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A guidebook of common questions about violin and lessons for parents considering lessons for their family. From InvincibleViolinist.com.
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Parent’s Guide tothe ViolinA Practical Guide to Violin Lessonspresented by InvincibleViolinist.com
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The InvincibleViolinist.comParent’s Guide to the Violin and Lessonsby Bill Alpert
Dedicated to my parents who shared a deep and
abiding love for music and inspired the same in me .
You are free to share this book with anyone, but please do not alter or extract it inany way without written permission. For information visit:
http://InvincibleViolinist.com or e-mail: [email protected]
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Preface
The Real Key to Mastering the Violin (or any other life project)
When your family begins a violin journey, the excitement and
interest level will always be high. Just like a marriage, this initial
excitement won’t necessarily sustain a long term healthy rela-
tionship.
As Tiger Mom has notoriously pointed out, children left to their
own devices won’t want to work. There’s much truth to that
statement. If you’re picturing violin as a fun or recreational activ-
ity, think again. The real fun of violin (or any musical instrument)
comes with continued growth and mastery. It can bring joy and
fulllment to your life, and enhance it beyond description.
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What Every Parent Faces
Expect challenges from the very start. As a violin parent, your role is
that of ceaseless benevolent dictator. Your mission is to guide your
child’s practice to an always positive outcome. To help her learn
that she “can” conquer the challenges, to keep him always inspired
and motivated. And to simply show up and work, day after day.
Your kids don’t need a lame pep talk to get them to practice. They
don’t need false praise when they produce mediocre work. Instead,
they need a practice strategy that automatically produces the mo-
tivation to continue and grow. They need an appropriate level of
challenge, and the tools to meet the challenge.
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Mind Games
The most important tool for a child (and for any Invincible Violin-
ist) is a healthy internal dialog. That of course, extends far beyondthe practice room.
When posed with an inevitable problem, seven year old John,
might think (or even verbalize) “this is beyond me.” As a result, his
practice routine will consistent of an unbearably dull sequence of
“let’s try it agains” until boredom shuts him down completely. Hehas metaphorically left the room and shut o the lights. Comple-
tion of this project was led in the “someday” or “never” category.
Let’s wind the clock back a few years. Erase any undesirable pam-
pering, spoiling and indulgence. Replace it with a healthy sense of
independence and self ecacy.
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Now John’s internal dialog is more like: “my family and teacher
gave me this age appropriate task, and so they expect me to com-
plete it.” And before long, the “impossibly” dicult becomes theeveryday.
John doesn’t yet have the ability to practice independently, but
his “I can” belief system stimulates a vastly higher quality of work
along with a generous dose of motivation and inspiration. The
process becomes fully enjoyable for everyone involved.
So many kids left at music lessons are like ship passengers strand-
ed on a life raft. Without propulsion, they will oat aimlessly at
sea. But the minority of kids fortunate enough to have good teach-
ing, appropriate family support and a self-empowered mindset
will excel. Those are the kids we call “talented” but rarely, if ever,is native talent the real driver of their success.
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Your Part of the Deal
You are the unsung hero of your child’s success. You keep her on-course and inspired. You
provide the proper resources and environment. You show up for practice too. You train her to be
independent and resourceful. Music is a part of that.
Practice Tool Kit
The Invincible Violinist program is rooted in three very basic, but frequently overlooked prin-
ciples:
1. Clearly dened objectives for practice
2. A systematic success-based practice strategy3. Visualization/Imaging and Repetition
This tool kit will provide a sound foundation and springboard for your child’s success.
Best Wishes Upon Your Violin Journey!
--Bill Alpert
http://invincibleviolinist.com
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Chapter 1Common Myths
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6 Common Myths about Learning the Violin
Is what you’ve heard true? Your questions answered by a profes-
sional violinist and violin teacher.
Myth #1: Violin is a dicult instrument
False. If taught (and learned) correctly, the violin can be played
with ease. Watch a great violinist, and you’ll be amazed by the
eortless movements he/she makes while playing. On the other
hand, watch a poorly taught student and you’ll see clumsy move-
ments, grimaces and tension throughout the body.
