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By Liz, July 4, 2009 5:18 am

Since the age of Six, I have been playing the Violin.  The Violin is simply an extraordinary instrument with just four strings: G, D, A and E.  I am Grade Seven standard and have played in Orchestra’s such as the Reading Youth Orchestra and Corelli.  I have also played as a Soloist, as part of a duet, trio and in bands as a performer and as a session musician.  That is why I am writing this article to share my passion for playing the Violin.

If you are determined and keen to start learning to play the Violin, there are some important things you need to know before you begin.  Just follow these five tips for learning the Violin, getting started to play the violin and having fun with learning to play the violin.

1. An important factor when you start to learn to play Violin is learning how to hold the instrument properly.  If you don’t the sound projected will not sound right at all. So, first of all you pick the Violin up by the neck with the F holes facing away from you so you should only see the back of the Violin.  You then place the violin on your left-hand shoulder and rest your chin on the chinrest.  When you first begin learning to play the violin you can practise ‘balancing’ the violin by just resting it on your left hand shoulder and your chin resting on the chin rest.  Take care not to hunch your shoulders whilst doing this.  It can easily happen but try to avoid it.  The violin will balance.
2. Another important factor is knowing how to tune and know the pitch range of the instrument.  It is absolutely critical because when you play the instrument if you do not know how to tune the instrument properly when you do play the notes will sound flat and the violin will sound out of tune.  So, remember that the pitch range of the violin is from G3 that is G below middle C to C8, which is the highest note on the modern piano.  The top notes are often produced by natural or artificial harmonies.    You can either tune the Violin by the pegs where the scroll is or you can use the fine tuners near where your chin rests and this used to make smaller pitch adjustments.
3. You have to get the right size Violin that is suitable for you.  If the Violin is either to small or big you may struggle to play the instrument properly and getting the right sound is extremely important.  So the sizes from smallest to largest are 1/32, 1/16, 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and finally the full size violin.
4. Another important factor is knowing how to play the instrument because if you don’t play it properly the angelic sound that is supposed to come out it will sound muffled. So you can either stand or sit down on a chair to play the violin.  If you are standing up whilst playing the violin you should stand up straight with your legs placed apart – level to your waist and position your feet in a V shape.  If you are sitting down on a chair whilst playing you have to sit up straight at the end of the chair with legs far apart.  When holding the Violin in your left hand the neck goes between thumb and your first finger.  Make sure your wrist is straight while placing your fingers on the fingerboard to playing the right sound.
5. Have you considered either plucking the strings with your right hand fingers or using the bow.  This projects different dynamics out of the instrument and creates either staccato notes or long sustained notes effect.

So if you really want to learn the Violin in either as a fun or professional capacity then follow these five tips and you will please yourself and your family and also make money out with it.