@@najinea08 Sorry my answer was so ambiguous. I think that once you have played longer you could probably teach beginning students. Perhaps your teacher might have some suggestions as to how to go about this. There are also Suzuki programs, in which you can take courses to teach using their methods. I don't know very much about the availability of that training.
here's a few suggestions for how to play the violin Decide exactly why you want to learn the violin Make sure that you are committed to learn the violin Find which process works for you best - an online guide or a personal tutor or lessons. (I learned about these and more from Ajana Music Lessons website )
Wow, watching the progress on your video compared to others, including myself (9 months now at 32yo) is very impressive! Not just in abilities, but the sound quality you produce. You really learned to make that wooden box sing!
I feel like something magical happened at 4 months! You seemed like you were smiling more and enjoying yourself and your playing really seemed to take off!😊Bravo from a violin teacher/fellow Star Wars nerd!
This is great for 1 year!! The real reason people start their kids on violin is so when they play like crap the first 3 years it’s just cute rather than bad, but truth is everybody sounds bad their first 2-3 years of playing, so the fact that you have this good of intonation at 1 year really says something about your ability! Keep playing and you’ll be an excellent violinist
I started violin yesterday and it's so screechy xD But I see I'm not the only one that has problems the first day. You're amazing and I hope to play like you someday
The screechy sound is the right of passage all violinists have to go through, hahaha. Lots of careful open string practice will help you get passed it. I liked watching The Online Piano and Violin Tutor's and Fiddlerman's videos. Watching more than one person helped a lot, the basic idea is the same across the board, but how people help you get there can be different, and one explanation will click more than another :) I went crazy practicing all of that in the week or so between getting my violin and starting lessons :) And thank you so much, I'm sure you'll get there in no time :) Have fun on your new journey!
The Fiddling Violin Thank you :) Yes, I really like watching the same channels you do, plus Violinspiration. They all teach great things. ^^ Playing the violin is much fun, and I enjoy practicing it! It's very hard to manage time with school and 3 instruments, but I do it xD Thank you for the nice replies, it means a lot
some of the progress videos are pretty discouraging,. I watch them a think I don't want to sound like that after 6 months of work hahaha. yours is encouraging. 4 months is really taking off, awesome at the year mark!
You will love your violin :) The FM Concert violin is one of the ones I own, it was my first one, and I love it! As long as you practice and have fun, and you will make progress :) As my teacher told me, you have to allow yourself to suck/sound bad while you learn something new, and don't be hard on yourself. Before you know it, the squeaks turn into music :) If you aren't already a member on the Fiddlerman forum, you should join, everyone is very helpful over there :)
Mrs. Sheridan Great you sound like me!! Just started in March during the Coronavirus shut down Sent the video to my kids! Great!! Mrs S. Still practicing every day lessons on utube. Playing from my piano + banjo + ukulele books.
Thank you for sharing your journey so far. I have always wanted to play. As a child and young man I couldn't afford a violin or lessons. Now that I can and at my age I will give it a try.
You sound like me :) Always wanted to do it, but wasn't able to afford it when I was younger. It's still a stretch for me, but I'll keep it up as long as I can :) I'm sure you'll enjoy it, there is something so fun and rewarding about finally getting to learn something you've always wanted to.
Great stuff! I'm 69 and decided to play my great grandfather s violin. I've played a few instruments but the violin is certainly the most challenging but I'm slowly getting there .But, what I really like is that it is great and logical to play tunes by ear.I don't use a shoulder rest so that's making vibrato slightly more difficult.
That’s awesome! It is a tricky instrument, but I think the challenge makes it fun. Some people use a sponge in place of a shoulder rest, maybe something low profile like that would help you while you learn vibrato, then you can go back to playing without?
Wow! I'm learning the violin and watching TH-cam to help. Been 1 month for me and love it. Need earplugs right now but hopefully in a year I will be better 😊 Thanks for sharing your video! Awesome job!!!
You're welcome, I'm glad you liked it :) You'll be past the earplug stage before you know it, haha :) The violin is fun and challenging to learn, but so satisfying when you get it right :)
Bad ass girl!...I was laying on the sofa procrastinating until I seen this. Just started with Suzuki a couple of weeks ago. Hope I can be as good as you! Very inspiring!
I'm in my first month of violin lessons. I'm 65, how many hours a day do you practise? And can you tell me what violin exercises are good to help improve efficiently.
Hi Patsy :) My practice all depends on the day, sometimes as little as 15 minutes up to an hour (or more). Sometimes the hour is made up of a few short sessions. If you're focusing on something specific, you can progress more in 15 minutes than some do practicing an hour if they aren't working on something specific. Important exercises are scales to learn where your fingers belong and open string bowing to focus on a relaxed right hand and straight bowing. I'll admit I skipped scale work for the most part during the 1st year, and jumped into learning tunes instead to keep myself motivated. That worked great for me, and now I am working more on overall technique. I think a great community for you to check out would be www.fiddlerman.com/forum I'm on the forum myself (I post as damfino). Lots of adult beginners of all ages post on there and help each other out, either with friendly advice, or just cheering each other on when we need it :) It really is a helpful and friendly online community. Fiddlerman (Pierre) posts often, and loves to help out the visitors to his site :) We also do online events on StreetJelly.com a couple times a year, online recitals of sorts :)
Amazing, it’s a lot harder for adults to learn an instrument! Just a Recommendation, don’t start using or attempt to use vibrato when you’ve been playing AT LEAST year, you need to develop the basics, maybe you ‘know’ the basics but the basics should be learned well enough to the point that it becomes second nature. I love the video, keep up the good work!
Thank you :) Thanks for the advice :) I was/am working with a teacher who saw no issue starting me on vibrato at 2 months in. Everyone learns different, and every teacher will be different :)
The early days ha-ha :-))) There was a huge improvement on month 4. Then, you reward yourself by leaving the house in month 6 and torturing yourself by playing in the frozen snow! :-)) You don't do things in half measures Mandy! Brilliant video. You must be so proud of your achievements. Well done! Keep going babe. regards, Phil
Thanks!! During the 3rd month I was practicing super hard for my first recital, which took place during the 4th month, the clip in there should be of my practicing my recital tune, which is pretty much all did for a month, lol. I switched to hour long classes so my teacher and I could practice (she was backing me up on guitar), so I'm glad it showed :)
This is amazingly inspiring, I started when I was 4 years old but quit and came back not so long ago! I regret leaving it, but your vid helped me in knowing that practice is the key 😅
You're welcome :) If you haven't visited it yet, the forum at fiddlerman.com/forum is full of beginners, and people returning to the instrument after a long break like you. Everyone is very supportive there :)
Hi, I'm from Germany. (So sorry for my grammar) Yesterday I bought a violin and I try to teach myself to play for the time being. In a month or two, I think I will go to a teacher. But I want to try this instrument before I say that I really want to play it. I'm 16 and I want to play the violin for 2 years, but everyone says I'm too old. Now I'm trying it out and believe from many TH-cam videos, not even that someone can be too old to learn an instrument. I hope you understand what I wrote my english is not good.🙈😅
Your progress is fantastic, but I will say, one thing that I tell me students that helps them a lot and helped me when I was learning is to not be afraid of the bottom half of your bow, it will help you with confidence and projection and stuff like that. It may also force you to address any kind of bow hold and arm/wrist mobility issues.
Thanks so much :) Using the top of the bow so much is a direction by my teacher for my fiddling. I use more of the bow when I do my etudes :) But that is really good info and will keep it in mind while I do my etudes :)
For what I've been learning, it's lots of bowing near the top to maximize speed. But it's all good, I'm trying to incorporate as much as I can into my learning :)
Wow I really want to start, I'm been so afraid because it's such a difficult instrument to learn and I haven't had music classes for nearly 20y now. I'll be brave, and I'll do it!