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Whether you want
to play ddle,
classical, jazz or
rock, the violin
can do it! Great
violinists cover every known mu-
sical genre.
Myth #2: The violin is best learned at a very young age
False. Mostly false. I’ve seen a few students make a good
start at the age of 3 1/2 or 4, but they’re in the minority.
Learning the violin is a highly structured activity that re-
quires a certain amount of focus and physical stamina. More
often than not, you’ll be ne at 5 years and up, providedthere is good instruction and family support.
Keep in mind that kids under 11 need to practice with a par-
ent, not independently. Plan your schedule accordingly.
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Buying a violin
online can be a
risky business. An
instrument that
looks great can be
unplayable whenit arrives. Look for
a referral.
Myth #3: Buying a violin is expensive
False. A well built, pleasing and playable instrument can be
purchased for a reasonable price, in the range of $400-500.
Still, to the untrained eye, most violins look about equal,
so it’s easy to be duped into buying junk if you don’t know
how and where to shop.
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Reputable dealers
allow you to “test
drive” an instru-
ment and bow for
a week or two.
Take advantage of this to get your
violin checked out
locally.
Myth #4: My son/daughter can use grandpa’s old violin
Maybe. Or maybe not. A violin must be properly sized to its
owner. Custom tted accessories need to be added. It’s easy
to get fouled up with this. Even if everything ts and is well
built, most instruments from the attic will need to be ad-
justed by a violin shop so they can be properly played andtuned.
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Violin practice
for kids should be
treated just like
school work: do-
ing your home-
work is not op- tional!
Myth #5: I’ll know if violin is a good t for my child if we
just “try it for a month.”
False. This is pretty much the equivalent of saying “Let’s
put Johnny in rst grade and see if he likes it.” Almost
certainly the “fun” will be over after the rst few lessons.
Kids don’t see the value or the responsibility ahead.
Your child can and will succeed with violin. It’s your job as a parent to make it so. Your duty to provide the inspiration,
tools and attitude of success.
It’s serious business. Drop any fantasy of thinking you can
leave the kids at violin while you run errands or read a
book.
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A Violin Journey
requires a patient
guide to help the
student navigate
the many hazards
along the path.This speeds the
trip and makes
each milestone a
pleasure!
Myth #6: I don’t really need lessons; I just want to learn to
play a few songs or to “ddle.”
False. You’ll need expert help with tting the instrument and
accessories, holding the violin and bow properly and produc-
ing a decent tone. Don’t expect the clerk at your local music
store to help you with this while he’s busy selling trumpet
mutes and sheet music.
Nor is it reasonable to expect you’ll be able to learn the
basics by watching YouTube videos. I’ve heard of a few “self-
taught” violinists, but personally have never met one, in a
lifetime of playing and teaching.
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Chapter 2Where to Buy a Violin andHow to Find a Good One
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Wait, don’t buy:
That violin simply
may not work!
Finding the Right Violin
“My son just got a new violin for his birthday and now
we want to get lessons!”
Ouch! I’ve heard a version of that story from enthusiastic
parents hundreds of times over many years. More oftenthen not I’m faced with having to break the bad news.
That violin just simply isn’t going to work.
Sometimes it’s the wrong size. Yes, violins come in a
multitude of sizes. An inch or two can be a huge issue for
a young violinist.
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Often factory made violins are of poor quality; many are
virtually unplayable.
But for many parents the biggest surprise of all is this:
A four or ve year old won’t need a violin at all for her
rst lesson. And likely won’t for weeks, possibly even
months.
Some of the best violin teachers spend weeks building
up to that special moment, when your child receives his
rst real instrument. Up until then, he’s been gaining
skills, and and increasing strength. A home made card-
board “violin” and inexpensive wooden bow are fre-
quently used for this purpose.
Some of the best
violin teachers
spend weeks
building up to that
special moment…
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OK, I’ll conceed that it’s possible to begin on a real in-
strument from day one. But depending on age and avariety of variables that can be a huge mistake that ulti-
mately ends your family’s violin journey before it even
begins.
Q: So, where should you buy a violin, and how can
you nd a good one?A: Don’t! And you probably won’t!
