Choosing the Right Violin
So you’re buying a violin, but you have no idea how to choose the right one. Let me help you with that. Aside from being a composer and arranger, I’m also a violinist, in fact I hold lessons to select students here in the Philippines.
Now before you jump the gun and buy that shiny red violin, think again. There are a handful of factors which you must carefully consider before purchasing a violin, and physical appearance alone doesn’t quite cut it. I’ve enumerated them for you. I asked my colleague, violinist and blogger Liza to give some of her opinions as well. See the list after the jump!
Price
Price is a personal decision. How serious are you in learning violin? If you really believe you can make a career playing violin, then by all means buy a high priced one. But if you’re playing safe and just want to “get your feet wet”, buy a cheaper version first. You can always save up for a better violin later on.
Liza says “I’m a cost efficient person. I check if the price is worth the quality I want for my violin. I bought a violin worth around $430, at some point I wasn’t satisfied with the violin’s performance. I couldn’t get it to sound the way I want. I got my current violin through an unusual person (a military vet), I got it for only $330, which includes a carbon fiber bow and excellent strings. The quality is way better than the $430 violin.”
Material
The type of material is very important since this is where the sound resonates. Higher priced violins tend to have more compact bodies usually made of oakwood or spruce, very durable and has great acoustics. Cheaper violins usually have lesser resonant wood bodies, and not hasn’t much durability. But then again, you should never, ever drop your violin.
Liza say “I prefer Aged Maple and Spruce. It produces the sound I love. Although kinda muffled at first.”
Check the Parts
A violin is basically a solid body with several detachable small parts. You must check if they are all well-placed in the violin. The pegs are of special importance, you must be able to swivel it with the correct smoothness and texture so you won’t have a hard time tuning the strings.
Take note that wooden pegs expand during cold seasons and they contract when it’s hot.
The bridge’s angle must be 90 degrees with the violin body. A wrong angle will give the bridge a tendency to snap off and can damage your violin.
Liza says “I check the pegs, bridge and the whole body of the violin. I make sure there are no scratches, no open stuffs. I prefer handcrafted violins (although it costs more for a beginner, it’s worth it.)”
Sound
Sound is what matters most. This is why you’re buying a violin in the first place; to produce beautiful music. Choosing the right sound usually comes with personal preference especially for veteran violinists. But if you’re new in the arena and have no idea what a good sound is, it doesn’t hurt to ask help from someone who knows violins, or read articles and check tutorial videos online.
Liza says “Lastly, I need to play the violin first before actually purchasing it. I need to hear what that baby can do, and what can I do for that instrument.”
There you go! Good luck in choosing your perfect violin! And don’t forget to check out Liza’s blog and online lessons. See you all next post!
I bought me a violin a month ago. The A & E strings sound fine but the G & D sound more like a woodwind instrument rather than a string instrument (parang paos yung tunong, ewan lang kung sobra o kulang ang rosin) and the bridge is uneven (ewan lang din kung ganyan ba talaga yun). Good thing the violin is only worth 2.5k php! Malapit ko na matapos Suzuki book 1, solo flight no teacher! Good article MD!
Good article - I’ve never heard of a violin using oakwood before - they are usually spruce top and maple back, sides and neck, or sometimes with a pine top (related to spruce) and sometimes they are all maple.
You are right that the key thing is the sound - within your price range: try out or get someone to play several violins in a similar range in the shop.
Most other things are about how well the violin has been treated - pegs can be fixed - if they are sticky, a little talcum powder will work wonders, and if they are slippery, then a little rosin will help on the pegs.
A bridge can be easily replaced by a luthier, or I have some instructions on my blog - but again it is more about reading the instrument to see how it has been treated. If it shows signs of neglect, or is an older instrument I also lightly tap all over the top and back to hear if there are cracks - a GENTLE tap with a single finger knuckle should give a solid wood ringing sound, but if the sound is dull like cardboard, then there may be an open crack that may need repair. Even a small crack can affect the sound badly.
Cheers
Jerry
Wow, nice guide master diwa. This is good for my future students to see. Coz many of my students alwayd buy poor quality violins (the most defects are on the bridge or chin rest). For me okay n aq sa violin ko, strad copy cya, one piece back cya at napaayos ko kay mang amador (Amador Tamayo: most likely you know him also). Thanks a lot for making this guide. By the way can you make a guide on how to study a new piece in violin. Tiyaga lang kc technique ko to finish something… pero most of my students lang tiyaga sa pag aral ng new piece, super dependent sakin hehe.
Thx ah,
btw, John Sixto. The defect may not be your violin. Your bow may not be so clean thats why it won’t sound. Try cleaning your bow by using toothbrush and a not so strong detergent. First losen your bow, tapos basain mo ng tubig, apply detergent (sabong panlaba) then rinse very well, ung wala na bula. Patuyuin mo mabuti, as in tuyong tuyo. Then apply rosin hanggang medyo powdery na dating nya. I have students na ganun din ang problem at umayos nung ginawa nila e2.
And also, ayos naman ung self study ng violin. You just observe at people, watch concerts or youtube… etc. Pero its really best to have a teacher. Technicallity in violin is very crucial, if not played right you might end like Maxim Vengerov’s, a world class russian violinist, injury. And right now he cant play again the violin. Also to sound well is hard to self study. Payo ko lang naman e2 as a violin teacher. I’m an official suzuki teacher in the philippines, and i think its not enough to finish the suzuki book 1. You can contact me at 09239969893.
Good luck sa paglinis ng bow, and kung di gumana yun… /wah na lang… violin defect na… XD.
This is a very nice guide for people who wants to have a violin of their own. It is very hard to purchase something that is new to you and you really don’t have any background about it.
ei guys im already 17 and i want to learn violin..
late na ba para sa akin na magaral pah ng violin??
kasi naman lagi lang ako nakikinig ng violin songs,
gusto ko naman ako yung mag-play ng violin….
what do you think guys??
hi! i’m 30 years old (turning 31 soon haha!) and i’ve just started with my violin lessons late november of 2009. my teacher, who is sooo much younger than i am said that i am progressing well. that said, my question is.. do you think i can still be really good at this? and sir diwa, do you still hold lessons?
Guess, it’s also good to bring along a friend when purchasing one to help in the inspection and sound testing of the instrument. Thanks for the guidelines, this is a good check list.