Violin / Viola

Interview Questions: Selecting The Best Violin Lessons Teacher For Your Child

Parents may have the tendency to shy away from conducting an interview with the prospective teacher for your child. You may think it would not be necessary to interview the violin lessons teacher as he was highly recommended by a friend.  Or, you may have seen him perform and you think that his credentials speak volumes.  However, there is always reason to think that what looks good on paper may not necessarily bring satisfactory results.  For sure, there are a lot of good teachers, but a lot of bad ones too.  You can weed out and pick the best through an interview.

You may feel hesitant because you may not know how to start.   If you don’t play a musical instrument, you may find it difficult to figure out what questions to ask.  Here are some guide questions on how you could have a fruitful interview session with a prospective violin teacher:

1. What are your lesson schedules?  This would help you manage your child’s schedule, making sure that it does not interfere with his school work, nor take away his weekend break and family time.  Also you would want to know if the current teaching load of his teacher would not compromise the quality of teaching time spent with your child.

2. What physical ages and levels of violin skills do you teach? This is to find out whether the age and skills of your child matches the capabilities of his teacher.  It takes a particular degree of patience and a different method for very young kids and beginner levels students in teaching violin lessons. Singapore teachers often take supplementary courses in child education and psychology.  This helps them not only in developing teaching skills, but also in fostering creativity, discipline and motivation during the lessons.

3. How would you describe your teaching method?  It would be good to find out what the teacher’s ‘game plan’ is.  You can ask and think of ways you can help your child cope with the lessons.  You know your child better, so you can work with the teacher on so that his methods would compliment your child’s personality.

4. What are your goals and expectations from your students and from their parents?  This would help your child establish rapport with the teacher.  Allow your child to set goals based on his teacher’s expectations and lesson plans.  Establish an open communication with the teacher on how you could help in monitoring and reaching these goals.

5. Do you have out-of-class activities to supplement your lessons?  Do you have activities like recitals or shows where the child can showcase his skills before an audience?  Learning takes place in and out of the sessions.  It would be good to find out if the teacher could recommend concerts or violin music collections that your child could enjoy.  Public performances could boost your child’s confidence.  The teacher could organize a recital featuring all his students.

An interview is a not an assurance that you will get the perfect violin lessons teacher. Yet you could use this opportunity to get more information about the teacher and decide who you think would be most effective for your child.

Learning Vibrato on Your Violin Lessons

In the field of music, both in singing and instrument playing, vibrato adds more emotion to the music. The effect of a vibrato is more pronounced and the emotion more felt when it is used in violins. As you prepare for your violin lessons, here are some important things to know when applying the vibrato effect:

• A stiff vibrato finger will produce a stiff note. Keep your finger arched and tender to maintain its flexibility.
• There are basically three ways of creating a vibrato: the arm vibrato, the finger vibrato, and the finger vibrato. If you are just a beginner, you might want to try and learn all three at first, and see where you are most comfortable with, and which style gives you the best sound. What is important in all styles is, as mentioned previously, you maintain a lot of flexibility.
• Learn how to avoid the “dead” note. This happens when you suddenly shift from a note with vibrato to a straight note without one. It usually happens when you shift fingers, so make sure you hand off from one finger to the next seamlessly.
• Do not let your vibrato raise the pitch of the note. It only serves as a decoration for a note from below, and it must not raise the note higher. Otherwise, your listeners will hear you as out of tune.
• A proper vibrato is when your fingertip rolls on top of the violin string, and not slides over the string. Sliding it over the string will either lower the chord (which may be OK in some situations), and raise the chord tune (which is never OK for a vibrato).
• The speed of your vibrato is also very obvious to your listeners, so make sure you apply the appropriate one for whatever type of music you are playing. Melancholic and romantic tunes need a wide or slow vibrato, while up temp tunes are better served with a narrow or fast vibrato effect.
• Watch and learn from the professionals. There are dozens of videos online that you can easily watch and even download. Study your favorite violinist’s vibrato speed, and see how they manage to fluidly slow it down or speed it up. Watch loosely for their techniques, and you might surprise yourself if you can mirror their abilities even before you start your violin lessons!
• Use a metronome to give you a different aural vantage point of what you have been accustomed to. When you have practiced your vibrato for hours and hours already, you tend to lose perspective on what other styles or technique you can use. Metronomes help you count your “wiggles”. Practice with the metronome division 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Once you get the hang of it, you can increase the speed of your vibrato.

