Posts Tagged ‘Violinists’

Haven’t you ever wondered how certain people become really good violinists? I have! The violin really is one of the most amazing instruments. Not only is the craftsmanship beautiful but the sound that emanates from them is absolutely incredible. Well recently I came upon a site that offered something that just may help you learn how to play the violin, whether you’re a pro or an amateur, called violin video lesson packages. These packages alone are pretty fantastic, I mean they come with hundreds of different videos and tons of different lessons. But, they also come with lots of extras like exercises, chords, notes, learning how to read sheet music, jam tracks, exercises, scales and chords, and step by step instructions.

Most sites I’ve seen these packages on, the price tag was well under $50, which is pretty fantastic when you think about all the cool extras you get. And, they are extras you will actually use! Another cool thing about these packages, is that a lot of the times the lessons are given by well-known violinists such as Eric Lewis. Professor Lewis is the world renowned first violinist of the Manhattan String Quartet of 40 years! He has also toured the world since the 1970s across North and South America, Europe, Russia and the far east concertizing and teaching. So, this isn’t just some guy teaching you about something he barely knows about himself. This is an actual master, willing to teach you everything he knows!

If you want to do some of the following activities, then these packages are absolutely perfect for you:

Play condenzas, sonatas and solos
Play violin in a symphony, string quartet or piano trio
Start your own violin teaching business or get a job as a violinist
Play some of the most popular music that the masters have
You’re a beginner but you want to learn the basics and start playing whole pieces
You don’t have time to hire an instructor, and need something more conveniently

Hitting on the last note, convenience is really important to me, as I’m sure it is to you as well. What’s great about these packages is as soon as you pay you will be guided to a member’s section which will allow you to download the videos right then and there. No waiting around, no waiting for the parcel service to deliver it, etc. And, you can play these videos whenever, wherever, and for however long you want. It doesn’t matter if you have 15 minutes to play, or 1 hour to play. It’s all available to you, right there on your computer!

If you would like more information on these video lesson packages, or would like to compare different prices try out the following sites:

- eBay

- Amazon

- ViolinMaster

- InstrumentMaster

And lastly, remember to have fun with this! I am almost 100% sure you will really enjoy the convenience of these videos as well as the quickness of how well you will begin to play. Good luck!

So you think you know violins? Here are ten questions about violins, violinists, fiddles and such that’ll probably make you say “Ah Fiddlesticks!” How many will you get right?

1. You probably know that at one time violin strings were made of a substance called “catgut.” What was the major ingredient in catgut?

2. Although many parents find it a bit of a fight to get their violinist to practice, playing the violin is usually a non-contact sport. But the name of at least one part of a violin might remind you of boxing. What might that (those) part(s) be?

3. You’ve heard that Stradivarius violins can be very expensive. You’ve heard how rare they are and how well they are made. How many violins did Stradivarius make?

4. Violinist Mark Wood calls himself the “first heavy metal violinist.” He plays an innovative electric violin called a “Viper.” What notes are the strings on Mark’s Viper tuned to? (Hint…The Viper has more than 4 strings.)

5. Most violins are made of wood. How many kinds of wood are there in most violins, and what woods are violins usually made of?

6. Which character on the old television show Hogan’s Heroes played the violin?

7. Many people associate wearing black clothing with singer Roy Orbison. Some call Johnny Cash, “the man in black.” What famous violinist from the past was notable for wearing all black clothing?

8. Three men were involved with writing the Declaration of Independence which declared that the American colonies were independent from their British rulers. One of the three was renowned for, among other things, playing the violin. Who?

9. Where are the strings on a Hardanger Violin?

10. The organ is often referred to as the “King of Instruments.” What royal nickname is bestowed upon the violin?

Well, those are my questions. How’d you do? Let’s take a look at the answers!

1. Contrary to popular belief, catgut strings are NOT made of cat innards, they are made of sheep intestines.

2. The “sides” of a violin are called “bouts,” another definition of which is, “a contest or trial of strength, as of boxing.”

3. Trick Question! How many violins did Stradivarius make? NONE. The famous luthier’s name was Antonio Stradivari, not Stradivarius.

4. From highest to lowest, the strings on Mark’s Viper are E, A, D, G, C, F, B-Flat. Seven strings!

5. Typically there are three woods used in a violin. The back and bouts are maple. The belly, or table, is spruce, and the fingerboard/tailpiece/chinrest are made of ebony, or boxwood or rosewood.

