How To Prepare For Your First Violin Lesson

1. BEGINNER’S VIOLIN OUTFIT

There's no point turning up for your first violin lesson without a violin of your own. This may seem like a no-brainer, but let’s admit freely that some of us are not really all that organized. You may have booked your first violin lesson with a teacher and figured that the violin you ordered online will get to you on time, but it doesn’t. So it’s best to give your violin plenty of time to get to you before you confirm that first lesson. No, your teacher will not lend you hers--it's her livelihood and you can barely tell one end of the violin from the other, so don't even go there. And don’t cancel at the last minute—your teacher will not be pleased with you, and that’s no way to start off what could become a beautiful relationship.

The violin outfit (which you have bought online or which you’re renting from the local music store) includes the violin, the bow and the case to house and protect your violin and bow, delicate items which need to be protected from dust and prying hands other than yours. Usually, there’s also a soft ‘blanket’ to cover the violin, basically a sort of thin dust cover. You will still need a soft cloth to wipe clean the surface of the violin from rosin dust, sweat, blood and tears. Just kidding about the blood.

2. ROSIN

There is usually a small block of rosin included in the violin outfit, but this free rosin is often of poor quality and may shatter the first time you drop it. Good rosin can be had for a song, so there’s really no need to economize in this area. Good rosin (e.g. Super Sensitive Light Violin Rosin) applied to the hair of your bow will make a difference to the sound you get from your violin. If you’re uncertain how to apply it, or can’t even tell one end of the bow from the other, wait till you get to your first lesson, and your teacher will show you how to do it properly.

3. SHOULDER REST

There’s an ongoing debate amongst violin players about the pros and cons of a shoulder rest. However, for a beginner, it is practically a foregone conclusion—you need one, so bite the bullet and get one already! While you’re at it, might as well get the most bang for your buck--the oft-cited favourite, the Kun Collapsible Violin Shoulder Rest 4/4. Make sure you get the collapsible one that will fit easily and neatly into your violin case. (4/4 denotes adult size, while the fractional sizes, ¾, ½, ¼, etc. are child sizes. Shoulder-rests are sized according to violin size.)

4. CHROMATIC TUNER

Unless you have perfect pitch, you will need a tuner in order to get your violin in tune. You can’t go wrong with the Korg Chromatic Tuner (mine is the CA-30) which is an absolute breeze to use. It’s completely idiot-proof and seemingly indestructible. Countless are the times I’ve dropped it on tiled floors to watch in horror as it broke apart, only for it to work again perfectly once reassembled. There's also the Korg CA-40 Large Display Auto Chromatic Tuner which is even cheaper than mine and has a larger display to boot. If I had seen that one, I would have grabbed it and made things easier for my poor eyes.

5. PRACTICE MUTE

Trust me, you NEED a practice mute. For the first few months at least, you’ll be too embarrassed to have any family members or neighbours hear the horrific noises emanating from your violin. To avoid their censure and pitying glances, get your practice mute and use it. My Glaesel Violin Ultra Practice Mute is made of heavy rubber, is inexpensive, and works brilliantly. Have your teacher show you how to place it on your violin without causing any damage to the bridge.

There was a time when the sounds I was getting from my violin were so terrifying that I deemed my rubber practice mute inadequate and got a heavy metal one instead. True, this metal one dampened the screeches even more, but to an extent where the sounds were distorted. Yes, I know, they were already distorted, but I mean even more so than normal. So I gave up on the metal mute and went back to the rubber mute instead. Learn from my experience and save yourself a few bucks.

6. MUSIC STAND

Your teacher will have an adjustable music-stand for you to use at her place, but you’ll be needing one at home while practising, so browse around and get one that you’ll feel comfortable with. There are many types available, from light (if a bit flimsy) ones to solid (and heavy) wooden ones. Think about where you will be practising, whether you will be lifting that stand and moving it from room to room, or whether it will stay put in one room, before deciding on which one to get.

7. SHEET MUSIC

No worries here. Your teacher will help you decide what kind of music to start off with. Of course you will have your own preferences (for classical or fiddle music, say) but trust your teacher to provide you with sheet music that’s perfect for an absolute beginner. There are valuable resources online that will give you a head start if you’re prepared to do your homework. Even if you already play another instrument and can already read music, you will discover that the violin has idiosyncrasies aplenty. And while a piano player, say, will rejoice that there’s only the treble clef to deal with, there are many unfamiliar markings and terms to learn and decipher. Again, your teacher is there to help and guide you, but if you’re struggling on your own, be sure to make the most of online resources, which I have provided below.

8. A GOOD ATTITUDE

Part of the fun of learning something from scratch is discovering a whole new world of strange and interesting facts, each with its own history and purpose. There’s so much to learn and explore, and you simply cannot wait to begin. Excitement is a wonderful feeling, but you also need determination and dedication to persist and persevere on the days when things don’t seem to be going that smoothly.

Learning a musical instrument is not an easy task (nothing worth doing ever is), and you should be prepared to work hard and accept the fact that it will take months, perhaps even years, before your hard work pays off. Be aware from the very beginning that this is for the long haul—you will be investing time, emotion and, quite likely, a considerable sum of money, before you see (or hear, rather) results. Then again, the end-result is not the only pay-back. It’s also the process—the very act of practising, the painfully slow progress, the sudden bursts of energy and transformation--that make it all worthwhile.

I guess what I’m saying is: Be realistic. As in anything else in life, you get out of it as much as you're prepared to put in. Put your heart and soul into learning a musical instrument, and the music you elicit from it will give you back sheer joy and exuberance and a sense of achievement that will sustain you in all other areas of your life. If you’ve read this far, you’ve already proven your deep interest in learning, and that’s pretty much all you need to start. If you feel you have it in you to persist when the going gets tough, then go for it. Desires that come from within us must be acknowledged, lest we live beneath our potential. It’s only when we believe in ourselves, and act upon that belief, that we truly live...and, then, we soar.