# Violin Beginner.



## Sovr'gnChancellor£

Hi everybody! 

I just joined, so bear with me! :lol:

Down to business:

(BTW, this is mostly aimed at violinists). I am currently 17, yet this summer, I hope to begin learning the violin and musical notation etc. Before people say it is too late - I believe that I am very determined, confident and motivated to excel in playing the instrument: it is mind over matter in this case. I am optimistic anf prepared to practise for hours to make up for lost time (which is YEARS in my case!!)

So, what I wanted to enquire is that what should be the preparation before learning the violin? How would I go about it? I will ideally begin in early summer - so, is there anything to do before then etc?

Thanks in advance! 

EDIT: Ideally, I will also play with my left hand - that is, holding the bow with it etc.


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## emiellucifuge

Buy one, learn how to care for it, begin practise. I assume youll have lessons?


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## Sovr'gnChancellor£

emiellucifuge said:


> Buy one, learn how to care for it, begin practise. I assume youll have lessons?


Thanks :lol: I will of course have lessons - it will be much quicker than attempting to strive alone! 

I actually feel that I may practise for hours in the holidays, so as to "catch up"...


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## emiellucifuge

Not only will it be quicker, but i think it may be impossible to reach any level of decency WITHOUT lessons!


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## Sovr'gnChancellor£

emiellucifuge said:


> Not only will it be quicker, but i think it may be impossible to reach any level of decency WITHOUT lessons!


Very true! I was never even considering to not have lessons in the first place! Ideally, however, I would get a private tutor most definitely.


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## GraemeG

You hold the bow with your right hand.
Left hand does fingering. That's the way it is.
I doubt you'll find a teacher to take you on otherwise.
GG


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## Frasier

Sovr'gnChancellor£ said:


> Hi everybody!
> 
> (BTW, this is mostly aimed at violinists). I am currently 17, yet this summer, I hope to begin learning the violin and musical notation etc. Before people say it is too late - I believe that I am very determined, confident and motivated to excel in playing the instrument: it is mind over matter in this case. I am optimistic anf prepared to practise for hours to make up for lost time (which is YEARS in my case!!)
> 
> So, what I wanted to enquire is that what should be the preparation before learning the violin? How would I go about it? I will ideally begin in early summer - so, is there anything to do before then etc?


Far from too late, it's an excellent age. Adults learn in different ways from children - it's to do with the ability to develop strategy. You said it: mind over matter comes well into it.

The violin needs a lot of work "up front" before you make much progress in actual playing.

You really need a teacher/mentor in the earliest stages as bad habits accrue very quickly. Stance, holding the instrument properly, whether you need a chin rest, how you approach fingering all need attention; and for bowing, open string practice. By practising various articulations on open strings you don't have to worry about good intonation and left hand work. Undoing bad habits can take a disproportionate effort - vibrato, for instance, not only concerns how you support the instrument with your left hand but how secure your intonation is. If you've grown to rely on the valley between left-hand thumb and index finger to support the instrument (rather than chin and shoulder) you'll find vibrato nigh impossible; and position changing difficult.

Good luck.


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## Soprano Christie

Sovr'gnChancellor£ said:


> Ideally, I will also play with my left hand - that is, holding the bow with it etc.


I'm not sure that'll work - all technical exercises are based on left hand fingering and right hand bowing. Besides, violins are built to be played with it on your left shoulder, what with the location of the chin rest and the arrangement of the strings.

Good luck anyway, I'm sure you'll manage fine - I dind't really start violin seriously until I was 13, and now I'm Grade 6 at the age of 16.  (Albeit I did play in primary school briefly)


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## Sovr'gnChancellor£

GraemeG said:


> You hold the bow with your right hand.
> Left hand does fingering. That's the way it is.
> I doubt you'll find a teacher to take you on otherwise.
> GG


But, as it is - I am left-handed in mostly everything. Surely, it will restrict me to a high degree if I bow with a hand that I am not used to?? I will try to bow with my right hand at first then...


