Violin Lessons in Grants Pass
From classical music to fiddle playing, the violin is the most popular instrument in the orchestral string family to learn and play. Our violin lessons at Southern Oregon School of Music will provide the foundational skills and confidence you need whether your goal is to play in an orchestra, fiddle with a bluegrass band, or both!
What you Will Learn in Violin Lessons:
In your first violin lessons you will learn proper playing position and bowing technique, first scales, and classic songs with a focus on playing in tune. As you begin to master these foundational skills, you may choose to explore fiddling or playing in contemporary and popular styles in addition to the traditional classical genre of violin music.
A Little Info About the Violin:
The violin is a string instrument that is nearly 500 years old. It is the smallest, highest member of the orchestral string family which also includes the viola, cello and double bass. There are more violins in the orchestra than any other instrument - there can be up to 30! The violin is used in many styles of music including classical, country, blue grass, movie music, and contemporary Christian music. What About the Fiddle? The violin and the "fiddle" are exactly the same instrument, but represent different styles of music and different playing techniques. The term "fiddle" is associated with folk and country music where it is played in a less formal style than the classical violin which is associated with orchestras and chamber music.
Where to Find a Violin:
You or your child will need a violin that is the correct size for your height. Renting with the option to buy is a good way to purchase an instrument for your violin lessons, since rental plans usually let you trade your instrument in for a larger size as you grow.
We recommend Great Northwest Music for violin rentals - they will be able to tell you what size is best for you and get you set up with everything you need for your violin lessons.
If you are interested in purchasing one or if yours needs repair or a new bow, we recommend Holst Violins, a home based violin-family instrument shop.
Contact Brad Holst at 541-622-3540.
FAQs:
What size of violin will my child need?
Here are some guidelines: -The student should be able to wrap their left hand comfortably around the curve of the scroll. -There should still be some relaxation to the student's arm with a slight bend to the elbow. -If the student's arm is extended straight with fingers barely touching the scroll, the instrument is too big. -If the student's left arm is bent at a 90 degree or smaller angle, the instrument is too small.
What accessories do I need?
A rosin and a shoulder rest.
How much will I need to practice?
It will be important for you to play the violin regularly to make progress in lessons. We recommend that beginners practice 15-30 minutes every day. Playing the violin can result in sore fingers at the beginning, so it may help to split practice time into two sessions a day for 10 minutes with several hours in between to give sore fingers time to rest. As you practice regularly, you will eventually develop callouses on your fingers so that they no longer hurt. At that point, you can play for longer periods of time. The more time a musician practices, the faster they progress in their playing.
Is it possible to schedule lessons every other week (biweekly)?
It could possibly work during the school day, but not after 2:00 pm since these times are in such high demand. Also in our experience, we have found that although it can work for adults, biweekly lessons with children are generally not successful. They need the consistency of weekly support from their teacher. The classical guitar with nylon strings is the most common to find in smaller sizes and It is also best for young beginners since it is easier on their fingers. After your child has built up some callouses and is ready to move up a size, they can change to a steel string guitar if that is their preference. GUITAR SIZE HEIGHT 1/4 Size Guitar - up to 3'9" tall 1/2 Size Guitar - up to 4'3" tall 3/4 Size Guitar - up to 4'11" tall 7/8 Size Guitar - up to 5'1" tall Full Size Guitar - 5'2 and taller When you invest in guitar lessons for your child it is very important that you also invest in a quality guitar. Inexpensive guitars often have a higher action (distance from string to the fretboard) that makes the guitar difficult to play. A quality guitar will be much easier to play, and your child will be proud of the beautiful sound it makes. Since it will be more fun to play, your child will enjoy practicing more and make better progress in their lessons.
"The most joy in my life has come to me from my violin."
~ Albert Einstein
