|
|
|
Violin Lessons
Learn to play the violin. Violin tutors throughout the UK; more welcome.
The violin is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the strings group of instruments. It is played by passing a bow (traditionally strung with horsehair) across each of its four strings (G, D, A and E). The hairs (traditionally from horses) of the bow are 'lubricated' with a hard resin called rosin. The sound emanates from two f-shaped holes in the violin which are located either side of the strings.
A violin can also be called a fiddle although arguments rage about whether fiddles have a different shaped bridge (a thin sliver of wood which supports the strings as a tower would support the cables on a suspension bridge) or are played in a slightly different way.
The instrument first appeared in Italy in the 16th century. Cremona, a town in the north, not far from Milan, was the birthplace of the famous Stradivarius whose violins always sell for record amounts on the few occasions they reach auction.
Although electric violins are becoming increasingly popular, wooden ones are still in high demand. Quality varies immensely from the cheap student's model to the expensive professional player's version. The best violins are still hand-made and this is clear from the sound produced.
The violin has made a comeback in recent years having been perceived as 'uncool' for a long time, now it is commonplace to see a pop-group with at least one violinist playing lead or even solo. Groups like Bond and the Corrs plus soloists like Vanessa Mae have put violin playing very much on the map.
Violins come in 8 different sizes (although most stores only stock 4 of them) which means they are a suitable instrument for young children to master. These sizes are expressed as fractions although these fractions are not an accurate representation of the actual size. For example, the four most popular sizes are 4/4 (full-size), 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4. The actual difference in size between smallest and largest is about 10cm - ie 4/4 violins are NOT 4 times the size of 1/4 instruments.
Care of your violin
A quality instrument should be like a heirloom - expect for it to survive many generations of use provided it is treated properly.
-
Keep the body clear of rosin dust as if this is allowed to settle for any period of time it can react with the varnish and permanently spoil the appearance (and possibly the sound too).
-
Wipe excess rosin off of the strings using either a proprietary cloth or a standard wine bottle cork - this cleaning will make a dramatic improvement to the quality of the sound.
-
Use a lightly dampened clean cloth to keep finger grease off of the body making sure to thoroughly dry the instrument immediately afterwards.
-
Clean the bow regularly with a clean dampened cloth and have it re-haired or replace it when it becomes too worn to play anymore.
-
Use peg-grease sparingly to ease any pegs which are sticking. Make sure you clean off any excess.
Every few years take your violin to a specialist shop and ask them to take a look and see if it needs any repairs.
Useful Tips
-
Always make sure you carry rosin and a spare set of quality strings with you. The 'E' string is particularly fine and prone to breaking.
-
Slacken the bow every time after playing as this will extend its life considerably.
-
Fit tension adjusters to the strings so that you can easily make fine adjustments to their tension. When you are starting off, this will save you a lot of money in replacement strings!
When buying your first fiddle make sure you seek advice as there are a number of cheap, very poor quality imports around. A reasonable quality instrument should cost around £60 ($120) which is not bad for a new instrument when one considers the price of its alternatives.
The cheapest violins seem to be the ones with the thickest layers of varnish on them! After a year or two of playing, you should hopefully wish to move up to an intermediate level model.
One of the good things about a violin is that it is a 'C' instrument. This means that it can play music written for all of the main instruments.
So why not make today the day you add a new string to your bow by learning to play the violin!
Other Instruments
Click this link to find prices for violin lessons.
Look for information on another musical instrument.
Search in our directory for a violin tutor.
Go to this link to become a violin teacher.
Violin Lessons
|
Home
Tuition Pages
Private Tuition
Hiring a tutor
Life as a tutor
Advertise with us
Private Tutor List
Teachers List
Subjects & Levels
Locations
London Coverage
Music Lessons
Online Tuition
SEO Course
Company Training
Presents & Gifts
Elocution & Voice
More Information
Privacy
Teachers Wanted
Exam Boards
Exam Prep
Top 10 Pages!
Train Times
Baby boy names
European Rail
Eurostar Breaks
Eurostar Tickets
Bad Credit Record
Prefab Homes
Staircase design
Italy Cruises
Property in Italy
Directory
Helpful Guides
Helpful Guides 2
Children Charities
Alternative Energy
Arts & Entertainment
Business & Commerce
Culture & Society
Cruises
Employment & Careers
Family Matters
Food & Drink
Garden
Health
Hobbies
Home Equipment
Home Furniture
Home Improvements
Insurance
Internet
Personal Finance
Pets
Property & Real Estate
Reference
Shopping
Sports & Pastimes
Travel & Holidays
Link Information
Link Exchange
Links Directory
General Pages
Sitemap
Testimonials
Contact Us
About Us
Copyright
Clive & Damaris West |