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## Sovr'gnChancellor£

Frasier said:


> Far from too late, it's an excellent age. Adults learn in different ways from children - it's to do with the ability to develop strategy. You said it: mind over matter comes well into it.
> 
> The violin needs a lot of work "up front" before you make much progress in actual playing.
> 
> You really need a teacher/mentor in the earliest stages as bad habits accrue very quickly. Stance, holding the instrument properly, whether you need a chin rest, how you approach fingering all need attention; and for bowing, open string practice. By practising various articulations on open strings you don't have to worry about good intonation and left hand work. Undoing bad habits can take a disproportionate effort - vibrato, for instance, not only concerns how you support the instrument with your left hand but how secure your intonation is. If you've grown to rely on the valley between left-hand thumb and index finger to support the instrument (rather than chin and shoulder) you'll find vibrato nigh impossible; and position changing difficult.
> 
> Good luck.


Thanks! I will have to discuss with my future teacher about the bowing and fingering - and see how I will get on!

Ideally, before I even begin to play, I will get a private teacher and be advised against those "bad habits" that you say, so as to safeguard against them beforehand.

Thank you once again! :tiphat:


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## GraemeG

Sovr'gnChancellor£ said:


> But, as it is - I am left-handed in mostly everything. Surely, it will restrict me to a high degree if I bow with a hand that I am not used to?? I will try to bow with my right hand at first then...


Ever seen someone playing the violin the 'other way round'? I thought not, and yet plenty of left handers play the instrument.
Truth is, both the fingering and bowing actions are utterly non-intuitive and completely foreign to anything else you do. It won't matter which way around you start, it will feel impossible.
And so the convention is that everyone does it the same way.
cheers,
GG


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## Igneous01

i think youll do fine, the only thing i recommend preparing for is finger flexibility, as thats probably the most important thing ive come across. I started about 5 months ago and ive been able to do vibrato with both wrist and arm and some martele strokes up wards (working on the down one on spare time)
Its not excellent vibrato but the more i practice on it the more ahead ill be when the topic does come up.
so yes i recommend exercises to help loosen yourself, and when you get your violin, study it and try to find the 'one-ness' with it, eventually youll see it as an extension of yourself and it makes playing alot easier.


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## Charon

I've been playing violin for just over two years and I'm pretty happy with my progress. It's not too late to start!


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## LordBlackudder

you should check out these two:

http://www.youtube.com/user/gbritaney
http://www.youtube.com/user/ViolinTay


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## lokomotiv

Sovr'gnChancellor£ said:


> Hi everybody!
> 
> I just joined, so bear with me! :lol:
> 
> Down to business:
> 
> (BTW, this is mostly aimed at violinists). I am currently 17, yet this summer, I hope to begin learning the violin and musical notation etc. Before people say it is too late - I believe that I am very determined, confident and motivated to excel in playing the instrument: it is mind over matter in this case. I am optimistic anf prepared to practise for hours to make up for lost time (which is YEARS in my case!!)
> 
> So, what I wanted to enquire is that what should be the preparation before learning the violin? How would I go about it? I will ideally begin in early summer - so, is there anything to do before then etc?
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> 
> EDIT: Ideally, I will also play with my left hand - that is, holding the bow with it etc.


hi sovereign c, 
please ignore people like graemeg who tell you to only play right handed. the bowing is definately far more "information dependent" than the opposite hand which traverses the notes on the soundboard.

what i mean is that the mechanics of controlling the bowing involve greater messaging to the brain since it controls things like - volume, tempo, tone and timbre. even though the opposite hand can impart some of these aspects like vibrato and harmonics and traverse the strings at different speeds it is clearly less responsible for the creative nature of playing violin than that of the bowing.

the bowing is more of a creative mechanism whereas the hand locating the notes is principally more of a logisitical apparatus (although as i mentioned it can be creative in smaller instances) . On current probabilities if you yourself have chosen your left hand to write with and rely upon it in other vocations it would make sense to use your dominant hand for the dominant mechanical action in the playing of the violin.

so the argument that "graemeg" makes in regards to bowing being "non intuitive" seems to me to be patently false.

im sure you will find teachers willing to teach left handed students. the first 6 months to a year is mostly a stage of developing a consistent bowing technique whilst learning elementary studies. this is the only stage that may pose issues as your ability to interpret your right handed teachers instructions will be more problematic. after the bowing is developed sufficiently there are no issues. i must warn that due to the problematic nature of not having a left handed teacher the onus to develop is slightly higher than a normal right handed student. after showing that your keen and are developing accordingly the whole novelty of being a left handed student will become redundant.

there definately isnt any fun in attempting a task in a foreign manner.

best of luck !


