Question: Picking up the violin!?
Hello!. I've been playing the guitar (electric and acoustic, genres ranging from folk to metal and everything in between) pretty much since I was old enough to hold one, and don't plan on ever quitting, but I've been looking to spread my wings when it comes to other various string instruments!.
So my question is: On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard would you say it would be to begin playing something like the Violin or the Viola after having gathered plenty of experience as a guitarist (1=easiest, 10=hardest)!?
Thank you for your time!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
With all due respect, I don't really agree with the person above me!. I don't see being able to reading music as being very crucial to learning how to play an instrument!. As a matter of fact, there are violin teaching methods which don't even require the student to know how to read music till much later!. And even if it was, it's not hard to learn how to read music!. You'll only be reading the treble clef or the alto clef and it is until you've become more of an advanced player that you'll be required to read more than one note at a time!. Once you've made it to that stage however, reading music will no longer be a problem!.
To your question now, I'd probably say it would be 4 - 5!. I learned to play the piano before I picked up the violin and I personally found that knowing how to play another instrument helps a lot - since you're more musically inclined!. So you tend to approach the new instrument in a different way!. Then again, this all depends on how determined you are to learn!. If you put a lot of effort into it, then you'll find it even easier :)
The violin doesn't have frets like the guitar, so it has a lot to do more with memorization (i!.e!. where on the fingerboard each note is) and you must have some ear!. You might have trouble getting used to having a bow in your other hand, but once again, since you already play one instrument it shouldn't be as hard to pick up!.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend anyone picking up the Viola before the Violin!. The Viola is a larger instrument, so you'll for sure have to have larger hands for it too!. And besides, there is way more tons of repertoire for the Violin then there is for the Viola!.
Well, hope this helps and have fun learning! It's something you'll never regret! :-)
p!.s!. I want to pick up the Guitar actually :)Www@QuestionHome@Com
Well, unlike the guitar, the violin and viola don't have the places where you put your finger (forgot what those are called), plus you have to get the basics down of holding it right, putting your fingers in the right place, holding the bow right, playing between the fingerboard and bridge, and then after that you have to learn the notes!. So I'd say it's quite difficult!.
But once you pick it up, all of those things come naturally!.
So!. maybe somewhere between a 6-8 for you!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
well Violin was my first instrument then i picked up a few chords on guitar, and i learned several riffs on bass, so for me violin was the hardest of them all, but that because you obviously have work ethic i think that it'll probably be a 7 for you!. violin is really fun and versatile , you can play anything you want (same as guitar) and you can buy tapes to put on a violin that act like frets until you can play in tune without them!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
If you read music, it should be a 2 or 3!. If you don't it will be harder!. If you are not going to read music I would say an 8 or 9Www@QuestionHome@Com