Ever dreamt of being a professional violinist? Perhaps your family is hooked on music and maybe that’s why you want to learn to play an instrument as well? Or do you simply want to learn because you find playing it so fascinating? Whatever your reason is in trying to learn this craft, you are bombarded with questions of how to go about deciding which lessons to take and so on.

Can anyone learn how to play the violin in just one sitting?

Short answer, NO!

If you think that you can play the violin like a pro in just one sitting, well think again. What you can expect is that, during your first day, you will be able to play at least a few simple major scales and a couple of familiar songs often played by beginner violinists.

If you already have a background in music, for instance if you already know how to read the notes and land properly on the right finger positions, your progress will be a little bit quicker than those who do not have any background at all. Plus, if you follow the four fundamental habits of mind and work ethics such as careful listening, concentration, patience, and discipline, chances are you will advance really quickly.

How often should you practice?

There are no required hours for you to practice every day in order to be a really good violinist. It all depends on your desire to learn. If you have a tutor, he or she will determine how long you should be practicing depending on your skills. If you learn fast, then perhaps lesser time can be allotted, but if not, more time should be devoted to it. However, if you are learning on your own and you really want to be good at it, then you can practice as long as you want. Your desire, passion, and emotion will be your determining factors as to how long you practice.

Make your practice more fun

To make your practice more fun, you have to make sure that you master the reading of the music. If you are having a hard time reading and hitting the notes, then you’ll find playing the violin more of a problem. So the best thing to do is to educate yourself further as far as reading music is concerned. How to do it? Well, you can always download or order sheet music to familiarize yourself with the notes. Or you can arrange practice with friends who also play orchestral instruments. That way, you’ll find practice more fun.

How do i know if I am progressing?

If you are learning through the help of a tutor, your teacher will be the one to let you know how you are doing after every session. If you are progressing, of you will be tutored on more unfamiliar songs, but if not you will stay playing familiar notes until you perfect them. Now, if you are learning on your own, the best way to know if you are progressing is by listening to yourself.

Your own ears and muscles will provide you with the feedback, unless your tone deaf in which case you shouldn’t be playing any instrument. (-:

People say music is the sound of the soul.  Music is used to convey all sorts of messages. There is music and sounds that talk about happiness, sorrow and depression. Despite the genre and message that music sends, there are many people who can relate to these sounds. It is sad to note however that music is not truly appreciated by its value but by the artist who produced the music. As we all know different instruments are used in the creation of music. One such great instrument that produces wonderful sound is the violin.

The violin has gained popularity because of its inclusion in the orchestra. It belongs to the group of string instruments and has the highest pitch among these instruments. It has many parts that coordinate to produce quality music that an artist could ever produce. But how exactly is a violin played?

A violin is played by using a bow. The violin can be played by drawing the bow (arco) across the strings and by plucking the strings (pizzicato). The violin is placed under the chin while the left hand controls the length of sound of the strings by manipulating the fingerboard.

As much as the left hand regulates sound, it also helps in achieving the correct pitch for a piece. In practice sessions, the fingers are numbered and there are different positions on the violin itself. The method of numbering and positions are placed in sheets of paper for memorization. A violinist must memorize these positions.

One method of playing the violin is open strings. The open strings produce a different timbre. Open strings means that a finger must not touch the strings. The string sounds produced in open strings are different because of the absence of the fingers.

There are certain steps to follow to correctly play the violin. Here are some of the steps to follow.

Adjusting the bow so that it is not too tight and not to lose. A measurement of the correct adjustment is obtained through fitting a pencil between the bow hair and bow wood. Adjusting the bow is done in a clockwise manner. Remember to loosen the bow after playing the violin. Also, new bows require rosin and rosin needs to be renewed depending on how many times the violin is played.

Hold the bow correctly. The index finger is positioned on the grip while the other fingers are positioned at the same distances between each other along the same edge. The pinky finger is placed lower and is angled slightly.

