A violin question

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  • September 22, 2010 at 2:17 pm
    Michaela
    Participant

    My husband and I would like to get our dd6 into some music lessons.  We are considering violin and piano. I have played violin off and on throughout my life, so I know a little about the violin, but not enough to teach her by myself. 

    I had thought we should put her into piano lessons for a couple of years, then if she wanted to start playing something else she could.  I think the piano gives a good musical foundation for any instrument, is this correct?  I took about a year of piano lessons in school and it was helpful for me just learning about “music” in general.

    My husband thinks we should start her on violin right away, but he has no musical experience, so doesn’t understand how the piano might be helpful.  He just thinks it would be more practical to play a violin than a piano because the instrument is a lot smaller, and therefore can be played anywhere.

    Also, does it matter if the lessons are “fiddle” or “violin?”  I know a great fiddle shop here in town where I used to take lessons, and that is probably where we would take her also. 

    So my question: does it matter if she takes violin or piano first? And for lessons, would you advise that she learns from a real person or could we learn from The Violin Book at home?

    I acutally would rather she take violin also, just because I think it would be fun to learn and play together 🙂

    September 22, 2010 at 3:31 pm
    art
    Participant

    I don’t personally know much about violin, except that my Grandpa played it and a bunch of other instruments. I think he played piano first. 

    My husband and son play piano, and my son is going into music in college. He can seem to pick up on other instruments very easily after knowing so much about the piano. In our experience, piano really is good if you want to have more of a musical foundation for other things. I think it depends on your goals.

    I would think it would be just as good to do violin first though. The piano will probably be easier too after learning about music taking violin.

    I’d probably do whatever she is more interested in first. It would be easy for you to help her if you know about the violin.

    You asked if it would be better to have a “real person” or use a book at home. Aren’t you a real person? My son learned piano from my husband at home, and he is absolutely amazing. I mean amazing! The head of the music dept. at our college said he’s the most talented young person he’s ever taught.

    So we did ok at home, and so can you. When my husband wanted another opinion on my son’s piano he just had him take a lesson or two from someone else.

    Best of luck!

    September 22, 2010 at 4:17 pm
    suzukimom
    Participant

    Yes, my first question is does your daughter have a preference?   An instrument is much easier to learn when you want to learn it.  I assume you already own a piano?  

    I really don’t think it makes a difference which you do first.  Learning any instrument makes it easier to learn another.  The piano has a lot to co-ordinate in terms of music reading, as you have 2 staffs tied together…

    One advantage to violin is that the violin is sized to fit the violinist…   As for doing “fiddle” or “violin” – well that is up to you guys, and what long-term goals there might be.  It is mainly the style of music, with a bit of difference in technique.  A lot of violinists do some of both.  (my kids are doing suzuki violin, and the teachers add in some fiddle songs…)  

    It might be quite possible for you to do a good job teaching – you didn’t say what level of violinist you are.  My kids take suzuki lessons, and I’ve just started learning it with them….  and I taught my daughter (my 2nd child) for a while before she started official lessons, and apparently did well, as the teacher just continued where we had gotten to.  I am starting to teach my 3rd.

    September 22, 2010 at 5:59 pm
    blue j
    Participant

    I wanted to pop in and add that my SIL who teaches piano, violin, cello, and base highly recommends starting with piano if there is interest precisely because of the amount of work the brain must do.  It is a great base for all other instruments.

    However, the biggest question is where is your daughter’s interest?  It’s a whole lot easier for students to learn when there’s interest to begin with.

    September 22, 2010 at 6:59 pm
    Michaela
    Participant

    I asked her which she wanted to do and she thought about it then said violin.  The way she said it, I think she would be happy with either.  Yes, we do have a piano, but it was my husband’s grandmother’s and probably hasn’t been tuned since HER mother played it! 🙂

    I wouldn’t consider myself very fluent, I usually can pick out a tune and play it by ear…I’m slower with reading music.  

    I guess we will do whatever she most wants to do then, and if it doesn’t matter, maybe start with piano since it seems to be a good base.

    Thanks!!

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