Is there something wrong with a 100% self-taught violinist?

[Derkk]

This is sort of a philosophical question, so I'm not searching for a yes or a no, just any opinion you guys may have. And it goes for all instruments, I suppose.


I teach myself violin. I'm rather obsessed with it, in fact. I can spend 1-2 hours simply sliding my finger down a string and rapidly bowing the scale. Or placing my finger in correct note spots and going from one to the other with absolutely no harmony, just making sound. I have a correct posture, which is the only thing I took out of four 80$ lessons with a professional teacher.

I have a learning disability and have always had to do things my own way in order to understand them.

What in the future do you think I will have missed or ruined in my playing by teaching myself?

[awildman]

As long as you're a good listener, nothing.

I don't think there is any such thing as self-taught. You learn by listening to others. Those others(even via cd or internet or videos)are helping teach you. No musician I know of lives in a vacuum.

[Martin Milner]

Do you ever play with other people?

If so, do they ever remark on unusual technique, or maybe ask whey all your notes are different from everyone else's in pitch and length?

As Wildman says, you probably aren't learning in a complete vacuum, you've got the basics already from your $80 lessons (that seems a lot for beginner lessons), so now it's just a matter of developing your technique. There are lots of tips and tricks, like vibrato (if you must), rolls, double stops, getting a good punchy rhythm etc. that are easier to master if someone shows you how, but there's no reason you can't develop for yourself.

For me the main concern is that you are comfortable when you play, and aren't going to strain or injure yourself. How you hold the fiddle and bow don't matter a dime as long as you get a nice sound out of the thing.

[buddhu]

As you know, there are lots of great DVDs out there. The Brian Wicklund 'American Fiddle Method', in my opinion, covers all the stance, grip, position, relaxation issues very well indeed. I see no reason at all why you shouldn't do well with some source of that basic information.

I'm learning in a similar way myself, and I'm delighted at how it's coming along.

Maybe you could consider just seeking help, maybe from a teacher, at those times when there is a specific aspect that you don't understand or that you find hard to master. For me, those things are going to be vibrato and bowed trebles/triplets. I really think I'll need the help of a teacher with those, as I can't seem to get them on my own. However, most of the time I can learn plenty from recorded tutorial media, books, loads of practice and playing with other people.

That playing with other people thing is a major, MAJOR aid to progress on many levels. It motivates, stretches, provides an enjoyable context and allows feedback and encouragement from other musicians (and they are encouraging). It makes the whole music thing real. It's a different world from practising in your bedroom. Playing music with other people (the right people) is one of the best experiences life has to offer, IMO, and one of the biggest boosts to learning.

If you can't play with people, then play along with CDs or MP3s. If you only ever play in isolation then playing with others can come as a bit of a shock to the system. There are skills to learn that can really only be developed in that context - adjusting one's dynamics to suit the 'mix', tweaking intonation to match the instruments around one, matching rhythm...

I'm sure you can do it, but make the most of the tools available to you and incorporate them into your preferred way of learning.

[Doug_Tipple]

I hesitate to comment following several well thought-out replies above. However, I learned to play the violin with only the instruction from several beginning violin books. I'm sure that my technique is not perfect, but my playing suits me, and at this point in my life, that is all that matters. For several years I played with a contra dance band, but now my violin stays at home for my own enjoyment. I leave one violin out of the case so that I can easily pick it up and play a tune whenever I am in the mood.

Playing fretless string instruments requires that you be able to hear intervals. If you can sing in tune, with a little practice you ought to be able to play the violin in tune. Once you get familiar with the fingerboard, you may be able to play tunes by ear on the fiddle just as easily as you can whistle or sing them.

I have played fiddle with an old-time string band, and in that genre almost anything goes. Some fiddle players point the neck of the fiddle towards the floor. It doesn't look comfortable to me, but it seems to work for them. I've also noticed that a lot of old-time fiddlers use way too much rosin on the bow, so much that the whole top of their fiddles are white with rosin. Every time I see their fiddles, I want to get a rag and wipe off the rosin.

The bottom line in my thinking is that you can have a lot of fun learning to play a difficult instrument like a violin with very little instruction from the outside. The playing techniques that evolve will be completely your own. Of course, if you have the money and inclination, help from a teacher can be advantageous.

[brewerpaul]

If it's working for you, go to it!
If you can, hang out at some sessions and watch some other experienced players. Most will be friendly and give you some good pointers.

[Dan Mozell]

The brilliant jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli was self-taught.

[benhall.1]

I agree with others above that it's possible to learn to play fiddle on your own, although I reckon it's easier with a good teacher.

I'm always about hesitant about the claim that Stephane Grapelli was "self-taught", however. His father taught him to read music and bought him a violin which, according to most accounts, he started to play when he was 12. At this age also, he started studying music theory at the Paris Conservatoire. Some accounts say that he took piano lessons as well. So far, no formal violin lessons, except from his dad, maybe. But, if he was a good enough musician to go to the Paris Conservatoire when he was 12 (some accounts seem to have it about 3 years later, but the point's the same) and he was interested in playing violin, I can't believe he had no instruction in it at all. And he did have all that other formal musical education, which is quite a bit more than most of us, I reckon.

Anyway, all that is an aside. You can learn to play provided you have good ears and plenty of determination. Go for it!

[emmline]

Which 100% self-taught violinist? Hard to generalize.

[dolphinjon]

I've been mulling over this question for a few days now. Let me preface this by saying that I'm classically trained and I am by no means a professional. I have, however, been playing for just about as long as I can remember. I've known people who had pretty much taught themselves the violin. Many of them were pretty good at the basics, but were limited in their skills. The reason is that the diversity of "proper" techniques is astounding. I've had my teacher and various coaches from the Jacksonville Symphony have to look up some of the more obscure techniques to make sure we were taught them correctly. So what I'm saying is that the amount and type of training you need depends on what you aspire to play. If you want to be a classical violinist and play in chamber groups and orchestras, lessons are practically a necessity so that you know the terminology and techniques required there. If you want to play ITM, then you need to spend time learning with people and materials that are related to that. I have a lot of trouble playing ITM because my training is so ingrained in me. The little bit of ITM I've played has required me to learn skills I'd never needed before. I respect those who learn the violin primarily on there own. And don't knock learning how to hold the violin properly. If you don't you can injure yourself if you play a lot. I had a friend who needed surgery due to her poor position.
Well, that was very long winded and I apologize. In the words of my favorite violinists, "Practice hard" and have fun!

Jonathan

[Steve L]

There's something wrong with everybody.