Wow! Congrats its really inspiring! I played the violin for almost 2 yezrs when I was 9 and my former teacher really disgusted me from that instrument so I stopped.Now almost 10 years later I just orderer a violin this morning to start again I hope I'll progress as well as you! Have a nice day! ( sorry for the mistakes english is not my mother tongue)
Thank you so much :) I hope that this video will help people see that if you're willing to work at it, the violin, or any instrument, isn't so scary to try out.
Wonderful! I really live your playing, I hope you're still playing the violin now! I started it 1 month ago and I love watching progress videos haha but yours is the most encouraging I think! :)
i am still learning the violin myself without any violin teacher and its abit challenging for me, but looking at ur progress makes me think i can do it too! awesome job :)
Thank you :) Yes, you can do it :D One helpful group for tips is Fiddlerman.com/forum. There is a place on the forum to post videos to ask for technique tips, which is a great help for people learning without a teacher :) Have fun on your journey :D
Thank you :) I had to look back and what tune it was, that's Harvest Home, a fun little Irish hornpipe. Still a favorite of mine to play, just quite a bit faster, haha.
Thank you! Have fun with your journey! If you're looking for a helpful community of fellow learners, everyone at fiddlerman.com/forum are really nice :)
This is wonderful! My ENTIRE family (husband and kids) is musical! Three out of five of us perform professionally...I do not! :) My husband sings, plays keyboard, guitar, trumpet, mandolin, harmonica, drums...I'm probably missing something. My oldest, my daughter, is a wonderful composer, singer and piano player, my middle son is an amazing singer, mandolin player and composer and my youngest son sings and plays drums. (I've been told that I can make costumes ;) or play the triangle...I prefer to be the most professional audience member ever!) I took violin lessons for a minute in third grade and have the violin my Dad played (for a minute!) as a child. I'm almost 53 but I'm very intrigued about the possibility of taking lessons/learning violin. You are very inspiring! Did you know how to read music before you started lessons?
Thank you so much! In elementary school I was taught very little how to read sheet music, I could remember a little bit of it, but pretty much had to start from the beginning again. I could kind of figure out what the note was if I ran through the "FACE" and "Every Good Boy Does Fine" that we were taught to help remember them, but couldn't read rhythm at all. I say if you are interested in taking lessons, go for it :D I hang out in the forum at fiddlerman.com/forum and it is made up of all adult learners, who all started at various ages. We do "recitals" online at streetjelly.com which become great parties (we just had one last weekend, and have another coming up October 29). It's a very supportive community for us adult beginners :) The guy who runs it (Fiddlerman/Pierre Holstein) is a very accomplished player who also hangs around the forum offering help to all of us :)
Wow! You've come a long way. I'm also an adult learner and I just started; I hope I get the hang of it. Haha. It's a hard, yet beautiful instrument to learn. And, I can't wait to see more of your videos.
This makes me wanna pick up my violin and start playing it right away! May i ask what bow are you using? And what violin are you using? The sound of it is really nice.
Thank you so much :) I'm glad to know it's inspiring you to play :) The violin I mainly use in this video is a Ming Jiang Zhu 905. I can't remember what brand my bow is off the top of my head. I know one I'm using in the video is a Fiddlerman carbon fiber bow, but I'll check what my wooden bow is. :)
Great progress! I was watching other progress videos, but you make the fastest progress. I bet you have a teacher? I'm playing for 3 months now, with a teacher, and made a progress video as well. 😊
Thank you, I do have a teacher, and I supplement with online video tutorials between lessons :) I started taking lessons last August, a couple weeks after I got my violin. I will check out your video. Thanks for watching!
Congratulations! Your progress is very impressive :) I started learning to play just 2 months and a half ago... Haven't uploaded any video yet but maybe some day when I have a decent level ;) Keep going!
Have you gotten any new violins since this video? I've been playing on my beginner violin for a year and a few months until I got my family heirloom, an Italian violin. My teacher fixed the cracks and now I play on it. There's a massive difference between a good quality violin vs a student violin.
Hi, thanks for watching! You've probably been playing around how long I have been. :) And how awesome that you get to play on a family heirloom! It's much more satisfying to play on something with some history to it. I upgraded my violin fairly early on, and there is a huge difference between my student violin and my higher quality one (I tend to refer to it as my "expensive" one, but build quality and tone are more important than what I paid, lol). It wasn't something I planned to do so soon, but I don't regret ti :) It is much more open and clear, like night and day. I'm playing that one in most of this video, but I didn't get a nice microphone until later on, it's only used once or twice near the end of this video, but I'm still a newbie at figuring out how to best record the audio, so the difference I think is really only heard in person.
I had this weird habit where I didn't press down on the strings with my bow to create a loud sound. With my new-old violin, I don't have to press as hard and such a beautiful sound comes out. It's definitely satisfying to play on a very old violin that just happened to get into my hands. Your progress videos is one of the best I've seen so far. I'll subscribe to you :D
I have a habit of doing that, too, and thankfully my fiddle is pretty loud, haha. I guess I would try to play louder if I were playing in a room full of people, but when I'm just practicing I don't feel like making it yell in my ear. Thank you so much, and thank you for the subscription :)
Thanks :D I'm currently doing a 100 day practice challenge. Even though I rarely miss a day of practice, it's a nice exercise to really look at my playing as a bigger picture than my normal weekly goals.
Very Inspiring. fantastic Video. !!!!! I just got a broken violin last night and I think I'm holding it all wrong. because I have pain in my left arm right under the wrist. I've been watching video's on how to hold it correctly but I think I am going to need a teacher to SEE what I'm doing wrong before I continue. (Oh and I have no strings either) 1st things first. Holding the violin then next holding the bow.
Thank you :) A teacher will be a big help to you in making sure you are doing things right, and in a way that won't cause any pain :) Also, the community at Fiddlerman.com/forum are all very helpful. You can always post pictures and videos to ask for help correcting issues :) Enjoy your new journey! Hope you get a working fiddle soon :)
I went into a Violin Shop and they said that Violin was for a child therefore too small for you. They put a violin for my size. (Adult) and the sales person told me how to hold and I had no pain. I'll am a member of that forum but the owner said I could give Him a Private Message. But I don't know how to do that. Also I am looking into getting a LEFT violin vs a RIGHT violin. I am lefty but Righty when it comes to playing the piano.
On Fiddlerman, if you are logged in on the website, if you click Fiddlerman's profile image, at the bottom of the page that pops up it'll say "send a PM" you can click that to open the message window. Also, if you just click your "Inbox" icon, in there you can type @admin or @fiddlerman to send a message right to him :) Pierre is really helpful, he helped me pick out my main fiddle :)
I logged into the Forum but did not see Fiddlerman's profile image at the bottom or the page. Do I have to be on the Forum page or His MAIN page for find his profile image?
I think it's amazing that after 1 day you knew where the notes where already??? 1 Day!!! Twinkle Twinkle little star. How'd you accomplish that? That's amazing!
My family tends to have an ear for hearing notes easily, which is at least one musical gene I got handed down, haha. It's helped a ton with learning the fiddle being able to hear when my finger moves a little out of place. :)
Hearing Notes - OK I understand that but didn't you have to first learn where the notes A, B, C, D, E, F, and G were on the violin first before you started playing a piece? On the first day before you played. Did you know that the first string (opened) was a G?
I watched a lot of videos before I got my fiddle, so I knew which string was what, but since I couldn't read music it didn't mean anything helpful to me, haha (I can read it now, but at first was all about reading TAB music, haha). I watched Fiddlerman's Twinkle Twinkle video and played from watching that, and watched a few other videos from The Online Piano and Violin Tutor for other visual tutorials. So in my head I'm not thinking which note I'm playing, I was paying attention to the sound and singing the song in my head) Once you have an idea which finger the note needs to come from, it's all listening to find your finger placement. After that it's muscle memory and listening. Lots of listening with fiddle since there are no frets to help for reference.
