Advantages: Well worth learning Disadvantages: can be a bit of a minefield.
, 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 ...
Bryn_Pearson 13.09.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Violin
Advantages: Potentially beautiful sound Disadvantages: The squealy noises to start off with
missing' can be more expensive than buying a complete one at a higher price. New notepegs cost about £2-3 each, strings, from £4, fine tuning adjusters should be less than £1. Tailpieces, fingerboards, bridges and chin rests cost a bit more, but these should not be more than £10 , quite often less. A new bow can cost £15 to £20 and it is often cheaper to buy a new one than get one rehaired. These are all starting prices for anyone wanting to buy cheap, obviously these prices can spiral with increased quality. The main thing to think about with these repairs is the cost of service. Most pieces are not too tricky and can be done, with a steady hand, at home with only a little difficulty. One thing that is near impossible to do is to fit a soundpost. This is a small piece of doweling about an inch and a half long (depending on the violin) which ...
drawcabia 03.12.2006 (04.12.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Violin
Advantages: Encourages self discipline, can be fulfilling Disadvantages: can be expensive
I admit it- I am one of those responsible for teaching those little blighters to play the violin!
The violin, it must be said has an unfortunate reputation. There are all those violin jokes about cats, earplugs etc. It is a shame. I actively encourage yougsters to try the violin. I always give a suitability assessment, and to be honest it is only very rarely that I find a child totally unsuitable.Most children can manage to achieve something if a few criteria are followed:
1: THE INSTRUMENT:
Buy the best instrument you can afford. No, don't take out a loan on a strad- find out if your child is the next Nigel Kennedy first! However, there are some grim kits around for about £70. I refuse to teach on them. The bows don't play properly and they often break. The violins themselves mostly sound foul and are not properly set up ...
water-witch 30.11.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Violin