This are tips if you are already in the vibrato part of your violin lessons. As a beginner though, a lot of experts and professionals will advise that you first master and get comfortable with the basic, especially the wrist and hand positioning. Techniques learned and practiced in the right order will definitely give you a better advantage until you get to that vibrato part.

Qualities of Good Viola Teachers

So you want to learn the viola, and take beginner or advanced courses in the instrument? While many people prefer to learn by themselves either through books or through the internet, it is advisable to find a good teacher who can help you with learning the techniques properly and to guide you through the intricacies of the instrument. When seeking teachers for giving viola lessons, you should keep the following in mind.

Plays the viola

It often happens that violin teachers offer to teach the viola to students. Since a viola is very similar to a violin in many ways, this interchange is often done even by dedicated and sincere teachers. However, as your studies progress, you will realise that the violin and the viola are very different and you will require teachers who are well versed in playing the instrument you want to master. So make sure that the teacher you approach has some experience with the viola.

Teaching methods

Each teacher will follow a different curriculum and you might want to choose one who is more flexible and understanding of your needs. Some teachers will stick to the core curriculum required for a grading examination, while others would be willing to explore new pieces with you at your request, especially if you are ready for it. Choose a teacher who will help you fulfil your own musical goals rather than one who cannot think out of the box.

Provide inspiration

A good teacher should be able to provide inspiration to their students. Choose a teacher who can work with you according to your capabilities and help you achieve your full potential. For this, you need a teacher who is actually interested in their students and their goals and actively helps them to seek out new opportunities. With a good teacher, you can feel more confident about going out in front of the world and show off your viola abilities.

Ability to critique

Without timely criticism of your mistakes, you will never make a good viola player. However, many teachers do not know how to give constructive criticism. Some will be curt and unsympathetic, others can be impatient. Some might even let you get away with minor mistakes as they don’t want to push you to do better. A good teacher knows how to offer criticism without offending you or killing your enthusiasm. Viola teachers who can help you correct your mistakes and to guide you in a pleasant and disciplined manner is worth their weight in gold.

Experience

A music teacher is not ready to teach a specific instrument until they have had experience in different areas of music. The more your teacher knows, the more you will imbibe from them. So seek out a teacher who plays at least a couple of other instruments besides the viola, has some singing experience and has knowledge of both modern and classical music. A teacher whose musical education is well-rounded and vast will definitely bring more to the table.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you. You can make all kinds of tactical and smart decisions in choosing a teacher but if there is no chemistry, the relationship will not work. Seek out viola tutorials from a teacher whom you like and who is able to fulfil most of the criteria important to you.

Things To Get You Started On Your Violin Lessons

There are thousands of free resources on the Internet that you can get about violins. But there really is not better way to learn than to enroll in formal and professional violin lessons. But they are quite expensive, especially if you start from the really most basic knowledge and work your way up to even just the beginner’s stuff. To help you save on the basic parts, let us discuss here the necessary equipment to start you off, and to help you prepare for those lessons.

Let us start with the basic:

1. Violin

Get the full sized one, but just the ordinary but decent one. nothing special yet, just your basic beginner’s violin. Your learning will not be quicker even if you have the best violin your money can buy. Just make sure it is a respectable quality, so you won’t have to worry about it being out of tune, or easily breaking.

2. Bow

The bow usually comes as part of a standard violin set, although you can buy one separately if you do not get the standard set. Despite the bow’s simple and very basic appearance, it can also be costly, so watch out on the quality. Make sure the hairs are not stained or ashen, and that they are just correctly tight. As a beginner, you may only need to re-hair the bow once a year.

3. Shoulder rest

You will see a lot of violinists playing without a shoulder rest, and in fact there will be professional players who swear off using it. But as a beginner, I suggest you use a comfortable one. You can make one using just a sponge and a bit of string, or you can buy those attachable ones. Whatever you prefer, it is best you use one when you begin your violin lessons, as it will lessen the chance of having pain on your collar bone. It also allows you to relax your neck shoulder, and not raise or clench them.