Wow. That's an amazing story! You should make a You Tube Video on that and say that someone from You Tube asked you to make it. (Well - Meaning me!) I play the piano and I have performed about 11 Rachmaninoff Preludes - (Probably the easier ones-But there all hard!) I started learning the Rachmaninoff Prelude is C Sharp Minor after 6 months after taking up the piano. Though I did not tell my teacher until a year later when I surprised Him that I could play it perfectly. I know how to read music. And I have some ear training-so I can pick out a perfect 5th. (So that will be helpful when tuning the violin-Ha) I have been watching "The online Piano and Violin tutor" Like you! She seems like a really good teacher! So you wound up buying a Ming Jiang Zhu 905... I have been watching a lot of video's like you and the Ming Jiang Zhu is pretty much at the top of the line and pretty expensive. I don't know how far I am going to go on the violin so I am going to first RENT a violin and then if I like it I have had my eye on the CVN600... I saw on amazon a lot of not too good reviews on the CVN700 so I am reluctant. The CVN800 seems out of my price range. what strings do you use on your violin? Do you mix and match them on your violin? I'm all new at this and have not started yet.
I'll think about it. I'm so uncomfortable in front of the camera that speaking videos tend to just end up awkward, haha. The Ming 905 isn't top of the line, but no it isn't the cheapest. Renting a violin is a good idea to start out to make sure you really enjoy it :) Buying from Amazon is hit and miss. Factory set ups tend to leave those violins hard to play, and do well with a visit to a luthier to get tweaked. Places like Shar Music and Fiddlershop send their violins ready to play out of the box, which saves you extra time and money. One fiddler friend had to put $200 into a fiddle he got from Amazon to get it playable (it was a $200 violin to start). I've used a few different sets of strings. My Ming came with Larsen Virtuoso, which if I could afford them I would have kept buying them, they just have a lovely tone to them. I've tried Fiddlerman's strings, and they are really nice, have a nice tone and easy to play on. Right now I have Helicore strings on my vintage German fiddle, and I love those strings, and Vision on my Ming. The Vision are growing on me. They have a nice smooth feel under your fingers and a really nice tone once they break in. I always use the Kaplan non-whisteling E string, though, no matter what brand string I'm using for G-D-A.
Thank you :) The first two months I went through the Essential Elements Book 1. After that I started going through Mel Bay's The Complete Irish Fiddler, and in there learned lots of ornamentation and bowing patterns. I worked in that book until I reached 1 year :) My method for the first year was mostly learning a tune and the bowing and ornamentation that goes with it. It made practice a bit more fun. :) Now I focus more on etudes and shifting practice, along with still learning more tunes and brushing up on the old ones that I grew fond of.
Hi! I've always wanted to play the violin, but my mom hates this instrument so I went for piano instead. But I think time is passing by too fast, and I really want to start playing the violin by myself... Your video really inspires me. I just wanted to know how loud playing the violin can be, cause I have to practise "secretly" or my parents won't let me. Keep playing!
I'm glad to know my video inspired you :) Each violin has its own personality, and how loud they are is part of it, some may be quieter than others, and they will ALWAYS feel super loud to you while playing them. There is a fix, you can get a metal practice mute, and it will make the violin super quiet :) I think the metal mute would be a good solution for you :D
I see a lot of comments about “how much do you practice a day?” I’d say based on her progress compared to mine I think she probably practiced at most an hour and a half maybe a day. I practiced around 3 hours a day for almost a year just because I was and really am obsessed (meaning always thinking about it) and I was homeschooled so I really wanted to just master it and was,again, obsessed with doing that. So it really depends how much time you have and how much you really want to learn the art carries over to how fast you will progress. People tend to think I’m a 6+ year player when really I’m a 4 year. I just practice twice the time most people do so I have progressed two times as fast because I just Love it so much. And also I didn’t learn reading music while playing. When I wanted to play any song I wanted I just listened to the chords in the song and matched it on my violin and within an hour I’d have the right chords on my violin to make those sounds. Now, of coarse, I can just hear a song on the radio and play it without any problem instantly just because I’ve memorized each and every thing about the violin. Hopefully that gave y’all some insight 😊
That's great, keep up the great work :D Actually, my first year I practiced 15 - 30 minutes a day on weekdays after work, and probably up to an hour on Saturday and Sunday :)
Hi! The first violin I'm playing with in the beginning of the video is the Fiddlerman Concert violin, which is very nice starter violin. I play it for the first couple months of the video, and again at 6 months. The one I'm using at 2 months and through most of the remaining video is a Ming Jiang Zhu 905, which I also purchased through fiddlershop.com and that is my main violin. I love this one :) It's my baby, haha. I've always found everyone at Fiddlershop very helpful. If you give them a call, they can help recommend a violin to you, or even make a video demo for you of the violin you are going to purchase. Thanks for watching, and I hope you enjoy your journey to learn the violin :)
Hi! Sure! During that first year, it depended on the day, anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour. I tried to practice every day, but usually there was a day that would get missed. I didn’t buckle down on scales and etudes until closer to my second year; first year was all about learning what was needed for each tune.
Hello! Mandy I'm planning to get a violin next year. I'm 25 and turning 26, right now I'm still learning how to read music notes by myself. how did you learn to read notes? did someone taught you?
Hi! I had a fiddle teacher for the first couple of years I was learning the violin, and she helped me learn to read sheet music. It's still a weak point for me, I can read what the notes are but reading timing is hard for me, I learn by ear easier.
Hi! I started lessons about 3 weeks into playing, and at that time took weekly 30 minute lessons, and practiced every day for about an hour. After 2 years I had a nerve injury and took a year off, then returned to every other week lessons, and practiced mostly every day. Currently I haven't had lessons in over a year, and try to practice every day and find online workshops to join and videos to learn new tricks from :)
Very good progress. Apart from the half hour you play with your teacher how much do you actually practice playing the violin per day or average per week? I'm wondering because your progress is one of the better ones I saw out there!
Thank you :) For this first year I was practicing around a half hour a day during the week, and up to 2 hours on the weekends. Now that I'm working on shifting positions and Etudes I average an hour a night during the week, and still about 2 hours or so on the weekends :)
Thanks so much! The one I used was from before I could read sheet music, so it is just written out in TAB. Here's the link: content.myzen.co.uk/ams-pdf/hangingtreetab.pdf
Thank you :) On weekdays after work I practice around 30 minutes, on weekends I spread several short practice sessions throughout the day, but it probably adds up to around 2 hours.
ola. this is amazing. Do you get any teacher? I also just started play violin like 4 months ago. self taught. i wonder if I need a teacher as I might taught myself wrong.
Hi! Thanks so much :) I do have a teacher, but I think it is completely doable to learn on your own with all the online resources available, youtube channels like Fiddlerman, Online Piano and Violin Tutor and Violinspiration :) It can certainly help to have a lesson or two here and there to make sure you aren't developing bad habits, since some can cause you pain down the road and be hard to break. My plan was to just have a few lessons when I was first starting to get myself on the right track, but enjoyed them so much I am keeping up with them as long as I am able to afford them. There are also communities out there like fiddlerman.com/forum where you can post a video of your playing and ask for helpful tips to work through any issues :) Have fun with your new journey!! It's such a fun and challenging one :)
Hello my name is Sergio, I am from Argentina and I start to play violin at 1 week ago. How many hours do you practice violin? I'm sorry for my terrible English! Greetings!
Hi Sergio :) No need to apologize for your English :) In the beginning I typically practiced 15 minutes - 30 minutes a day, weekends I get more time in. Now I usually get in an hour a day :) The amount of time spent isn't as important as how focused you are on what your working on. You can make more progress in 15 minutes of focused practice than an hour unfocused. Enjoy your journey :D It's a very fun and challenging instrument to learn :)
Thanks so much :) In the first year I would practice typically 15-30 minutes on weekdays, and on weekends at least an hour made up from several short practice sessions. Now I practice about an hour a day.
