What's the difference between Suzuki and Traditional method? WHEN TO BEGIN FORMAL STUDY Suzuki Violin method practitioners advocate starting formal violin training by age three or four. The "Talent Education Movement," created and developed by Dr. Suzuki and his colleagues, was based on the notion that the earliest years of a child's life is the best time to begin training children to play violin. While the Suzuki violin method is uniquely suited for training the youngest children, it has proven to be effective in training students of any age. Traditional violin teachers are rarely willing or qualified to teach the very youngest students. Beginning in the seven to eight year old age range is favored by most, if not all, traditional violin teachers. THE ROLE OF PASSIVE LISTENING AND ABOUT READING MUSIC Suzuki violin study emphasizes passive modes of learning - watching and listening. Before engaging in formal study, Suzuki violin students are exposed to recordings of the first and subsequent pieces they will play, as well as recordings of great performances from the general classical repertory. This continues when students begin formal study and as they progress. Recordings are played as "background music", for hours each day and at low volume levels. Here, the thinking is that exposure to recordings is similar to the effect of immersion that naturally occurs in the process of primary language acquisition. Successful study is enhanced by prolonged repeated exposure. Suzuki violin students develop an internal model of the music to be studied. They memorize the music and internalize the nuances of pitch, tone, timing, articulation, and dynamics demonstrated in recorded performances. Suzuki Violin method also uses language acquisition as a model for teaching students to read music. Just as one would never teach young children to read before they have learned to speak, Suzuki violin teachers defer reading until there is a technical mastery of basic skills for playing and musical memory has been developed sufficiently. As a result, students learn to express music with ease and fluency. Suzuki teaches that students can more readily develop technical mastery if the student's attention is not divided by learning to simultaneously read and play. Traditional violin study favors a type of training that virtually ignores passive learning approaches. While students may be encouraged to listen to recordings of the more advanced repertory played by concert artists or symphony orchestras, beginning students are generally not given the opportunity to listen to recordings of the beginning pieces that they are or will be studying. Traditional violin teachers often justify the avoidance of making use of recordings of the pieces the beginner plays, suggesting that students will become dependent on learning by rote at the expense of developing the ability to read music, and that learning by rote leads to mechanical imitation. Instead, traditional teachers have students read pieces note by note, when learning and playing pieces. MASTERCLASS/GROUP LESSONS VS. ONE-ON-ONE LESSONS Suzuki violin incorporates the passive mode in class. Before Suzuki violin students ever receive the violin, they observe others who are doing what they will eventually do. Even after receiving and working with the violin, they continue to observe others in the masterclass setting and group lessons. Suzuki violin classroom structure enables students to work alongside with peers who share a common repertory, musical skills, and aspirations. Social interaction and the opportunity to play as a group are important features that make lessons a productive and satisfying. Cooperation is fostered. Great care is taken to avoid competition and its negative effects. Traditional violin teachers use a classroom structure based on the one-on-one lesson model, using a "hands-on" approach that offers little or no opportunity for observing the lessons of others. Typically, children are given a violin without much, if any, preparatory observation. In this environment, the teacher conveys points by playing musical samples or use verbal explanations. Traditional violin lessons are modeled on an environment of isolation. When students do interact, competition between individual students is often used as a means to motivate them. Cooperative learning techniques are neglected or ignored. With the one-on-one model, students don't get much opportunity to study and play music with peers. THE PARENT'S ROLE Suzuki violin study is "parent intensive". The parent and the teacher become true partners. Parents attend all lessons and attentively note the teacher's instructions. Parents' attendance at class enables them to work closely and skillfully with their children at home. They assume the role of "home- teachers". Parent involvement gives the Suzuki violin student a substantial advantage. Suzuki violin study requires so much parent involvement that many might feel that the time and dedication needed is excessive. While Suzuki violin study demands a great deal from parents, the payoff is big. Students achieve greater success with the skillful assistance and participation of parents, and the shared activity is an opportunity rather than a burden. Traditional violin study typically has the parent play a marginal role in their children's training, reminding (or admonishing) them to practice. They may attend or deliver the student to the occasional recital. Traditional violin lessons are usually conducted without the parent's presence in class. Parents are rarely trained or encouraged to work closely with students at home. Although many parents may feel that this is convenient, by excluding the parent, a student lacks the advantage that a parent's help can bring, and both miss the shared experience that is made possible through Suzuki violin study. TECHNIQUE Suzuki violin pedagogy imparts technical skills needed to play the violin in a way that has similarities with the approach used in traditional Asian martial arts. There is meticulous attention to form, detail, and movement. Suzuki formulated a highly original violin technique that is radical and remarkably efficient. He has disseminated these ideas to teachers and students in the form of "teaching points" - specific descriptions, each dealing with a single aspect of technique and recommended exercises for its mastery. In the process of renovating violin study, Suzuki dramatically improved the way the violin is technically mastered. Traditional violin pedagogy is far from standardized in its approach to violin technique. Some traditional teachers focus on "musical" aspects of playing and are vague or not concerned with form, position, and movement. Others teach laborious, elaborate, and inefficient ways of playing, using standard scales and the traditional etudes. "My son's school orchestra director says that private lessons are unnecessary, because students can learn everything they need at school. So why does my son need private violin lessons?"
