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Any violin players here?

OREOSpeedwagon

OREOSpeedwagon

Diamond Member
I've been wanting to give the violin a shot for a while now and stopped by the local music shop to check them out. The one the guy suggested was $150 and he said it kept tune pretty well. It came with a case and a bow but looked like a toy. He had other German violins but they were $200+ without cases, bows, etc. I'd like to spend somewhere between $100-$150 and preferably come with a bow and case but I'd like to find one that is good quality and looks nice. I'm hoping there are some violinists here and maybe they can give me suggestions 🙂
 
$100-$150 is gonna get you a really really crappy violin.

But its what you should get if you're just beginning.
 
$100-$150 will get you cheap chinese made Violins.

Personally, mine costs $7,000 but even that's "crappy" compared to some of my other friends' violins.
 
Wow, $7,000... I guess if the one I was looking at keeps good tune and comes with a case and bow I should go with it then? 🙂

btw YHPM faenix 🙂
 
Yeah $150 is basically the bottom of the barrel. Personally, mine is worth around $3000 and I've got two approximately $1000 bows. Try your best to find a reputable violin luthier if you're serious. Any big store is most likely going to sell you mass-produced crap. Of course, if a $150 violin is what you're after that's probably all you're going to get anywhere.

I suppose a $150 violin will be fine if you're just starting. However, once you progress past the beginner's level be sure to pick up a new one because it will help tremendously with tone quality and will help you enjoy playing more than just feeling like you have to practice. Also, when you buy strings, please buy dominant at least (specify dominant; the standard crap they give you will sound just horrible).

EDIT: And remember, spending a couple grand on a violin is a great investment (that doesn't mean you should drop $15K on one right now, but consider more than $150), far more worthwhile than spending it on something like a computer or even a car. You're almost guaranteed to lose money on those types of investments. With a quality violin, it will only go up, and it will last a hell of a lot longer.
 
Originally posted by: esun
Yeah $150 is basically the bottom of the barrel. Personally, mine is worth around $3000 and I've got two approximately $1000 bows. Try your best to find a reputable violin luthier if you're serious. Any big store is most likely going to sell you mass-produced crap. Of course, if a $150 violin is what you're after that's probably all you're going to get anywhere.

I suppose a $150 violin will be fine if you're just starting. However, once you progress past the beginner's level be sure to pick up a new one because it will help tremendously with tone quality and will help you enjoy playing more than just feeling like you have to practice. Also, when you buy strings, please buy dominant at least (specify dominant; the standard crap they give you will sound just horrible).

EDIT: And remember, spending a couple grand on a violin is a great investment (that doesn't mean you should drop $15K on one right now, but consider more than $150), far more worthwhile than spending it on something like a computer or even a car. You're almost guaranteed to lose money on those types of investments. With a quality violin, it will only go up, and it will last a hell of a lot longer.
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Thomastik Dominant are great strings. Get their optional gold E with a tuner for a mellow sounding E (looks cool too.)

I use Pirastro Oliv Gut strings and love it.
 
LOL tweakmm 🙂 I can definitely see how a $3000 violin would sound much much much much better than a $150 violin. I'm only 17 and still in high school now making about $75 a week and would prefer to not spend much on a beginner violin. BTW does anyone know of any good resources that tells the basics on how to play the violin? Thanks for all the help so far 🙂
 
Originally posted by: OREOSpeedwagon
Wow, $7,000... I guess if the one I was looking at keeps good tune and comes with a case and bow I should go with it then? 🙂

btw YHPM faenix 🙂
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I've played the violin for 16 years..... you need to go find an instructor first and then he/she can make a reccomendation for you, and/or possibly help you find a cheap beginner violin

You will not be able to learn on your own. Violin is a very tough instrument to become proficient at
 
Originally posted by: OREOSpeedwagon
LOL tweakmm 🙂 I can definitely see how a $3000 violin would sound much much much much better than a $150 violin. I'm only 17 and still in high school now making about $75 a week and would prefer to not spend much on a beginner violin. BTW does anyone know of any good resources that tells the basics on how to play the violin? Thanks for all the help so far 🙂
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You need to go to an instructor as cchen said. Lessons are expensive, mine was around $50 for a 45 minute session...

 
I've asked the guy at the music shop about instructors in the area and the closest one is about an hour away so I'm pretty much out of luck there... I'm hoping I can teach myself, I've played the guitar for about 4 years and have played the alto sax for 6 years so I know how to read music. I'm also hoping the violin will help me learn more music theory 🙂
 
Originally posted by: OREOSpeedwagon
I've asked the guy at the music shop about instructors in the area and the closest one is about an hour away so I'm pretty much out of luck there... I'm hoping I can teach myself, I've played the guitar for about 4 years and have played the alto sax for 6 years so I know how to read music. I'm also hoping the violin will help me learn more music theory 🙂
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Sorry to burst your bubble but its not going to happen. When you start out is the most difficult... if you don't get a solid foundation you're gonna pick up bad habits that you won't be able to get away from.