Wow!!! You’re amazing and your progress was phenomenal! Especially seeing that you’ve had no previous musical experience! Congrats! I’m looking at all sorts of videos...looking for inspiration as I’ll be starting the cello soon! Never played a stringed instrument (except guitar). So I hope to do as well as you! Did you take lessons from a teacher?
Thank you so much :) I do take lessons, but know of so many people that do well without them. Wishing you the best on your new journey with the cello! I would love to learn the cello, it has such a beautiful tone :)
Thanks so much :) Yes, I do have a teacher, I started taking lessons after I had my violin about 2 weeks. And that song is Harvest Home, a fun little Irish fiddle tune.
hello :3 i really like your video. If you don.t mind me asking how much was your violin? I hope i will get one too and i have no idea what price range i should focus on :)) Maybe even the model of the violin? Anyway thank you for the video. Have a nice day!
I bought it from Fiddlershop.com . It's a Ming Jiang Zhu 905 which runs around $2,000. Everyone at the shop is very helpful. The owner, Pierre, is an accomplished violinist, and runs the business with his son. Really great people. You can call the shop and they can help you find a violin to match exactly what your looking for, in your price range. He has a youtube channel where you can see how he demos violins for his customers: th-cam.com/channels/ytTZDaLZaplTKMnTHh-hTQ.html
Thank you :) During my first year I practiced 15-30 minutes on weekdays, and 1-2 hours on weekends. Now I practice an hour a day, sometimes more on weekends. :)
Thank so much :) I went from a Fiddlerman Carbon Fiber bow (which I still use all the time, I love it) to a Atelier Casara bow, which I purchased through a local shop.
I couldn't read music at first, I remembered the basics from elementary school, but not enough to actually read it to play. I started lessons a little over a week after getting my violin, so until then I used my ear to find the notes. When I started lessons, my teacher started me in Essential Elements, I only ever did the first book before moving on into The Complete Irish Fiddle Player by Pete Cooper a couple months into my lessons :) Now I work out of several different scale, etude and shifting books.
Yeah, I wanted to avoid developing any bad habits, in part because I already have repetitive motion injuries in my hands and wanted to avoid more injuries while learning. I started out my lessons already knowing where the notes were in first position, and how to bow pretty well. Even still with taking lessons, I still have always supplemented with reading things online, and watching tutorials, because I can't afford the typical hour long lessons, so my lessons go by pretty quick.
Hi :) I didn't know how to read music when I first started playing, but it didn't take long to start to remember what note is what on the page. I was able to read simple music by at least the 3 week mark. I'm still learning what different notations mean as I come across them in different pieces of music, but the basics were pretty easy.
Hi! I am taking lessons, but not Suzuki method :) We went through the first Essential Elements book for a little over a month, skipping over bits she didn't think I needed to go over, and then started working on Irish fiddling techniques while working on tunes for the rest of the year :)
Hello! There are lots of great resources for learning without a teacher. Check out the Online Piano and Violin Tutor, she has some great videos to get you started.
That's a violin? It almost looks like a viola by the size of it. Great job, now you just need to develop your vibrato a bit more. Vibrato is a combination of things that need to be flexible to make it work starting with your fingers, joints, knuckles, hand and wrist all the way down to the elbow. Keep going you are doing great!
Thank you! Yes, it's a normal 4/4 violin, haha, you're not the first to ask if it's a viola. I'm just a little on the short/petite side so it looks big. And thanks for the vibrato tips! I've improved on it a little since this video, but it's something that will be a work in progress for a little while before it is totally smooth and natural for me :)
Thank you :) I had a teacher :) It's very helpful to have a teacher to help avoid any injury from bad habits. Currently on a break from lessons, but want to return as soon as possible :)
Bravo! I am a violin teacher. I think this is really wonderful! All the best, as you continue your studies! Maybe you will get to teach also!
Thank you so much :) It is a challenge, but I'm enjoying it :) Would be nice if I could be good enough teach someday :)
Is that at all possible?? I just started violin 4 months ago. And it’s absolutely a dream to be able to teach as well. :’( is it far-fetched?
@@najinea08 Yes it is.
@@nidurnevets i’m sorry. Was this answer for the first question or the far-fetched one?
@@najinea08 Sorry my answer was so ambiguous. I think that once you have played longer you could probably teach beginning students. Perhaps your teacher might have some suggestions as to how to go about this. There are also Suzuki programs, in which you can take courses to teach using their methods. I don't know very much about the availability of that training.
your bow arm has been in very good form since the beginning! well done :)
Thank you :) It's the one thing I can count on when I practice, is that my bowing will usually behave, everything else is up in the air, lol!
Your progress is inspiring! Just starting, here.
Thank you :) It is a fun journey, with lots of fun challenges :) Have fun! :)
here's a few suggestions for how to play the violin
Decide exactly why you want to learn the violin
Make sure that you are committed to learn the violin
Find which process works for you best - an online guide or a personal tutor or lessons.
(I learned about these and more from Ajana Music Lessons website )
Wow, watching the progress on your video compared to others, including myself (9 months now at 32yo) is very impressive! Not just in abilities, but the sound quality you produce. You really learned to make that wooden box sing!
Thank you! :) It certainly is a fun challenge to get the violin to sound how you want, but when it obeys it's so rewarding :)
I feel like something magical happened at 4 months! You seemed like you were smiling more and enjoying yourself and your playing really seemed to take off!😊Bravo from a violin teacher/fellow Star Wars nerd!
This is great for 1 year!! The real reason people start their kids on violin is so when they play like crap the first 3 years it’s just cute rather than bad, but truth is everybody sounds bad their first 2-3 years of playing, so the fact that you have this good of intonation at 1 year really says something about your ability! Keep playing and you’ll be an excellent violinist
Especially the beginning progress is astounding
Thank you :)
Your progress is incredible! You look so much confident at the end, Im learning too! You're really inspiring!
Thank you so much :) I hope you enjoy your journey :) It's a fun and challenging one for sure :)
Wow you can really see your progress in just the first year when it's all strung together in one video! Great job :D
Thank you so much :)
I started violin yesterday and it's so screechy xD But I see I'm not the only one that has problems the first day. You're amazing and I hope to play like you someday
The screechy sound is the right of passage all violinists have to go through, hahaha. Lots of careful open string practice will help you get passed it. I liked watching The Online Piano and Violin Tutor's and Fiddlerman's videos. Watching more than one person helped a lot, the basic idea is the same across the board, but how people help you get there can be different, and one explanation will click more than another :) I went crazy practicing all of that in the week or so between getting my violin and starting lessons :)
And thank you so much, I'm sure you'll get there in no time :) Have fun on your new journey!
The Fiddling Violin Thank you :) Yes, I really like watching the same channels you do, plus Violinspiration. They all teach great things. ^^
Playing the violin is much fun, and I enjoy practicing it! It's very hard to manage time with school and 3 instruments, but I do it xD
Thank you for the nice replies, it means a lot
Not a problem :) It can be hard to find the time, but when something is fun, we somehow do it, lol.
some of the progress videos are pretty discouraging,. I watch them a think I don't want to sound like that after 6 months of work hahaha. yours is encouraging. 4 months is really taking off, awesome at the year mark!
Thank you :) I'm glad that my video might give someone some hope, and inspire them to keep practicing :)
I've never touch a violin before. but I just ordered the fiddlerman concert violin. I hope I can learn close to as fast as you : )
You will love your violin :) The FM Concert violin is one of the ones I own, it was my first one, and I love it! As long as you practice and have fun, and you will make progress :) As my teacher told me, you have to allow yourself to suck/sound bad while you learn something new, and don't be hard on yourself. Before you know it, the squeaks turn into music :)
If you aren't already a member on the Fiddlerman forum, you should join, everyone is very helpful over there :)
got it today, played around for three hours I can play twinkle twinkle little star now haha
That's awesome! Have fun with your journey :)
Mrs. Sheridan
Great you sound like me!!
Just started in March during the Coronavirus shut down
Sent the video to my kids!
Great!!
Mrs S.