Hold the violin with the chin and shoulder. The jaw should be placed on the chinrest. Stand up straight at the end of the violin.

The bow should be placed at the middle between the bridge and the fingerboard. The bow should pull as straight as possible and parallel with respect to the bridge.

Practice the open strings which entail not touching the string with any finger.

To correctly play the violin you need to continually practice. Playing the violin requires many hours and dedication along with plenty of effort. It is not something that is learned overnight. Practicing everyday is a good way to achieve the correct way of playing violin and delivering quality music.

To become a master of the violin takes a lifetime to learn. Just like any other skill, this one needs to be developed and nurtured. Although the passion for music can come within in an individual, the ability to be able to play this musical instrument is something that is learned and harnessed over time. The great violinists have gone through a tremendous amount of training and practice before they have reached the top.

What is the vibrato?

The vibrato is the musical effect that is produced either in singing or by means of playing any musical instrument. The violin vibrato is commonly produced by those who use this instrument. The technique is normally employed to create a kind of emotion for its audience. It’s necessary that the violinist can create a connection with his or her listeners. Through this, he will be successful in letting the listeners feel the power of his performance. Such a technique is also used so that the pitch of the notes will become varied.

Who should learn the vibrato?

Learning the violin vibrato is not meant for people who are faint-hearted. Amateurs are generally not taught this technique since bad habits may be formed. And if you have started letting the bad habits in to your style, you will find it hard to shake off. Trying it too soon will also affect your effort of establishing your confidence.

How is the vibrato learned?

The violin vibrato is created by pressing on a certain string and then moving it a little bit forward and backward. Vibrato techniques differ, there is one that is created with the use of only the fingers, there is one that is employed with the use of the whole forearm, and one that is played with the use of the wrist. All of these methods produce different effects and they are also employed in a myriad of musical styles.

Steps to learning the wrist vibrato

First, you need to relax your fingers, wrist, and arm. This is a key technique in order to play any style. The rigid fingers, wrist, and arm will only make things difficult for you because you will not be able to play it with speed and fluidity.

Prepare for the playing position. Your wrist should not only be relaxed but straight as well. Practice waving back at yourself to execute the right motion.

Then, lightly put your finger on the A string towards the D without applying any pressure downwards. Generally, it is easy to do the vibrato by using the 2nd as well as the 3rd fingers. The vibrato using the 4th finger is advisable to do only when the other styles have been mastered.

Next, practice waving back at yourself. Then, notice how your fingers move a bit backward and forward on the string.

Let your fingertip stay in the same position. As you do the waving motion, your fingers should rock backwards and forwards on the string. There are going to be changes in the pitch as you use the bow.

The final step to learn is improving your speed, follow these comprehensive steps and you will definitely improve your skill with the violin!

Music performances attract many people. Concerts and dance performances are increasingly big hits for many producers. Solo concerts and performances are amongst the most awaited by aspiring artists. It is through solo performances that an individual can gauge his following and his fame. It is sad to note that violin performances and orchestra performances do not generate as much audience as other types concerts generate.

Audiences are more attracted to rock music and band members banging on their drums and plucking their guitars. Very few people attend to violin concertos and other orchestra performances. Only orchestra enthusiasts and parents support the performances of people from the orchestra.

Violin concertos suffer the same fate with other orchestra performances. The Italian word concerto is used to refer to a musical work with three parts wherein one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra. Concerto has risen from the Baroque period and the concerto grosso. Violin concertos have been structured into four movements by Dmitri Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky and Alban Berg.  The famous violin concertos include the works of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Paganini.

The violin concerto was a perfect avenue for artist’s performances during the 19th century. The concerto advanced during this century and violinists were regarded as heroes. They were honored, respected and given high acknowledgement.  Violin concertos often have recitative elements. These elements show the influence of the opera in Italy. Paganini flourished in this century and used his unique abilities in staging performances. He took advantage of the potential of the violin and pushed the possibilities to the limits.