For centuries, violin skills have been passed from generation to generation through individual instruction by private violin teachers. Across the United States, there is a long history of collaboration between orchestra programs and private violin teachers. Many schools (such as Wayzata and Edina) continue to recommend private violin teachers and distribute lists of good private violin teachers to their students. The result is better training for students and a better sounding orchestra for the schools.
Today, more and more schools are cutting back and even eliminating orchestra programs. Yet, these same schools are now claiming that their students do not require private lessons!
The reality is that most good private violin teachers share these two qualities:
1. Years --even decades-- of intense study of violin technique and performance.
2. Years --even decades-- of experience teaching the violin to students.
A good private violin teacher is probably not qualified to teach your child to play the tuba, or even the cello. But she knows how to play and teach the violin.
When you entrust your child to the school orchestra program, who teaches your child to play the violin?
The "orchestra director," of course! But who is this person? Can she play the violin at a reasonably high level? (Or at all?) What experience or training does she have exclusively on the violin? Even if she is a concert violinist, how much time can she devote to your child? And why does it matter? Can't a parent rely on the schools to do a good job teaching the violin, just like they do with math and reading?
The answer is, unfortunately, no. Many students who have had their instruction solely in the school system have developed bad habits. "Bad habits" inevitably mean that the student cannot produce a good sound. And, without instruction in proper technique, he or she may already play with so much tension that it actually hurts to play.
Children learn very quickly. However, once they establish habits --good or bad-- they often experience frustration if these need to be modified later. If you wait until your child shows sufficient interest or talent to start private violin lessons, or you entrust his violin instruction solely to the schools, you may well set your child up for failure. Please consider starting your child off on the right foot with private violin lessons taught by a good private violin teacher-- from day one.
How do I tell the G string from the D string?
Many of us have quite a large "string collection" in our cases or stashed away for safe keeping. We have used strings, new strings (both inside and outside of packaging), and perhaps even damaged strings, saved for that special emergency when we have broken a string and don't have anything else to replace it with. But once a string is out of it's packaging and becomes an "unidentified" string, it can be very difficult to figure out what type of string it is, let alone whether it is an A, D, E, or G string.
Every string manufacturer individually labels its strings at both the peg and the ball/loop end. These labels take the form of colors on the windings, sometimes solid, sometimes stripes. Sometimes the colors are the same at each end, and sometimes they are different. For each manufacturer, each string set usually bears its own, unique color scheme where every string within the set has a different combination of colors. To further complicate matters, sometimes even the different tension strings within string sets have their own color scheme as well. As you can imagine, there are quite a few combinations!
Although there are string identification tables available on the internet, these are often difficult to use and sometimes even misleading. But because they can be useful when you at least know the brand and name of the set (for instance you are certain that you have a pirastro Obligato set but you are unsure which string is which), you might be able to use a string identifier to save yourself a trip to the shop.
After all, string identification charts depend on our ability to define color, which is not always consistent from person to person. For instance you have concluded that your unidentified string has a blue peg end and a yellow ball end. But are you sure that it isn't blue and yellow, or blue and gold, or light blue and yellow, or light blue and gold? (rest assured all of these possiblities do exist!)