Still practicing every day lessons on utube. Playing from my piano + banjo + ukulele books.
I am going to get a violin and you have inspired me. Your steady progress is impressive.
Thank you!! Enjoy your journey :)
And I thought I've watched all the existing violin progress of TH-cam ! How wrong I am. Great evolution. You learned quickly.
N Stinson Thank you 😊
Thank you for sharing your journey so far. I have always wanted to play. As a child and young man I couldn't afford a violin or lessons. Now that I can and at my age I will give it a try.
You sound like me :) Always wanted to do it, but wasn't able to afford it when I was younger. It's still a stretch for me, but I'll keep it up as long as I can :) I'm sure you'll enjoy it, there is something so fun and rewarding about finally getting to learn something you've always wanted to.
Great stuff! I'm 69 and decided to play my great grandfather s violin. I've played a few instruments but the violin is certainly the most challenging but I'm slowly getting there .But, what I really like is that it is great and logical to play tunes by ear.I don't use a shoulder rest so that's making vibrato slightly more difficult.
That’s awesome! It is a tricky instrument, but I think the challenge makes it fun. Some people use a sponge in place of a shoulder rest, maybe something low profile like that would help you while you learn vibrato, then you can go back to playing without?
awesome ( I just bought a violin and I'm trying to self-learn as well you inspired me to work hard and just keep going)
Definitely keep going! So many good resources out there for self learners.
Wow! I'm learning the violin and watching TH-cam to help. Been 1 month for me and love it. Need earplugs right now but hopefully in a year I will be better 😊 Thanks for sharing your video! Awesome job!!!
You're welcome, I'm glad you liked it :) You'll be past the earplug stage before you know it, haha :) The violin is fun and challenging to learn, but so satisfying when you get it right :)
Congratulations you are now a fiddle player!!!!!)))🎈🎈🎈🎸🎸🎸👍🏼😊
Haha, thank you :) I'm trying :)
Bad ass girl!...I was laying on the sofa procrastinating until I seen this. Just started with Suzuki a couple of weeks ago. Hope I can be as good as you! Very inspiring!
Thank you :) Wishing you the best on your journey! :D
I'm in my first month of violin lessons. I'm 65, how many hours a day do you practise? And can you tell me what violin exercises are good to help improve efficiently.
Hi Patsy :) My practice all depends on the day, sometimes as little as 15 minutes up to an hour (or more). Sometimes the hour is made up of a few short sessions. If you're focusing on something specific, you can progress more in 15 minutes than some do practicing an hour if they aren't working on something specific.
Important exercises are scales to learn where your fingers belong and open string bowing to focus on a relaxed right hand and straight bowing. I'll admit I skipped scale work for the most part during the 1st year, and jumped into learning tunes instead to keep myself motivated. That worked great for me, and now I am working more on overall technique.
I think a great community for you to check out would be www.fiddlerman.com/forum
I'm on the forum myself (I post as damfino). Lots of adult beginners of all ages post on there and help each other out, either with friendly advice, or just cheering each other on when we need it :) It really is a helpful and friendly online community. Fiddlerman (Pierre) posts often, and loves to help out the visitors to his site :) We also do online events on StreetJelly.com a couple times a year, online recitals of sorts :)
Waw.
In your your 3rd month i can see that you are confident to play and stiff is lesser. 😍 its great.. Iam actually inspired to practice.
Thank you so much :)
Amazing, it’s a lot harder for adults to learn an instrument! Just a Recommendation, don’t start using or attempt to use vibrato when you’ve been playing AT LEAST year, you need to develop the basics, maybe you ‘know’ the basics but the basics should be learned well enough to the point that it becomes second nature. I love the video, keep up the good work!
Thank you :) Thanks for the advice :) I was/am working with a teacher who saw no issue starting me on vibrato at 2 months in. Everyone learns different, and every teacher will be different :)
The early days ha-ha :-))) There was a huge improvement on month 4. Then, you reward yourself by leaving the house in month 6 and torturing yourself by playing in the frozen snow! :-)) You don't do things in half measures Mandy! Brilliant video. You must be so proud of your achievements. Well done! Keep going babe. regards, Phil
Thanks!! During the 3rd month I was practicing super hard for my first recital, which took place during the 4th month, the clip in there should be of my practicing my recital tune, which is pretty much all did for a month, lol. I switched to hour long classes so my teacher and I could practice (she was backing me up on guitar), so I'm glad it showed :)
Excellent progress! You're sounding very good.
Thanks so much :)
This is amazingly inspiring, I started when I was 4 years old but quit and came back not so long ago! I regret leaving it, but your vid helped me in knowing that practice is the key 😅
Thank you, I'm glad to know my video helped you :) Have fun! :D
The Fiddling Violin thank *you* for inspiring me 😊
You're welcome :) If you haven't visited it yet, the forum at fiddlerman.com/forum is full of beginners, and people returning to the instrument after a long break like you. Everyone is very supportive there :)
The Fiddling Violin ohh, I’m gonna check it out :) thx again
Very impressive progress from the beginning and your intonation sounds really good.
Thank you so much :)
Hi, I'm from Germany. (So sorry for my grammar)
Yesterday I bought a violin and I try to teach myself to play for the time being. In a month or two, I think I will go to a teacher. But I want to try this instrument before I say that I really want to play it.
I'm 16 and I want to play the violin for 2 years, but everyone says I'm too old. Now I'm trying it out and believe from many TH-cam videos, not even that someone can be too old to learn an instrument.
I hope you understand what I wrote my english is not good.🙈😅
I hope you enjoy learning the violin! You are not too old to learn, so don't let anyone tell you that you are. Good luck, and have fun!!
@@TheFiddlingViolin Thanks😄☺
Excellent well done! Inspiring obviously born to play!
Thank you :)
Qué triste, llevo 3 meses y sigo al nivel que ella tenía a las 3 semanas 😢
Necesito practicar más. 😞🎻
Everyone progresses different, you'll get there :)
The Fiddling Violin Gracias ☺
Very inspiring!
Your progress is fantastic, but I will say, one thing that I tell me students that helps them a lot and helped me when I was learning is to not be afraid of the bottom half of your bow, it will help you with confidence and projection and stuff like that. It may also force you to address any kind of bow hold and arm/wrist mobility issues.
Thanks so much :) Using the top of the bow so much is a direction by my teacher for my fiddling. I use more of the bow when I do my etudes :) But that is really good info and will keep it in mind while I do my etudes :)
The Fiddling Violin Oh cool! I'm classically trained so I don't really know a whole lot about fiddle pedagogy hahaha.
For what I've been learning, it's lots of bowing near the top to maximize speed. But it's all good, I'm trying to incorporate as much as I can into my learning :)
Wow I really want to start, I'm been so afraid because it's such a difficult instrument to learn and I haven't had music classes for nearly 20y now. I'll be brave, and I'll do it!
The challenge is part of the fun! And that you've had some music classes in the past will be some help to you :D
Wow! Congrats its really inspiring! I played the violin for almost 2 yezrs when I was 9 and my former teacher really disgusted me from that instrument so I stopped.Now almost 10 years later I just orderer a violin this morning to start again I hope I'll progress as well as you! Have a nice day!
( sorry for the mistakes english is not my mother tongue)
Good luck with your return to the violin :) I bet a lot of what you knew will come back and help you along :)
Really enjoyed watching your progress videos! You've accomplished a lot in one year! Let's see what the second year brings :-)
Thank you! It's been a fun first year, I'm excited to see where the second year takes me :)
Totally understand you!! I'm also very excited about my second year! I think it's going to be even more fun than my first year. :-) Good luck to you!!
You, too!! I'm sure it'll be a great year :)
You are a great inspiration! :) it´s nice to watch the progress
Thank you so much :) I hope that this video will help people see that if you're willing to work at it, the violin, or any instrument, isn't so scary to try out.
