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Learn to play the violin easily
You don't become a violin prodigy overnight, and with only 3 lessons you won't be able to master playing Beethoven's "Violin Concerto"!
Becoming a violinist is considered to be more difficult than becoming a guitarist or pianist.
It's true that, unlike the piano where the keys are stable, it is up to the violinist to have fine enough hearing to play the notes accurately.
It requires a good ear, but also a good dose of passion and concentration.
Listening to classical or baroque music, sitting and listening to a virtuoso soloist's concerto or chamber orchestra are just some of the activities that will help violin admirers to gradually progress.
When you decide you might want to learn how to play the violin, it's natural to wonder up to what age can you still be taught to play a musical instrument?
You have to know that it first requires a good dose of passion and also a lot of time. Learning to play with a symphony orchestra is not included in the introductory violin lesson.
Regarding the age of the student, learning the violin will be the easiest for a child or teenager.
From the age of seven and up, a child can fully learn this stringed instrument.
Indeed, the student's fingers are "made" and ready to hold a bow. That is to say, the small finger dimples a child is born with will have disappeared.
Also, their arms are already big enough to hold a small violin.
A teenager who is passionate about classical music and who already knows some music theory through other kinds of music lessons will also be able to learn the violin more easily than an adult.
It is indeed in adulthood that the learning of the violin turns out to be the most complicated. Nevertheless, with determination and effective violin lessons, an adult can also learn to play the violin or another string instrument (such as the alto violin, bass, cello or electric violin).
At the beginning of learning the violin, it is advisable to rent the violin rather than buy one. Especially for children who, growing up, will quickly need to change instruments to switch for one more adapted to their size.
Don't hesitate to buy a tuner on the Internet to make it easier for you to tune your violin strings.
Why become a violinist?
Whether you choose to take violin lessons to become a professional or just for fun, there are a thousand reasons to learn to play this instrument!
First of all, it's important to remember all the emotions that this stringed instrument provides. It is able to translate at the same time joy, sadness or melancholy that many songs utilise to give chills to the spectators.
Learning the violin also helps develop many skills. It requires a lot of concentration and discipline as well as patience.
Many amateur or professional violinists confirm the same sentiment, that playing the violin soothes them.
Even those who do not play the instrument agree: the beauty that comes from the violin is unique.
Whether you have the chance to play with an emblematic Stradivarius (a famous brand of violin from the Italian violin maker Antonio Stradivari), an Amati violin, a practice violin or even a left-handed violin, the violinist has the sensation of becoming one with the violin from the first note of the song.
Practising the violin also allows one to choose from a huge musical repertoire.
A violinist can play from all the spectrums of music, from jazz rock, celtic or traditional gypsy music. They could also learn classical music, baroque and many other musical genres.
It's even possible to become a composer-performer!
When you decide to learn to play the violin, you often hear that it is expensive to learn. It is true that some collectors violins can be very expensive.
They often belong to museums and are considered as true works of art.
However, it is not necessary to have an instrument of this calibre to begin playing the violin. You can rent your first violin to try it out and see if you really like it.
After that, it is quite possible to invest in an affordable violin so that you can own your own personal instrument.
As in the practice of any art or sport, you have to buy your equipment. Thus, taking violin lessons does not necessarily come at a higher price than taking piano lessons or learning to dance.
To do ballet, for example, you have to buy a tutu and ballet shoes. Well to learn the violin, it will require a violin, bow and shoulder strap.
How to take violin lessons at home?
On Superprof, whether you live in London, Glasgow or Manchester, you can easily find violin lessons.
Just check the profiles of our teachers and select the violin tutor that will best fit your needs.
Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or a professional in the making, taking violin lessons will help you to better understand the facets of this beautiful instrument.
If the history of the violin remains a bit mysterious, we know a few things about this subject.
A tailor-made history of the violin
A violin teacher, in addition to helping his student to improve his skills, will also teach them the history of the violin so that they can grasp all dimensions of the stringed instrument that they hold in their hands.
Without really knowing why, the appearance of an instrument with strings rubbed by a bow took place simultaneously in the 10th century in the Byzantine Empire, the Chinese Empire and in the Arab world. At this time the strings were pinched, as with the lyre.
Introduced in Europe most likely by Spain, the instrument was called the rebab (an Arabic term). Moreover, this instrument still exists, such as in classical Arabic music.
The rebab is an ancestor of the modern violin, without us truly knowing the knowing the etymology of the term.
It was at the beginning of the 21st century that the word "violin" first appeared, and the first instrument was created from the workshop of Amati, a violin maker from Cremona.
It's exciting to discover the history of the instrument you are learning to play, but that won't be all...
In order to properly choose a violin teacher, you must decide on your expectations in order to find the tutor who will have the best methods to fulfill them.
Some teachers include music theory lessons in their musical instrument classes. If you have not taken any music lessons before, this option may be perfect.
In this case, the teacher will also explain the different strings of the violin (such as the chanterelle, the most acute sounding).
Other teachers offer outings (for example to the London Philharmonic Orchestra) to help awaken the musical ear of their students. Those who do not have a very rich musical culture will be able to take advantage of this to help themselves evolve musically!
There are also teachers who offer to film their students playing the violin and go through the footage together so that they themselves can assess their violin skills. Others bring their students together to play as a duet, or even a quartet.
Violin teacher methods to encourage progress
Superprof has a wide variety of profiles to peruse when one is looking for a violin teacher. From qualified teachers to conductors or professional soloists, there's a teacher for everyone. Some are real virtuosos in stringed musical instruments and master both the cello and the violin...
Whomever you choose, taking violin lessons will allow a student to really progress.
The violin is an instrument that is deemed difficult because it requires a large number of qualities that are not obvious or easy at first.
A teacher will know how to help their pupil develop their patience and concentration to better play the violin.
They'll quickly identify the weaknesses of the learner, and with the passion necessary for learning the violin, will help the student to overcome these areas of improvement.
Of course, for violin lessons to be really effective, you have to consider following them over a significant period of time.
Gradually, the professional relationship that is created between the teacher and the student can really help develop self-confidence when it comes to playing.
Every skilled violinist can confirm the contribution that self-esteem brings when playing this beautiful stringed instrument.
A violin teacher on Superprof completely adapts his methods to the personality of his student. Thus, progress is made even faster.
Violin lessons make it possible to improve one's skills in playing the violin, certainly.
But they also help develop an amazing musical ear and a special relationship with the instrument.
Whether the teacher is a musician or student at the conservatory, they know that you do not have to constantly repeat the same scales until you improve.
It's better to understand what you're doing, and avoid frustration in order to find your own musical harmony.
Playing the violin is a very personal act. Of course, the instrument is intended to be played in public, but the relationship between the musician and their violin is unique.
The violin teacher is there to help the student develop this connection to their instrument, to make it even stronger and more precise.
When you want to learn to play the violin, even if you are self-taught, a teacher can help you bring out your best. In this way the enjoyment of playing mingles with technique which, together, creates beautiful music.
Professional violin teachers
The violin is a stringed instrument which can be difficult to learn without help.
Our violin instructors are professional violinists, violin instructors or passionate violin players with skilled teaching methods to bring out the best of their students.
Some of our violin teachers also teach the cello, alto violin, bass guitar and more.
If your child wants to take private in-home violin lessons, it is important to share with them that they will need to practice daily or at least several times a week and that the first two years are often a bit challenging! However, the more you improve, the more enjoyable playing this instrument becomes, and makes all the hard work worthwhile