4. Rosin

Do not get the cheap ones, go for the $10 price range since it will last you for years anyway. You will not get a sound from you violin if you do not put rosin on your bow, and new bows usually do not have rosin on it, so make sure you apply rosin on new bows. Do not put too much though, as it also affects the sound quality. You’ll know you out too much when the bow seems to be dusty or flaky.

5. Strings

Always have extra sets of strings with you. Violin strings are usually sturdy and lasts a long time, but you don’t want to lose momentum on your learning when you lose a string, so have a replacement ready at all times.

6. Casing

Take care of your violin and peripherals buy buying a case. Again, nothing fancy, just make sure it provides sufficient protection against normal bumps and hits. There are a lot of types that have lots of pockets inside, those are always a good choice.

You can also buy a soft cloth (to clean your violin and bow), a metronome so you can be good with beats and tempo, and a book for your reference especially when you practice at home. But these are just extras, and you can definitely start and progress on your violin lessons without them.

Learning the Basics from Viola Teachers

Like anything else, learning to play the viola too has to start with the basics. The viola is a classical instrument developed in 15^th century Italy and has since then been used in different musical compositions. To learn the instrument, you must first gain a basic understanding of the instrument and the type of music it produces. Viola tutorials must always start with this before progressing to the actual teaching of music.

Parts of the instrument

Learning about the different parts of the viola and the bow is the first step to learning how to play it. This helps you in understanding instructions better and you know exactly what they mean when your teacher talks about fingerboards or frogs. Understanding the instrument also helps you in understanding how the viola works and how each part of the instrument functions in order to produce music. This also ensures that you are better able to keep your instrument in good order and maintain it properly.

Holding the instrument

A good posture is about keeping you comfortable throughout the session, reducing stress on your muscles and enhancing the musical efforts. Both standing and sitting postures can be developed, according to your comfort level. This also includes how to hold the viola properly for best results. Most people prefer to place it on their left shoulder or collarbone. Handling the bow properly is required to learn how to play properly. Overall, the aim is to be relaxed physically while playing. Viola lessons must always concentrate on this aspect because this is what will help you on a long-term basis. Starting right is very important when it comes to a good posture as it will prevent you from getting into bad habits that might be difficult to rectify later.

Strings

The various stings on the viola produce different sounds. It is imperative to know how the strings work and how to combine the different sounds to produce good music. The D-string, the string second from the right, is the most used string in most musical compositions. Without understanding how the strings work, what notes they produce, how taut they must be, and how to combine them to produce good sound, learning the instrument would be very difficult. This leads to the next important step, tuning.

Tuning the viola

Learning the viola or any other musical instrument is like driving a car – it really helps to be able to tune it yourself. It will become a necessity at some point, because only you can tune it properly to suit your specific needs, so you might as well begin learning it in the beginning. Viola classes generally ensure that the student is taught this very basic skill before progressing further. You can use a simple viola tuner or use a lubricant. It is a very precise skill, so make sure you give it the required attention and learn well.

Fingering

You must learn fingering on your viola instrument right at the beginning. Each place on the string produces a different sound, and this is the basis to composing music by combining these notes together. Understanding the sharps and flats and which notes to play when comes only with practice and is an essential part of the theory lessons. Good viola teachers will always include these lessons right at the beginning.

Qualities of Good Violin Teachers

Music is a learning process and learning any instrument takes time and effort, as well as large dollops of patience. People can spend years learning to play the violin, because like most other artistic education, it only gets better with more practice. So engaging good violin teachers is essential for good progress. Whether a teacher is good or not will depend upon various individuals but there are some basic things that are essential for being a good violin teacher.

Knowledge

In order to impart knowledge to students, it is essential that the teacher have a vast knowledge of the instrument. They must be well versed in how the violin works so that they are able to find out whether the problem is with the student or the instrument. They need to have a large music repertoire to help the student along at different stages in their learning. A violin tutorial is not just about producing music, it is also about showing students how best to hold the violin, what body positions will minimize tension and how to maximize the student’s skill by teaching the right movements.