It is usually the case that thinner strings are higher in pitch and thicker strings are lower in pitch. The thicker string allows less tension and thus a lower pitch for the same string length. However -- and this is a BIG however -- since strings use different metals as windings as well as different cores, (not only between string sets but also within them), it is sometimes the case that the D string is THICKER than the G string! A "wound" E string might appear larger than an A string. A high tension A string from one string set might appear thicker than a light tension string from another set.
Thus, (and especially if you mix string from different set) you cannot always determine what type of string you have based solely on it's thickness.
So why does all of this matter? What is wrong with putting on the wrong string?
Suppose our questioner were to put a G string on his D string peg. Since it was thicker, he was convinced that the D string must in fact be a G string. But a G string is not built to be tuned all the way up to the D a fifth above. The extra tension this would cause on the instrument and bridge could be enormous -- enough not only to cause the bridge to collapse and possibly break, but also to cause a crack in the top of the fiddle, most likely over the sound post. This crack, called a soundpost crack, is very bad both for the sound of your violin and also for it's value.
Therefore, it is highly recommend against putting any unidentified strings on your violin or viola. And, even if you think you are able to identify them, using a chart or internet tool, there are, in our opinions, too many different strings that look very similar for you to ever be certain you have made a correct identification.
For unidentified strings, prevention is probably the best cure. Consider keeping each new string securely in its labeled packet prior to installing it. If you keep the packaging, you can put your used strings back in their properly labeled packaging should you wish to keep them. If you lose the packaging, consider tying a label to the string before it is stored that fully identifies the string. Or ask your teacher or take your strings to a good violin shop, where they should be able to indentify your strings and help you to install them, if necessary.
It is best to install the strings one at a time. If you are replacing an entire set, it is a good idea to examine the bridge before and after installing each string to make sure it is still straight. It is important to take care not to tune any of the strings above their proper pitch in order to stretch them. Most strings go through a breaking-in period where they will need to be retuned frequently. Attempting to stretch the string puts added tension on your instrument that could potentially damage it. The first are is the group of "soft" rests (such as curved foam pieces, sponges --even a kitchen sponge with a rubber band will do -- and the Play-on-Air, which is formed of a "bladder" filled with air that can be adjusted by varying the amount of air contained in the bladder. The second major category of shoulder rests are composed of the "rigid rests." There rigid models are based upon the same principal: feet that attach to the sides of the violin and a curved, rigid, shaped bar that connects the feet. Each brand of rigid rest is shaped slightly differently, which provides a good variety to fit the many different shapes of violinist's upper body, neck height, collar bone prominence, and slope and width of shoulders. To help with selection, we have assembled a list of the more popular brands of rigid rests with descriptions of each and tips on which model will best fit a given violinist's unique physiology. To begin, the Everest is made in America and is relatively cheap. The padding is thick and the rest seems to fit well for medium to long necks. One model offers collapsible, folding feet. The Bonmusica is made of flexible metal with a "hook" that can be molded to fit over the shoulder. It is a heavy rest composed of aluminum that can affect the sound more than some but can work well for violinists who have not found any of the other rests to be comfortable because of its high degree of flexibility and ability to curve around the back of the shoulder. Kun is the original inventor of the rigid rest with feet. There are several different models. They tend to fit most people fairly well. One model has a bar connecting the feet that can tilt towards and away from the player. Though potentially a very valuable feature, this bar cannot be locked in the chosen ideal position and therefore must be adjusted sometimes several times in a playing session. The Mach One is very light and made of nice quality solid maple. Some people find it very comfortable but it is rather short and the padding can seem slippery and is quite thin. The Wolf is an excellent rest for very tall necks, but can feel very rigid. Though it appears to have no curve, it can be bent to suit the player. Individuals with "A-Frame" (highly sloped) shoulders sometimes find this is their only viable option as it is the tallest rest. The viva la musica rest comes in many colors and adjusts in two planes. This extra ability to adjust allows it to accommodate certain violinists who have had difficulty finding a comfortable rest. However, the bar is fairly flat, with little curve, and can rub against the backside of the instrument. In addition, this rest is composed of plastic with a tendency of breaking sooner than other rests. In selecting a shoulder rest, try several and look for a comfortable fit. In the case of the rigid models with feet, the pad should rest securely against your shoulder and collar bone with little if any gaps between you and the rest. To adjust the rest on the violin, experiment with different placements for the feet. In general, the feet under the chin rest fill the space between the shoulder and the back of the violin. The closer the feet are positioned to the chin rest, the more the violin will tend to rest away from the