Hey, iwas jist wondering if the viola is an easy instrument to teach yourself or is another string instrument easier i do have a background of music but not in string instruments

The fact that you have a musical background probably means that you would find it easier to start the viola than someone who doesn't have a musical background but I would recommend that you have some lessons at the start, at least, to make sure that you don't pick up any bad habits.

Well done for choosing viola though, it's one of the best instruments there is!

do you have lessons in school or private and if private where do you live

I'm in North Yorkshire and have lessons at school. How old are you?

I'm 14 nearly 15 and also doin music GCSE's i play at the moment saxophone piano and trombone. But was just intrested in strings. Especially viola as most people play cello or violin (my sister plays violin)

Viola is a really good instrument to play. Maybe try and find out if you could take viola lessons at school.

No i wouldn't be able to take lessons at school as the school only allows you to play two instruments

Do you have any tips for a beginer what instrument to buy? size? books and material?

'one of the best instruments'?! It is THE best instrument!

Great choice Ben - good luck and have fun.

IMO, focus on what you play. Piano and Trombone for instance, how you can play Sax as well is just nuts!

good point. i'll forget aboutthat idea. Whats a viola?? lol

Well done for taking up the viola, first of all!

If you want to progress faster, you may want to think about having private lessons as apposed to school lessons. And yes you WILL need some sort of lessons if you have no background on string insturments.

Do school lessons hinder one's progress, then, tiger_vio?

I only had school lessons (20 mins a week) but still managed to get up to a good grade 8 standard by the time I left...

So how many instruments should you play? Are you 'nuts' if you play two? Three? When do you decide what is/isn't nuts?

I think the guy should be encouraged. He'll be able to play an instrument from all sections: brass, woodwind, keyboards and strings. The only one missing is percussion.

Life's too short. I say go for it and experience as much as you can!

Steve

It's possible to get up to a good standard with school lessons, but most people seem to think that faster progress is possible with private tuition.

Thats exactly what I was trying to say, thanks bohemian

Ive been on both ends; private and school tuition and i've progressed a lot further in private lessons. Being in a noisy school, having to come out of lessons (sometimes unable to do so therefore missing music lessons), sharing lessons with other people etc- Maybe it's just a matter of personal preference, but I think the majorirty of people would agree

I'm not talking about how many he's playing at all! I play 3 myself, flute recorder and piano. What I'm getting at is the different embouchure a saxophonist needs compared to a trombonist. To be good at either one requires a strong embouchure on that instrument, playing a brass/woodwind instrument when you already play the other will simply ruin your embouchure!

But that has nothing to do with playing the viola which is a stringed instrument and so doesn't need an embouchure.

Yes but if he plays Sax Trombone Piano and Viola...that's just bad if he wants to get REALLY good at ONE instrument

Yes but if he's happy to do that....

But if he's wise, he'll take advice given...I've only ever met 2 people who can play both brass and woodwind instruments successfully. 2 people at my Recorder College

1 is a Grade 6 Cornet player who is doing Grade 7 Recorder with me, but she has tonguing problems on recorder

1 is a recorder TEACHER and plays Trumpet to about DipABRSM if not better standard

IL, I know that it isn't always considered wise to play brass AND woodwind but this is a thread about starting viola. If you can't give him useful advice about the viola then don't post in it!

Ben, I was never a beginner viola player as I played violin first but you might want to get a beginner's tutor book. Team Strings Viola and Abracadabra Viola are meant to be good if your teacher doesn't recommend something else.

My main point though is if he already plays 3 instruments, starting a 4th...is it really wise...

Maybe not but I think he might possibly realise that after all you've posted.

Uh huh. I know of a RNCM graduate who graduated wiht JOINT performance honours for sax and for some brass instrument (I forget which). She was certainly up to soloist standard on both - she came and played a sax concerto with one of the local symphony orchestras once.

Liz

(Quickly away from the subject) Since starting the saxophone the emrochure and tonal quality on my trombone has improved. Playing these to different instruments has allowed my lips to strengthen in different ways than they would have by playing just the one instrument.

A slightly wayward reply but you'll get my drift. In a similar way a dancer is fitter, stronger more mobile in the joints than an athelete. Dancers are using their muscle groups in many ways and varying the direction of use, rather than restricting exercise and movement in finite directions.

people said that to me every time i took up something new...

I can manage because I don't divide time between my instruments equally. In fairness this means that my progress on the horn and organ is slower than my progress on the violin and my singing... but I reckon it's better to get to a good standard on a small number of instruments than a mediocre one on a large number. As long as you can give priority to the instrument that you feel you want to succeed most on, you shouldn't really have a problem.