Violin/Viola FAQ
Learning & Techniques | Violin/Viola Care & Specs | Auditions & Gigs

This material is available in paperback: Connie's Violin Page: Internet resources for string players, teachers, parents and students, pp. 75-139 and on Kindle and MobiPocket. Online citation: Sunday, C.M., 2010. "Violin/Viola FAQ" http://beststudentviolins.com/FAQ.html (Date site was accessed) May not be used without permission. See: "Students' Guide to Preventing and Avoiding Plagiarism".
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Last revision: Jan. 30, 2010
FAQ - INDEX

Learning & Techniques:

  1. How to locate teachers and violin shops
  2. How to teach yourself the violin
  3. Am I too old to learn the violin, which has always been my dream?
  4. Since I am left-handed, can I learn to play and have a violin fitted for playing in the opposite way?
  5. Can you give me some advice about how to play the "wiggly thing," i.e., vibrato?
  6. What is the distinction between "weight" and "pressure" with respect to playing double (and triple) stops?
  7. What is best approach to producing smooth bow strokes?
  8. What technical routine do you use to stay in shape?
  9. What is the usual progression of violin études?
  10. What is the best way to achieve good intonation in string playing?
  11. At what stage in students' development do they begin vibrato and shifting?
  12. Should a teacher who is primarily a violinist teach viola?
  13. How can I get my child to practice?
  14. Why we play.
  15. I have been playing for some time but my technique is not very good. What is your recommendation?
  16. If there is an harmonic alteration, that alteration is good for the whole measure: is the alteration also good in all octaves, or just for the note that's altered?
  17. How can I produce a blues scale on the violin/viola?
  18. What is the best method to produce a straight bow?

    RE: Private Teaching Studios
  19. How can I develop a private teaching studio?
  20. What areas might be covered in a private teacher's studio policy?
  21. What are some of the techniques teachers use to approach beginning students?
  22. I'm a music teacher with an online Studio Policy (as you recommended) but I receive a lot of odd emails that I suspect are phoney. What should I do?
  23. What are some of the advantages of studying music?
  24. How much music history and music theory do you cover, or attempt to cover, in the private lessons?
  25. What is the purpose of practicing scales?
  26. What is a cost effective and reliable way of recording students?
  27. What are some of the questions perspective students ask?
  28. What are some of the legal issues associated with a private teaching studio?

    RE: Fiddle and Alternative Styles
  29. Teaching Fiddle
  30. How many different fiddle styles are there?

    New FAQ Questions
  31. How long will it take me to get really good at the violin?
  32. How can I develop good sight reading skills?
  33. Do you use fingerboard tapes with your students, and if so, what kind of tape?
  34. What is the best way to develop effective practice habits?
  35. What is the best way to develop a reliable spiccato?
  36. How do I develop good sound production on the violin?


Violin/Viola Care & Specs:

  1. Issues regarding purchase of starter instruments.
  2. Requests to appraise an instrument
  3. Are the violin and the fiddle the same instrument?
  4. What's the difference between the violin and the viola?
  5. How can I determine if this violin or viola is the right size?
  6. What is the best way to protect the violin from extremes of temperature and humidity?
  7. How do I replace a string? (free video and links)
  8. Rosin
  9. Strings | String Sets
  10. Set-up
  11. Tuning Instructions
  12. My pegs are not working right; how do I fix them?
  13. My chinrest came off; how can I fix it?
  14. My tailpiece came off; how can I fix it?
  15. Cleaning/Polishing and Removing Dust Bunnies
  16. What on earth is a "Violin Hickey"?
  17. Why is my Viola making a buzzing sound?
  18. Why do some violins, particularly smaller, "fractional" instruments, have four fine tuners, when the adult and higher priced instruments only have a fine tuner on the E string? New!
  19. How do you change a violin or viola string, or restring a violin or viola? New!







ACCESSORIES




Auditions & Gigs:

  1. What is the best way to avoid being nervous at a jury or an audition?
  2. How do I break into the music business (i.e., get gigs?)
  3. How can I recover if I lose an audition?
  4. ICSOM Statistics
  5. What is involved in developing a press kit?

    Issues in Choice of Undergraduate Programs
  6. As a general rule, what are the audition requirements for undergraduate programs in violin and viola? [Supplementary question on Juilliard]
  7. Sample Undergraduate Audition - Violin/Viola
  8. M.M. and DMA Audition Requirements - Violin/Viola

    New FAQ Questions
  9. What is freelancing?
  10. How much training would it take to get into a professional orchestra? New!
  11. Is there any hope for me to have a career in music? New!