Creativity

Teachers are required to be more creative than students because each student is different and learns differently. A good violin teacher is able to explain a musical piece in different ways until the student understands it. The teacher should also allow a higher level student to experiment a little and explore every way of the learning process. Learning music can be grueling at times and a creative teacher helps in reducing the tedium by finding ways to make the learning process more fun, such as games or small competitions. These games are more important if the student is a beginner.

Patience

Teaching violin requires a lot of patience on the part of both the teacher and the student. The teacher’s job is to explain the concept to the students, show them what they are doing wrong, and give them exercises and games that would help in developing their skills. Since each student learns at a different pace, patience is essential.

Observation skills

It is important for a violin teacher to have the capacity of hearing a music piece played by the student and immediately understanding where the mistake is. If a person does not possess this innate ability to pinpoint a problem, he or she cannot really make an effective teacher. Students will make different kinds of mistakes in different ways, and the teacher also needs to be able to understand why this is happening as well as what the mistakes are. So good observation and analysis skills are essential.

Experience

Last, but not the least, students tend to learn more by violin lessons given by experienced teachers. A teacher with a degree in violin studies will automatically have more knowledge about music that they can impart to their students. But what is even more important is that the violin teacher has some experience in teaching and should be comfortable handling students of a certain level or age.

In conclusion, while not every violin player can achieve all the above qualities to the highest possible extent, a good violin teacher should have these qualities to some extent. It is far easier to play the violin and give performances than to teach others to play. Keeping this in mind, it is essential that violin teachers work on their various teaching skills as well as their violin playing in order to provide good quality violin classes.

How to Take Your Violin Lessons to the Next Level

The violin is a sophisticated instrument. It has to be played at a close-to-perfection level. Its pristine and delicate sound comes out best from highly-skilled players. Thus, violin lessons are indeed demanding. Good enough is not good enough.

So how do you up the ante and challenge yourself to constantly improve as a violin player? Here are some self-help tips:

1. Listen. Watch. Learn. Be Inspired. It all starts from listening. You witness the beauty of music unfold through listening. Listening is also the backbone of learning. Here are activities where you can listen and immerse your senses to violin music.
a. Record and listen to yourself playing the violin. This would help you and your teacher in violin lessons pinpoint areas that need improvement.

b. YouTube. Use this social media tool to your advantage as an additional resource material. It has a treasure trove of violin performance and tutorial videos.

c. Watch a concert. This is a lasting experience that could leave you in awe and inspired.

d. Attend a violin masterclass. It is a great opportunity to learn from the masters. You get to interact with higher-level violinists. They could give you nuggets of wisdom on the discipline of playing the violin. They share tips and techniques. They could give you very useful and constructive feedback on how you play.

2. Analyze and Emulate. After watching and/or listening to a performance, ask
yourself, ‘what did I like most about the performance?’. How does the violinist execute the technique you’ve been working on? Take notes on key elements of the performance like bow technique, posture, movements, etc. Watch, learn, and try to do it yourself.

3. Practice
a. When: Daily practice is a must. Have you found an optimal time for your practice routine? You should set an ideal and fixed time/s of the day when you can focus and be free from distractions.

b. Where: Listening is important. Thus, your space should be quiet or has minimal noise coming in from the outside. At the same time, also be considerate to others. The sound you make while playing should also not disturb others, especially your neighbors.

c. How long: Listen to your body. It will give you signals if it is drained, overworked, and stressed out after practicing. Thus, you may want to break down your full schedule into shorter sessions. With this, you allow your body to rest, recover, and re-charge.

d. Practice Accessories: Have the materials you need within reach. Aside from your instrument and music sheets, you may also want to have a pencil, a notebook, a recorder by your side. If needed, you may also want to equip yourself with tuning aids, music stand, violin resin, extra strings, etc.

4. Handle your violin with TLC (tender loving care). The violin is an extension of your body
and soul. It gives a voice to your emotions, your inner being. Treat it with love. Handle
it with care. Its beauty and elegance deserve respect.

Learning to play the violin does not start and end during your violin lessons. Go beyond the sessions and find ways to improve. What do you think is the best method to supplement your violin lessons?

