English
French
German
Spanish
Russian
Hello and welcome to Stringsavvy.com Free Video Violin Lesson #1! My name is Thom and I will be guiding you along! In this first part we will be going over the very basics. I am assuming, whether or not it applies to you, that you know nothing and this is your very first instrument. That being said, lets first take a quick look at the violin and its parts, as well as a little bit of how it works.
Body
The main piece is called the body, and although ever little nook of this instrument effects the sound, this is where a large part of it is.
Neck
The thin long line here is called the neck, and is where your left hand will be while the fingers are placed on what is very cleverly named: “The fingerboard”. The part on top, the scroll, is often shaped in different ways for various styles of flair while holding the peg box
Peg Box
The pegbox holds all of our major tuning pegs for each of the strings, which I will touch on more later. Moving down the strings we get to the bridge. This small wooden piece not only elevates the strings keeping them from staying flat on the fingerboard, but also transfers vibrations from the strings down on top of the body, through a small wood piece inside the violin known called the soundpost, which in turn carries those vibrations to the back piece of the body, bouncing back out through the F holes.
The little screws on the tail piece by the bridge are called the fine tuners and are used for making small adjustments when tuning. Often times beginner instruments will have fine tuners on all four strings while more advanced have just one on the high E string, or none at all.
The big black hunk on the violin is called the chin rest, and for a very good reason! Your chin goes on it! Many people make an interesting habit of resting their cheek on the chin rest, which is not only unattractive, but can be bad for your neck!
Care and Storage
The violin is made of wood, which means that it is susceptible to moisture and humidity. Too much humidity may harm the varnish and could even cause the instrument to come apart while a room that is too dry may cause the wood to crack. It is important to never leave your instrument to harsh conditions. Never leave your violin in the car to be exposed to intense cold/heat. If you do have an ice-cold instrument, let it warm up before playing- as the vibrations in the stiff instrument may also cause a crack. Also, never set the instrument (even in its case) next to a heat/air vent or a window. In the case of extreme conditions, you should always have a humidifier to keep your instrument from cracking!
The Bridge
Take care of your bridge, and don’t put any unnecessary pressure on it. When tuned, each of these strings will put anywhere fro 17 to 20 lbs of tension on the bridge. Collectively, that means this little piece of wood is carrying 80 lbs of tension, and that’s not even when you’re playing it! Never set your instrument upside-down or set things on top of it. Also- while stored in its case, remember that keeping it upside down- means that it IS resting on the bridge. Always store your instrument sideways, upright, or on its back.
Pegs
The tuning pegs are used to make major adjustments to the tuned pitch of the string. The pegs aren’t to be messed with unless you have an idea of what you’re doing with them. If set too tight the string can and WILL snap, and you will have to shell out the money for a new string.
Counting
Counting is what keeps everything together, and so it is very important to learn how to clap and count on beat. If you have ever tapped your foot to the beat of a song, that is what the basic beat or tempo is. Most songs you hear on the radio are counted in “4” which means they play “1, 2, 3 ,4”
I highly recommend getting a metronome, my favorite being the Korg MA-30 because of all the subdivisions of rhythm it can do at such an inexpensive price. If not you can always play to a free metronome online.
Just to get you started, we are going to practice counting to four, because all of our beginning music is being played in what is called 4/4 time. I will be going over that more in the next lesson. For now just focus on being able to count to four completely on beat.
Practice
Your assignment this week is learn your parts of your instrument and be able to consistently clap and count a steady beat. Just put on a song or go to onlinemetronome.com to have a beat to play along with. Make sure that when you clap and count, that you are completely lined up with the music, almost like an “Audio eclipse.”
Have fun and I’ll see you next week when we begin playing!
