rowan25 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I have a 5 year old girl(March b'day) who has been asking to learn violin for at least 2 years. The first year, we put it off because she was also asking about guitar. She got a guitar for christmas, but she can't play it and no one can help her. We all play piano or brass instruments. :tongue_smilie: I got her a toy violin, thinking that would be good enough. After all, she's only barely 5. Well, it's not. It's come up again. So I have questions..... Is 5 too young? How do you find a teacher? How do you find a violin? Am I totally crazy??!!! Any other information anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated. I'm totally at a loss here!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manamana Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 You're definitely not crazy. That's great she is excited to learn. We have a thriving Suzuki violin community here where I live with even a few 3 year olds learning violin. My dd started last fall at age 6 and has made steady progress. You might find out if a Suzuki violin program exists near you. You can find out more at http://suzukiassociation.org/. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova mama Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Maybe you can just give it a try. Can you rent a violin from a local music store, that also offers lessons? I know Suzuki method starts at age 3 or so, so it must be doable. Two local music stores told me DD5 was too young. I started teaching her myself (I played in high school). She was really interested initially, but was only wanted to play pizzicato b/c she didn't like the sound she made with the bow. After our 3-month rental, I returned the violin. Maybe we'll try again, and maybe with a professional teacher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 My 6yo just began violin. His second lesson was today, so I have very limited knowledge. So, basically you rent a violin. They make very, very cute teeny, tiny violins and they "size" the child. As the child grows, you trade up to the next size. There was a list of teachers available at the store where we rented the violin. Because violins come in smaller sizes (unlike other instruments), they are great for tiny children. OTOH- I have a friend whose dd began violin very young. When she became angry with the violin, she cut off all the strings!:lol: HTH- Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 You can probably find a Suzuki teacher but other types may want to wait just a little while longer. You could do something like The Violin Book yourself though. Here are a couple ways to do sizing (arm length, age, etc): http://www.feinviolins.com/infoview.php?ID=115 . There are many available online. I wouldn't worry as much about quality for that size violin though you most certainly need one that will keep it's tuning. Don't get a $50 one! You're not crazy. I got my kids their first violins at 3 and 5 yrs old (1/16 and 1/4 sizes, btw). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elw_miller Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Is 5 too young? How do you find a teacher? How do you find a violin? Am I totally crazy??!!! Any other information anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated. I'm totally at a loss here!! Five is not too young. My dd4 is currently taking Suzuki lessons and has been for over a year. You can find a teacher through the Suzuki Association of the Americas: http://suzukiassociation.org/parents/teacherloc/ I got my dd's violins off eBay. Look at reputable violin sites to see what you should look for in a decent quality violin. I tried to find violins being sold by down-sizing music programs, though I did get one from an eBay store that also had a brick and mortar presense. You can also look into rental programs--many will let you put part of the rental fee into a future purchase of an instrument. Also be sure to have your daughter measured so she gets the right size violin. I also recommend reading Shinichi Suzuki's Ability Development From Age Zero. He has several other books which discuss his method and viewpoints, but I think this one is the best. It is a slim book, but an excellent read. In fact, I think any parent should read it since it could easily double as a good parenting book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 My 4yo DD (also a March b-day) just got a violin after begging me for lessons since Christmas. We've been taking lessons through a Suzuki teacher that I found through the web site mentioned above and also recommended on a local music site. My DD absolutely adores "Miss Sue" and looks forward to her lessons, even though she hasn't played a lick yet! With Suzuki, you start out with a fake violin (we made ours out of a cake mix box and a paint stirrer) and then work on technique to be able to 'earn' a real one. DD has earned the right to hold her real violin but not her bow yet. That is our goal for this week. It's a slow process, but I really respect the way it works. She'll have the idea of how to hold everything already down and will have fewer things to concentrate on. This should (repeat should...) result in a better sound in the end. I'm not sure where to suggest finding a violin; we have several shops locally and I called around to work out which one seemed like the best deal. Pawn shops *SOMETIMES* have decent violins, but you might want to take a teacher or other knowledgeable person with you so you don't get stuck with a lemon. Have fun, whatever you wind up doing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom24bz1g Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 She really, really wants to learn violin. I have been scouring Craigslist and shopgoodwill.com for a 1/8 violin. Tonight we just bought her one for $60 off Craigslist. The woman's boy (also 5) had been playing it for 6 months and it was purchased new. I do not know anything about violins, but it looks perfect, has a nice padded, lined case and I'm really impressed. Serena has no idea how to play violin but it sounds really good with what she is playing. We are going to start lessons in September and until then I am going to have a friend of mine (who played in high school) teach her some pointers. Mamabear's kids all take violin lessons so maybe PM her and ask her what she thinks. She'll probably speak up if she sees this thread. Blessings, Michele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Our local music store has violins to rent and teaches lessons, I think it's about $20 for half an hour (which is reasonable, I think.) When I asked about lessons for Dot (turning 6 in October) a few months ago, they said that she could certainly learn, but would need a smaller violin, possibly as small as 1/8, but possibly as big as 1/4 (she's tall.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anneinco Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I could have written your post a year ago! My daughter (5) started playing a couple months before her 5th birthday. Will be a year end of August I believe. I put it off for a while, she had been asking for over a year to learn to play. Once we were settled here, I visited the local music stores and asked if they rented violins and if they had an instrutor. We ended up renting with the store we chose because the feedback was good and they were about $5 less a month. They also provided me with a list of teachers. I knew nothing back then and went with a local Suzuki teacher (5 min drive instead of 15+). It was an added plus that she was also $5 less per lesson. We lucked out and she has been a great teacher for my daughter! I plan on renting until she is in a full size if she continues that long. She started out in 1/10 and moved up about 6 months later to 1/8. I am sure will make another jump by year's end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan25 Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 Boy, ya'll made me feel better!!! :) Ok, I'll start researching it and seeing what's available. At least I know I'm not crazy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 It makes me want to cry to think that I will never teach another child to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Those were some of the best times for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjarnold Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I have a 5 year old girl(March b'day) who has been asking to learn violin for at least 2 years. ... Is 5 too young? How do you find a teacher? How do you find a violin? Am I totally crazy??!!! I'm a professional violinist and violin teacher (Suzuki certified), and these are all excellent questions. As you've already heard, 5 is definitely not too young. In fact, it's a very good age to start, since she's already been asking to play for quite a while. I agree, try searching the Suzuki website for a teacher in your area, and speak to different teachers if you have that option. You may find you have a better rapport with one or the other. Credentials are important too, so try to find out the teacher's Suzuki training, as well as actual violin training. (For example, some teachers may have gone to a conservatory. Some may not have had any training beyond high school age.) I do highly recommend you find a professional, qualified teacher, rather than using a video system, but I am slightly biased on that topic, right?:) Finding a violin ... With my own students (18 at the moment), I recommend they either rent from a local arts program ($45/semester) or buy from Sharmusic.com or similar. I do not recommend eBay unless you're willing to risk a very bad instrument. I would definitely find the teacher FIRST, as that individual will probably want to help you with sizing and choosing the right instrument. Personally, I prefer to check out each student's possible instrument purchase before they commit to buying, and this is customary in the violin world. It doesn't matter whether you're buying a $150 1/8 size or a $5 million Stradivarius. You are not totally crazy, and I'd be happy to help if you have other questions. Sorry for the rambling. Tiffany P.S. Where are you located? It's a long shot, but I may be able to recommend someone in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 My son started at 5. We rent a violin. The teacher said that normally she preferred them to be a little older but since he was reading fluently she made an exception. Apparently knowing how to read words helps with learning to read music. He's done fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Age 5 is not too young, depending on the child. Suzuki is not the only effective method, although it is popular because it can work with very young children. Renting an instrument is a waste of money, I decided. High rental charges, and nothing left to show for it. We went the route of purchasing from Southwest Strings, a company with great service and products. http://www.swstrings.com/ Best prices I know of. (Shar is more expensive.) Resale is easy, because there always are children coming up through the ranks, who would love to have your outgrown instrument. Before buying, engage a prospective teacher and have him/her tell you what size your child currently should be using. Just don't teach the instrument yourself, unless you had good training. It will drive insane a teacher having to undo bad habits ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrumm4448 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 My ds(7) was 3 1/2 when he started Suzuki violin, and my dd(4) was 2 1/2 when she began. Suzuki is a fastastic way for very young children to learn an instrument. It can get pricey, though. Suzuki requires a private lesson and group lesson each week, and you are the at-home teacher learning ahead of your child. My kids are beyond that stage, but it still takes time to help them practice every day. My daughter is just learning Twinkle, and my son is learning Perpetual Motion. Please keep in mind it took each of my children about a year of working on hand and foot position, bow technique,and other stuff before they could play a "song". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beebalm Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Do it, do it!!! My girls started at ages 4 and 6. They've been playing for ten years now. The best reason I can give you is to send you to a Youtube video. These are kids from an advanced string camp in Kansas. The music speaks for itself. An additional reason: I worked as a counselor here and have never met such an exceptional group of young people anywhere. The violin journey has given my kids MANY opportunities to meet great, inspiring people of all ages. I'm computer challenged...don't know how to put a youtube video on here. Just go to Youtube and search for this: Mendelssohn 3rd mvt, Ottawa, KS. Best wishes! Oh yeah, get a teacher first. Then comes the violin!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elw_miller Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 The best reason I can give you is to send you to a Youtube video. These are kids from an advanced string camp in Kansas. The music speaks for itself...Just go to Youtube and search for this: Mendelssohn 3rd mvt, Ottawa, KS. Best wishes! Oh yeah, get a teacher first. Then comes the violin!:) That was excellent! Thanks for sharing! I sent this on to a friend who is considering doing Suzuki with her daughter; this may convince her. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 My son was very interested at that age and he's still playing 11 years later. I would definitely try to capitalize on that enthusiasm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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