end of the shoulder and more towards the neck. The height should be set to fill the space between the jaw and the top of the shoulder. On the opposite side of the instrument, a placement for the feet closer to the scroll side will position the instrument more toward the center of the chest and away from the shoulder. More height tends to flatten the instrument, and less height tends to create more slope. A shoulder rest that is too high will tilt the neck and chin upward, which is often very uncomfortable, along with raising the violin and thus the entire playing posture, which can place more strain on the shoulder as it stretches upward towards a higher violin. But if the rest is positioned too low, the player must bend the neck excessively to reach the chin rest, which especially deleterious to the health of the neck. The importance of the shoulder rest can easily be underestimated, and it is often useful to ask your teacher to help you assess fit. Wow! You must really practice a lot! There are many different kinds of chinrests. Most fit into two categories: chinrests that extend over the tailpiece and mount under the button, and chinrests that mount on the side. No two people are built exactly alike, and a chin rest that is comfortable for one student may not be a good fit for another. If your worn out chin rest was comfortable, we suggest replacing it with an identical model. Otherwise, you might want to head to a violin shop and try a few of them. Look for a violin shop that carries several different models and will allow you to try them. Your teacher should also be able to help evaluate fit. Choosing Bows - I don't like the bow that came with my student violin. Can you tell me how to choose my new bow? Choosing a good violin bow is quite a challenge. For one thing, a bow that is perfect for one violin may be a poor choice for another. The technique and style of each player will also affect whether a violin and bow are well matched. It is not a surprise that you are not satisfied with the bow that came with your violin. Most of these are made of fiberglass and are worth as little as $25. A fiberglass bow is a very poor substitute for wood. These bows are very weak and will collapse at the middle with very little pressure. The hair is sparse and of low quality. These bows are sometimes on the heavy side, and can have a club-like feel and appearance. It is very limting to have a fiberglass bow, and a very large upgrade is possible by spending around $100-$150. Rosin - Which rosin brand is the best? First, what is rosin, and how does it work? Rosin is a resin collected from one of about a hundred different types of pine tree throughout Europe, Asia, North America, and New Zealand. Rosin comes from from living trees by tapping -- just like maple syrup. After the resin is collected, it is sometimes mixed with other tree saps from different species of trees to create a unique formula. This formula is then purified by straining and heating it in large vats until the resins are completely melted. Once cooked, the concoction is poured into molds. After the mixture sets, the rosin is polished and placed in cloth or another type of housing. The color of rosin is determined by when in the year it is collected. If the resin is tapped in late winter or early spring, it will be gold or amber in color and hard when set up. As the seasons change to summer and fall, the color of the resin darkens and the consistency softens. Rosin works by keeping the bow hair stuck to the string. The bow pulls the string in the direction of the bow motion until the adhesion breaks. Then, the string snaps to its original position and vibrates, to create sound.
Strings are very personal things. There are so many to choose from and which set will work best for you depends on the individual characteristics of your violin and your playing style. Unlike chin rests and shoulder rests, you cannot realistically try all of the available options before you make your choice. Thus, you may find my review of strings to be, at least, a starting point for choosing a set. It is important neither to underestimate nor to overestimate the effect that different strings can have on an instrument. Sometimes, rather than trying several different sets, it makes more sense to evaluate other things that affect the sound, such as placement of the soundpost and bridge or maintenance issues such as cracks or open seams. In addition, strings have a synergistic response; hence, it is usually best not to mix sets, with the exception of the e-string.
There are many different types of strings on the market today, but most of them fall into three main categories: 1) steel strings; 2) gut strings; and 3) sythetics designed to sound like gut but which are designed to offer a quicker response without the need for frequent tuning, and 4) a gut and synthetic blend.
1) Steel strings have a very quick response but also a thin, one-dimensional sound. Most violin e-strings are made of steel, but apart from that, steel strings on not a good option for a classical violinist and should not even be considered for the a, d, or g strings.
2) Gut is the origninal material used for violin strings. Gut strings have a warm, complex sound and were used exclusively until the introduction of synthetics in the early 1970s. These strings are typically wrapped with different metals to improve volume and responsiveness, which was certainly a large improvement over the plain gut strings that were used in earlier centuries. Gut has two rather limiting properties. The first is that the strings simply will not stay in tune. Sometimes they even need to be re-tuned several times during a performance. The other issue is that gut strings have a very slow response. For these reasons, gut strings have largely fallen out of favor. The two most popular gut strings still in use today are both made by Pirastro. These are the Oliv set and the Gold Label. The Gold-label e string is tan excellent choice and is used in combination with many other string sets.
