Violin Lesson Blog

Online Violin Lessons- Do Online Violin Lessons Mean the Death of Violin Teachers?

admin — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:13:59 +0000

Online violin lessons are the best thing that could happen to the violin community, at least as far as the student is concerned. If you haven’t yet heard of them, it’s not surprising. Generally people go about learning an instrument by calling up a local music school and asking if they offer private lessons for your instrument. When you go to meet your teacher, I very seriously doubt they will say, “I charge thirty dollars per half hour lesson, but at the same price you could master your instrument using online violin lessons and never have to pay me again.” If they did, they would ALL be out of a job! Unless you live next door to your violin teacher, you’ll pay several times more than that price just for the gas to get you to your lessons during the course of your music education. In this situation, ten times out of ten the opportunity for the student will be swept under the rug.

No violin teacher could make a living trying to keep up with such rates, but suppose they tried. Most aren’t of the teaching caliber you’ll find online. As a fair representation, let’s say traditional violin lessons run from about 20 to 100 dollars per half hour (sometimes slightly less from someone who teaches as a hobby or significantly more if you’re learning from someone who carries a lot of clout in the field); that would mean the average teacher charges 20% of what the master does. Applying this rate to online violin lessons would mean the average teacher would charge $6 to teach a student how to master the violin. Even if taking twenty at a time that’s not enough to pay the rent for one month, and he or she would be tied up for possibly years.

Why would I so fervently shout about the opportunity of online violin lessons if it’s going to be so harsh on violin teachers? The bottom line is I love music, so I choose the student’s side over the teacher’s. I’m sure there are many who would love to learn how to play violin, but can’t afford to get quality lessons, so they never learn. Other would-be violin players lack the time to learn how to play. Learning from home will free up some time for the student to play by eliminating the commute. I want to see more violinists, and there’s no longer a question of where to find the best lesson quality or if it fits your budget. Am I on the wrong side, or is my thinking flawed? Comment and let me know what your thoughts are.

Learn more about opportunities for online violin lessons here.

The Measure of Metro Music

admin — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:38:58 +0000

If knew how to play violin, filling concert halls, recognized by millions, would you go back to busking? Joshua Bell, one of the nation’s great musicians, tried just a thing as an experiment. The setting was, of all places, the L’Enfant Plaza Station in D.C. The time…rush hour! How many people would you estimate that would recognize such a talent? With the exception of a larger donation given by a lady that recognized him, the grand total for 43 minutes of playing totaled $32.17. Bell laughed, thinking it not so bad at 40 bucks an hour without having to hire an agent.
Get the full story with videos here: http://tinyurl.com/32a32w

If you’d like to learn how to play violin from masters, check out our main site for the reviews of the best, affordable programs.

Robots Play Violin

admin — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:56:18 +0000

In December of 2007 a robot was released that had the capability to play violin. What’s that mean for the violinists? Will the demand for humans to play violin come screeching to a halt? Nope, but it’s still amusing to see a robot play violin, don’t you think?

The beauty of the violin is not in the mechanics, but in its capacity for expression. Part of the awe of watching a master play violin is that the audience feels he or she is sharing a story with them; there is a connection. I’ve always believed that the why is just as important as the what. Even if we can get technology to understand what is beautiful or touching, the personality and experience that brought about the creation is lacking. Often times we will try and analyze music, what it means, etcetera, but if you knew it was mechanical, despite the sound, wouldn’t the meaning behind it feel hollow?

Albeit fun to watch, robots will always be in a different genre, even if they become talented musicians. It was said that such robots could be in wide use by 2010, how many have you seen in the past week? Just the one in the video I’m sure. In time they may come into more common use, but despite the outcome, feel free to play violin as you please.

The world will need violin players until the day that music no longer touches the human soul. If you want to play violin, it’s easier than ever to learn. Check out our main site in the link to learn how you can play violin at low cost from home.

5 Things You Should Keep in Mind When Learning Violin

admin — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:10:51 +0000

There are basic guidelines to follow when applying learning anything, whether you’re new or you have some experience you can’t ignore the basics. Learning violin is divided into the mental and the physical. The mental aspects are your learning strategy, commitment, and motivation. The physical aspects are dexterity, muscle memory, and instrument care. Here are the five things, in no particular order, you can’t forget when learning violin.

