13 tips to learn violin

"I JUST BOUGHT A VIOLIN... NOW WHAT?"

Inspiration to play a string instrument can come from almost anywhere. Maybe someone took you to see a soloist like Joshua Bell in concert. Maybe you like folk music, or heard a violin solo in your favorite song. Maybe you're a middle or high school student and you took orchestra as an elective. Whatever the reason, this post is for you if you just picked up your violin (or viola, or cello) from the store and have no idea where to start. One day, with hard work and determination, you can play like the greats, but even Heifetz started from zero.

1. BUY EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

You don't want to get home from the music store, pull out your cello from the case, draw the bow across the string and realize you don't have any rosin. There are a few materials you want to make sure to have on day one so you can start learning to play your instrument without having to return to the store for things you need on day one. 

• Extra Strings - Tuning the instrument has a learning curve, and when you finally decide to tune your own instrument, there is a chance you can snap a string. Always have an extra set around, and violinists will need a few additional E strings. It is healthy to change your strings every couple of months, anyway, so even if you don't snap a string from tuning or playing, you will be happy to have some around.
• Rosin - Rosin is necessary for the bow hair to catch and pull the string. The friction between the bow and string causes the vibration in the string that makes sound. Applying rosin to your bow will make it tackier, and make it possible to play. Rosin will shatter easily if you drop it, so be careful!
• Music Stand - You will want to buy a music stand, because even if you can't read music yet, soon you will. Instead of taping your sheet music to the wall or leaning over a table, buy a music stand.
• Technique Book - Depending on why you want to learn to play your instrument, you might consider different beginner method books. The one I use with all of my students is the Suzuki Method, because I agree with its ideology. Of course, a teacher will help you interpret your technique book, and some might want you to buy a different method book, but YouTube videos won't cut it for the serious learner.
• Tuner/Metronome - It is easy to find a metronome and tuner in one at most music stores. There are also free smartphone apps that you can download and use.
• Rag/Wipe - To wipe off the rosin from your strings after practicing. If you go too long without cleaning the rosin off, it will start to cake onto your strings, under your strings, and on the wood of your bow, and at that point it is difficult to remove.
• Shoulder Rest (for violin and viola) - It provides a support under the violin so the wood doesn't hurt your collar bone when you play.
• Rock Stop (for cello) - On slippery floors, a rock stop prevents the endpin from sliding.

If you live in the Miami area, many of these accessories (and instruments) can be purchased from String Power. 

2. FIND A TEACHER YOU LIKE

The single most influential factor for any beginner is the teacher they choose. Teachers are necessary because they are seasoned veterans who know all of the pitfalls of inexperienced players, and how to prevent you from those pitfalls. You will progress exponentially faster with an effective teacher than without, because they have tips and tricks to improve your playing (sometimes instantly), that would take a while to discover for yourself. But there are so many teachers in Miami! How can you find the one that works for you?

---

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

— William Arthur Ward

The right teacher:

• Knows your needs as a player and as a person
• Challenges you enough to keep you determined and inspired
• Uses a variety of teaching techniques to get a point across
• Makes you feel that they care about your progress as a musician

---

The bottom line is this: if you are often frustrated after a lesson because you feel like you are an inadequate player, the problem is not the student, but the teacher. Every musician is on a journey of discovery and learning, and until you become your own teacher, you need to find one who celebrates where you've come from, where you are, and where you're going.

If you are looking for a teacher in the Miami area, consider lessons from a HeartStrings Musician. We are passionate about music, teaching, and spreading the joy of music to the Miami community, and we would love to have you as a part of our studio!

3. PLUCK THE STRINGS BEFORE USING THE BOW

Cellist plucking strings. Used with permission.

Yes, your violin has a bow, and you will use it. But first, we have to get used to plucking some open strings. Have you ever rubbed your stomach and tapped your head at the same time? Having both hands move independently of each other is tough, so lets just start with one. There's no shame!