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## GraemeG

If you persist with this, don't forget to get your fiddle along to a luthier and have the bridge moved, chinrest replaced (they may have a left-handed one) and soundpost moved. Probably best to get the bass bar moved too, not that anyone will be keen to do that. Finally, they can restring it for you.

Perhaps it's just easier to buy one of the _many_ already prepared left-hand instruments for sale on ebay. Or commission a maker to build you one.

And if you ever intend playing in ensembles, figure on sitting by yourself at the back, where you're not in everyone's way...
GG


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## Hazel

Sovr'gnChancellor£ said:


> But, as it is - I am left-handed in mostly everything. Surely, it will restrict me to a high degree if I bow with a hand that I am not used to?? I will try to bow with my right hand at first then...


If you ever wanted to play in an orchestra, wouldn't you have to be bowing with the right hand? I don't know. Just asking.


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## Amzor

You definitely DO want to listen to people like GraemeG. No one holds their violin in their right hand... Should left handed people have special cars so they sit on the opposite side to everyone else when they're driving? No lol.
You much better to learn the proper way. Either way it'll feel awkward and doing this will improve your right hand so it'll make you more ambidextrous which is always a good thing! 
How is it going anyway? It has been a while since this thread was started!


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## Elliekim

You should try fiddling with it! Just trying to figure out little melodies helps! Well.. For me it does...


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## grixxviolist

Sovr'gnChancellor£ said:


> But, as it is - I am left-handed in mostly everything. Surely, it will restrict me to a high degree if I bow with a hand that I am not used to?? I will try to bow with my right hand at first then...


i know many left-handed players, holding the bow with their right hands.. and they are excellent players since their dominant hand is the one that they use to play fast and difficult passages.


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## Jaws

You can play the violin with the bow in the left hand if you want to. All you have to do is buy a violin that is built the other way round. Turning the strings round on an ordinary violin won't work. Inside the violin underneath the top there are structures that have to go in certain places. The bass bar is near the foot of the bridge on the G string side of the violin. This will need to be in the same place if the violin is played with the other hand. Several manufacturers make student violins this way round. There is a myth in classical music that you have to start young to play the violin. Some people in the UK start when they retire at 65. So don't worry about your age.


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## PlaySalieri

My son started playing when he was 4 - at 7 he got grade 8 with distinction and he now studies at Royal Colleg of Music in London - we went through a lot getting him to that level so I may have some good advice for you.
I wonder what you want to achieve - do you hope to play professionally? Or just for yourself?
It is highly unlikely you could reach professional standard - no matter what you do. 
Go and look at Perlman or Heiftetz on youtube playing a paganini caprice or a bach sonata - watch the left hand - how fast the fingers move and with ease. The type of conditioning required to achieve that begins at a young age - the joints/muscles develop in a way that non players do not and there will come a time when you simply find it impossible to do what is necessary in order to advance beyond a certain level. Chaplin took up the violin in his 20s when he went to America - he did very well with it but could not take it to a professional level and indeed admitted in his book that the amount of labour needed to master the instrument was just too much - given his other committments.
However - there is no reason why you could not become a reasonable amateur and you should probably make that your goal - unless you are determined to prove me and many pedagogues wrong. It is certainly the case that a 17 year old will learn faster than a 4 year old - and have the discipline to do it. But you will only know about that once you begin - how good your concentration is - your stamina. 
You need to find a teacher who knows and teaches the fundamentals of violin technique - how to hold the bow - how to move it - keep a relaxed flexible wrist when bowing - how to stop notes - shift, etc etc. Many "local" teachers either have poor set ups themselves or don't pay too much attention to the technique of their students - pupils get bored with technical work and give up - it's bad business - so a lot of teachers let it go. So you need to tell a teacher you don't mind technical work and you want a sound technique - good set up. But you will need to find someone who teaches at conservatoire level - that might sound absurd - but you want quality tuition - and the higher you go the better - it will pay off. Research some teachers - find their students on youtube - how do they play? But - you may not find it easy to get a teacher of that level to take you on - as many or even all will tell you what I have already told you. But someone will help - sooner or later - even if only for money and it will be expensive - in the UK tuition at that level can cost up to 100 pounds per hour in London - or 50 in the provinces. Local teachers charge about 25 pounds per hour. Do not attempt to learn on your own as you will start getting into bad habits that will be difficult to correct. I do suggest though - that while you are looking for a teacher - get a violin - a cheap one will do for this - put the shoulder rest on - and stand with the violin in position - hold it up as if you are going to play and see how long you can hold it horizontal - don't let it drop. Start and see if you can keep it up for a few minutes at first - and day by day build up stamina for holding it at correct height. That's a good way to begin. My son sometimes does 3-6 hours a day practice and he keeps it up all that time. I tried to do it once and after a few minutes I got tired. Well what more can I say except good luck.