Two concertos that are worth mentioning is Johannes Brahms and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy concerto. Brahms concerto was the only concerto he ever composed. It was first played on January 1, 1879 and Brahms conducted this first ever performance. The concerto was dedicated to Joseph Joachim and Joachim had the privilege of playing it during the first performance.

Brahm worked on the concerto when he retired in Southern Austria in 1878.  The concerto was a collaboration of Brahms and Joachim. Joachim was a good friend of Brahm. The first three movements of the concerto were finished in august 1878 and Brahm sent a copy to Joachim. Brahm asked Joachim for his suggestions and Joachim obliged. The concerto’s first movements were thematic and dramatic. The second movement was composed of many themes and variations.

The Mendelssohn concerto is often associated with child prodigies. The composer was educated in musical schools and had a public appearance at the age of 9 and collected his compositions when he was 11.This concerto was dedicated to Ferdinand David and was completed over many years. The concerto’s first staging was a success. However, David couldn’t make the subsequent performances and sent his pupil to perform his act.

The next artist who performed the concerto was the then 14 year old, Joseph Joachim. Joachim did a great job in the concerto and this was his claim to fame.

The concerto had a wonderful melody because of the composer’s gift. The first movement of the concerto was straightforward and simple. It was understandable. The movements in the concerto were well coordinated and the transitions sustained the mood.

These two violin concertos have gained fame and popularity in their times. Up to now, these concertos are still considered as two of the best violin concertos. Contemporary artists often perform these concertos to gain the fame that they want to achieve.

This article will help you on the fundamentals of bowing.

Developing Your Potential

Being a left-handed person will not be a hindrance for efficient playing of the violin. In the beginning, you will find it hard to do. But take things easy. You will soon find the right technique to perfectly execute. Being left-handed will actually give you an advantage. That is, fingering and doing the vibrato will be easier and more precise for you.  After practicing, you will then discover that you have turned into an ambidextrous. Meaning to say, you can use both of your hands.

They say that practice makes perfect. Thus, you can count on the master violinists’ expertise in automatically moving their hands. Your constant practice will likewise develop your mastery and concentration which is going to be driven by habit.

Getting to Know the Bow

The violin is made up of different parts. Each part has a name of course. Technically, the “bow” is the wooden stick wherein the hairs are connected. The “grip” is the one that wraps around one of the ends of the stick. The “frog” adjoins the hairs and the bow.

The bow is then composed of a big screw at the tip. It is used either to relax or to tighten the hairs. It is important to check the tightness of the hairs before you start practicing. If it is too tight it may cause the hairs to break. On the other hand, the hairs may not produce the right sound when they are too relaxed. See to it that the hairs are aligned and the tightness is just enough so as not to sacrifice the quality of sound that is produced.

The violin bow is a stick that is essentially lithe and semi-elastic. It is stretched from one end to the other. In playing this musical instrument, the bow should be driven and pulled across those strings. The vibration then results in the production of the sounds.

Types of Violin Bows

There are various types of violin bows:

Tropical hardwood: These bows are made out of Brazil wood. These are cheaper and always available so they are perfect to use by the neophyte players.

Carbon fiber: These bows are the ones that are heavy duty. These are also bonded with the use of resin and are high-grade. This material features almost the same quality as the pernambuco so it counts as a cheaper alternative.

Pernambuco: These bows are more durable and heavier. They are also elastic, dense, and responsive. They boast of a soft feel so they are generally more comfortable to use. Pernambuco violin bows are not only expensive but rare as well.

Fiberglass: These bows are durable. They last for a longer time and easily bought anywhere. Being inexpensive, they are best to use by those who have just begun learning how to play the violin.

When buying your violin bow, you should consider its durability and price. Also take note of the frequency that you are going to use it. Also, choose one that will give you all the comfort when playing.