Pick up a Korg MA-30 Metronome
Pick up Essential Elements 2000
Hello your videos have inspired me a lot, a saved money to buy my violin but now i dont have to a pay a tutor ehheh. I already bought the book you recomended, it will arrive soon from abroad. I tuned and learn the notes, already practice with posture ( my soulder moves a lot, big mistake, cant correct it) 🙁 and my right thumb hurts like hell. I cant buy a Dont fret indicator here in Portugal, it doesnt exist, and the stores online ask me 4dollars for one but 16dollars for shippment. i m so sad, some notes i cant find perfectly, what do you sugest i do? is there a way to mark these without that dont fret thing?
Hello Vanessa,
When I was working at a music store in high school, I would often tune people’s instruments and add finger tape/markings to violins for no charge. Try visiting some local stores or violin teachers and asking if they could mark the fingerings for you.
I will be doing a video soon on tuning and setting up a Don’t Fret. I know that the Don’t Fret has certain measurements required, so I will include this as well as an approximation for those without a finger indicator.
What do you mean by your shoulder moves a lot? I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying there.
You say that your right thumb (bowing hand) hurts, is this when you are playing with the bow? It could be possible that you are gripping too hard.
Having stiff fingers, hands, and arms was a problem I had for a long time. I had to really take my time make sure I wasn’t squeezing my muscles, but just staying relaxed.
I hope that helps!
yeah thats it… my shoulder starts to move up i m turning in to a turtle… lol, thanks. i m following your lessons
I would personally recomend going getting a cheap little tuner. my brother uses one for guitar. it helps him alot. hope this also helps!
Why thats good information Lessons thats cool.
But can you also do Tutorials to how to play some songs?
Hey there, nice videos and thanks for sharing. Hey, I’m just curios to know since I’m 25 years old.. It’s late for me to start to learn violin? Well, i need something that portable and i guess flute and violin are the answer. I only have basic in Piano which I could use the theory and apply it to violin (i guess). Any comment on that? Thanks
Hey Steward, it is never too late to begin learning an instrument. Now will you become an Itzhak Perlman? Probably not, but with work you could definitely become very good!
The only thing thats different between a child and adult, is a child tends to just do what they’re told without expecting much, vs. us adults who want everything in a snap. We get used to our drive-thru and instant coffee, macaroni, etc. and forget that sometimes things take time.
To me playing the violin is extremely fulfilling, and I feel at my happiest when I’m creating sound out of the instrument. For a few years out of high school it turned into a hobby, playing in orchestras, ensembles, and a few bands while now I am pursuing musical studies as a career. As a social thing its great for playing along with friends, and I can always bust it out at a party!
To recapitulate: It is never too late to begin something that you might be using the rest of your life!
hey there, your videos have been an inspiration for me and made me really want to start learning on how to play the violin. Now, i want to know which size do i have to buy ? im 16 yrs old and i`ve never played the violin or any other instrument before. i know they come in different sizes i just dont know which one is more suitable for me!
thanks alot!..
Hello Seba! Glad to hear it! Generally at 16 most people have moved up to a full size(4/4), though if you are shorter you may be at a 3/4. The best way to find out would be to visit a local music shop that sells violins and ask to be sized. They usually will have either violins for you to hold or a move-able measuring scale.
Glad to see you are pursuing the violin, if you have questions on the videos, never be afraid to ask!
hey again, 😀 will i be able to actually really play the violin after all these lessons and videos as its very expensive to take lessons here in kuwait, and also very hard to find a teacher to teach you. also violins and musical instruments here are quite expensive so i dont want to buy it and then never get to know how to play it well.
thanks!..
Hey Seba,
While it is my aim to give you the tools to be able to learn and understand violin without having the one on one time teacher- nothing can truly replace having that private teacher.
That aside, you can still learn a lot from this site- and I am always updating, adding lessons, and responding to questions and comments – so you won’t be left in the dark!
I hope you decide to pick up and stick with it!
hi,
was just wondering if it’s too late to start off learning violin at the age of 26? and …how long will i take to complete the beginner stage and so on..
thankss
Hello Skuo,
It is never too late to begin learning an hobby, instrument, or anything! As long as you have the passion to work at it- you can achieve anything at any age! These lessons are designed to be as direct and easy as possible for self study, the rate of progress is entirely up to you (though later as more concepts are introduced- the expectation within the lesson will pick up just a tad).