1. You need a violin! I’ve heard many people, interested in learning violin, ask if they need to buy one. It is possible to rent, but the bottom line is that if you put in part time effort, you’ll get part time results. You’ll learn to play violin, but you won’t learn quickly and you won’t become great at it. You develop muscle memory through regular practice, not intermittent sessions, which brings me to the second thing on my list.

2. Practice violin regularly. When learning violin you must have a commitment of a certain amount of hours you’re going to play per week. Decide how much you want to invest in learning, write it down, and schedule time to learn to play violin.

3. If you’re only going to be practicing violin a few times a week, I’d recommend you set aside one area in your home for violin playing. This will put you in the mindset to be learning violin whenever you go there. If you’re practicing daily, I don’t think it matters as much as you’re more apt to stay in the correct mindset all the time.

4. Relax when playing violin; tense fingers don’t move as smoothly. When you’re tense, odds are you’re going to be focused on something besides learning violin in the first place. Loosen up, stretch, whatever relaxes you before you decide to play. You don’t need to be taking out your hostilities on your violin strings.

5. Take care of your violin. It doesn’t matter if you’re a master or a novice, if your instrument isn’t tuned and taken care of, it will sound terrible or eventually fail on you altogether. Violin care includes things like keeping the bow rosined, keeping the dust off the violin (in time it may grow to bond with the varnish), and not touching or over tightening the hair.

If you’re passionate about learning violin, this shouldn’t be too hard of a list to follow. I understand that in many cases, violins can be expensive, but there are quality instruments that can be found cheaply. Good luck learning violin!

If you’re interested in learning violin and don’t yet own a violin, we can help you find quality instruments at low prices, sometimes free. We also offer reviews of the best programs for learning violin online. Check out our main site.

Why should I play violin?

admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:48:52 +0000

It’s surprising how many people think that playing violin is stodgy, purely dramatic, or not limited in playing style. I used to think the same way, but I know the first time I saw someone truly talented play violin my jaw dropped. This guy was part of a jam band back in college along with a crazy drummer and two guitarists. I tried to hide my laugh at the sight, in my limited knowledge, and I tried to hide my astonishment when he played the violin like a guitar. White Stripes anyone?

Gone are the days when the violin was restricted to the concert hall. In recent years, I’ve even seen violin integrated with hip-hop, and it was a crowd pleaser to be assured. The bottom line is that you can play violin to accommodate any style of music that you may seek. If you’ve ever been interested in learning to play violin, now is the time. The popularity of violin is on the rise in every genre you can imagine. Here’s my proof (and I’ll be adding more fun videos as I come across them for you guys).

Today, you learn to play violin from start to finish for less than the cost of a decent meal for two. Check out our main site for more information.

Play Violin Like a Smooth Criminal

admin — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:44:35 +0000

With the recent passing of Michael Jackson, I thought this would be the most appropriate farewell within our community. I saw it, and knew I had to share it with you guys. Besides, I’m always looking for new, fun ways to play violin. I don’t restrict myself to any one style. I don’t think you do either unless you play violin for the love of one particular genre. There’s nothing more satisfying than someone pointing out the supposed limitations of playing violin and watch their jaw drop as you play any style imaginable. I hope you all enjoy and have a great Independence Day (if you’re in the US) or a good weekend outside. Happy violin playing!

Did you know that you can play violin in any style? If you’d like to learn more about how to play violin like a master, visit our main site at http://www.violinlessonreviews.com

Should I Play Violin?

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:16:46 +0000

Am I too old to learn how to play violin? Am I too young to learn how to play the violin? If you’re reading this, odds are you fall into the former instead of the latter, but I’ve heard these concerns all too often. If you want to learn how to play violin, then learn! If the desire is there, everything else will fall into place. You are guaranteed to learn how to play the violin masterfully if you care enough about your instrument to want to play it, to hear the sounds, to practice. So first ask yourself these questions:

1. How many hours a week do you plan on spending to learn how to play violin?
2. Do you deem the effort towards your desired result worth your time?

If you have a real plan to execute, you’ll learn how to play violin in time. You simply have to be dedicated to allotting that amount of time every week practicing. If you don’t have a plan, your violin may just end up as a dust collector in the corner. The second question concerns not whether you can, but whether you should learn how to play violin. I never advise anyone to pursue something they do not truly want.

