Contents
- Is the violin hard to learn?
- Can you learn violin at any age?
- How do I know what age to learn violin?
- How easy is it to learn violin as an adult?
- How do I teach myself violin at home?
- Violin or piano?
Today, in a world of social media, fast-paced technological change and stressful exam systems, music is still one of the best ways to calm yourself and can be beneficial for your mental health – both young and old.
Aside from the dreaded otamatone which you might remember from our handy list of gifts not to buy children for Christmas (or ideally ever), the second most horrible musical sound which you are likely to hear in a family house – joint second place with the bagpipes – is the high-pitched screeching sound of a violin played badly. If you have never heard a child playing the violin badly, it sounds a bit like a rather distressed dying cat. 🙀
Despite this, there are many reasons to learn the violin. In fact, it is commonly ranked as the third most popular instrument to play. This post will explore some of the reasons why the violin is loved, hated and how old you have to be to learn.
Is the violin hard to learn?
Pressing a key on a piano is not difficult and will always produce the same sound; however, learning to glide the bow over a string in exactly the right way is phenomenally complicated. It is because of reasons like this that the violin is famously considered to be one of the more difficult instruments to learn. Handling the bow whilst manoeuvring the strings can be tricky, but as with all things, it’s a skill that can be learnt overtime.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that certain learning difficulties in children such as dyspraxia can sometimes make it harder to learn certain instruments – the violin in particular. Dyslexia is also a common barrier to reading music sheets for all instruments.
Can you learn violin at any age?
We think that there is a clear age at which children are too young to play the violin – depending on the child, the earliest you could try and start is probably 4. Above that, you can learn at any age. 😃
There is nothing stopping adults from picking up the violin and starting from scratch. In this case, you can teach an old dog new tricks. 🎶 There are cases to be made that learning the violin as an adult can reduce stress and even help improve your back posture.
How do I know what age to learn violin?
We have already mentioned that you realistically need to be at least four to start violin lessons – but at that age you need to expect the progress to be slow.
You need to have a concept of reading. If you can learn to read words, you can probably learn to read notes at the same time.
How easy is it to learn violin as an adult?
It is never easy to learn the violin. It is not easy for kids and it is not easy for adults. Playing the violin requiresly learning almost instinctive movements – which is why if you want to be a true maestro you need to start young. But let’s be honest, most of us would happily settle for the status of proficient amateur.
If you want to learn the violin as an adult – go for it! It can change your life in more ways than one!.
How do I teach myself violin at home?
People often ask, ‘can I teach myself violin?’ As with pretty much everything, there are now some amazing online courses on how to learn the violin. You can even watch free videos online which talk you through the instrument from the very beginning.
There is also the possibility of having violin lessons virtually with an instructor joining you via videolink. Thanks to technology – with a helpful nudge from coronavirus – almost everything is doable online and, in many cases, online learning can be better.
Violin or piano?
Violin will allow you or your child to play as part of an orchestra whereas a piano is more of a solo instrument. 🎹 The communal and sociable nature of the violin means that your child is more likely to be part of a group which brings many benefits such as helping your kids make friends.
Before deciding whether to go for violin lessons or piano lessons, here are some things to consider:
- Piano is easier to learn at the beginning because there is less technique which results in the dying cat noises we mentioned earlier
- A piano is expensive and takes up a lot of space in your house whereas a violin is (relatively) cheaper and can be tucked away
- A violin is portable which automatically makes it easier to move around
So there you have it, the ins and outs of learning the violin! 🎻
It is possible that during the early stages of playing the violin you or your child will feel like a lost duckling splashing around in a puddle, but once you come to grips with this marvellous contraption you will feel like a mighty swan graciously floating along a beautiful lake. As Albert Einstein said, “I know that the most joy in my life has come to me from my violin.”