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## PlaySalieri

Sorry I missed the fact that you are left-handed - well that adds a whole new dimension of difficulty!


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## MaestroViolinist

stomanek said:


> Sorry I missed the fact that you are left-handed - well that adds a whole new dimension of difficulty!


Not really, all you have to do is string the violin the other way around.


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## PlaySalieri

MaestroViolinist said:


> Not really, all you have to do is string the violin the other way around.


I was thinking more in terms of finding a teacher who will take a left hander.


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## MaestroViolinist

stomanek said:


> I was thinking more in terms of finding a teacher who will take a left hander.


Why wouldn't they? I mean, it can't be much different, it's still all the same technique, they don't have to do anything. Besides, a left hander can still play with their right hand, I had a music teacher who was left handed and yet she still played normally.


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## PlaySalieri

I will ask my son's teacher about this just out of curiosity.


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## PlaySalieri

It seem that in Russia you either play the way everyone else plays (right handed bow) - or forget it and learn something else like piano where it's not an issue!


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## Jaws

About 30 years ago there was a professional string orchestra from Bulgaria who were on tour in the UK. They had a violinist who played the violin the other way round. So I still think that if you have problems because you are left handed, buy a right hand fingering violin. You can't just restring a normal violin because of the positions of the sound post and bass bar.

Don't worry about grade exams. These are for school children to take. They aren't suitable for anyone over the age of 18.

Don't worry about becoming a professional player. No one can know if they can do this until they are offered a job. Studying at any music college doesn't guarantee anyone a job as a professional musician. Many professional music jobs rely on someone retiring, not on the standard of the player leaving college. Don't worry about going to music college at all. There are many successful professional players in the UK who went to university. Some of these didn't even study music. One now retired international soloist studied history at Oxford.


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## Taneyev

Say, kid. Go to violinist.com and all your doubts will find an answer and advice.


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## MaestroViolinist

stomanek said:


> It seem that in Russia you either play the way everyone else plays (right handed bow) - or forget it and learn something else like piano where it's not an issue!


I wonder if every Russian says that... My Music teacher is from Russia, maybe I should ask him.


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## PlaySalieri

Jaws said:


> Don't worry about grade exams. These are for school children to take. They aren't suitable for anyone over the age of 18.


Where do you get all this nonsense? When my son was taking his graded exams there were adults doing them too.
And adults studying a musical instrument want to know what their level is so many do the exams. It's no problem - you have 3 pieces to play, some scales and arpeggios, sight reading and theory questions. If you haven't passed grade 8 with distinction you would possibly not even get an interview/audition at music college. There is also diploma level which I know many adults do if they do not intend to study at conservatoire. As for university - many adult late starters do go to university music departments AFTER being rejected by London's 4 big music colleges or Birmingham and RNCM.


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## PlaySalieri

MaestroViolinist said:


> I wonder if every Russian says that... My Music teacher is from Russia, maybe I should ask him.


Yes please - ask!


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## MaestroViolinist

stomanek said:


> Where do you get all this nonsense? When my son was taking his graded exams there were adults doing them too.
> And adults studying a musical instrument want to know what their level is so many do the exams. It's no problem - you have 3 pieces to play, some scales and arpeggios, sight reading and theory questions. If you haven't passed grade 8 with distinction you would possibly not even get an interview/audition at music college. There is also diploma level which I know many adults do if they do not intend to study at conservatoire. As for university - many adult late starters do go to university music departments AFTER being rejected by London's 4 big music colleges or Birmingham and RNCM.


Actually, (besides grade 8) no one has to do exams. There's not really any point. Look, I got a C for my Grade 5, but look where I am now, only a year later! Grade 8. ut: And you know how I can tell I'm up to studying grade 8 music? Because now I can EASILY play grade 7 music. I didn't pass grade 7 exam because I didn't do it, but I'm still doing grade 8 aren't I?

