Sunday, March 1, 2009

Learn to play the Violin

By Tyrone Burruss

Taking violin lessons is an excellent way to begin a career in music. Violin, along with piano and guitar, is a good beginners instrument. Many people love violin music because of the elegance of the sound.

The key to doing well at your violin lessons is not your instrument but is your teacher. A bad teacher can scare away even the most dedicated student; to give yourself the best chance of success you should spend considerable time looking for the right teacher. Ask about teaching philosophies and expectations and see who you have a good rapport with before you agree to begin lessons.

Get a guideline about the teachers plans for your lessons before you begin. Some students want a teacher who will focus on the basics, such as scales, while others want teachers who will spend their time working on musical selections from the beginning. A good teacher will be flexible to help you meet your needs.

Ask any teachers you are considering what they expect from you. Some will want a complete devotion and will expect daily practice time while others will be happier with moderate progress. Still other teachers will not have any set expectations before you begin. Be sure you are on the same page with your teacher about the expectations for results from your violin teacher.

If you want to perform for other people at a local concert, be sure to check the standards your teacher requires if he sets up student concerts. Almost all teachers plan concerts for their teachers because they like to show off the progress their students make, and you should make sure that your plans mesh with your teachers intentions.

As the time for your initial lesson nears, you need to make sure you have your violin ready to go. You may want to purchase additional supplies, such as resin for your bow. Your teacher or a salesperson at the local music store should be able to help you get the right accessories for your violin lessons.

Come to your very first lesson prepared to learn. While the teacher should take things fairly slowly, there is so much to learn when you are just beginning your music lessons that you need to think about preparing yourself to take in massive amounts of information as you are beginning.

As your teacher goes through the basics about music, ask questions if you have them. Remember that your teacher likely has been involved in music for decades and probably has been giving violin lessons for a while. That means she may go more quickly than you can follow. Do not be afraid to speak up.

You should set out a definitive practice schedule when you are getting started. While you may think you will only practice once or twice a week, daily practice likely will be needed when you are getting started. The best way to set a schedule is to write it in your calendar to keep the time blocked out.

Should you find yourself discouraged as you begin your violin lessons, do not fret. Give the lessons some time. You may need to work out the kinks of beginning to learn music before you really can judge how you think you are doing. - 16036

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