery of some block of music considered appropriate to that level. And according to your long term goals: generalist versus symphony actually would effect what skills are considered grade 1. I `think` the most important thing to keep in mind in deciding where you are is can you play with confidence, and tonal quality, and can you do things like recover from a reversed bow effortlessly. Are you comfortable enough with basic scales (DGC plus intutively visualizing the relationships between them as well as other scales) to be able to pick out popular songs; and, is the bowing when you free style in good form? Does that b-flat addle you when reading, or that sixteenth note with quarter rest followed by another? If it is formal structure, you can find graded material freely through the American String Music Association, though I`m not sure they tell you exactly how long to expect the grades.