Matteis: Ayrs for the Violin

Advantages: Well worth learning
Disadvantages: can be a bit of a minefield.

...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... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Potentially beautiful sound
Disadvantages: The squealy noises to start off with

...I have been a musician for many years, you could say it is embedded as part of me as I can't go more than a day or two without trying a tune out on some instrument or another. In my time of musicianship I have dabbled on many instruments and the violin is still one of my favourite sounds. I have to confess that the piano is my first instrument, and I have never actually taken lessons for the violin, but have on the viola. So my violin playing is self taught from a combination of all these things. The viola is similar to the violin, a few inches bigger, and it's range is a fifth lower. Introduction ~~~~~~~~~ So, to recommend violin to a beginner? A common misconception is the idea that only classical music is played on the violin. In my years of playing I have come across a wide range of music available for the violin, indeed... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Have fun, great sense of achievement, opportunity to travel abroad
Disadvantages: cost, time to practise!

...I am one in a long line of a VERY musical family so I count myself lucky that I could have help from my mother (who is a very respected teacher of violin, piano, singing and theory lessons in Basingstoke and surrounding areas). I first started to learn at the age of 3 but after a few lessons of me hiding under a chair and refusing to come out whilst sitting on my hands my mum decided to take matters into her own hands and teach me herself. I have always been encouraged greatly by both my parents, my uncle and aunt and my granparents and my "talents" are still being pursued. One of the things that parents start to worry about when their child/children start to show a certain "attachment" to playing a musical instrument such as the violin is that every so often you have to purchase a new one due to the size of your child. I started... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful