# Learning all violin family instruments?



## RoseString

I love stringed instruments. The cello is my favorite, though some days it's the viola. Or the violin. Currently, I only play the piano (six years), some guitar, and am teaching myself some electric bass. However, I would say the cello/viola/violin instruments probably top the three I'm currently working on.

What is the problem? I really, really want to learn all of them. Well, almost. However, I know that's not all that realistic. Or, so I've been told. But I am determined. So, here are my questions:


1) Is it possible to become proficient (not performance-level degree, maybe, but still proficient-advanced) on so many different instruments? The instruments would mainly be cello/viola/violin, but piano, guitar and bass included.

2) If I am practicing cello for about an hour each day over six months, would it be dangerous to switch to viola, while continuing the cello, then violin after another six months?

3) Would learning so many of these orchestral stringed instruments (as well as electric bass, so having a bit of bass theory in there) be useful for a composition degree?


For now, those are all of my questions. I guess there are some questions within those, but I'll leave it at that for now. 

***Also, I want to stress that I am not going to teach myself. Instead, I would take one hour/once a week lessons from music instructors at my local community college.***

Thank you!


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## Taggart

Interesting. It is certainly possible to double on violin \ viola + keyboards - that's what my wife's fiddle teacher does. He plays lead violin in a local group and viola in larger ensembles. In early music groups people can generally double on any of the viols. The problem comes with the cello because of the different position. It's possible but not the best choice.

Some music (theory) schools recommend that candidates have good piano skills as well as their own instrument simply because it's such a good lead in to harmony. Guitar (non-lead) whether acoustic or electric base will also cover some of the accompaniment skills.


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## RonP

Are you forgetting about the double bass?


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## Ukko

In some places (Turkey?) the traditional way to position the violin and viola was on (I think) the off thigh, making the handwork similar to that for the cello. The double bass fret work is, ah, at a higher level... not a useful suggestion?


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## Aramis

RoseString said:


> 1) Is it possible to become proficient (not performance-level degree, maybe, but still proficient-advanced) on so many different instruments? The instruments would mainly be cello/viola/violin, but piano, guitar and bass included


Yes, there are many people who can say "I play all the instruments but I can't play even one". And what does it mean: not performance-level degree but proficient-advanced? That's quite a paradox. If you're prodicient-advances, you can perform music, eh?



> 2) If I am practicing cello for about an hour each day over six months, would it be dangerous to switch to viola, while continuing the cello, then violin after another six months?


Yes, it would be dangerous. The cello might explode and injure you.



> 3) Would learning so many of these orchestral stringed instruments (as well as electric bass, so having a bit of bass theory in there) be useful for a composition degree?


You would be more like painter who learned everything about paints and colours, but never had time to actually learn how to use the brush.


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