My best advice: Don’t buy a violin without qualied
help. And I don’t mean the teenage clerk at the music
store in the mall who also sells trumpets and clarinets.
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Same holds true for violins bought mail order or over
the internet. Buyer beware! If nothing else, make sureyou are purchasing from an established reputable violin
merchant who oers a trial or return privledge.
One of the best reasons for working with a great violin
teacher is that you’ll have a guide who can help you nd
the perfect instrument at the perfect time. That’s wortha lot. And more often than not, that can mean the dier-
ence between failure and success.
The right instru-
ment can make the
dierence between
failure and success
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Chapter 3Top Ten Questions ParentsAsk About Violin and Lessons
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Wait, don’t buy:
That violin simply
may not work!
1. Is my child old enough to start violin?
Somewhere between four and eight years is the best
time to begin a violin journey. That’s a wide range, and
your child will t in based upon a number of factors
such as the child’s maturity, motor control, available
family time and most of all: your level of patience. Be-
yond these factors Invincible Violinist parents can use
a simple test in the appendix of this book to determine
musical readiness.
2. Suzuki or Traditional?
This question can be the source of much confusion, but
here’s what you really need to know. Suzuki instruc-
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tion is very traditional in approach. So don’t worry that
your student will be missing out on any aspect of violintechnique. Plus, Suzuki comes with many other ben-
ets, not the least of which the ability to get up on your
feet and build stage condence at an early age. On the
other hand, this choice in itself won’t make or break your
results. Instead focus on nding a great teacher that you
are comfortable working with, and doing the best possi-ble work with that person. Suzuki teachers are often very
experienced in starting young violinists from scratch. It’s
a key factor to look for in your search for a teacher.
3. Should I consider piano lessons instead?
Some of the best
violin teachers
spend weeks
building up to that
special moment…
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Absolutely. Especially if your child is very young, or
physically small in build. For most children piano mightis a bit easier at the very beginning. But before long,
the rigors of the keyboard can meet or exceed those of
the violin. Whether you choose piano or violin, nding
a great teacher and doing great work with that teacher
are really more important to success than the choice of
instrument.
4. How much does a good violin cost?
The $100 violin and bow outt you nd on the internet
will likely be unplayable. These instruments can be a ma-
jor source of frustration to students and teachers alike.
Expect to pay several times that amount. Alternatively
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you can rent a good quality instrument from a local vio-
lin shop.
5. How much do lessons cost? Should I consider group
lessons?
Private studio lessons can be a great value; they of -
fer you an individualized course of instruction that willspeed up progress and enjoyment on the instrument. You
can expect to pay $100 a month and up for weekly les-
sons, largely depending on the skills and level of instruc-
tion you are seeking.
Group lessons can oer a lower price, however you’ll
often receive a lower quality of instruction and certainly
Private lessons
may be a more
cost eective way
of gaining skills on
the violin.
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much less individual attention. Unfortunately, group
classes are often led by teachers with very limited expe-rience on the violin. This can lead to bad playing habits
which are almost impossible to surmount.
There are a very few excellent group or school programs,
generally led by credentialed experienced string teach-
ers of an exceptional level. If you’re lucky enough to nd
such a program in your community, certainly take advan-
tage of it! Please note some excellent group programs
are intended only as a supplement to private lessons.
There’s no substitute for private instruction in a great
studio, if you are serious about your violin journey.
Some excellent
group programs
are intended only
as a supplement
to private lessons,
not a substitute.
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6. I found a violin. What is its value?
That violin you found at a garage sale or in your attic
may have some monetary value, but the chances arevery slim. 99.9% of such nds are cheap factory made
instruments in an unplayable condition. Often the cost to
x them up exceeds their resale value. If you know that
you own a quality student or professional level instru-
ment, the best way to determine its value is to have it
appraised. There’s generally a cost associated with suchan appraisal, though a local violin shop may oer you a
general indication of value as a courtesy.
7. Will my old violin be OK for my son/daughter?
This depends on three main factors: the quality of the
instrument, it’s current actual condition and its size. All
The right instru-
ment can make the
dierence between
failure and success
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three of these factors must be considered. A poorly built
instrument that looks brand new may be completelyunplayable. Any violin of the wrong size can end a violin
journey before it even begins.
