Violin Lessons/Violin Tuition - is it needed?

Violin lessons are one of the most common questions I get asked about. They are incredibly useful for many people, and I still have them today. But as these tough times come into force, it may not be the most suitable option.

Most commonly, a violin teacher will teach for a set period of time and lessons in general are once a week. I think that violin teachers make a massive difference, as they notice the things that people do wrong that they don’t even realise. Violin teachers also tend to be very friendly and helpful.

One thing I must stress is that if you decide to have a violin teacher and don’t believe you get along with them, don’t feel as if you have to stay with them. I don’t mean to blast common sense, but otherwise you’ll lose the enjoyment and just be wasting money. If the teacher doesn’t suit, then move on and find another.

Violin teachers tend to teach in music centres, so as long as there’s one nearby, then there should be a violinist willing to teach. Another avenue is to go down the private route, for example, some violin teachers often teach in their own homes or come to the person.

But the only downside to having a violin teacher is the cost. For instance, a half an hour individual lesson can cost up to £15/$25 (Britain/US) and is going to stack up. I think that this is the best way to be taught, as someone can always guide the person what to do next, and their past violin experience can help.

Another alternative is to teach yourself how to play the violin! Instead of having violin tuition, tutoring yourself could save an awful lot of money, and the flexibility of when to play the violin. Going down this avenue will require a lot more patience, and may take longer to progress.

What I’d recommend is to get some violin books. Violin books are relatively inexpensive and show how to read real music! Most music shops stock violin books, so I’d get the basic ones if you wish to go down the route. On the Internet, a place like Amazon would be the best to go to – their best sellers tend to be the best books to start with. But Violin Tution such as CD’s are a waste of time as they don’t help, leading onto my next point – video!

Now, watching videos on websites such as YouTube will help a great deal on simple things, such as violin posture amongst other things. Such as searching “Violin Lessons” on there will come up with a whole range of things which should set you on your way. Again though, violin lessons on the internet are not the same thing as having a real violin teacher to guide you through the tricky progression!

On the whole, having violin lessons will help an awful lot and if you’re keen to progress quickly – it is the best way to go. But learning how to play the violin by yourself is another great way – just do what feels best. But make sure of one thing – don’t by the trashy Violin Audio Tapes!