3) Synthetic strings were introduced in the early 1970s as an alternative to gut. The first synthetic string released was Thomastik-Infeld's Dominant line. The a, d, and g consist of a "perlon" (plastic) core wrapped in metal. In several ways, these strings were a huge improvement over gut. First, after requiring a few days to stretch, they stayed in tune, often for days at a time. Second, they had a very quick response. 3) they were much more responsive and coulld tolerate much more bow pressure. For these reasons, sythetic-core strings have largely replaced gut and are the choice of most professional violinists, including soloists. One of the first to adopt synthetics was violin soloist Itzakh Perlman, whose gorgeous tone is evidence of how beautiful the synthetics can sound. (Perlman plays the Bruch Concerto, Movement 2). Dominants "dominated" the synthetic string market for many years, and it took a long time for other companies to launch competing string sets. In recent years, we have seen sythetics with many different core materials from kevlar (Corelli) to a material used for tennis racket strings (D'addarrio zyex). Because most violinists are always searching for a better sound, the new synthetics have gotten a lot of attention but have not necessarily been improvements over the time-tested Dominant string. In my opinion, Pirastro's relatively recently released Evah Pirazzi string set marked the first excellent alternative to Dominants, and has replaced Dominants for many soloists. (Pirastro won't tell us what the core is actually made of!)
4) Pirastro has recently released a string that falls into a fourth category, namely a combination of gut and synthetic. This string is called Passione and will be included in the review below. The image below contains pictures of all of Pirastro's current string sets! 
A few final general hints about string selection: Be careful when you experiment with strings. Each time you change a string, the stability of the bridge is disrupted. If the bridge should lean too far it could snap or collapse. This could cause the wood in the body of the violin to crack. Also, strings needs time to break in. The final sound and responsiveness are usually apparent within 3 to 4 days. Thus, it is generally not wise to judge a string by its initial sound.
Below is the review of some of the types of strings.
Tonica strings, by Pirastro, were also designed to compete with Thomastik/Infeld's Dominants. They are cheaper than Dominants but tend to be less powerful and are more dark. It is possible that they tend to wear out more quickly than other strings.
There are many other string sets on the market, but those listed above are amongst the most popular.
Choosing an E-string is a different story. Almost all e-strings are made of steel. Some are wound, but the majority are not. Most steel e-strings can be combined with any set of strings. A few of the most popular are Pirastro Gold Label, Hill, Westminster, Goldbrokat, and Jargar. Since e-strings are relatively cheap, it is reasonable to try a few, since each one will tend to sound different from one instrument to another. Certainly, however, the Pirastro Gold Label has been considered the gold standard for decades. 
Remember that finding a luthier you trust is essential to keeping your violin sounding as beautiful as possible. He or she can recommend strings to suit your instrument, and can also make sure that your instrument is not in need of repairs that are affecting the sound. As one wonderful luthier once answered, "What affects the sound? EVERYTHING!" 
And these come in many different shapes, sizes and materials, and have names such as Guarneri, Strad, Hill, Flesch, Dresden, Wittner, and Tekka. 
However, there is one chin rest that, for some players, we do recommend over the others. It is called the Gel Rest. The gel rest actually comes in several shapes, but its distinguishing feature is that it has a cushion made of a non-irritating hypoallergenic gel that fits over the wood in the rest. The company that makes the gel rest also supplies the gel toppers separately, and can make a double layered version for taller necks. The potential advantages of the gel rest are several. First, the cushioning of the gel reduces irritation to the skin from the chin rest. Second, it won't slip in hot conditions where sweating is an issue. Third, it helps the neck support the violin through friction between the neck and the gel. Finally, the cushion is more forgiving against the neck and often feels more comfortable to the player.
Below are some pictures of the gel and the various chin rest shapes: 
Below are two bows. The red bow on the top is a fiberglass bow made by Glasser. The bow on the bottom is a fine 19th century French Bow (by Dominique Peccatte). 