And actually, by grade 5 you have to play 4 pieces; 2 extras; 1 three octave scale, a scale from the minor ones, major ones,and harmonic ones; double stopping; different bowing techniques... Oh yes, scales in one position... Have I forgotten something? I don't know, it's been a year.

So the only exam you really need to do is Grade 8, probably including adults, but I don't think so because my grandmother got in because she was oldish ()or something, 30 something maybe? I'm not sure now.


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## MaestroViolinist

stomanek said:


> Yes please - ask!


I'm afraid you'll have to wait until next Friday night. I hope I don't forget by then.


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## PlaySalieri

MaestroViolinist said:


> Actually, (besides grade 8) no one has to do exams. There's not really any point. Look, I got a C for my Grade 5, but look where I am now, only a year later! Grade 8. ut: And you know how I can tell I'm up to studying grade 8 music? Because now I can EASILY play grade 7 music. I didn't pass grade 7 exam because I didn't do it, but I'm still doing grade 8 aren't I?
> 
> And actually, by grade 5 you have to play 4 pieces; 2 extras; 1 three octave scale, a scale from the minor ones, major ones,and harmonic ones; double stopping; different bowing techniques... Oh yes, scales in one position... Have I forgotten something? I don't know, it's been a year.
> 
> So the only exam you really need to do is Grade 8, probably including adults, but I don't think so because my grandmother got in because she was oldish ()or something, 30 something maybe? I'm not sure now.


No you don't have to but many do.
But anyway I know everything you are talking about - my son went - grade2, grade 5 and direct to grade 8 where he got distinction. No it's not compulsory and I also think you can still be a poor player and yet get grade 8.


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## Jaws

stomanek said:


> Where do you get all this nonsense? When my son was taking his graded exams there were adults doing them too.
> And adults studying a musical instrument want to know what their level is so many do the exams. It's no problem - you have 3 pieces to play, some scales and arpeggios, sight reading and theory questions. If you haven't passed grade 8 with distinction you would possibly not even get an interview/audition at music college. There is also diploma level which I know many adults do if they do not intend to study at conservatoire. As for university - many adult late starters do go to university music departments AFTER being rejected by London's 4 big music colleges or Birmingham and RNCM.


Great, grade exams my favourite subject!!!

Grade exams were designed to be taken by children. They come under the same kind of things like badges for scouts, guides and brownies, and swimming badges. They are not any more important in music than swimming badges are in swimming. What they examine is so narrow that the only level they can give is in relation to each other.

Grade 8 is an exam taken by beginners.

Grade exams cannot tell anyone how they compare to anyone else, because there is no time limit for learning the pieces, they also can't tell anyone how well they will get on playing in an ensemble, because they don't test ensemble playing. So they tell people they are a level in relation to what?

There are many adults who take grade exams because their teachers are unable to teach without using the grade pieces as a guide. These teachers should not be teaching adults. My advice to an adult who has a teacher who does this is to change straight away and get someone who knows how to teach adults.

Many adults who take grade exams think that passing one gives them some sort of qualification that they can use in music. The only thing that anyone gets on passing a grade exam is a certificate. Nothing else. This is why they are not suitable for adults. Most adults have grown out of collecting certificates, swimming badges etc.

Many of the students who pass music college auditions in the UK come from countries where children or adults do not take grade exams. Even the universities insist that students pass an audition for entry. I got into one of the colleges you mentioned as an adult late starter who hadn't taken any grade exams on the instrument I auditioned on. I didn't take any grade exams because I knew that I didn't need to. I also knew that they couldn't offer me anything I needed as an adult.


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## Jaws

MaestroViolinist said:


> Actually, (besides grade 8) no one has to do exams. There's not really any point. Look, I got a C for my Grade 5, but look where I am now, only a year later! Grade 8. ut: And you know how I can tell I'm up to studying grade 8 music? Because now I can EASILY play grade 7 music. I didn't pass grade 7 exam because I didn't do it, but I'm still doing grade 8 aren't I?
> 
> And actually, by grade 5 you have to play 4 pieces; 2 extras; 1 three octave scale, a scale from the minor ones, major ones,and harmonic ones; double stopping; different bowing techniques... Oh yes, scales in one position... Have I forgotten something? I don't know, it's been a year.
> 
> So the only exam you really need to do is Grade 8, probably including adults, but I don't think so because my grandmother got in because she was oldish ()or something, 30 something maybe? I'm not sure now.