Invincible Violinists know that the challenges of the
journey require a correctly sized violin in a fully playablecondition. This is one of the most important things your
teacher will help you with.
8. How can I nd a good violin teacher?
If you’re truly serious about your family’s violin journey,
A poorly built
instrument that
looks brand new
may be completely
unplayable.
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there will be a perfect teacher for your family. A success-
ful search should begin with respect for the teacher’sdevotion to the art of teaching. Show that you value your
prospective teacher’s time and accomplishments in your
conversation. Do your homework (you are doing it now!)
and ask intelligent questions.
A great teacher will want to know that you’re going to
fully support the student and follow the prescribed course
of study closely. Yes, that teacher has the right and re-
sponsibility to “audition” your family just as you are
evaluating his/her tness for your needs. You must earn
the respect of your prospective teacher to secure a spot
in the busy studio of a top teacher.
Your prospective
violin teacher is auditioning you!
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Certainly don’t open the conversation with that all too
common (and irritating) opening: “how much do youcharge?”
Begin your search by seeking a teacher that has a dedi-
cated studio in place, and spends much of his/her time
with students that are similar to your family. Invincible
Violinist is creating a growing list of such teachers, and
you are welcome to [contact us] for a possible referral in
your area. We also welcome inquiries from teachers as
well.
9. Do I need to replace the strings on my violin?
Yes, strings require replacement. and likely they’ll need
to be replaced before they break. Old strings lack tonal
Never open the
conversation witha prospective
teacher by ask-
ing this question.
Never!
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quality. Worse than that, they can make your pitch inac-
curate.
When you change strings, consider a bit of experimenta-
tion. The best sounding strings for your instrument might
only be discovered by trying dierent brands. Also, keep
in mind that you can mix strings of dierent brands as
needed. Change them when needed, not necessarily all
at once.
It’s important to learn how to properly install and main-
tain strings. This can prolong their playing life to a great
extent.
10. Do I ever need to replace the hair of my violin bow?
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Bow hair is denitely a maintenance item. Its life can
range from a few months to a couple of years dependingon how much use it gets.
Try to keep your ngers from contacting the hair of the
bow; oils from your skin can stain it and reduce its life.
Use a quality bow rosin to maintain the tone quality your
bow produces, but don’t overuse it. If your violin and
case looks like it’s been hit by a snowstorm, you’re likely
rosining too much or too frequently.
Some cheap “kit” bows may need hair prematurely.
You’ll likely be told that the cost of re-hairing exceeds
the actual value of the bow. In this case it would make
sense to invest a decent quality bow.
“Kit” bows are
cheap add-ins typically bundled
with low priced
violins
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A good bow is just as important to your playing success
as the violin itself. There are many issues related to bowand hair maintenance. Let your teacher be your guide in
this regard.
A quality bow is
equally important as the quality of
the violin itself.
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Chapter 4Taking the STRESS Outof Music Practice
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Music Practice Minus the Complaints, Arguments and
Stress
How is it possible to create a stress free, 100% com-
plaint free practice environment for your children?
Short answer: it isn’t! At least not for the majority of
students. That said, it’s possible to create a healthy
relationship between your child and her music practiceactivities.
For time eternal, kids have complained about everything
from brushing their teeth to picking up their room. Still,
it’s simple to minimize the complaining while at the
same time maximizing the results by setting up the prac-
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tice correctly. Being an eective practice guide is one of
the most important jobs of both the teacher and parentof an Invincible Violinist. It’s a bit of a team eort.
Just to be clear, this article is about structured music les-
sons, with a dedicated teacher and family. This is a long
term project that requires sustained eort.
It’s not something you can tuck between soccer practice,dance class and homework, when you can “get around to
it.”
How to Screw Up Lessons Before You Even Get Started
Tell your kids (or even just think to yourself) something
like “Let’s give violin a try, and see how Suzy likes it.” It’s
The innocent com-
ment that canscrew up your
kids’ music lessons
before they even
start!
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an approach that will more times than not end in failure.