I am adding new lessons all the time and hope to continue to cover quite a bit of material.
Comments are open on every page- so you if you ever have a question or comment don’t be afraid to ask! I will do my best to answer all questions!
Adults who fear that they are “starting too late” may wish to read John Holt’s “Never Too Late”. ( Holt was an educator best known for “Why Children Fail”), He describes how he took up the cello in his 40s, and was able to reach a level of playing in small groups and even community orchestras. His slim book is full of excellent practice tips for any aspiring musician, and evidences a deep love of music. Read how he analyzes different works, from swing to classical — and glimpse what a wide world awaits us. Among my favorite tips: 1) Find the notes; 2) Figure out the best fingering; 3) Learn how to play them more or less in tune; 4) Work out the rhythm. //Happy learning to all.
Hey!
i am thirteen years old and i have been playing the violin for 9 years and i was wondering how long you have been playing. I was also wondering what the black band around your violin is. Is it a pickup?
Also, i was just going to let you know that i learn by suzuki violin lessons in a city near my home. I think it is cool that you are teaching people violin. In what lesson do you start using the bow, learn real songs, start vibrato, dynamics ,and other rhythms? And when are you going to teach people to tune their instruments using the fine tuners?
Thanks!
Hello Maddy!
Glad you like the site!
The black band around my violin is in fact a pickup. It is called The Band and actually works fantastically well. It velcros itself around the instrument and can be easily removed. Delivers a clean sound and I have never had it feedback on me. On the lesson index page you will see that bowing practice begins on Lesson 4.
Concepts such as vibrato, dynamics, and rhythms are a little bit more advanced, and these starting lessons focus on the beginning basics. As the site progresses to higher levels I’m sure I will be making videos on those.
I also am currently planning a video showing both how to string and tune a violin.
Hope that answers your questions Maddy! Talk to you soon!
Thom,
Really enjoy your videos and have watched almost all of them, couldn’t access one of them. Anyway, looking on eBay for a violin…could you look at this write-up and tell me if you can actually get a decent violin for $50.
Thanks,
John
$49.99 Buy Now
FREE SHIPPING TODAY!
FREE INSURANCE!
FREE VIOLIN SETUP, FREE TRAINING
Don’t Miss This Rare
Promotional Offer at eBay!
(Retail Price $120 in music stores)
Berkeley Instrument recommended
Professional Violin Set
Available violin sizes:
4/4, 1/2, 1/4,
1/8, 1/10, 1/16, 1/32
(When you send your payment, simply
type the violin size on your auction payment’s NOTE field.)
Your violin has been setup and it is ready to play (a $50 value for FREE)
Brand new, nice looking, elegant feel, perfect in shape. Violin for Adult, Child, Professional Player, Student or Beginner.
This brand new Violin Features:
• Maple Back
• Solid Spruce Top
• Solid Maple Sides
• Solid Maple Neck
• Maple Bridge
• Inlaid Purfling design on violin (not painted)
• Nice Wood Bow
• Back-Pack Lightweight Sturdy Carrying Case (easy carry to school or orchestra)
• Rosin with case
• 4 fine tuners for 4 steel strings
• 4 steel strings
• Alloy Tailpiece
• Wood Chinrest
• Original Violin Gift Box
It might perhaps be a little of an up sell saying “Berkeley” recommended, but yes you can (not to say you always will) get lucky with a cheaper instrument. One of my students found a violin for $12 that was comparable to a $200 MSRP.
My director in high school also purchased one for $112 for the orchestra as a loaner that far surpassed brand new $300 beginner violins. Good luck!
Hi Thom,
I hope everyone is ok. I just found this website and this is my first visit!
I don’t know who exactly the administrator is but my guess is Thom!
I just want to ask you one thing. I am 21 and play the piano since 14. Recently I decided to give myself a changing break and bought a lovely violin! I can’t stop loving it it’s so pretty!