Very nice well done. It takes a lot of time and a lot of practice
Wonderful! I really live your playing, I hope you're still playing the violin now! I started it 1 month ago and I love watching progress videos haha but yours is the most encouraging I think! :)
Thanks! Yes, I'm still playing :D It's a fun journey :)
i am still learning the violin myself without any violin teacher and its abit challenging for me, but looking at ur progress makes me think i can do it too! awesome job :)
Thank you :) Yes, you can do it :D One helpful group for tips is Fiddlerman.com/forum. There is a place on the forum to post videos to ask for technique tips, which is a great help for people learning without a teacher :) Have fun on your journey :D
The Fiddling Violin omg u replied! x heheh, thank u soo much it will definitely help me x
Haha :) You're welcome :) I hang out over there on the forum, everyone over there is super friendly and helpful :)
This is so beautiful, it made me tear up.
Thank you :)
your bow rhythm in month 2 is awesome. That's looks like a difficult tune to play.
Thank you :) I had to look back and what tune it was, that's Harvest Home, a fun little Irish hornpipe. Still a favorite of mine to play, just quite a bit faster, haha.
Awesome progress! 👏👏👏👏 I started learning yesterday... I hope I can get a progress like yours after 1 year of practicing 😊
Thank you! Have fun with your journey! If you're looking for a helpful community of fellow learners, everyone at fiddlerman.com/forum are really nice :)
The Fiddling Violin thanks for the tip! 😊 😊 😊 😊
No problem, they are a great group of people :)
This is wonderful! My ENTIRE family (husband and kids) is musical! Three out of five of us perform professionally...I do not! :) My husband sings, plays keyboard, guitar, trumpet, mandolin, harmonica, drums...I'm probably missing something. My oldest, my daughter, is a wonderful composer, singer and piano player, my middle son is an amazing singer, mandolin player and composer and my youngest son sings and plays drums. (I've been told that I can make costumes ;) or play the triangle...I prefer to be the most professional audience member ever!) I took violin lessons for a minute in third grade and have the violin my Dad played (for a minute!) as a child. I'm almost 53 but I'm very intrigued about the possibility of taking lessons/learning violin. You are very inspiring! Did you know how to read music before you started lessons?
Thank you so much! In elementary school I was taught very little how to read sheet music, I could remember a little bit of it, but pretty much had to start from the beginning again. I could kind of figure out what the note was if I ran through the "FACE" and "Every Good Boy Does Fine" that we were taught to help remember them, but couldn't read rhythm at all.
I say if you are interested in taking lessons, go for it :D I hang out in the forum at fiddlerman.com/forum and it is made up of all adult learners, who all started at various ages. We do "recitals" online at streetjelly.com which become great parties (we just had one last weekend, and have another coming up October 29). It's a very supportive community for us adult beginners :) The guy who runs it (Fiddlerman/Pierre Holstein) is a very accomplished player who also hangs around the forum offering help to all of us :)
Your tone is really lovely at one year. More metronome practice will make your Celtic tunes sound better.
Thank you :)
Wow! You've come a long way. I'm also an adult learner and I just started; I hope I get the hang of it. Haha. It's a hard, yet beautiful instrument to learn. And, I can't wait to see more of your videos.
Thanks so much! It is a beautiful, fun and challenging instrument to learn. I love it. Enjoy your journey!
You're welcome, and thank you. :)
What a great start, well done ♥️💪 keep it up
Thank you :)
This is awesome! Well done! Keep it up! :)
Very inspiring!! Well
Done!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
This makes me wanna pick up my violin and start playing it right away! May i ask what bow are you using? And what violin are you using? The sound of it is really nice.
Thank you so much :) I'm glad to know it's inspiring you to play :) The violin I mainly use in this video is a Ming Jiang Zhu 905. I can't remember what brand my bow is off the top of my head. I know one I'm using in the video is a Fiddlerman carbon fiber bow, but I'll check what my wooden bow is. :)
Remembered to take a look at the name on my bow, it's an Atelier Casara.
Awesome! I subscribe to your channel, also im a violinist and i reach 1 year, i hope you continue to play the vioin, wish you the best, have nice day!
Thank you! Hope you are enjoying your journey learning the violin! :)
If you next note you play is a higher pitch, leave the previous finger down on the string. No charge!
Hah like nr 500 😊 Impressive, you're doing an amazing work
Thanks so much :) I'm surprised how many likes and views this video has gotten :)
How long did you practice each day? Btw you where great from the beginning propa to you!
awesome awesome job
Thanks!
comming along nicely fino!
Thank you :)
Very good and well done!
Thanks so much :)
Great progress! I was watching other progress videos, but you make the fastest progress. I bet you have a teacher? I'm playing for 3 months now, with a teacher, and made a progress video as well. 😊
Thank you, I do have a teacher, and I supplement with online video tutorials between lessons :) I started taking lessons last August, a couple weeks after I got my violin. I will check out your video. Thanks for watching!
Great progress. Just make sure you use more bow!
Congratulations! Your progress is very impressive :) I started learning to play just 2 months and a half ago... Haven't uploaded any video yet but maybe some day when I have a decent level ;) Keep going!
Thank you :) That's great that you started learning :) Enjoy your journey!
Have you gotten any new violins since this video? I've been playing on my beginner violin for a year and a few months until I got my family heirloom, an Italian violin. My teacher fixed the cracks and now I play on it. There's a massive difference between a good quality violin vs a student violin.
Hi, thanks for watching! You've probably been playing around how long I have been. :) And how awesome that you get to play on a family heirloom! It's much more satisfying to play on something with some history to it.
I upgraded my violin fairly early on, and there is a huge difference between my student violin and my higher quality one (I tend to refer to it as my "expensive" one, but build quality and tone are more important than what I paid, lol). It wasn't something I planned to do so soon, but I don't regret ti :)
It is much more open and clear, like night and day. I'm playing that one in most of this video, but I didn't get a nice microphone until later on, it's only used once or twice near the end of this video, but I'm still a newbie at figuring out how to best record the audio, so the difference I think is really only heard in person.
I had this weird habit where I didn't press down on the strings with my bow to create a loud sound. With my new-old violin, I don't have to press as hard and such a beautiful sound comes out. It's definitely satisfying to play on a very old violin that just happened to get into my hands.
Your progress videos is one of the best I've seen so far. I'll subscribe to you :D
I have a habit of doing that, too, and thankfully my fiddle is pretty loud, haha. I guess I would try to play louder if I were playing in a room full of people, but when I'm just practicing I don't feel like making it yell in my ear.
Thank you so much, and thank you for the subscription :)
Very nice!
Thank you :)
Such a motivational video! Let's keep it up together~!
Thanks :D I'm currently doing a 100 day practice challenge. Even though I rarely miss a day of practice, it's a nice exercise to really look at my playing as a bigger picture than my normal weekly goals.
Very Inspiring. fantastic Video. !!!!! I just got a broken violin last night and I think I'm holding it all wrong. because I have pain in my left arm right under the wrist. I've been watching video's on how to hold it correctly but I think I am going to need a teacher to SEE what I'm doing wrong before I continue. (Oh and I have no strings either) 1st things first. Holding the violin then next holding the bow.
Thank you :) A teacher will be a big help to you in making sure you are doing things right, and in a way that won't cause any pain :) Also, the community at Fiddlerman.com/forum are all very helpful. You can always post pictures and videos to ask for help correcting issues :) Enjoy your new journey! Hope you get a working fiddle soon :)
I went into a Violin Shop and they said that Violin was for a child therefore too small for you. They put a violin for my size. (Adult) and the sales person told me how to hold and I had no pain. I'll am a member of that forum but the owner said I could give Him a Private Message. But I don't know how to do that. Also I am looking into getting a LEFT violin vs a RIGHT violin. I am lefty but Righty when it comes to playing the piano.
