Hi everyone.

I've wanted to play the cello and the violin for the longest time and I can finally start in about 2 months. The thing is, I've heard people say that the cello and the violin and two of the hardest instruments to play, so it is suicide to attempt to start learning both at the same time?

I'm played the piano for many years (am at Grade 8 Level) so I suppose at least I'll have an understanding of notes etc. But I know playing stings is a whole different story. But if I learnt violin, would it make my learning the cello any easier? And vice versa? In terms of technique and bowing and all that, are they compatible? Also, I can't say how eager I am to learn, so I don't mind practising a lot etc. Just need to know what to expect.

Also, another concern is buying the instruments. How much does a reasonably good violin and cello cost? Is it common the buy a cello/violin as soon as you start, or can you rent it for awhile? I'm not sure my parents would think it's the smartest thing to invest in a violin AND cello just like that.

Thanks everyone!

Hi, I think it's good that you want to learn cello and violin. Because you play the piano, you'll at least be able to read the treble and bass clefs. The fingering for violin and cello are different and so is the bow hold. If you want to learn both it can be done but it could be quite confusing! You could probably hire a cello or violin from a music shop for a bit if you wanted to.
Good luck!

Hiya
you are prepared for some hard work aren't you!!
Ive played piano for years and took up cello last year (as I've said in many other forums)
I find that a big challenge. I couldn't imagine taking up the violin at the same time - well taking it seriously anway.
I know many who do play it, and there is as much to it no doubt as to the cello.
At least you don't have theory and reading to distract you in the early days.

Perhaps by doing both, you will in time know which one you prefer, and major on that one.
I find if I practise a lot on the cello my fingers of both hands get sore. I'd hate to practise it for an hour, stop when my fingers ache, only to take up another stringed instrument and play that for a long period.
But if you look through these forums, you'll see many who play 4 or more instruments, some 2 string types. I think I've seen one who plays 3 of them, and many other instruments too.

As regards buy/rent - it would be rash in my view to buy one of each up front. Even practice cellos are not cheap to buy. Renting would give you the option of changing your mind without worrying about the finance side of it. Also - you won't know what you like up front, in a years time you may have a totally different opinion.

Best of luck with it. And don't get disheartened early on if progress doesn't seem as fast as you expected it to be - being Gr8 on piano you will have high expectations.

Finally - find yourself the best teachers you can in each instrument!

Thanks for your replies

Next year will be my gap year, so it's a good year to drown myself in music I've managed to find a good cello teacher (surprisingly, as there are so few here.. I live in Singapore btw) and it should be easier to find a violin teacher.

As for sore fingers, I suppose I could play one in the morning and the other in the evening As for high expectations, I'm worried about that too! I've forgotten what it's like to really struggle with the piano like I must have when I was a lot younger, and I have a horrible feeling my first few lessons will be very discouraging *crosses fingers!*

I play the violin (working for grade 8) and wanted to play the cello when I was about 11 (I'm 15 now). Actually I still do rather, but everybody told me that it was not a good idea to learn both at once because the bow hold and the spacing between the fingers are different and I might get confused- I was told it would ruin my techinique on the violin.

Personally I think that it would be quite possible to learn both but you would probably have to be very careful with technique. Just my opinion

Hi sevenblackittens,

I'm from Singapore. It is difficult to find a cello teacher here especially a good one.

Me too, also keen to learn violin & cello but the cello teacher that I had found advised me to choose only one string instrument. Right now, I just stick to playing the violin because it is very difficult & I'll need time to master it.

hi guys....I'm frm singapore......currently 14...going to start cello lessons soon...I agree with czaire that good cello teachers are really hard to find...if my cello teacher has a bad temper...I bet I'll be quitting my lessons in less than a month........

Hi! I don't see why you shouldn't learn them both at the same time, if you've got the desire to do so, so give it a go and see how you get on

Hi

I started learning the violin just under 3 years ago, having not played any instrument before, and have just taken my Grade 5 exam.

I would imagine that having got Grade 8 piano will help you lots.

Re playing a stringed instrument, my impression is that a lot of it is about technique, which you only acquire with practice.

As such, I think you should choose the instrument which you have a passion for the most - violin or cello - and put all your efforts into that instrument. I think you would learn a lot quicker if you chose just one, and hence could concentrate on the technique for that instrument only.

If you learnt both, I'm sure you'd make good progress, but not as much as if you just put all your efforts into one.

Hope this helps.

Fergus

if I were you I'd decide which you like best and play that... it's not all that great an idea to learn both...

violinists who change to cello have problems with their left hands still being in "violin position" - that is, it kind of lies up along the fingerboard instead of being at right angles...

cellists who change to violin tend to "hack" at the strings a lot as the bow pressure is completely different.

if you think you can do it, go for it, but my advice is to pick one and stick with it. (if you play the violin, you can also play the viola, yay).

I have played the violin since i was seven... now 22, i started learning the cello about 4 months ago at first its hard to swap between the two cuz i would get confused but now im able to swap between them in the same session.
Playing the violin made the cello seem easier to get a nice sound out of... and playing the two perpetuate each other cuz its trying to keep them both going it makes me practise more...
But learning them both at the same time from scratch maybe not the best ideal...
Start on the violin, give it a year and then start on the cello...
If you can get a good sound out of the violin your half way there!

QUOTE

violinists who change to cello have problems with their left hands still being in "violin position" - that is, it kind of lies up along the fingerboard instead of being at right angles...

This is very true. I 'dabbled' in the cello for a short time and while I didn't have any problems with finger spacing, intonation, or with the different way the fingers are placed, I did have the problem of my hand adopting a rather 'violinistic' pose.

However, I do know of several violinists who are also successful cellists - though not the other way round. I would think it's probably more difficult for a cellist to take up the violin, because the cello will have required so much down pressure with the bow.

Hello everyone, thanks again for the replies!

I've been playing violin for a month now - just finished my 4th lesson - and it's coming along really nicely. The piano background really is helping a lot. I haven't started cello and I've been wondering if maybe I shouldn't start just yet, and I haven't completely decided yet. I'm a little worried because I really do want to concentrate on violin, I don't want to do both half-heartedly. And I've still got piano to think about. But the violin's been nice, not terribly easier, but a whole lot better than what I was expecting. And I might just decide to take up cello in about a month or so; we'll see how it goes. I figured that (a) I think I might be able to fit in cello lessons and practice time into my schedule but I'll try this out for a month more and then decide ( I will definitely definitely definitely be picking up the cello - it's just a matter of when - and since so many of you talk about how hard it is to make the switch I figured I should learn now before I get so used to the violin that I find it hard to learn the technique for cello. Still not entirely sure though, just thought I'd tell you and thank you for the help