If you're a violinist or a violist, you can put the instrument on your shoulder, or hold it under your arm like a guitar. The point is to use your right hand to pluck your strings. If you learned to put fingers down already, try putting some down and plucking. You should get a solid, resounding pitch. If you get a short, cut-off sound, the connection of your fingers are not strong enough.

4. DON'T SQUEEZE... ANYTHING

This tip was originally about your bow hand, but it applies to all aspects of your playing. You should practice holding your bow vertically, then carefully letting it slip out of your hand (without having it crash to the floor). Put the bow back and add 2% more holding power. That is how the bow should feel when you're playing. Squeezing the bow is unnecessary and can lead to injury. If you want a powerful sound, use the weight of your arm instead of your fingers and wrists.

Your left hand should not squeeze the neck of your instrument. For a solid connection, use the weight of your left arm instead of hurting your wrist. I learned this lesson the hard way. You will eventually get injured if you squeeze the string onto the fingerboard instead of pulling it down.

Instead of lifting up your shoulder to keep your instrument from falling off, put your violin or viola on your naturally relaxed shoulder, and look slightly downward. Your body should always be free of tension.

5. KEEP THOSE KNUCKLES STRONG

It is exciting when you are ready to put your fingers down and play your first song, but there is a right way and a wrong way to it. 

First, look at your left palm. Is it facing you, or the fingerboard? Though it might be easier to turn towards you, you will achieve more consistent intonation (you will play more in tune) if you start turning towards the fingerboard. Your first finger should look at your thumb!

The knuckle closest to the end of your finger must stay strong! If a friend pushes down on the knuckle, don't let it collapse. If you feel you have weak fingers, find ways to exercise them. One thing you can do, is buy modeling clay, and practice pinching it between your individual fingers and your thumb.

6. USE YOUR METRONOME!

When you learn how to read rhythms, it is important to use a metronome. You might think you have perfect rhythm, but let me tell you, the metronome does not lie. 

How to use your metronome to practice rhythms:

1. Beat box - Sometimes it can be overwhelming to worry about putting fingers down, moving the bow, and getting correct rhythm all at once. With your metronome on, scat the rhythm of tricky measures on a syllable like "da," until it becomes natural.
2. Slow it down - If a rhythm is confusing, slow it down to a tempo that is easy to understand.
3. Incrementally speed up the tempo - Repeat the difficult passage at progressively faster tempos. Work your way up to performance tempo.
4. Connect the measures - Make sure you can play through the measure before, the tricky measure, and what comes directly after without stopping.
5. Halve the metronome tempo - Divide your tempo in half, but play the passage at the same speed as before. The metronome should click every two beats. This way, you will be internalizing the tempo. Even with the metronome off, the beat should always be felt.

7. JOIN A COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA

There are so many reasons to join an orchestra in your city. If you are in grade school, you will want to join a youth orchestra. If you are an adult learner, there are community orchestras that exist for hobbyists that play challenging repertoire. Joining a large ensemble is a unique opportunity that helps string players to build friendships with encouraging people who share similar interest, fosters healthy competition among players auditioning for the same seat, allows exposure to other perspectives and ideas, compels the group to work as a team to accomplish one goal, and provides many low pressure performance opportunities, where you get to play for audiences, but in the comfort of being part of a group.

MusicAll in Rehearsal. Used with permission.

For adults who are looking to join an orchestra in the Miami area, the Alhambra Orchestra is "a vibrant performing organization for amateur and professional musicians dedicated to bringing rewarding musical experiences to audiences of all ages."

For younger players, from ages 5 until they graduate from high school, I recommend checking out MusicAll. MusicAll believes that "children with participation in arts and music as a valuable experience broaden their understanding and appreciation of the world around them."

8. PLAY IN PUBLIC AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE

Taking every opportunity to play for people is the best strategy to overcome your nerves of playing for people. It's natural to be self conscious of your sound, but don't let it get to you. Remember that you are on a journey, and one day, you will be filling concert halls, but when it's time to perform, be happy with all the progress you've made. 