Anyway, I started by myself and it’s been 4 days since I have it and am trying to find out about it. I’m going to get a teacher next week but honestly, I’m getting devastated that I’m not so talented for the violin 🙁
I LOVE TO LEARN TO PLAY IT THOUGH!
I’m a full time student and only have one month to work with a teacher before the classes start again (also not a music student!). Is there any chance for me? I mean am I too old to start? and does being a full time student make it worse? I heard someone said you have to be a kid to start and practice at least 3 hours a day!
How bad do you think my conditions are? Is there any hope to learn something?
PLEASE BE HONEST! All I need right is someone to give me a technical response!
Thanks so much! I’m waiting for your answer!
Loads of good wishes!
Jasmine
Hey Jasmine!
This is a very common question, and the answer is that is never too late to learn! Just keep in mind that it will take work! Realistically speaking, can you expect to be an expert in a matter of weeks? The answer is no. Over the course of a few years of playing violin can you can a decent grip on it? Yes!
You don’t have to be a 3 year old prodigy- I started myself when I was 9 and didn’t really get serious about it until a few years later. Best of luck!
-Thom
ai salamat! nakita ko rin tong website na to.. it will be really a big help for beginner like me.. may lesson ba sa mga video nyo kung anu yung specific na pipindutin sa fingerboard sa specific na note like, C., anu i peperess ko., ganun..
hey michx, where are you from?are you playing the violin for years?
i”ll wait for you reply!
Hi, I just wanted to say thanks. I started playing the violin many years ago but stopped not long after when my teacher left and I couldn’t find another one that I liked. I got the bug to play violin again after seeing Andre Rieu play here in Australia. Like many others I haven’t got the time to have lessons as I am a full time student. I just stumbled onto this site and I am really glad I did. It exactly what I needed to get started again. So thankyou very much!!!!
Hi, I am a instrument beginner in China. Here I’ve taken so much time searching on the internet to find some primer violin tutorials before I come to your website. These videos looks great and I am just wondering whether these can be downloaded to my own pc as I not always have the access to the internet. Thank you for sharing and hope you will give me some professional comments, I am just at perplexity about how to go on.
Unfortunately, At the current point in time I cannot offer downloads of the videos, but at some future point I do plan on having downloads available.
Hii. its me again.. i was wondering if you still post lessons.. because i noticed you went up to lesson ten but stopped posting lessons for quite a while. 🙁
Hello Gabby!
Yes more is on the way! Please see http://www.stringsavvy.com/2009/02/25/more-lessons-coming-soon/ for more details!
hey ,im 14 years old i was just wondering !!is it really hard to play the violin ? , everyone in family plays on musical instrument EXCEPT ME like my mom plays on piano, oud and guitar since she was 6 even my 3 years old sis plays on piano better than me i tried to play the piano once but i didn’t like it .i really really love to listen to the violin and i would love to play it but when i told my mom she was like you wanna play what !!! she said : you can’t . and i was like ha!!! why ?? she said because it is quite hard on you .so is it really a hard instrument that i won’t be able to play it ??! :S
Hello, Reem!
Some people say that violin, among some other instruments, is difficult to master. That aside, I believe anyone is capable of learning, as long as they put forth the effort to practice and study. No one ever became great at playing an instrument without practice! 🙂
I wish you luck, please keep me updated on how you’re doing if you decide to play!
-Thom
hello..
i want to ask something for the beginners, they can used electric violin for their lesson or after their finish the grade that required of violin lesson? i’m 23yrs old..i like violin since i’m young but no chance to learn…then now i really want to learn violin..so how many grade to learn the violin?
An electric violin is more or less the same as an acoustic violin, though often a major difference is the tone and weight of the instrument. Though it isn’t a big deal to start with either one, I would much more recommend starting with an acoustic so you may learn all the nuances and dynamics of sound. I feel an acoustic has a much broader range in tone than an electric, but both are fun to play!
Hope that helps!