As you can see, the red Glasser bow has a thicker, heavier (plastic) frog. By pulling the hair further from the stick, this design helps prevent the bow from collapsing completely with the slightest pressure. However, a bow with this design is very difficult to control and cannot produce a clean sound, particularly during rapid passages that require agility and a slightly off the string bowing technique.
The finest bows in the world are made of wood. Specifically, pernambuco wood. This wood is quite rare and expensive, as it is taken from the center of the tree. Brazilwood bows come from the same tree, but are not the center cut.
A little about bow prices:
19th and early 20th century French bows made of pernambuco wood are considered the most valuable, and it is possible to spend over $100,000 for the finest examples. It is quite common for professional musicians to spend between $10,000 and $30,000 to obtain a fine French bow. Some of the most famous French bowmakers: Eugene Sartory (who made strong, powerful sticks favored by many soloists for their ability to produce a large sound that carries well), Francois Tourte (possibly the inventor of the "modern" bow, also favored by soloists for its incredible sweetness and smoothness.) and Dominique Peccatte, another maker of choice for soloists, known for its exception balance and richness of sound. The Sartory might go for $20,000, and the Tourte and Peccatte upwards of $50,000!
Besides the French School, there are two other schools with a rich history of bow making. The first is the English School, from which bows made by Tubbs and those stamped "W.E. Hill" are the most well-known. Fine English bows usually sell for around $5,000 to $15,000. The second is the German School, which is significantly less favored than the other two. Bows by this country's most famous family of bowmakers, bearing the name of Nurnberger, are "comparatively cheap." But even a Nurnberger will probably cost you at least $2,000.
There are also several contemporary American bowmakers who are doing excellent work. One of these is Roger Zabinski, a luthier who lives and works in Minnesota. It is possible to commission from him a new bow designed to meet your needs, or to match your violin. But you should expect these also to be priced somewhere in the range of $2,000 to $4,000.
But wait! You only have $500 to spend! So let's examine your options.
1) Fiberglass. Fiberglass is out. Don't even think about it.
2) Brazilwood. Although you probably would need to spend over $1,000 for a genuine pernambuco bow, you will find many Brazilwood bows priced at or below $500 and as low as $50.00. The quality of these bows is very hit and miss. Even if they bear the same stamp, each is unique. If you want to go with a Brazilwood bow, consider trying a lot of them. A lot, meaning at least a dozen. Consider taking a couple home so you can spend more time with them. It might be good to go to a couple different shops. Brazilwood bows are a dime a dozen, so hold out for one that you really think is special. Remember that wood bows can be quite fragile. If you tend to be hard on your equipment you might want to consider a different material. Expect to spend at least $100.00 for one that will perform quite well.
3) Carbon Fiber. The original manufacturer of the carbon fiber bow is CodaBow. CodaBow offers many different bows at many different price levels, (starting around $250.00, and makes claims about how each model handles in comparison to the others. But each coda bow, no matter the model, is unique. Why? The answer is wood. Namely, the ebony wood frog. Since each peice of ebony differs in density, coda bows actually do vary both in weight and in the location of the balance point. The best bows usually come in at around 60 grams. But there are coda bows that weigh as little as 55 grams and as much as 65 grams. And some of the cheaper models actually sound better than the more expensive ones. Be prepared to try several different models and ask to compare different bows of the same model as well. At the very least, CodaBows should be more consistent than wood bows. And they certainly are sturdier. Below is CodaBow's new flagship model, the "weaved" Diamond. I have seen Diamond models on the Internet for a little over $500.00. Remember, however, that their cheapest offering, the Aspire, might sound just as good or even better! And there is a relatively new carbon fiber bow on the market made by Glasser (yes, our fiberglass friend!), called a "braided" carbon fiber bow, that is very well priced (around $325), and designed to compete with CodaBow's Diamond. 
So many brands to choose from. How do we evaluate which one sounds the best? This is a very difficult question to answer, because players have different preferences for how their rosin functions, and what sound or feel they are looking to derive from it.
For some reason, most of the finer rosin is circular and often encased in cloth. When it is darker, it tends to be stickier. When lighter, it tends to glide more over the instrument. If you are a player who likes to “dig in,” or you have a violin that responds well to pressure, a dark rosin may be your choice. You might even opt for cello rosin (such as the Hidersine), for its extra grab.
