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Is it possible to learn violin without an instructor?

jamessy

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I've heard that it's dangerous to learn without an instructor in the sense that you can develop bad habits that are more difficult to unlearn than if you were just a blank slate and taught how to play properly.
 
I've heard that it's dangerous to learn without an instructor in the sense that you can develop bad habits that are more difficult to unlearn than if you were just a blank slate and taught how to play properly.
Funny, I was watching these videos of people self learning the violin at a later age. A lot of people actually learned faster and better older and on their own watching youtube videos. It was fascinating. I mean none of them are the next Hillary Hahn but some of them in the span of 2 years were very competent.

 
Kurt Sassmannhaus has a website offering violin instruction, including video/audio materials and even live internet classes. His method includes both playing and sight-reading at the same time. His father created this technique in Germany, teaching kids as young as 4 years old, that's still in use AFAIK. He himself also studied at Julliard with Delay. I am not sure if he's using his father's books

https://violinmasterclass.com/
I never played violin or self-studied an instrument from scratch, but my understanding is the biggest risk is inadvertently learning bad technique (e.g. I can see how this can be a problem on the piano).
 
Funny, I was watching these videos of people self learning the violin at a later age. A lot of people actually learned faster and better older and on their own watching youtube videos. It was fascinating. I mean none of them are the next Hillary Hahn but some of them in the span of 2 years were very competent.
This is very encouraging to hear. Maybe I should pick up an electric violin and headphones so that I can practice without the shame of neighbors hearing me lol
 
Who instructed the first instructor...?
Reminds me of a soprano that never studied music and learned to sing by just recording herself and listening to the playback.

I honestly think that most of music can't be taught to you by another and that which can be taught is so riddled with stupid outdated rules. It's like learning to speak, nobody tells you how to form words, you just listen until you get it.
 
I've heard that it's dangerous to learn without an instructor in the sense that you can develop bad habits that are more difficult to unlearn than if you were just a blank slate and taught how to play properly.
I have been teaching piano for many years at different levels and I can say that every self taught student that I have worked with had a lot of bad habits that made the process harder. I guess it would be the same with any other instrument. It depends on your goal, anyway
 
I am in the process of teaching myself violin by following the YouTube channel below. The instructor has downloadable lesson sheets and is excellent. Im not trying to become a virtuoso, so for my purposes this is plenty sufficient. I'll admit I've "stalled" a bit lately but hope to get back to it soon.

 
Reminds me of a soprano that never studied music and learned to sing by just recording herself and listening to the playback.

I honestly think that most of music can't be taught to you by another and that which can be taught is so riddled with stupid outdated rules. It's like learning to speak, nobody tells you how to form words, you just listen until you get it.
This is true and i think it is the best way to learn however the circumstances are different.A baby has a clean slate for learning language as you age the circumstances change.The genuis are coming when everyone will learn foundations in utero.My speculation is that is what happened to Mozart and Beethoven and others.
In simplistic terms letting go is much more difficult than assimilation so it is best to learn ASAP without the baggage.I always found that most kids learned faster and more effeceintly than adults ( depending on the person).

I taught myself drums a few years ago and could play almost immediately I think because i already played guitar for decades and programmed drums so much and played with ..drummers,!
Violin is tricky however if you have fretboard ( especially mandolin since its the same)knowledge and finger dexterity its much easier.Bowing….. intonation vibrato…tricky..in other words its doable just have to have a good solid learning plan and stick with it.
 
I would say absolutely not, but maybe that’s my bias speaking, having gone through the ranks of teachers, then conservatory, orchestra job etc... myself.

In the end it’s about deliberate practice which requires constant correction. The problem with self-correction is that to do it effectively requires exactly the skills you don’t yet have. The Dunning-Kruger effect...
 
If you possess sufficient self-awareness, critical thinking skills and thirst for knowledge in regard to the various dimensions of good technique on an instrument, I believe it's possible. The balance perhaps is that while you may pick up some bad habits (in those areas you didn't give sufficient thought to along the way), you may also develop some useful idiosyncrasies in your technique that a formal education may otherwise try to "correct". Jimi Hendrix, Dizzy Gillespie and Erroll Garner come to mind.

For example, in regard to solo string instruments, I've always had a liking for progressive/delayed vibrato over the more traditional "with or without" approach. I love to hear the centre of a note before it gets messed with (opera has the same effect on me!).
 
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