Hi! I’m already 15 yrs of age and I’m just a begginer in playing the violin. When I watch your first video about the very basic playing the violin it helps me a lot in the violin!
More Power!! Thanks again!;)
That is awesome! Keep it up! Let me know how you’re progressing!
hi my child is interested in learning the violin I like what you are doing on youtube and I was wandering if you would E-mail me some of these lessons I have not much money to offer but when I watch you on youtube I cannot go back and fourth from lesson to lesson and it takes a long long time to come up where if I had these lessons on the computer I could get him learning better he really likes your lessons
Hello, Jeff!
Currently these lessons aren’t packaged for download, though it may be a possibility in the future!
Hi I am interested in learning a violin but I do not know which brand of violin to choose. Could you recommend me some brands of violin which is good and more lasting or the sound produced is nice than the rest? Thanks! 😀
Depending on your budget and what you’re looking for, it can be hard to recommend a list of beginner violins. You can start with some of the amazon links I have posted, or do some shopping at a local music store/violin shop!
oh. Can I know what brand of violin are you using right now?
Sure! The electric violin I play is a Yamaha SV-200, while the acoustic I play is a 1994 Anton Schroetter.
Hello,
I saw your web site and now am considering taking some lessons here. I am 13 and I wanted to audition for a school here in NYC. I hear its kinda hard to get into. I wanted to audition using the violin. Do you think I would be able to play the Pirates of the Carribean theme song well enough in time for my audition? Or should I just stick to my trumpet?
Hello Josie! If you are brand new to violin, I would recommend sticking to your primary instrument for an audition, especially if the school is hard to get into as you say. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still practice and play violin! One of my favorite violinists, Timb Harris, plays trumpet, violin, and guitar!
Hi thanks for the lesson. I just started learning the violin but i am having problems identifying the notes once they are not label on the line can you help thanks. Basil
Hey Basil!
I think what you are asking is once the notes are no longer labeled in the Essential Elements book, you don’t know which note is what? This means you should spend more time practicing reading the notes based on PLACEMENT on the line, and not just the note name in the middle. Try going over some of the older songs with the notes written in and use a black marker to fill them in so that they no longer have notes names written in for you so you can practice songs you already know while looking at the notes on the staff.
You can also practice by reading through the music without playing your violin, but rather naming note names one by one in the music. If you don’t know your notes well, this may take some time looking back and studying.
Also: Make sure you are watching the MUSIC when you play, and not your FINGERS! This is a common mistake students make- they look back and forth at note names and then find their fingers and eventually end up playing by ear. Looking at the music will ensure that you are in fact associating note placement on the staff to the fingers on your instrument 🙂
Taking the time to learn your notes will make playing music much much easier! Hope that helps!
I thought your video was very helpfull to an older person tring to learn a new thing. one question in the first two videos I saw on #1 tape rapped around the body of your instrument and in # 2 i see string (Why ?) some secret that we all need to know LoL I think it is to hold the mic. possibly
thanks for the great videos
Randy
Hello Randy!
The black piece you see wrapped around the body of my instrument is not tape, but actually a pickup. I use a pickup on my acoustic violin sometimes to plug it into an amplifier.
I’m not sure what string you mean on the 2nd video, but maybe you are seeing the rubber band on the bout of my my violin? I have a rubber pad that rests over my chin rest and a rubber band goes under and wraps around the bout to help hold the pad in place. Perhaps this is what you are seeing?
Thanks for the questions!
hello,
how important is having an expensive or high quality bow. does the bow really affect the sound the violin makes so much that you shouldn’t use a cheapo? i have a cheap one, and someone told me that my playing would sound better with something as simple as buying a more expensive bow. ok, thanks!
Hello Katie!