For those of you who like the feel of a lighter, smoother rosin (or you tend to under-rosin your bow to avoid the feel of excessive grain, grit, or stick, a lighter rosin might be your choice. Often, some of the finest rosin brands will offer different formulations to suit the tastes of both those who prefer a darker rosin and those who tend to opt for the lighter versions.
Below is a list of rosins and descriptions. Although you may find this list helpful, experimentation and trying different brands is the best way to choose your preferred rosin.
Pirastro (of string-making fame) sells a large line of rosins, largely named after its string brand. There is Pirastro Gold, tonica, Eudoxa, and Oliv, among others. How much difference there is between these is questionable but they are an affordable alternative to “the block” cheap rosin at around $10.00.
Not every shop advertises its products on the internet so if you called a few string shops that don’t have a strong internet presence for selling accessories (such as Moenning in Philadelphia, Reuning in Boston, Claire Givens in Minneapolis, or John Waddle in St. Paul) you might find that somebody still has some supply left.
However, many different brands of rosin have come out since Liebenzeller first appeared on the market that are just as good; and some (such as Andrea Paganinni) have qualities similar to the refined nature of the Liebenzeller. We highly recommend looking into these options for fine and light (rather than coarse and dark) rosins that you might like just as much or even better. Liebenzeller Gold I has a tendency to apply rather lightly and come off quickly. Because of this, even within a rehearsal or performance, one might feel that the bow already needs more rosin.
A good way to estimate the correct size violin for your son is to measure the length of his arm from the neck to the middle of his palm with the left arm extended. Then, you may follow the violin sizing guide pictured below.
Another way to assess fit is to have him extend his left arm and grasp the scroll of the instrument. Usually, if a student can comfortably grasp the scroll, with a slight bend at the elbow then the violin should be the right size.
Students usually stay in each size for a year or two. Because children grow so quickly and unpredictably, it is important to reasses fit frequently. Using a violin that is too small will cramp both the left hand and the bow arm. However, a violin that is too large can cause strain and injury to muscles and joints as the student is forced to extend the reach of the left hand beyond its appropriate limit.
At 9 years old, your child may need a 3/4 size instrument. However, depending on his height and the length of his arms, the appropriate size for him will likely range from 1/2 size to full size.
The violin is an acoustically perfect instrument in that a full size violin, at 14'' in length, is ideally configured to offer maximal projection and body of tone. Unfortunately, any violin either smaller than or larger than a full size instrument is not acoustically perfect. In general, the smaller the violin, the smaller the sound. This puts the young beginner at an immediate disadvantage: no matter how well he plays the violin, his 1/2 size fiddle will never sound as good as a full size instrument of similar quality. However, the closer in size he gets to the full size, the better his instrument should sound.
But not all small violins are built alike! You can give your child a better experience by renting or purchasing a high quality small instrument. While it may never sound as good as a full size of comparable quality, it can certainly sound better than the small instruments played by many of his peers.
The key is to rent or purchase the instrument from a reputable shop that carries hand-carved small instruments. In the last few years, affordable hand-carved instruments have become available in violin shops across the United States. Thus, factory-made violins, along with their inferior sound, should be relegated to the past.
Finally, once you know what size your child needs, he should try playing several various instruments before making a final decision. A shop may offer several violins of the same size and "model." But even these are not identical. Every instrument sounds different. Not even two instruments by the same maker sound alike. Our teachers can assist you in selecting a violin, or at least give a final thumbs up before a student rents or (especially) buys it.
Basic Principles:
Keep your violin clean and safe. This will keep it sounding good for years and years. The build-up of dust and rosin can over time diminish the vibrations of the instrument; a clean violin will resonate to its full potential.
● Don't touch the bow hair. We all have oil on our fingers, and that can get into the bow hairs and make them brown and gunky. This will make it hard for the bow hair to grip the string, and you'll end up with a slippery sound. Keep the bow hair clean of any dirt as well.
● Don’t touch the bridge. The bridge of the violin is not held down by any glue, screws, etc. It's only held in place by the pressure of the strings from above. So, the smallest amount of pressure can make it move, or even fall down. If the bridge falls down, the sound post inside may also fall down. A slipped or fallen sound post should be fixed by the person you got your violin from.
● Never let your violin get wet. This can damage the varnish, which protects the violin.
