Are You Going To Buy A Violin?

By Zeb Wogan

There is a general impression, even among violinists, that old violins are a lot better than new ones. Everyone knows about the famous Stradivarius violins of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, that now are selling for outrageous sums. When looking to buy a violin, remember that older violins are not necessarily best.

Old violins tend to have a value that extends beyond their ability as musical instruments. They have a historical value, almost as a collector's item. A newer violin will be broken in over a period of several months to a few years and will become a richer version of itself through time. The most crucial factors are dynamic range, clarity, projection and response.

Also, condition becomes an significant factor with older violins. A older violin with cracks and a history of repairs can deteriorate quickly with too much or too little humidity or changes in the weather. Problems can arise with both the violins structure and its tone.

Violins are perfect for young musical students, this is because they are a wonderful starting point for learning music and there are so many sizes available. Students can start out with violins as small as one-sixteenth normal size and eventually in time build up to half-size or three-quarter size as they grow.

The difficulty of learning to play the violin is very often overestimated. It is in reality quite easy to learn to play. With right hand position and the use of "finger tapes", a young violin student is able to play recognisable music whithin very short period of time. Finger tapes can be removed once the student becomes more familiar with the feel of their instrument and gets a basic sense of pitch recognition. Beginning violin students can make speedy progress by consistently practicing as little as twenty minutes each day.

Maintenance of a violin is very easy. Strings can break on occasion, but they are easy to be replaced and one can always upgrade to more expensive strings such as perlon core, which often provide a more pleasing tone. As Well, violin bows can want to be rehaired, but commonly not more than every one or two years. The most important factor in violin maintenance is guarding against alterations in heat and humidity. It should be kept in its case and transported in the passenger compartment of a motorcar, instead of the trunk.

Purchasing a violin is a wonderful way to learn music and gain an appreciation for some of the finer works of art in life. - 32618

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