The present moment is the PERFECT time to pick up violin!
Next year is too late.
Tomorrow is too late.
TODAY is the PERFECT day to begin! 🙂
One thing that makes me sad and irritated all at the same time is when I hear people insinuate that there is a certain “age” when a person should begin to learn violin. If you miss that magical age, well, sorry Charlie, you are too late!
NONSENSE!!!!
I have hundreds of adult violin students who are totally kicking butt! I am giddy with pride and excitement for them!
I have said it before, but I don’t think it can be said too many times:
While children have special gifts when learning new things, adults also have special charms in their bag of tricks that make them excellent learners.
Children absorb things very quickly because they do not question or analyze things. They just soak it in through every pore.
Adult violin beginners have some advantages
Adults who are learning to play the violin have more analytical brains which question, challenge, and process new information.
This slows adults down, certainly, but adults are also endowed with longer attention spans, ability to set goals, a mature work ethic, and often, a burning desire to learn violin that has been postponed for many years. What is left is a pent-up desire to embrace the violin and to make it sing!
This brings me to another advantage adults have: they have a “sound” in their ears that they are trying to achieve, because they have spent their lives listening to GREAT MASTERS playing violin or fiddle music.
So their concept of sound is very advanced! This often frustrates them until I explain that their frustration comes from the high bar they have set for themselves. I give them the option of lowering the bar, or continuing to strive through the frustration. Not one single student has chosen to lower the bar. Interesting.
Children often have more time to practice, and a supportive adult making sure they get it done.
Adult students are incredibly limited in their free time, but they have excellent time management skills, and the ability to turn their focus on full blast for the short time they have.
As you can see, for every advantage a young violin student has, adult violin students have a reciprocal advantage.
So, don’t succumb to that old fable that you missed the starting gun!
The present moment is the PERFECT time to pick up violin!
Next year is too late.
Tomorrow is too late.
TODAY is the PERFECT day. Click here to begin! 🙂
This is all outrageously inspiring! My question: if I, at the age of 40, have quite literally never even held a violin before but wish to begin learning (not least so that in time my 3-year-old might follow suit with a Suzuki curriculum), can I start with RDV online-lessons or should I really start with in-person instruction? I am so fired up and ready to go, I don’t want to wait until after the holidays to start with a teacher!
Hi Amelia. This is Joe, Lora’s assistant at Red Desert Violin. I’m answering for her because I know she’s away from the computer and I didn’t want you to have to wait. Absolutely you can start with RDV online, even if you’ve never held a violin before. Lora’s lessons start at the very beginning (a very good place to start. Ha).
She covers posture and stance, how to grasp the instrument and bow, and other basics. She recommends that you have a consultation with an in-person teacher after 4-6 months to check your progress. Lora can also do this for you over Skype, and she’ll tell you honestly if you need to seek face-to-face instruction instead of online lessons.
Please holler if you have any more questions.
You can do it! No matter what age you are. Lora’s lessons are very user friendly and having the ability to watch a re-watch a lesson is priceless, and OMG the practice coach helps sooo much. Thanks Lora
I’m honestly amazed at the amount of information in these lessons. Even with 20 years of playing, there is so much technique to learn and you can watch any lesson until you’ve got it- a huge advantage over weekly private lessons! Take your time and TAKE THESE LESSONS… you’ll be glad you did!
Thanks for the endorsement, Kath. Word of mouth is the lifeblood of my lessons. And yes, I agree with you: TAKE THESE LESSONS! Just do it! 🙂
I highly recommend you get a violin and take one of Lora’s super classes. It doesn’t matter what age you are…you CAN learn and the journey brings so much joy. Don’t wait any longer. I plan to play the rest of my life..69 now but I could have another 30 years to enjoy playing. When I go to a nursing home, I am packing my fiddle.. They will have to just deal with it. Get out there and start making music!
Maybe we can all start a nursing home orchestra! Hey, wouldn’t that be FUN?!
No in all seriousness, thanks for your input, Linda. You are a go-getter, and I know you are inspiring others who are on the fence.
Thanks for the encouragement! 🙂
I couldn’t agree with you more!! Finally someone is saying that it is not too late to begin playing the violin/fiddle. I get tired of hearing that if you didn’t start as a child you might as well hang it up. I am never hanging it up, EVER!! And I will get better and better each and every day. Thank you Lora for your continued support!
Diane– your passion alone will get you where you want to go! Thanks for your inspiring words!