6. On at least one occasion, Colonel Klink played the violin in his office.

7. Paganini was the original “man in black.” He was said to be so good on the violin that many people suspected he had made a pact with the devil to give him that skill. His clothing choice did not help them change their minds.

8. A song from the Broadway musical 1776 has Martha Jefferson sing about her husband.



He plays the violin He tucks it right under his chin And he bows, oh he bows For he knows, yes he knows That it’s hi-hi-hi-diddle diddle It’s my heart, Tom and his fiddle My strings are unstrung Hi-hi-hi-hi I am undone



Among other skills, future President Thomas Jefferson was an accomplished violinist.

9. On a Hardanger violin, four strings are in the traditional place above the fingerboard, and several sympathetic strings are below the fingerboard.

10. The violin is called the “King of Strings.”

So, how many did you get correct? All ten? That’s phenomenal! Have you considered a career teaching music? Five? You’re probably still above average! But no matter how many you got correct, you’ve probably learned something you didn’t know about one of the most beloved instruments in the world, and that’s a good thing!

The Old Way: In Person Violin Lessons

While you can make great progress with in person violin lessons there is a major consideration that makes online violin lessons a much better choice and that is of course, money. Having your own personal violin teacher can quickly become far too costly for most people. In fact, a single lesson with a violin teacher costs more than all of the lessons with an online violin playing course.

Another problem with a personal violin teachers is that sometimes they aren’t very good teachers! They may teach the wrong methods or perhaps they are not very patient. None of these things is of course an issue with online violin lessons. With these lessons you know you are learning the right methods and of course they are as patient as you want them to be. You will work at your pace.

Finally, you may not feel comfortable playing in front of someone else until you improve your playing. That’s perfectly natural. It’s just another reason to choose online violin lessons instead of a personal violin teacher.

The New Way: Online Violin Lessons With Violin Master Pro

With these online lessons not only will you be saving a ton of money, you’ll also be learning from the best. Your teacher will be Eric Lewis of the Manhattan String Quartet and he is one of the best violinists in the world.

You will be able to work at your pace and regardless of your current playing ability (beginner, intermediate, or advanced) you will have the tools you need to improve your playing in the most effective way possible.

It is true that if one wants to learn how to play the violin, one would find it difficult initially but playing violin gives immense satisfaction. One needs to put in a lot of effort to learn how to play the violin. One has to learn to hold the violin properly and to finger and sound the notes in the right manner.

Music instruction is a must when it comes to playing the violin. The very first thing that has to be learnt would be to hold the violin properly. If the violin is not held properly, one would always be uncomfortable playing. The left arm should be curved under the body around over the neck and your hand and fingers must be over the strings. The chin rest should be placed between chin and the left shoulder. Now, put the right arm in the front of the face to play the violin.

When one has learnt how to hold the violin, the next step is learning how to finger the notes. Guitars have frets that help find the notes but that is not the case with violins. The ears of the violinists have to be trained to identify where the notes are located on the fingerboard. A violin has four positions. The first position is considered to be at the end from the violinist’s face. It gives out low-pitched notes. The last i.e. fourth position is near the neck and produces the highest notes. The strings are tunes G, D, A, E from lowest to highest. Violin could be played open strings i.e. without pressing the strings. The tone of the string could also be changed by pressing it.

The next step would be the sounding of notes. One could drag the bow across the string/strings that have to be played. It would create a long steady sound. Another option is playing pizzicato which means plucking the strings with the help of the fingers of your right hand. It would produce a sudden staccato sound.

But does knowing how to play prove sufficient? Well, one should know what to play as well. Reading music is also a part of music education. There are many who like playing by the ear that ascertains that the sound of their violin would sound good in company of other’s also.

There is one question that needs answering first. Why do you want to play violin? It is the enjoyment that one gets out of it that makes the whole effort worthwhile. But if you take playing violin like any other task you have to do, you would soon get bored of it and your progress would hamper. It is true that you need to spend time practicing violin but it is also essential that you take out some time to play what you enjoy playing.

In the beginning, your hands would hurt a little. With time the fingers gain strength and your muscles start getting accustomed to this unusual posture of holding the violin. Your body would feel strange holding the violin initially but with practice everything would seem normal.

A violin player or for that matter any music professional has to keep up with competition right from the very beginning. The bar has to be kept high all through the period one plays violin. It might seem daunting in the beginning but one gets accustomed to it with time.