Fast Facts You Need To Know About the Viola for Your Viola Lessons

It is a sad fact that violists or viola players are a rare breed.  The viola is even maligned as ‘the Cinderella of the orchestra”.  And yes, there are so-called ‘viola jokes’ and stereotypes. Do not let these unfair remarks discourage you from taking viola lessons.  Examine the facts.  The spotlight may not always be on the viola, yet it has its own shining moments.

There has been a resurgence of interest, respect, and repertoire for the viola.  Declared by the annual Berlin music festival as 2014’s ‘Instrument of the Year’, the viola is back in vogue.  In fact, it has a rich vault of interesting credentials.

Fast facts about the viola:

History:  The viola originated from Italy and was built in the 15th century.

Shape and Size: The viola’s shape and method of playing is almost identical to the violin.  However, the viola’s size is larger and has thicker strings.  It does not have a standard size.  It ranges about 15 to 17 inches; or some are as small as 11 inches.

Sound:  

1. The viola has a rich, mellow, and low pitch.  It is often played in harmony with the rest of the string instruments in the orchestra.  It just blends-in.  It rarely gets a ‘solo’ spot, unlike its more famous sibling, the violin.  Hence, people got the impression that the viola will always be playing second fiddle to the violin (no pun intended).  It was only in the late 1800s to 1900s when composers discovered its beauty and gave the viola its rightful place and the recognition it deserves in the orchestra.
2. In viola lessons, you will learn how to enhance the sound of the viola by playing with a vibrato.

Music:  The number of compositions for the viola pales in comparison to the huge library of music of the violin or cello.  However starting from the 20th century to the present, music written for the viola has grown in leaps and bounds.

Famous Violists: This may come as a surprise.  Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and Haydn were viola masters too!  They composed music with and for the viola.  Here’s a bigger surprise — Jimi Hendrix, the famous rock guitar god began his career as a musician playing the viola!  Another renowned contemporary violist include Scottish violist William Primrose who has written numerous viola solo arrangements.

Modern Pop Music:   The viola has been elevated to rock star status as well.  Several contemporary pop, rock, and alternative artists have featured the viola in some of their most recognizable hits.  Here’s to name drop a few:

1. “Baba O’Riley” by The Who
2. “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas
3. “Hello, Goodbye” and  “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles
4. “Venus in Furs” and  “Heroin, Sunday Morning” by The Velvet Underground
5. “It’s Time” by Imagine Dragons

Career: An orchestra always needs a violist.  There are very few really good violinists. Ergo, violists are in-demand.

If you’re taking viola lessons and happen to have viola jokes thrown at you, fret not.  You know who gets to laugh all the way to a place in the orchestra.

Viola lessons can give you lots of advantages and opportunities in the music industry. Not only would you have the right to play in an orchestra you also have the option of just playing the versatile instrument to amuse yourself and entertain your friends or family. It can be a lucrative career to someone who is good at playing and performing. Having a viola education also qualifies you to teach other students to know and play this wonderfully under-appreciated instrument. So begin exploring your many options now and start a thrilling adventure of learning this terrific musical instrument.

The Quest for Ideal Violin Teachers: Best Qualities and Qualifications (Part 2 of 2)

In part 1, we went through some qualities and qualifications of a good violin teacher.

An employee who is applying for a job is required to submit a resume or curriculum vitae.  It gives the employer an overview of the applicant’s educational background, skills, and work experiences.  In a similar manner, parents who are looking for violin teachers for their children, may do the same. Or find a way to get such information.

Teaching is a profession.  It requires one to have professional credentials.  As a parent, you want to entrust your child only to a professional who can impart knowledge and provide training methods for your child’s violin skills and development.

Having a set of qualifications in mind could help you size-up your prospective teachers. Here’s a listing of credentials that could help you decide who’s the best man or woman for the job.

Checklist for Evaluating the Qualifications of a Prospective Violin Teacher:

• KNOWLEDGE:  Knowledge could come from both educational background and experience.  Does the teacher have a music degree or has taken a music course?  Does the teacher have sufficient knowledge due to a vast experience in playing and teaching violin?  Violin lessons include music theory and other violin facts and figures that could make the lesson interesting.  Is the teacher equipped to pass on his/her knowledge to your child?

• EXPERIENCE:  Experience could be gained through time and ample exposure.  How long has he/she been teaching violin?  Does the teacher have experience in teaching your child’s age bracket?  A teacher’s experience is valuable in handling the learning challenges your child may encounter while playing the violin.