I had a couple similar questions and went ahead and combined them into one in depth response. You can read it here!
here is a question I posted elsewhere, Why do teachers charge so much for lessons ? at one of the closest places I could find they told me from 45-60 per 1/2 hr. block and pay for the month classes 2 times a week I then told them I am not some marbleheaded kid that is being forced to come I am an older person that wants to learn then the story changes and the price has doubled go figure !
thanks for letting me air my griefs here maybe someone will read this and be happy to have lessons to learn from
Randy <<< old fart SShhh
Many times lesson rates are charged based upon experience, knowledge, and the amount of time a particular instructor has been teaching and performing. Same way as some one with a higher degree of education can demand more of their employer. That being said, however, you as an ’employer’ of said teacher may not need such a level of expertise.
Starting with the basics you could probably find some one teaching around the level of $16-23 per half hour and learn quite a bit. On occasion I’ll study with a teacher who charges $90/hr. In my opinion he is WELL worth it, but at the same time I would never send a beginning student to see him unless they had plenty of money to spend.
I hope that helps! 😀
Thank you for putting this site and lessons together. I am new to the violin but have been playing guitar and drums for years, and I wish there was something like this for them way back when. Anyway thanks again,
Robbie
Thanks, Robbie! I’m am so happy to see so many people drawing value from this site! Keep up the good work!
hi thom thank you very much for having free lessons.it is very helpful.
by the way do you have any tutorials on how to put tapes between the stem like yours?
thank you..God bless 😀
Thank you Micah!
A tutorial for tapes is coming up soon!
yey!I’ll be waiting for that one..haha i’m so excited 🙂 tnx Tc
hey! i’m a guitarist.. i’ve got an old violin.. wasted in the store… so thought of giving a try… so… taking ur lessons… hehe …. thank u!
HI Thom. Briliant website. thanks alot. I Just bought a new Stentor 1 Student Violin. I would like to know what you think of that particular violin. I read a few reviews about it. but What is your oppinion. It doesn’t sound like yours. I did tune it with a digitall tuner..
Kind regards.
Hello Quintin!
While I don’t have any direct experience with the Stentor Student violin, I just looked up some videos on Youtube and saw they are certainly capable of great sound for a beginner instrument. Many violins ship with “Red Label” brand (or other cheap brand of strings). Upgrading the strings will help add some body and tone to your student violin. A popular (yet often expensive) brand is Thomastik Dominant. I have personally used and enjoyed D’Addario Helicore
and Zyex
strings.
Right now my acoustic has Pirastro Evah Pirazzi
while my electric has Helicore strings. Newer strings will always have a short “break-in” period where they may sound a bit tinny and empty at first, but after enough playing they will open up into their true and full sound!
Great stuff. Thanks for your reply. I will consider those string brands that you mentioned,
hi Thom.!
i’m reaLLy interested on pLaying violin.,since my brother aLready have an instrument with expertise and my parents are supporting him.,but my probLem now is that I don’t have the instrument yet.,i was hoping you can recommend something a LittLe cheap.,so my mom couLd buy me one and hopefuLLy if i get better she wouLd buy be a LittLe expensive one Like in the case of my brother.,
I’LL be waiting for your repLy.,and by the way thank you for your Lessons.,Lord wiLLing i couLd Learn from them^^
Hello Zeria!
Sorry for the late response- if you look around enough on Ebay and Craigslist you may be able to find a decent learning violin for a relatively cheap price. Take a violin playing friend with you to help you judge if its worth picking up!
i dont have money to go to violin class
I’m looking forward to these lessons…I’m 40 and starting lessons with my 11 yr old daughter this week with a private teacher, but also want to utilize the free videos online. I’m so excited! I know it will take a lot of work and practice, but I’m looking forward to it. Thanks for posting these lessons!
Hello, and thank you for these free lessons (: I am 40 and just decided to take the plunge and learn to play the violin. My 11 yr old daughter will also take lessons with me. I really appreciate these videos, and think they will help throughout the week as we practice. So excited to finally be learning to play the instrument that has pulled at my soul for years (:
That is awesome Dawn! How are the lessons coming along? Are the two of you playing any duets yet? I would love to hear you two play!
I just found your site , very nice of you to teach for free. GodBless you.