No one needs to take any grade exams to study at music college. I know this because in the USA they don't do grade exams. However a lot of American students get into UK music colleges. I got into a UK music college without taking any exams on the instrument that I auditioned on. So you are right your grandmother could quite easily have got into college without doing exams. The only way that you can get into music college is if you pass their audition. It doesn't make any difference what diplomas or grade exams you have got. If you don't pass the audition, you don't get in.

The reason why adults ought not to take grade exams is due to how adults see exams. An adult who works hard and pays for an exam would expect to get a qualification after the exam that might give them more pay at work, will give them another qualification at work which means that they can have a more interesting job, etc. Grade exams cannot be used in work. Musicians cannot use them as qualifications for anything, so the only thing that you get when you pass is a piece of paper called a certificate.

Many teachers do not explain to adults that a very expensive piece of paper (the certificate) is all they are going to get for their money and hard work. I have met so many adults who think that passing grade exams makes them into very good musicians who are as good as professional players. These misunderstandings are all caused by adults not understanding the limitations of grade exams.

Someone I know works in a school where their pupils are very carefully told that grade 8 is an exam for beginning to learn an instrument not the end.


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## PlaySalieri

Of course the audition is the main criteria for the music colleges - any fool knows that.
Anyway I don't have time to engage in further debate on this subject. We have traded views and have some differences in opinion.
Good luck with your musical career.


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## MaestroViolinist

Jaws said:


> There are many adults who take grade exams because their teachers are unable to teach without using the grade pieces as a guide. These teachers should not be teaching adults. My advice to an adult who has a teacher who does this is to change straight away and get someone who knows how to teach adults.


That's what my first two music teachers did, they stuck to the exam pieces. I was bored out of my brains! So really, that's no way to teach a kid either, or a kid that wants to do more anyway. If the child is happy to stick to exam work, well, that's fine by them! But no, that's one of the reasons I left those teachers.


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## Jaws

MaestroViolinist said:


> That's what my first two music teachers did, they stuck to the exam pieces. I was bored out of my brains! So really, that's no way to teach a kid either, or a kid that wants to do more anyway. If the child is happy to stick to exam work, well, that's fine by them! But no, that's one of the reasons I left those teachers.


Well done! There is so much more to playing music than taking exams. If you really study what an exam tests you will find that it isn't really very much. Some exams want scales from memory top college teachers agree that this is a waste of time. Scales need to be read. It is to do with the basis of fast identification of finger patterns in keys. For an exam you get to play some pieces. Sometimes the pieces on the exam syllabus only change every two years, so someone could have two years to learn them in. The study as well. The person who takes two years to learn the pieces could easily get the same mark as someone who only took 2 months. If you didn't know how long someone had taken to learn the pieces you wouldn't be able to tell who was the best player from the marks. They might both have passed grade 8.

Some exams have sight reading tests. If you get full marks in the sight reading at grade 8, that is good. However if you don't get full marks then your sight reading might only be as good as getting full marks for grade 5, grade 6, or grade7, so how good are you at sight reading, if you don't get full marks in an exam?

As regards playing in an ensemble exams are no help at all. Exams don't test how well anyone can play an ensemble part. Playing violin with piano doesn't count because most people get a pianist who can play the piano better than they can play the violin. This means that the pianist could cover up mistakes? In an orchestra where everyone is the same standard no one is going to cover up other peoples mistakes. They are to busy trying to not make mistakes themselves. The exams don't test how well anyone would play a part that is not the tune, like a 2nd violin part.

Exams do not test, following a conductor, sight reading a part when other people are playing something different at the same time, listening to other instruments in an orchestra while you are playing your own part, playing in tune with other violins, accurate counting. They do test, how well you play a piece of music with a piano that you might have been practising for 2 years or more. A study that you might have been practising for 2 years or more. Scales that you could have been practising for any time, sight reading that you might not be able to do but could still pass the exam. Some theory questions, that could have been learnt over 2 years as well.

So if you have passed one of these exams. What does that tell anyone? It tells them that on a particular day and on that day only, someone thought that you should have some marks for playing the pieces, study, sight reading,etc. It doesn't tell anyone that if you played different pieces on a different day from the same exam syllabus that you would get the same marks for those. The marks only apply to the one set of pieces played on that one day only. This is why you can't use grade exams as general qualifications in music. This is also why many adults don't understand that taking them doesn't give them a level of music standard, because adult exams usually do give a level of standard in something.


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