beginner violinist

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kidkage

kidkage

Bored of Canada
Well my sister has bought me a violin for Christmas. Very thoughtful of her. But I don't even know where to start with tuning playing etc.
 
I'm lost already, though I plead 'bass player/drummer'. :)
 
Well just go and take a few lesson on it? I'm a violinist, too. Not that hard, really.
 
Oh, if you don't have a good ear for pitch, then you are really starting behind the 8-ball. This is the case with all the un-fretted strings, and a few millimeters out in finger placement will make a noticeable difference.
 
Not sure who offers lessons around here. I'll call around.

I've got the ear for pitch. I just need to figure out how to tune this darn thing!
I don't want to break anything. It's pretty exciting though. I feel like i'm twelve and 15 again when I learned how to play guitar and drums.
 
Tune along to a youtube video man. Then you can't go wrong.
 
Ohhhh. Ok, see that maple looking bridge thing?
I didn't see it floating around in the case. I just put it on. Now it makes sense.
 
When my sister started secondary school {High school}, she took up the violin. That first year was excruciating. I'm so glad I've not had to endure "Crantock" since 1976.
My son does a few performances at his school and with this junior orchestra and in both sets, there are cello and violin playing kids. They're awful for the most part. The brass and percussionists can kind of get away with it, but not the string players. Like PR Hunt says, it only needs a couple of milimetres out with the fingering and you could inspire murder, mayhem and magahoustous !
The violin however, is one of my favourite instruments. In an inventive rock, jazz, folk or Indian setting {or a combination thereof}, it's beauty and power is rivalled by very few instruments. If there's one instrumentalist I'd love to be on great terms with right now, it's a viola/violinist.
 
My 6 yr old started lessons last winter and my wife loved it so much she wanted a violin. My daughter got bored by the summer, so my wife took over the lessons. She's doing great.

There are some videos on how to place the bridge. Basically align it with the notches of the F-holes. Course tune with the pegs, fine tune with the tuners, etc... but you knew that already.

If it's new it probably sounds real bright. Play it often so it absorbs the oils from your fingers and mellows out a bit. Don't touch the hair on the bow, ever. Nor the strings between the bridge and the fingerboard.

Tighten the bow so a pencil can pass through between the bow and the hair. That's all you need.

Get a shoulder rest thingy if you don't already have one.

Have fun with it. I love trying my hand at the violin. It pisses the wife off that I can pick it up and play something respectable with no lessons. :laughings:
 
Unwrapping our presents early are we?;)

She said she had to let me know. At which point I said, "Well...it's been delivered...uh?"

I've placed the bridge, tightened and rosined the bow and made my first sound! :D
 
If it's new it probably sounds real bright. Play it often so it absorbs the oils from your fingers and mellows out a bit. Don't touch the hair on the bow, ever. Nor the strings between the bridge and the fingerboard.
:
Yep. bright indeed.

I touched the hair :( only to check the rosin.
:facepalm:
 
I'm holding out for a pipe organ. Just need a cathedral to house it :listeningmusic:
 
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