Buying a Violin
Buying a Violin can be difficult if you don't know what to look for and very very difficult if you can't actually play the Violin!
Brisbane Violin specialty shops are few and far between, though larger music shops will sometimes have specialist violin salespeople. Look for a shop that will allow you to trade your Violin in when it is time to upgrade.
The first few months of playing a Violin can sometimes be pretty tough... and squeaky. Don't make it harder than it needs to be by buying a difficult to play instrument!
Look out for cracks in the wood (particularly on the back of the violin). Check that the sides of the Violin (the ribs) aren't bulging out further than the front (the belly) and the back of the Violin.
Make sure that the neck (the long thin bit) is straight and that the bridge (the thin piece of wood that is holding up the strings) is exactly between the f-holes. Hold the Violin up to your eye to check that the bridge lines up with the fingerboard. If the bridge needs to be to one side or the other to line up with the fingerboard it can lead to trouble later on.
Also, ask if the Violin has been "set up". This refers to very small physical adjustments that are made to the Violin to make it easier to play. Some of these adjustments include how high the strings are off the fingerboard, making sure that the fingerboard is truly flat and doesn't have any lumps and bumps and that the tuning pegs (the bits sticking out at the far end of the Violin you turn to change the pitch of the string) are smooth and not too difficult to adjust.
Bows and cases can be expensive too – factor them into the price when you are deciding your budget.
If you aren't sure, we at IMA can check out Violins on behalf of current clients.
Just keep in mind that you generally get what you pay for! And having a Violin that is difficult to play won't be any fun at your Violin lessons!
Tips for Parents
Being a parent of a child that plays Violin can sometimes be challenging.
Your two greatest challenges will probably be 1. Keeping your child motivated and loving their violin (particularly as they get older...). And 2. Dealing with those first months of having it sound like someone is torturing a cat at your house.
As far as 1. goes –
One of the easiest solutions to this problem is to expose your child to a wide range of musical styles that feature the Violin – then discuss with your child and their mentor/teacher the styles of music that your child most enjoys.
If your child enjoys styles such as Jazz, Rock, Country or other styles that feature improvisation, there is a good chance that your child will be able to find other musicians their age who they can play with once they leave school.
If a child is only allowed to play one sort of style, they may find that when they leave school, they cannot find a band to play in and that none of their contemporaries play music that they can join in with – but of course, if your child loves just one style and that's the one that they want to play above all others, that's ok too!
When we have Violin lessons with your child, we make sure that your child is achieving well with school band music and exams (if they wish to sit them). Also, we attempt to expose them to different music, to teach them to improvise and prepare them to play the violin for the rest of their life!
As far as 2. goes –
Just hang in there – the bad sounds don't last forever – and if you don't tell your child that they are bad sounds (or behave to suggest that they are bad sounds), your child will play the Violin regularly no matter how it sounds. And if they play it regularly, they will get better at it in no time.
When your child learns to play the Violin they are receiving a great gift – there is probably no other instrument with the versatility and variety of a Violin, and as musicians, they will be welcome on pretty much any stage in the world.
Head to our contact page if you're after great Violin lessons Brisbane!