Instead, approach music instruction just like you would
an academic subject like English, math or Social Stud-
ies. Or even showing up for soccer practice. Your kids
shouldn’t have an option to opt-out. Period.
Once Lessons Have Started
You can nd a million creative ideas to motivate kids to
practice. Everything from gold stickers, practice charts
and a profuse amount of encouragement. But the real
truth is this: the best practice motivation comes from
within.
Kids get excited about their practice when they feelthey’re making progress and growing their skills.
Nagging is not an
eective motiva - tor for getting kids
to practice their
music. In fact, it’s a
symptom of a larg-er problem in your
practice strategy.
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Make sure your kids have a positive practice experience
and success will build upon itself eortlessly.
With that in mind, here’s the short list for problem free
practice:
1. Have specic goals for each musical selection
2. Include criteria for completion. Example: You’re done
with this song when you can…
3. Work eciently and develop eective practice tactics
over time
Invincible Violinists use a practice sheet specically
designed to enhance these steps. They take careful notes
(parents can help with this) so that important details are
Make sure your
kids have a posi- tive practice expe-
rience and success
will build upon
itself eortlessly.
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clear and memorable even days later.
Simply learn how to practice and everything else be-
comes easy.
Learn to practice well. Make it a second nature to break
down tough problems a dozen dierent ways into eas-
ily digestible bite size pieces. It’s a skill that carries into
every aspect of life.
Great practice
skills carry over into many unex-
pected areas of
life. It’s only one of
the many benets of music study.
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Chapter 5What you MUST know aboutViolin Lessons
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Violin ReligionThree Things Every Violin Parent Must Know
aka: The Three Commandments of Violin!
To me, violin is a form of religion. As you know, every
religion has its commandments!
In the course of a lesson I’ll often encounter those every-
day oenses, a note out of tune or a rhythm mis-played.
But then again, there are the mortal sins, those thatcannot be recovered from! If you indulge in these sins
for too long, you’ll crash and burn, usually sooner rather
than later.
Grip the bow like a club, and you can possibly get
through Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or Lightly Row. But to
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play past Volume 1 of the Suzuki Violin School, requires
a good amount of nesse in your right hand.By the same token, a tight and awkwardly placed left
hand is equally limiting. It’s a a problem more common
that you might imagine in new violinists. Before long it
becomes painful for both the player as well as the lis-
tener!
I’m often called upon to x these problems, seen fre-
quently in self-taught beginners and even a few players
who have had group or private lessons. It’s almost im-
possible to make progress, once the poor playing habit is
established. Because these are mortal sins, recovery is
rare.
Recovery from
mortal sins is rare in the world of vio-
lin!
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It’s not a matter of musical style. There are only a certain
range of physical postures and actions that will allowyou to get past the basics.
Here’s the truth: Turn o the sound, freeze frame, and
Mozart’s Concerto #5 looks exactly the same as The
Devil Went Down to Georgia. There’s good technique,
and then there’s all the rest.
“But wait,” you say! “Don’t dierent people have dif -
ferent physiques and unique ways of approaching the
violin?” Of course this is true; still, there is a given range
of physical actions that will produce the result of a good
tone, accurate pitch and avoidance of injury to the play-
er.
Turn o the sound,
freeze frame, and Mozart’s Concerto
#5 looks exactly
the same as The
Devil Went Downto Georgia
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The Holy Trinity of Violin is cannot be violated:
You must play without tension. Only the minimum
amount of force can be used
You must hold the bow and instrument (posture) in a
way that compliments your everyday movements. In
other words: playing is natural.
You must produce a great tone quality. In practice that
means you must be able to hear and adjust based on the
results you are getting at any given moment.
The Church of the Violin doesn’t leave much room for in-
dividual interpretation. The gospel has been set forth by
many who came before. Today we play much the same as
There is a gospel
of technique and little room for in-
terpretation.
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they did in Beethoven’s time.
This is why violin can be a challenge for some: You’ve gotto learn hold the instrument lightly, and move with natu-
ral actions. You’ve got to play Lightly Row with the same
technique that supports Mozart, Bach and Beethoven.
It’s simple, and the Invincible Violinist program breaks it
down into great detail.
