How to Choose a Beginner Violin for Your Child – Complete Guide

Your child wants to play the violin. You are not sure if you should start with violin lessons, it is a serious activity, after all, that requires long-term time organization for the whole family (sometimes even more than just a family), certain financial expenses, and what if the child soon changes his/her mind…

Many parents are confronted with these issues and sometimes choose one solution – we will buy a violin and then we’ll see. If you are one of these parents, it would be a good idea to consult a violin professor about your particular needs, but here are some tips to help you make the choice. It will also help your child to make this start through the game on a suitable instrument that may later serve him if he/she chooses to start learning the violin.

All of these tips are fully applicable to adult beginners on the violin who need to choose the instrument for themselves. violin beginner

VIOLIN PARTS

First, get to know the parts of the instrument to help you follow the instructions.

VIOLIN SIZES

All about the great importance of properly selecting the violin size read in the detailed article with the violin size chart HERE.

BEGINNER OUTFITS

Today, there is a large selection of instruments at a different price and quality range. Although playing and performing technical and musical nuances is easier on a good quality handcrafted instrument than on a factory-made one, we need to know that a big financial investment is not necessary for a good beginning. Additionally, putting together all the equipment you need (violin, bow, strings, rosin, fine-tuners, chin rest, shoulder rest, case…), for someone who does not understand it very well, can be very exhausting and the result is often missed. Therefore, it is best to choose an already set beginner outfit.

However, there are some things that we should pay attention to.

STRINGS AND BRIDGE

Very often the violins in the beginner kits come with low-quality strings that are loosened, and sometimes the bridge is out of place in order to keep the violin safe during the transport. If your retailer is not able to set up your bridge and strings, you will have to find someone who will do it – put the bridge in the right place and at the right angle, and tune the strings at the right frequency. violin beginner

If you choose to start with lessons, don’t be surprised if your violin teacher recommends changing the strings. Better strings often make a big difference in the tone of the instrument.

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ROSIN AND BOW

The rosin is a refined wood resin that we apply on the bow hair to increase friction with strings and make a better tone. The rosin you get in the beginner outfit is usually enough for the start. Just be careful not to drop it because it easily breaks down into small, useless pieces.

Bow hair on new bows is loosened and always clean, unrosined. If you take your violin to the luthier to set your bridge and strings up, ask him to put some rosin dust on the bow hair. It will stick to the bow hair immediately and save you from ten minutes of rubbing on the rosin.

Do not forget to clean the rosin dust from the violin with the soft cloth after playing, we don’t want it to stick to the violin!

Bows in beginner outfits are usually not very good quality and after a while, buying a new bow is more cost-effective than rehairing the existing one. Bows are many times used for play as swords, tennis racquets, wizard sticks, and conductor’s bats, and even if they survive all that, the stick can be distorted fairly quickly, and the bow hair eventually starts to fall off. So, when buying a bow, it is important to keep in mind that it should have a light, but a sturdy stick, a screw that easily tightens and loses the bow hair, and a tidy bundle of evenly tight hair. violin beginner

Before playing (and first rosining), do not forget to tighten the bow hair by twisting the screw on the frog as well as loosening it after playing, the same way. This prevents the stick from being distorted and the frog damaged. Always make sure that you do not tighten too much as it would damage the bow – the stick should always be slightly curved towards the bow hair, never straight!

TUNING PEGS AND FINE TUNERS

Tuning pegs are one of the most sensitive parts of the violin with which even some professional violinists sometimes have problems. Therefore, it would be good if someone with experience could make the first tuning of your violin. In most cases, you will be able later to tune the violin with fine tuners with the help of some tuning application, unless the strings are completely loosened (due to a large temperature change, for example).

CHIN REST AND SHOULDER REST

Chin rests that come in beginner outfits are usually anatomically neutral and fit many beginners. However, holding the instrument properly and comfortably is of utmost importance, so there may be a need to replace the chinrest. It must be comfortable when the violin is in the right position, parallel to the floor; the head should not be distorted in any direction, but slightly resting on the chin rest. Hygiene is very important, keep the chin rest clean so that the sensitive skin of the area does not get infected or irritated.

However, if that happens, maybe this all-natural balm could help.

The shoulder rest usually does not come in the beginner outfit. There is a very large selection of shoulder rests, and when choosing the right one, it is important to look for one in the correct size and with stable rubber feet and flexible joints. The curvature of the shoulder rest depends on the violinist’s preferences, choose the most comfortable. Here also the price usually means the quality level – the cheaper one will damage sooner. violin beginner

CASE

The most important thing we expect from a violin case is that it is strong enough to protect the instrument from everyday lighter tweaks during transport, and that it’s water resistant and as light as possible. Cases in beginner outfits usually have all those qualities. Some of them are rectangular shaped, so you can carry your music sheet and books in it and almost all of them have straps to wear on your back.

IMPORTANT

Your violin teacher can give you the best advice for your unique needs.

There are a lot of reviews on the internet for beginner violins, as well as other equipment and instruments. Read them, compare them, and then make a choice by taking this advice and advice from your teacher.

The Pizzicato Method – Beginners’ Book Series