● Never bump your violin, even while it’s in the case. Not only are violins very fragile and easy to break, but they can go out of tune if they’re bumped even a little bit. Remember, the case is not as safe as it looks like it is. Be careful when going through doorways, or going around corners in the hall.
Every Day:
● Keep your violin in tune as often as possible, constantly if you can manage it. Violins need to be tuned every time they're played!
● Tighten the bow before you use it. Be careful not to make it too tight. The bow has a natural curve toward the hair that should always be there, even while we play. If the bow is too tight (straight) for too long, it can be ruined. The wood has to have a certain amount of elasticity. A good way to estimate is to make the distance between the stick and the hair the same as the width of the stick. Another way is to put the bow on the violin and press it down on the strings. If you can make the stick touch the hair (easily), it's probably not too tight.
● Rosin your bow every time you use it. Cover every inch of the bow hair with rosin! There is no real detriment to using too much rosin, except that you might waste some; but, hey, rosin is cheap. Better too much than too little. The rosin helps the bow hair grip the string. Without it, the bow can slip and sound squeaky.
● Wipe off your violin and strings after you use it. After all, that rosin has to go somewhere, and it usually ends up covering the strings and violin in a white powder. Keep a clean, dry cloth inside your violin case to use after every time you play. When you wipe off your violin, you should scrub each string with the cloth. This will make a horrible squeaking sound that makes fingernails on a chalkboard sound like a chorus of angels by comparison. However, you need to scrub it until that sound completely goes away. Only then are your strings really clean!
Cleaning the top of the violin can be done with the same clean, dry cloth. Sometimes, though, the cloth just doesn't seem to get everything off. In that case, use some violin polish to cut through the grease and make everything shine again. If you remember to clean the violin every time you use it, you'll only have to make a simple swipe with the cloth. It's when we let things go for too long that cleaning the violin can become a chore.
● Loosen the bow after you use it. Turn the screw until there's no more tension in the hair.
● Latch the bow properly before closing the case. If the bow is free, it can bounce around inside the case and damage the violin.
● Keep the velcro “seat belt” around the neck when the case is closed. This is to keep the bridge from bumping against the top of the case.
● Take off your shoulder pad before closing the case unless you’re absolutely sure beyond a doubt that the bridge isn’t under pressure.
Storing the Violin:
Violins are affected to a surprising amount by temperature and humidity. Extreme changes in either can cause the violin to go out of tune, or--even worse--develop cracks. Also, sudden changes, even if they're not extreme, can shock the instrument.
Central heat and central air conditioning, while we love them so much, can dry out the air in your house and make an unsuitable environment for the violin. So, keep your violin away from heating/cooling vents. Windows can be a source of sudden changes in humidity (especially when it rains), and sunbeams can get very hot very quickly. Look around in your house for a place that is safe from these three things. The optimum humidity level for a violin is 40-60%. The optimum temperature is 50-80 degrees.
● Never let your violin get too hot or too cold, and never let it change temperature suddenly. Even leaving it in a sunbeam for too long can damage it. Performers always re-tune once they walk out on stage because the hot lights make their violins go out of tune within a few seconds!
● Don’t leave your violin in the car. Not only is this a security risk, but cars change temperature faster than we realize when we’re not in them. More than 10 minutes is dangerous in the summer or winter. Definitely never leave your violin in the trunk. It shouldn't be able to bounce around, and it shouldn't be exposed to outside temperatures for too long; and, in terms of temperature, the trunk is basically "outside."
Regular Maintenance:
Believe it or not, there are things we have to do with our violins at regular intervals, almost like a car! Just as we change our oil every three months or 3,000 miles, so violin owners have to...
● Change the strings once every 4-5 months. When strings get old, their tone becomes unpleasant, and eventually the pitch starts to become vague as well.
● Re-hair the bow every 4-5 months as well. If the bow hair gets too old and slick, it won’t even hold rosin and can sound harsh. Unlike changing the strings, this is something that should be done by the person who sold you your violin, or another violin maker/dealer that you trust. The actual process takes about twenty minutes, so a reputable shop will have your bow back to you within a day or two.
Tuning the Violin
The violin should be kept in tune all the time. It should be kept to the same pitch as much as possible, so it’s good to have a device that plays a standard A (440 Hz) to tune to. A piano that has been recently tuned is good. There are also a lot of gadgets for sale that will do this. Some of them even help you with tuning the instrument by telling you how far away you are from the right pitch.