It’s about starting with the end in mind. That’s how to
learn the violin, and for that matter to teach it. Invincible
Violinists have all the tools in place to make the dream
of playing the violin a reality.
Great teachers can
nd and nurture the seeds of an ac-
complished, exper
musician in your
child from the verybeginning.
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Chapter 6Appendix: Is Your ChildReady for Violin Lessons?
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Not all children
are ready for structured violin
lessons.
The Invincible Violinist Musical Readiness Test
Is your child ready for violin?A simple, 4 step evaluation.
This test is not intended to be conclusive, but only to
be used as a general guide. Many young students who
haven’t yet developed the physical stamina needed for
violin will do ne with piano lessons. Some studentswho are still developing their rhythm and pitch skills will
be better suited for preparatory programs that include
singing, clapping and motor skill development. Check
InvincibleViolinist.com for a Twinkle Practice Angel pre-
paratory resource list.
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It’s a huge (and all too common) mistake to place your
child in a structured music lesson program before he/sheis ready. When the time is right, both progress and enjoy-
ment are greater for student and family alike.
The Test
1. Physical Robustness
Have your child extend her arms and hands fully in frontof her body. Can she support a loaf of bread placed in
her hands for any length of time? Place a full marga-
rine box on her left collar bone. Can she support and
maintain it in this position only with her chin and/or jaw
bone? Try for 30-60 seconds.
Don’t do this!
Embark upon les- sons too soon and
you can end your
child’s inborn love
for music for a life
time.
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2. Ability to Focus
The “focus game” is one of the favorites in the Invin-cible Violin studio. Ask your child to focus on a colorful
xed object while you “buzz” a make-believe funny bee
around his head. He wins the game if you are unable to
distract him from is visual focus for 30 seconds.
A more general test: Is your child able to focus her at-tention on a particular task for at least 5 minutes without
being distracted by internal or external stimuli? That’s a
skill she’ll need to benet from structured violin lessons.
3. Tempo and Rhythm Awareness
Can your child repeat rhythms? For example if you vigor-ously clap the rhythm of “Happy Birthday to You” can he
Without some abil
ity to focus, violinlessons can be-
come an expensive
form of babysit-
ting.
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repeat it accurately and with similar vigor?
Can your child separate the concepts of tempo and
rhythm? She should be able to march in time while sing-
ing and clapping “London Bridge is Falling Down.” If
correct, the clapping will be twice as fast as the marching
steps.
4. Pitch Awareness
Can your child accurately duplicate the pitches of a simple
song?
Ask you child to sing along with a familiar song such as
“Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” If you have a keyboard, use
middle C as the starting note.
cont.
Common sense
dictates that you must be able to
clap a simple
rhythm before
you could play the
same rhythm with
a bow
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When singing a new song, does you child easily follow the
contour of the melody, even if the pitches aren’t 100% ac-
curate?
5. Taking Direction
Will Your Child Consistently Take Direction from a Teacher?
To be ready for structured music lessons, your child must
be willing to follow directions and exhibit appropriate
behavior while in the presence of an adult from outside his
family. This is especially critical for students of age six and
below.
Great teachers can
nd and nurture the seeds of an ac-
complished, exper
musician in your
child from the very
beginning.
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Ideally, your child should be able to pass all ve parts
of this evaluation.
Doing so, will make your violin journey more rewarding
and enjoyable. Even if you child isn’t quite ready for
structured music lessons today, there’s much you can
do to prepare her.
Explore a musical enrichment program in your com-
munity. Attend concerts as a family. Sing, clap and
bring music to the center of your family’s activities.
The rewards will be many for your budding Invincible
Violinist!
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The InvincibleViolinist.com
Parent’s Guide to the Violin and Lessonsby Bill Alpert
Receive our free e-course at
http://InvincibleViolinist.com/free -guide/
You are free to share this book with anyone, but please do not alter or extract it in
any way without written permission. For information visit:
http://InvincibleViolinist.com or e-mail: [email protected]
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Whatever your musical aspirations, be sure tolearn the basics correctly! Doing so will take youanywhere you want to go on your Violin Journey
Safe Travels!
Bill Alpert, Founder
InvincibleViolinist.com