11. FAQ

Not with the right mindset! You could fill pages with tips and opinions in answer to this question but the important thing to remember is not to be discouraged by someones personal anecdote about why it was hard for them learn violin or why they had to give it up. This often has more to do with the person than the instrument. Really the main thing that is special about the ''strings'' instruments, and what scares most beginners, is that they dont have any frets for finding the notes. But you don't need to be a musical genius to play, you just need some patience, a teacher, and the belief that you'll be able to do it someday. What's most important is that you are drawn to string instruments, that you like music, and that you have an (achievable) goal in mind.

Since there are also smaller instruments, children ages 4 and up can start learning to play if they want. There are no restrictions in this case based on body size. However you should look for a teacher that has experience teaching small children as they learn differently at this age as opposed to when they're older.

Of course you can! How fast depends on whether you already have experience with other instruments, but there are plenty of people who start learning as adults and still find success and enjoyment in playing. Of course it's probably not possible, if you start as an adult, to play with the Berlin Philharmonic, most people who begin as children couldn't, what's important is that you set out with goal in mind and let your teacher(s) know. It's also important to pick a teacher who suits your needs, if you want to play gypsy music don't look for a classical teacher of Violin....

If you take a closer look at a real inlay you will see that the grain of the wood between the two black strips is broken. If the inlay is only painted on, the grain will continue between the two black lines.

Ebony wood is used for fret boards because it is hard, robust, and wear resistant. Other woods, which have just been painted black, begin to show light spots after regular use. For this reason it is advisable to get a violin with a solid Ebony fret board.

The playing surface of the bow is made from horse hair and if you were to look at these hairs under an electron microscope you would see tiny ''scales'' on the surface of them. This is the reason that horse hair is used, because it has a rough surface. Over time this surface will wear out and the grip can't be restored with rosin. You don't need to buy a new bow though, you can simply have it restrung. But you should first check that it's not a cheap bow, as the cost of restringing could be more than a new one.

Careful! Violins are ofte coated with a layer of lacquer (usually many layers on top of one another) during construction. When reading about violins you'll often see this described as ''spirit varnish''. Spirits are of course better known as alcohol (the denatured kind that humans can't consume) and the lacquer or pigment is dissolved in it. This means you should not use cleaners that also contain alcohol. There are actually special products designed for cleaning string instruments which don't attack the paint. These contain mostly essential oils, which can be recognized by their smell.

Modern violin cases are made with the intention of protecting the violin as best as possible from impacts. The contact surface of a violin is relatively small and it is vitally important that the neck doesn't rest against the ground of the case, brather it should float. Earlier cases, without a suspension system, often led to a broken neck when the case was knocked or dropped.