On Fiddlerman, if you are logged in on the website, if you click Fiddlerman's profile image, at the bottom of the page that pops up it'll say "send a PM" you can click that to open the message window. Also, if you just click your "Inbox" icon, in there you can type @admin or @fiddlerman to send a message right to him :) Pierre is really helpful, he helped me pick out my main fiddle :)
Oh that's great. What violin do you have?
I logged into the Forum but did not see Fiddlerman's profile image at the bottom or the page. Do I have to be on the Forum page or His MAIN page for find his profile image?
I think it's amazing that after 1 day you knew where the notes where already??? 1 Day!!! Twinkle Twinkle little star. How'd you accomplish that? That's amazing!
My family tends to have an ear for hearing notes easily, which is at least one musical gene I got handed down, haha. It's helped a ton with learning the fiddle being able to hear when my finger moves a little out of place. :)
Hearing Notes - OK I understand that but didn't you have to first learn where the notes A, B, C, D, E, F, and G were on the violin first before you started playing a piece? On the first day before you played. Did you know that the first string (opened) was a G?
I watched a lot of videos before I got my fiddle, so I knew which string was what, but since I couldn't read music it didn't mean anything helpful to me, haha (I can read it now, but at first was all about reading TAB music, haha). I watched Fiddlerman's Twinkle Twinkle video and played from watching that, and watched a few other videos from The Online Piano and Violin Tutor for other visual tutorials. So in my head I'm not thinking which note I'm playing, I was paying attention to the sound and singing the song in my head) Once you have an idea which finger the note needs to come from, it's all listening to find your finger placement. After that it's muscle memory and listening. Lots of listening with fiddle since there are no frets to help for reference.
Wow. That's an amazing story! You should make a You Tube Video on that and say that someone from You Tube asked you to make it. (Well - Meaning me!)
I play the piano and I have performed about 11 Rachmaninoff Preludes - (Probably the easier ones-But there all hard!) I started learning the Rachmaninoff Prelude is C Sharp Minor after 6 months after taking up the piano. Though I did not tell my teacher until a year later when I surprised Him that I could play it perfectly.
I know how to read music. And I have some ear training-so I can pick out a perfect 5th. (So that will be helpful when tuning the violin-Ha)
I have been watching "The online Piano and Violin tutor" Like you! She seems like a really good teacher!
So you wound up buying a Ming Jiang Zhu 905... I have been watching a lot of video's like you and the Ming Jiang Zhu is pretty much at the top of the line and pretty expensive.
I don't know how far I am going to go on the violin so I am going to first RENT a violin and then if I like it I have had my eye on the CVN600... I saw on amazon a lot of not too good reviews on the CVN700 so I am reluctant. The CVN800 seems out of my price range.
what strings do you use on your violin? Do you mix and match them on your violin?
I'm all new at this and have not started yet.
I'll think about it. I'm so uncomfortable in front of the camera that speaking videos tend to just end up awkward, haha.
The Ming 905 isn't top of the line, but no it isn't the cheapest. Renting a violin is a good idea to start out to make sure you really enjoy it :)
Buying from Amazon is hit and miss. Factory set ups tend to leave those violins hard to play, and do well with a visit to a luthier to get tweaked. Places like Shar Music and Fiddlershop send their violins ready to play out of the box, which saves you extra time and money. One fiddler friend had to put $200 into a fiddle he got from Amazon to get it playable (it was a $200 violin to start).
I've used a few different sets of strings. My Ming came with Larsen Virtuoso, which if I could afford them I would have kept buying them, they just have a lovely tone to them. I've tried Fiddlerman's strings, and they are really nice, have a nice tone and easy to play on. Right now I have Helicore strings on my vintage German fiddle, and I love those strings, and Vision on my Ming. The Vision are growing on me. They have a nice smooth feel under your fingers and a really nice tone once they break in. I always use the Kaplan non-whisteling E string, though, no matter what brand string I'm using for G-D-A.
ouahh!! inredible.
what's you method please?
Thank you :) The first two months I went through the Essential Elements Book 1. After that I started going through Mel Bay's The Complete Irish Fiddler, and in there learned lots of ornamentation and bowing patterns. I worked in that book until I reached 1 year :) My method for the first year was mostly learning a tune and the bowing and ornamentation that goes with it. It made practice a bit more fun. :)
Now I focus more on etudes and shifting practice, along with still learning more tunes and brushing up on the old ones that I grew fond of.
Did you get lessons? Seems like you learned super fast!
I did off and on 😀
Hi! I've always wanted to play the violin, but my mom hates this instrument so I went for piano instead. But I think time is passing by too fast, and I really want to start playing the violin by myself... Your video really inspires me. I just wanted to know how loud playing the violin can be, cause I have to practise "secretly" or my parents won't let me.
Keep playing!
I'm glad to know my video inspired you :) Each violin has its own personality, and how loud they are is part of it, some may be quieter than others, and they will ALWAYS feel super loud to you while playing them. There is a fix, you can get a metal practice mute, and it will make the violin super quiet :) I think the metal mute would be a good solution for you :D
The Fiddling Violin thank you so much!
wonderfull, congrats
Great progress! You have a big talent :)
Thank you :)
I see a lot of comments about “how much do you practice a day?” I’d say based on her progress compared to mine I think she probably practiced at most an hour and a half maybe a day. I practiced around 3 hours a day for almost a year just because I was and really am obsessed (meaning always thinking about it) and I was homeschooled so I really wanted to just master it and was,again, obsessed with doing that. So it really depends how much time you have and how much you really want to learn the art carries over to how fast you will progress. People tend to think I’m a 6+ year player when really I’m a 4 year. I just practice twice the time most people do so I have progressed two times as fast because I just Love it so much. And also I didn’t learn reading music while playing. When I wanted to play any song I wanted I just listened to the chords in the song and matched it on my violin and within an hour I’d have the right chords on my violin to make those sounds. Now, of coarse, I can just hear a song on the radio and play it without any problem instantly just because I’ve memorized each and every thing about the violin. Hopefully that gave y’all some insight 😊
That's great, keep up the great work :D Actually, my first year I practiced 15 - 30 minutes a day on weekdays after work, and probably up to an hour on Saturday and Sunday :)
Very nice
Thank you :)
What violin are you using I would like to get the same one 💖 iam an adult violinist to just starting since December 2016
Hi! The first violin I'm playing with in the beginning of the video is the Fiddlerman Concert violin, which is very nice starter violin. I play it for the first couple months of the video, and again at 6 months.
The one I'm using at 2 months and through most of the remaining video is a Ming Jiang Zhu 905, which I also purchased through fiddlershop.com and that is my main violin. I love this one :) It's my baby, haha.
I've always found everyone at Fiddlershop very helpful. If you give them a call, they can help recommend a violin to you, or even make a video demo for you of the violin you are going to purchase.
Thanks for watching, and I hope you enjoy your journey to learn the violin :)
great, would mind sharing your practice routine? How long did you practice? I want to share it with my students. Keep it up!
Hi! Sure! During that first year, it depended on the day, anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour. I tried to practice every day, but usually there was a day that would get missed. I didn’t buckle down on scales and etudes until closer to my second year; first year was all about learning what was needed for each tune.
Hello! Mandy I'm planning to get a violin next year. I'm 25 and turning 26, right now I'm still learning how to read music notes by myself. how did you learn to read notes? did someone taught you?
Hi! I had a fiddle teacher for the first couple of years I was learning the violin, and she helped me learn to read sheet music. It's still a weak point for me, I can read what the notes are but reading timing is hard for me, I learn by ear easier.
HI! Can you please tell me how often you get classes and how long you practice every day? thank you!!
Hi! I started lessons about 3 weeks into playing, and at that time took weekly 30 minute lessons, and practiced every day for about an hour. After 2 years I had a nerve injury and took a year off, then returned to every other week lessons, and practiced mostly every day. Currently I haven't had lessons in over a year, and try to practice every day and find online workshops to join and videos to learn new tricks from :)
@@TheFiddlingViolin Thank you so much for sharing that!!