Why are you learning to play in the first place? Music is intended to be a shared experience between players and the audience. Music creates a space where everyone listening is of one mind for a brief moment in time. I believe that our purpose is to help unite different types of people, celebrating differences, while reminding us that we share our humanity. All this to say, play for people. It doesn't matter that you don't sound like Yo-Yo Ma, you can still bring joy to people through your music.

9. RECORD YOURSELF

When you do this, You will discover that you don't sound as good as you thought you did. The reason why you thought you played better than the recording revealed, is the same reason why you think you look better in the mirror than in a picture. When you look in a mirror, you are not looking at yourself. You're looking at reflected image of yourself. When someone looks at you, they always see your true self. You are so accustomed to looking at your reflected image, that you started to believe the mirror. The same is true with your playing. When the instrument is directly under your ear, or for a cellist, pointed away from you, the sound is different than what the audience hears. They hear what your microphone picks up from across the room when you record. If you want an impressive sound from the audience, you need to hear the sound that the audience hears.

It's a brutal way to check your progress, because after all your hard work and practicing, you would expect to sound flawless in your recording. Recordings are honest though, and when you listen back, you'll hear every out of tune note, every shake in your bow, that you rushed measures 37-39, and you might feel that nothing went right. But your recording is a valuable tool, because now you know exactly what you need to work on, so your next recording will be better.

10. LISTEN TO SOLOISTS YOU ADMIRE

Brahms: Violin Concerto; Bartok: Violin Concerto No.1

By Janine Jansen

In any discipline, imitation is the biggest form of flattery. Fashionistas look on the cover of Vogue or Cosmopolitan for inspiration. Architects study the Parthenon and the Taj Mahal. Violinists should listen to recordings of David Oistrakh, Jascha Heifetz, Janine Jansen, or any other soloist they admire. Yes, you should want to develop your own unique sound. But listening and internalizing the sound of a great musician will help you understand their musical choices before you start to form your own opinions about phrasing, vibrato, bow use, etc. 

So just dive in, and listen to something like thiswhile you're driving to school or work tomorrow.

11. ALWAYS HAVE GOALS IN MIND

What is your goal in learning your instrument? What do you want to attain? Becoming a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician, joining a band, or something else? Write it down. This should be something that you cannot do in a few months, or even years. But knowing where you are going will help you get there.

After you've written your goals down, writing down smaller, more attainable objectives and a rough timeline will give you a sense of direction and keep you motivated toward your goal. As an example, let's say you're 13 years old, just started playing, and you want to eventually become a solo violinist who fills concert halls with raving audiences. Your list of objectives might have things like getting into a music high school, applying to music schools for college, competing and winning competitions, learning how to market yourself, etc. Now, while you have your end goal in mind, you can work toward your first objective.

Obviously, even your first objective needs to be broken down into smaller objectives, but you get the idea. Know what you want to do, and when you want to do them. It may be difficult, and things might not go exactly as planned, but stay focused and determined, and your hard work will pay off.

12. STAY CURIOUS AND EXPERIMENTAL

Earlier, I mentioned that you want to become your own teacher. While that may be a long way down the road, there is no reason why you need to blindly believe everything your teacher says without challenging them. Get those gears in your mind turning and start solving your playing problems for yourself. Don't stick to one way of holding your bow. Try using your bow a different way. Move your left thumb around. This is how you teach yourself. If you take initiative in your learning, and are honest with yourself, you will start to progress faster than you were before.

13. ALWAYS SEEK THE JOY IN PLAYING 

““Everybody loves classical music, they just haven’t found out about it yet!”

— Benjamin Zander

Lastly, you should remember that music is a wonderful thing. It should bring you and others joy whenever you pull your instrument out of the case, because what you do is special. What you play can make others laugh, cry, remember good and bad times, and everything in between. 

Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic and brilliant educator, shares his philosophy about music in this video.

Music is a language, and your instrument is your voice. Wherever you are on your musical journey, sing to others, and yourself.