If you go to http://www.extasybooks.com/eb. php3?ebookid=18853 you can have a look at my latest wor...
If you go to http://www.extasybooks.com/eb. php3?ebookid=18853 you can have a look at my latest work.
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Whether it is for yourself or your offspring, buying your first violin can be a daunting prospect - how do you know what you will need? Hopefully, this will help.
Before you go shopping, ask around - your teacher if you have one or anyone you know who plays the violin, if you can get a recomendation of a good shop, this will make your job easier. Better still, try to elicite the help of someone who alerady plays - the advice of someone who knows their stuff can be very reassuring, as well as useful.
The violin - you can really spend as much or as little as you like - you can pick up second hand Chinese violins for very little (£40?) you can spend thousands. Obviously, if you are starting out, you won't want a hugely expensive instrument. Spend what you can afford. Make sure the body of the violin is in good shape - avoid anything with signs of cracks or other damage as these can get worse. Check the neck (long sticky out bit) and look at where it joins the body, again if it seems loose or cracked, avoid it. Make sure the chin rest is confortable. If you look in the body, there should be a lable telling you who made the violin and when. There should also be a little wooden psot - make sure it is straight.
The bow - like the violin, these can cost as much as you want. Try to find something that makes sense for your violin - many are sold with bows. Horsehair are much, much better than nylon ones.
Strings - ideally there should be a set on your violin when you buy it so you can ehar what it sounds like. if you don't play, ask if there's someone in the shop who could play it for you. Strings tend these days to be made of nylon or metal. The metal ones give a better sound, are louder but the nylon ones are easier on the fingers - I'd ercomend nylon for children especialy if you don't want to be able to hear them practising. You do occasionally come across gut strings still. I don't recomend these - they are very tempermental, go out of tune regularly, break easily and are very thick and consequentally quite difficult to play. Again prices vary but as with all things what you get is what you pay for.
Rosin - you will have to buy this seperatly, but your bow won't work without it. it only costs a few pounds and lasts for eyars.Ask your music shop for some - the odds are they will only have one or two types so little decision makign is called for.
Case - make sure you have a hard case that will hold your violin securely. Many violins will come with one. If the case is second hand, check all the hinges and fastenings, because unpleasant things happen to violins when they fall out of cases.
Shoulder rest - to go between your shoulder and the violin, you need to find one that fits. Again, they don't cost much, but they are vital.
Music stand - very easy to forget, but you want to try playing from music without one. Get one that folds down nicely - although most do.
Now all you have to do is learn to play it!
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Some good advice here, i have just bought myself a new violin and wish I had read this first. The strings and bow are both nylon and the tone is somewhat harsh. Still it was very cheap, only £49 brand new inc. bow, case and rosin. Kate xx
vikkis76 03.05.2004 11:28
Very daunting before I read the advice but now much calmer. Need to find a budget violin store now!
RottenPumpkins 20.09.2002 14:47
I can't even master the guitar yet, so better stay clear of the violin! Good advice.
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