• SKILL:  It is important that a violin teacher should have mastery of skills in playing the violin.  Someone who could play what he preaches, so to speak. He/ she should be able to actually demonstrate or execute the violin theories and playing techniques to small children and beginners in an understandable manner.

• PERFORMANCE AND SHOWMANSHIP:  A teacher can inspire and motivate his / her violin students by performing for them.  Showing them ‘the big picture’ could encourage them and make them appreciate the value of those repetitive drills and exercises.

• REPUTATION:  If you have a short-list of teacher candidates who are all almost on equal standing, their reputation could stand as the deal breaker.  Go out of your way to get feedback from other past and present students.  Investigate the reasons some students quit or transfer to other teachers or music schools.  Research for any review or feedback online.  Take a peek at the teacher’s Facebook or social network accounts.  It could reflect his/her character and personality.

• AVAILABILITY:  Does the teacher have regular teaching days and time slots?  Find out his lesson cancellation ratio.  Irregular schedules could stall your child’s learning pace and progress.

• FEE:  Is the professional fee within your budget?  Is the amount commensurate with the qualifications and skills of the teacher?  Evaluate the budget you could afford without sacrificing the quality of your child’s education and training.

The search for the right violin teachers require time and effort. You should be resourceful and creative in getting information.  You should ask lots of questions to and about the prospective teacher.  Do your own research. Investigate. Negotiate.

Finding the perfect teacher for your child could be easy if you know what to look for. These guides should cut by half the process for you. Money is hard to come by these days so be wise and invest in true fashion in your child’s education, whether academic or musical. Violin lessons will definitely give our child advantages now and in the future. So go ahead and scout for your child’s violin teachers now.

The Quest for Ideal Violin Teachers:  

Best Qualities and Qualifications (Part 1 of 2)

Parents always want the best for their children.  Parents would leave no stone unturned to find the one thing that would make their children succeed in life.  Yes, parents would devote time and energy in search of ideal violin teachers.  A good teacher is one of the most important factors that could greatly affect and influence your child’s progress.

In your quest to find a good violin instructor, be on the lookout for both ‘qualities’ and ‘qualifications’. Qualities refer to the personal characteristics or attitude that a teacher should possess.  It would define how the teacher would interact, motivate, and empathize with his/her student.

Here are some qualities to watch out for in a violin instructor that could give you an indication whether you’ve found ‘the ideal match’ for your kid or not.

Qualities and To Look For In A Violin Teacher:

1. Patient

“Patience is a virtue”, is an overused cliché.  However, it is a disposition that a teacher should never lose when teaching a student. A teacher should have the patience to manage a child’s learning pace.  He should have the tolerance for mistakes and the persistence to fine-tune them.

2. Detail -oriented

Violin lessons are not all about fingering techniques.  Body position, proper posture, expression, movement, all come into play. Students may acquire some nuances or bad habits while playing the instrument.  A good teacher should be able to spot and address them at once.

3. Enthusiastic, Inspiring, and Supportive

Happiness, passion, and enthusiasm are contagious.  Find a teacher who truly possesses the joy of teaching, someone who is truly passionate about his craft of playing the violin.  If your child feels that positive vibe, he will always look forward to his violin classes.  Also learning becomes easy when you’re having fun.  However, in difficult and challenging moments, a teacher should always be empathic, sensitive, and encouraging.

4. Perceptive and Flexible

Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas, a renowned clinical psychologist specializing in applied behavior said,  “If a child cannot learn in the way we teach, we must teach in a way the child can learn.”  Yes, there are established methods in teaching the violin.  However, not all children have the same learning abilities.  A teacher should be able to identify this and adjust her teaching approach according to the needs of the child.

5. Compatibility with Your Child’s Personality  

There’s a certain mystery to how people naturally get along with someone.  Their personalities somehow click instantly.  While there are relationships that are built overtime or grow with circumstances.   As you talk with your prospective teacher, try to get a feel if he or she could get along well with your child.  Interaction and learning is easier when your child is on the same wavelength with his teacher.