Truthfully, I’ve heard 13 year olds ask if they’re too old to play violin, and I wanted to slap the people in their life that taught them to think there might be things they can’t do. Vision and persistence pave the road to anything you wish to achieve. If you want to learn how to play violin, the only thing stopping you is doubt, or worry. People may judge you, call you a fool, but I believe it is the fool lives in other people’s reality; a wise man creates his own.

If money is an issue in your persuit, you can visit the main site to learn how to get cheap violin lessons.

Violin Lessons- Are your Violin Lessons a Waste of Time and Money?

admin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:19:44 +0000

Do you pay large sums of money for your violin lessons just because you believe it’s the only way to learn? Maybe you return from your violin lessons and can’t seem to remember the right hold, finger position, or bow angle, for whatever reason, and you’re stuck winging it until the next lesson. Obviously you’re not going to call up your instructor and ask, “Hey, was I supposed to hold the bow at a 36 or a 38 degree angle? Uh-huh, and was the arch on my fingers supposed to be smooth like the Appalachians or sharp like Kilimanjaro?” In the midst of the frustration and the forehead slapping you wish there was a better way.

I bring news of one of the hottest new things to hit the music education market, online violin lessons. Stick with me; I’m going places with this, and furthermore, you’ll thank me for it. “So what do online violin lessons have to offer me,” you ask. Well, you don’t get any of the perks of traditional violin lessons, like having to spend money on gas, battle traffic, spend more money for each lesson, keep a rigid schedule, and having to wonder if you’re messing something up when you get back home. Online violin lessons allow you to practice whenever you want and review lessons as needed. These are video violin lessons, so you’re not stuck reading some tedious e-book.

Using this medium, you can also learn to play violin from a master that you probably couldn’t afford to take lessons from in a traditional environment. This kind of program is designed to help you master the violin, so you only have to pay once, generally under $30. How many traditional lessons would that be? My sources tell me that on average violin lessons cost a buck a minute, so you could get a complete course guaranteed to make you MASTER the violin, or you could buy one violin lesson. It wasn’t a tough choice in my book.

Thus far, I’ve only found two quality programs like this. If you’re ready to find a better way to learn violin, check out my review website comparing them. Good luck and happy violin playing!

If you’re tired of wasting time and money on traditional violin lessons and ready to try online violin lessons, click the one of the text links to learn which program best suits your needs.

Violin Lessons-The Best Way to Get Cheap Violin Lessons

Jason Rodak — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:18:33 +0000

“If you want to play like the best, you have to learn from the best.” How many times has that phrase been the bane of your existence? In this economic slump, who can afford to pay $100 per half hour for violin lessons from a seasoned professional? That’s assuming you can even find one that’s willing to teach you. Even on the low end, violin lessons are $15 for thirty minutes. But what if you could learn from a professional violin player and not have to pay bihourly prices that will make you question how much you really want to learn to play violin? I’m going to share with you a secret that will allow someone of any budget to get premium violin lessons.

Time is money, but in the rising age of video, instructors no longer need to spend their time in one-on-one environments. This means they can reach more people and provide more information at a cheaper price. Eric Lewis, member of the Manhattan String Quartet who has been giving private violin lessons for over 40 years, is on the forefront of this market. He has a digital product out that gives hours of instruction, right for any level of violin player. He teaches you finger placement, how to increase dexterity, how to read music, music theory, how to play violin in any style, and how to become an all around pro with your instrument. This is going to be a hot market, so I’d jump on it before the demand goes up (along with the prices). Violin Master Pro has a one-time cost of $29.95, with regular updates, and he guarantees it for 56 days. Personally, I’d take that over private lesson prices any day. Call me crazy, but if I can learn to play violin at home for cheap, I’m a happy camper.

I don’t want to be one of the millions of pushy guys telling you what to buy and what not to buy. I’m just advising you to shop smarter, not harder. Many will tell you that slim, sleek wallets are sexy to get you to spend more, but I believe there’s no substitute for a wallet, fattened by the cash you save. You can get many things for much cheaper in digital format online. If cheap violin lessons are something you’re interested in, you can check out the link in my resource box for more information.

Want to get the cheapest violin lessons around? Visit http://www.violinlessonreviews.com to learn which program is best for you.