Very good progress. Apart from the half hour you play with your teacher how much do you actually practice playing the violin per day or average per week? I'm wondering because your progress is one of the better ones I saw out there!
Thank you :) For this first year I was practicing around a half hour a day during the week, and up to 2 hours on the weekends. Now that I'm working on shifting positions and Etudes I average an hour a night during the week, and still about 2 hours or so on the weekends :)
Do you have the sheet music for the hanging tree? I've been looking for an easy one!
amazing progress by the way!
Thanks so much! The one I used was from before I could read sheet music, so it is just written out in TAB. Here's the link: content.myzen.co.uk/ams-pdf/hangingtreetab.pdf
The Fiddling Violin thank you!
You're welcome :)
superb progress!! how many hours of practice per day mam?????
Thank you :) On weekdays after work I practice around 30 minutes, on weekends I spread several short practice sessions throughout the day, but it probably adds up to around 2 hours.
ola. this is amazing. Do you get any teacher? I also just started play violin like 4 months ago. self taught. i wonder if I need a teacher as I might taught myself wrong.
Hi! Thanks so much :)
I do have a teacher, but I think it is completely doable to learn on your own with all the online resources available, youtube channels like Fiddlerman, Online Piano and Violin Tutor and Violinspiration :)
It can certainly help to have a lesson or two here and there to make sure you aren't developing bad habits, since some can cause you pain down the road and be hard to break. My plan was to just have a few lessons when I was first starting to get myself on the right track, but enjoyed them so much I am keeping up with them as long as I am able to afford them.
There are also communities out there like fiddlerman.com/forum where you can post a video of your playing and ask for helpful tips to work through any issues :)
Have fun with your new journey!! It's such a fun and challenging one :)
Thank you!
Hello my name is Sergio, I am from Argentina and I start to play violin at 1 week ago. How many hours do you practice violin? I'm sorry for my terrible English! Greetings!
Hi Sergio :) No need to apologize for your English :) In the beginning I typically practiced 15 minutes - 30 minutes a day, weekends I get more time in. Now I usually get in an hour a day :) The amount of time spent isn't as important as how focused you are on what your working on. You can make more progress in 15 minutes of focused practice than an hour unfocused. Enjoy your journey :D It's a very fun and challenging instrument to learn :)
How long did you practice each day? Btw you where great from the beginning props to you!
Thanks so much :) In the first year I would practice typically 15-30 minutes on weekdays, and on weekends at least an hour made up from several short practice sessions. Now I practice about an hour a day.
Wow!!! You’re amazing and your progress was phenomenal! Especially seeing that you’ve had no previous musical experience! Congrats! I’m looking at all sorts of videos...looking for inspiration as I’ll be starting the cello soon! Never played a stringed instrument (except guitar). So I hope to do as well as you! Did you take lessons from a teacher?
Thank you so much :) I do take lessons, but know of so many people that do well without them. Wishing you the best on your new journey with the cello! I would love to learn the cello, it has such a beautiful tone :)
Was that a different violin at 8 months, it sounded a lot deeper and richer in the bass register.
No, that was the same one. The place I was playing just had better acoustics. :)
Hi...Amazing..Do you have a teacher?? What is the song in 2:45??
Thanks so much :) Yes, I do have a teacher, I started taking lessons after I had my violin about 2 weeks. And that song is Harvest Home, a fun little Irish fiddle tune.
Love your doctor who t shirt :)
Thank you :D I love Doctor Who :D
hello :3 i really like your video. If you don.t mind me asking how much was your violin? I hope i will get one too and i have no idea what price range i should focus on :)) Maybe even the model of the violin? Anyway thank you for the video. Have a nice day!
oh nevermind :)) checked the description
The Concert model is a very nice violin for a beginner-intermediate player :)
where did buy your voilin and how much did it cost?
I bought it from Fiddlershop.com . It's a Ming Jiang Zhu 905 which runs around $2,000. Everyone at the shop is very helpful. The owner, Pierre, is an accomplished violinist, and runs the business with his son. Really great people. You can call the shop and they can help you find a violin to match exactly what your looking for, in your price range.
He has a youtube channel where you can see how he demos violins for his customers: th-cam.com/channels/ytTZDaLZaplTKMnTHh-hTQ.html
Great progress! i have a question: how much do you practice in the day?
Thank you :) During my first year I practiced 15-30 minutes on weekdays, and 1-2 hours on weekends. Now I practice an hour a day, sometimes more on weekends. :)
oh, thank you for answer my question :)
What bow did you change to? Great progress btw :D
Thank so much :) I went from a Fiddlerman Carbon Fiber bow (which I still use all the time, I love it) to a Atelier Casara bow, which I purchased through a local shop.
how did you know how to read music and finger placement without frets. so quickly?
what learning method are you using?
I couldn't read music at first, I remembered the basics from elementary school, but not enough to actually read it to play. I started lessons a little over a week after getting my violin, so until then I used my ear to find the notes.
When I started lessons, my teacher started me in Essential Elements, I only ever did the first book before moving on into The Complete Irish Fiddle Player by Pete Cooper a couple months into my lessons :) Now I work out of several different scale, etude and shifting books.
Ok so you had a teacher and not self taught?
Yeah, I wanted to avoid developing any bad habits, in part because I already have repetitive motion injuries in my hands and wanted to avoid more injuries while learning. I started out my lessons already knowing where the notes were in first position, and how to bow pretty well. Even still with taking lessons, I still have always supplemented with reading things online, and watching tutorials, because I can't afford the typical hour long lessons, so my lessons go by pretty quick.
I love it
Thank you :)
0:40 is that "hanging tree" ??!! :O
Yes :) I need to revisit it, my playing at one week was not that great, haha.
The Fiddling Violin well, it was good enough to recognize it ;) and after only one week, i would say it's impressive ^^
Thank you :) :)
hii i have a quedtion and that is did you know how to read music notes? like how long did you have to study them?
Hi :) I didn't know how to read music when I first started playing, but it didn't take long to start to remember what note is what on the page. I was able to read simple music by at least the 3 week mark. I'm still learning what different notations mean as I come across them in different pieces of music, but the basics were pretty easy.
Ohh i asked bcuz i myself ordered my 1st violin and it will take a time so im studying notes from books and stuff
How exciting! :) It won't take you long to learn what the notes are. It's easier to memorize than it seems at first :)
I noticed when i was reading the basics so i tested myself and i could read a music sheet it was suprising!
That's great, see, it doesn't take long at all :)
can I ask, did you take susuki method or traditional lessons?
Hi! I am taking lessons, but not Suzuki method :) We went through the first Essential Elements book for a little over a month, skipping over bits she didn't think I needed to go over, and then started working on Irish fiddling techniques while working on tunes for the rest of the year :)
how much time do you spend in a day to practice? do you exercise every day?
Hi :) Currently I spend about an hour practicing. My first year I averaged a half hour a day :)
Respect!
Thanks!!
I 15 yo and i want play violant but i don't have a teacher ,i want your advice
Hello! There are lots of great resources for learning without a teacher. Check out the Online Piano and Violin Tutor, she has some great videos to get you started.
That's a violin? It almost looks like a viola by the size of it. Great job, now you just need to develop your vibrato a bit more. Vibrato is a combination of things that need to be flexible to make it work starting with your fingers, joints, knuckles, hand and wrist all the way down to the elbow. Keep going you are doing great!
Thank you! Yes, it's a normal 4/4 violin, haha, you're not the first to ask if it's a viola. I'm just a little on the short/petite side so it looks big. And thanks for the vibrato tips! I've improved on it a little since this video, but it's something that will be a work in progress for a little while before it is totally smooth and natural for me :)
The Fiddling Violin playing the violin is like an expensive bottle of wine the older it gets the better it tastes and the more expensive it gets too!
Your journey is very inspiring..were you self taught or with a teacher?
Thank you :) I had a teacher :) It's very helpful to have a teacher to help avoid any injury from bad habits. Currently on a break from lessons, but want to return as soon as possible :)