A child’s interest and enthusiasm in violin lessons could be likened to his or her fascination with a big and red shiny balloon.  It is filled with fiery passion.  It could soar to the high heavens.  And yet, so vulnerable that one tiny pin could shatter it into pieces. With the above qualities, a teacher should be able to bring out the best in your child and unleash his potential.

Never has there been greater opportunity for a child to learn and love music. By enrolling them in violin lessons, parents not only give their children provident skills, they also help them develop a strong foundation that would help them achieve their full potential mentally, physically, emotionally and socially. Just be sure to look for the right teacher who would be their partner in this endeavour. Be sure to check out part two this article series for more tips and tricks.

The cello is part of the violin family (along with the viola and string bass) and a typical cello lesson incorporates many of the same techniques. As with the violin, the proper handling of the instrument is critical. The cello faces away from the student and is played in a sitting position and this requires a unique approach. 

First Few Cello Lessons

The first few lessons include learning the proper posture for playing the cello, including how to play the instrument comfortably for long periods of time.

The angle of the bow and the amount of pressure applied while bowing is critical to the tone of the notes played. The cello uses a larger bow than the violin and longer, more flowing arm movements are required. The student also learns how a bow is constructed and maintained and the importance of applying the right amount rosin to the bow to achieve the best possible tone.

When it comes to learning the individual notes of the cello, most teachers begin by showing the student the notes created by playing the open strings of the instrument.

Simple scales and one-string melodies are used in to gain familiarity with the notes that can be created on each individual string. Then the student is given a fingering chart to help them locate the proper pitch of the notes as they are pressed to the fingerboard.

Because the cellist has a limited view of their left hand, students are taught to rely on muscle memory to play notes in tune. Some teachers temporarily mark certain places on the fingerboard (certain positions for certain notes) for beginning students until they can finger the notes accurately and consistently.

Because the instrument is large, additional strength is required and the student may experience muscle soreness or other discomfort for the first few days of playing. Cellos of smaller sizes are available to younger students.

Additional Information Taught During Cello Lessons

Students also learn how to change strings, tune the instrument, and adjust the bow for maximum tone and playability. They also learn how to safely transport and protect the instrument

Learning the basics of music notation is part of studying the cello. Some teachers require in-depth study of the signs and symbols of written music, while others initially place more importance on playing simple scales and melodies.

Advanced Cello Lessons

Advanced students learn techniques such as vibrato, double stops, and advanced bowing techniques. Most cello students are given the opportunity to play with others, whether it’s with their instructor or as a part of a group of other students.

There are a number of things to consider when buying a violin. First, perhaps, is affordability.

Beginning students (and those with a casual interest in the violin) need not spend a lot of money on buying a violin to see if they wish to continue playing.

(Some choose first to rent a violin.) But there are some basics of buying a violin that can’t be overlooked, even in inexpensive instruments.

When considering to buy a violin, look out for these factors.

The construction of the violin has to be of great enough quality that the instrument will stay in tune. Make sure the tuning pegs will hold after being adjusted and that handling of the instrument will not cause tuning problems.

Ebony tuning pegs are preferred but may not be found in inexpensive instruments. Some violins have find tuners that help the instrument stay in tune.

The best violins to buy have spruce tops and maple back and sides. Student grade instruments are often made of laminate (wood that is glued in layers as plywood) and though they are serviceable and a good instrument to start out on, the violin’s tone will more than likely be lacking.

Along with examining the overall condition of the instrument, take a close look at the purfling that runs along the top and back of the violin and check for cracks or weak spots. The condition of a violin’s purfling is a good measure as to how the violin has been treated.

If possible, have a violinist or violin teacher accompany you when choosing an instrument. They can, in a short amount of time, determine whether the violin is worth its asking price and whether it is appropriate for the student to buy.

Violins come in many sizes, including ¼, ½, ¾ and full sizes. Younger players may not be able to handle a full-sized instrument until they reach the age of 14 or 15.

Another thing to consider is the quality of the violin case. If the violin is carried back and forth to school on a daily basis for example, you’ll need to buy case that can protect the violin and hold up after continuous use. Buy an additional case cover for maximum protection.

Finally, don’t forget necessary accessories such as rosin, cleaners, and extra strings before buying the violin. And ask the store owner or other violinist how to care for the instrument.