So again, you need an instructor. I highly doubt that there aren't any instructors close to you.
 
LOL @ $75 per week (well, honestly I don't even work and I'm in college), since that's exactly what my violin teacher charges for an hour (and I have one lesson a week).

Anyway, I doubt the violin will help you that much with music theory. Probably moreso than alto sax, and probably in a different way than guitar, but nothing like what piano would probably teach you. Teaching yourself could be very difficult. As others have said, the violin is probably one of the most difficult instruments to learn (especially to get started on). You need some guidance on the basics IMO--how to position your fingers (there are no frets, no keys, it's just a continuous spectrum of possibilites and you have to learn which ones are right). Bow technique will be an initial hurdle as well (getting good tone).

If you really don't have the money for lessons, pick up I think it is Carl Flesh's book on violin playing (I don't remember what it is called exactly). I've heard it covers a lot of the essentials (though admittedly I've never used it), which should help you get started.
 
My friend is amazing on the Violin. He has played for the Prime Ministor of England and a few other Ministors. He has an Electric one also 😀

His teachers Violin is worth £210'000 ~ $378'000!!! Freaking crazy but he is one of the top guys in the country at what he does. Also a conductor of an Orchestra. His bow was worth £63'000 ~ $113'000! I was just like WOW. Then i preceeded to say was his bow made of women's pubic hair or something?! 😛

It has pieces of gold leaf and such in it.

He said quality violins and bows RISE in value over time and they are a good investment. BUT they do rise to a peak then they drop off in price. Something to do with the 'sound' reaching a peak and then dropping off with the wood as it ages and such.

I'm a n00b when it comes to musical instruments but I appreciate people who can play.

Koing
 
Get a teacher. Unless you're a genius and have undiscovered musical talent, you'll just get frustrated if you try to learn on your own. You don't have to pay a lot for a violin teacher. I'm sure you can find music students who are willing to teach for a reasonable price. You should have realistic expectations on how fast you'll advance. Advancement is not a matter of a couple of weeks or month, its years. Even though I think violin is a great instrument, and would recomment anyone to pick it up if they're interested. If your real interest is music, and not specifically the violin, there are easier instruments to pick up that'll give you just as much, if not more enjoyment. I think the piano is one of those instruments. Its much easier to learn, and you'll see improvements really quickly. You also have a large variety of music that you can choose to play, not just being limited to classical.
 
I'd like to learn violin as well. Are any of the violins on ebay decent to begin with?

Right now I'm self teaching myself (using books and dvds) guitar, and im gonna pick up an ukulele to learn. There is a piano in the house that I know how to play, but not all that well.
 
Originally posted by: TechnoKid
I'd like to learn violin as well. Are any of the violins on ebay decent to begin with?

Right now I'm self teaching myself (using books and dvds) guitar, and im gonna pick up an ukulele to learn. There is a piano in the house that I know how to play, but not all that well.
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I've heard it is easy to get scammed on ebay when buying antiques like a violin. Getting something cheap shouldn't matter, but I wouldn't trust someone saying their violin is of high quality and expecting a lot for it.

And Koing, I know what you mean regarding expensive violins. I've know a couple players with quarter-million-dollar violins.
 
the violin is such a beautiful instrument. Sometimes i regret never learning music, but my family is "tone deaf" as some people say and i don't think we'll ever play an instrument.

-=bmacd=-
 
Originally posted by: esun
Originally posted by: TechnoKid
I'd like to learn violin as well. Are any of the violins on ebay decent to begin with?

Right now I'm self teaching myself (using books and dvds) guitar, and im gonna pick up an ukulele to learn. There is a piano in the house that I know how to play, but not all that well.
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I've heard it is easy to get scammed on ebay when buying antiques like a violin. Getting something cheap shouldn't matter, but I wouldn't trust someone saying their violin is of high quality and expecting a lot for it.

And Koing, I know what you mean regarding expensive violins. I've know a couple players with quarter-million-dollar violins.
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Heh, quarter mil isn't really saying much in terms of violins.... my friend who goes to Julliard's violin is worth that much and I'm pretty sure most students who are in conservatory have violins close to that value

I've touched a Stradivarius before and had a chance to play a little on it... those are in the 1 million + range... but the sound is simply.... amazing on them
 
Originally posted by: esun
If you really don't have the money for lessons, pick up I think it is Carl Flesh's book on violin playing (I don't remember what it is called exactly). I've heard it covers a lot of the essentials (though admittedly I've never used it), which should help you get started.
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The Art of Violin Playing is Flesch's book IIRC.
 
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