I'm a grade 8 pianist and am planning on learning a new instrument. I really want to learn to play the violin, but some people have told me that I'm too old to learn because you're supposed to learn at a real young age. However, some people I know my age have recently started the piano. Is the piano easier to learn at an older age then the violin is? Whats technically wrong about learning an instrument at a later age? Is is still possible to become a concert violinist when you start the violin at a later age?

It is never too old to learn an instrument! every instruments have their difficulty, but if you know how to play the piano already, reading notes won't be a problem in violin, that's an advantage though....there are other advantage besides this, for eg, musically, aural....

To me, violin is fun! And more expressive than the piano in some sense

I play piano but I would say that violin seems harder. The advantage of playing the violin is it's portable so you can take it anywhere whereas you don't normally see people lugging around great big heavy pianos Regarding the age issue, as happygirl said: it's never too old to learn and there's no rule saying how old you should be when you start learning a new instrument. How old are you if you don't mind me asking. You don't have to answer though

Lisa xxx

Txs for the replys

nah its okay. I'm 15. I was told I was too old to learn tho.

Wen I ask if it is sensible to take up the piano, everyone says I'm too old and should take up something like the flute or clarinet as they're easy to learn.

QUOTE (Mountain @ May 14 2005, 11:52 PM)

Is is still possible to become a concert violinist when you start the violin at a later age?

Possible, but probably harder than if you started young. Apparently children actually develop differently if they start learning the violin by age 7 - starting later in life, your muscles will take longer to adapt to holding the instrument etc. How old ARE you? If you're starting at 10 then you have plenty of time and who knows what might happen, if you are starting aged 50 then the concert platform may never be more than a dream but that doesn't mean you can't still learn to play the thing!!

As to which instrument is harder, both have easier and harder facets - it depends more on the aptitudes of the player, not on the instrument itself.

It's never too late to start ANY instrument, but if you're wishing to get to soloist level then you would probably have to work extremely hard! If however you just want to be able to play, and see how you get on, then there's no reason why you shouldn't start at whatever age.

I began learning piano aged 8 (for about 6 months)....and went back to it aged 22! I started violin at 22 and found piano much easier (as I had those "beginnings" when I was very young). Beginning violin was harder, but maybe it's a more difficult instrument?....I do think you can be more expressive with a violin and it is technically more difficult but Im sure some would argue otherwise.............

VIOLIN SUCKS sound is bored...

I have played the violin and piano for tweleve years from the age of eight and personally i think the violin is much more difficult to learn. Tuning is probably the most difficult thing in terms of the violin- whereas you don't need to worry about it for the piano. Bowing is something that takes a while to get used to and vibrato. Hmmmm really the only thing that took a while to learn with the piano was pedalling. But i don't think you are ever too old to learn an instrument!

I dont think you are ever too old to learn an instrument.

The piano is easy to find notes as the keys are right in front of you but the violin is harder to find your notes if you dont have a teacher to show you. You also have to pitch your notes and learn to shift as you get higher through the grades. I think vibrato is similar to learning to pedal.

I am trying to remember learning to play both. Teaching both instruments I think generally piano is easier to teach but it really depends on the student.

My 5 year old spent the best part of 12 weeks trying to play the piano, he played and read the notes ok but didnt look comfortable on it. Then he started the violin and within 6 weeks he had mastered the bow and the fingering and the notation. He moulded readily into the violin, admitted I had to buy 3 shoulder rests for his violin before he looked remotely comfortable. Now he plays very nicely. He found it easier to understand somehow not sure why.

I think cello maybe easier than violin, watching my children learn. There is more bowing space between the bridge and the fingerboard, this will stop the squeaky sound and there is also more bow hair to make the sound. The fingers are also more stretched.

What I would say is you have to really know your tones and semitones to play a string instrument. It is just so easy to play the chromatics on the piano

Mountain, I'm going to learn the viola soon and I'm 18! LOL

It's better to learn now then never I am going to music college and I'm going to do a foundation but who knows? I may major in the viola in the end?!
It depends on the person too! I am quite a fast learner

The thing is, I am very against people who say 'oh it is too late'. I can go on and debate non stop about this but I'm not going to

I just reply I'm not dead yet so it's not too old to learn

I started learning the violin when i was 20. It is my first instrument. I've now been playing 3 1/2 years, taken grades 1-4 and achieved distinctions and merits. I'm going to take grade 5 this year and i am also in my local orchestra.

So you are definitely not too old to learn the violin. Whoever told you that must be crazy!

I started learning violin at the age of 17 after finishing my grade 8 piano! When I started to learn, I wonder whether it is a wrong decision to make

After having lessons on and off for 6 years, I am aiming for grade 8 violin soon!

Now, I did teach a few beginners (piano and violin), but I find that teaching violin seems easier than piano due to the reasons below (or maybe because of my only 2 piano students who never touch a key at home):

i)In piano, there are 2 sets of fingerings to take care off, and two staves to read from at a time, and coordination is really challenging for beginners (wonder why I didn't have that problem myself when i started learning piano); whereas in violin, there are only four fingerings, and 1 staff to look at.

ii)People learning piano tends to mistaken fingerings for the notes they played (adults and children faces this problem); whereas in violin, this is not really a problem, since the fingers don't 'run' up the fingerboard unless you are in higher grade.

The only thing hard to learn in violin is the intonation but, once every note gets into your ear and head, it is fine...

Only vibrato...vibrato...I myself had a hard time mastering it still

QUOTE (missfabflute @ May 17 2005, 07:25 PM)

Mountain, I'm going to learn the viola soon and I'm 18! LOL It's better to learn now then never I am going to music college and I'm going to do a foundation but who knows? I may major in the viola in the end?! It depends on the person too! I am quite a fast learner The thing is, I am very against people who say 'oh it is too late'. I can go on and debate non stop about this but I'm not going to I just reply I'm not dead yet so it's not too old to learn

Really? I was debating whether to learn the violin or the viola because I like the violin but someone I look up to plays the viola but people say the viola (no offence) is easier to pick up after you play the violin, so I think, if I'm lucky, I'll learn both.

QUOTE (violinist @ May 17 2005, 09:01 PM)

I started learning the violin when i was 20. It is my first instrument. I've now been playing 3 1/2 years, taken grades 1-4 and achieved distinctions and merits. I'm going to take grade 5 this year and i am also in my local orchestra. So you are definitely not too old to learn the violin. Whoever told you that must be crazy!

Thank you so much. This was exactly what I wanted to hear, an experience violinist who is successful and has started at a later age. Because of you, I'm much more encouraged to attempt to learn the violin. Tx.

QUOTE (happygirl @ May 18 2005, 08:10 AM)

I started learning violin at the age of 17 after finishing my grade 8 piano! When I started to learn, I wonder whether it is a wrong decision to make After having lessons on and off for 6 years, I am aiming for grade 8 violin soon! Now, I did teach a few beginners (piano and violin), but I find that teaching violin seems easier than piano due to the reasons below (or maybe because of my only 2 piano students who never touch a key at home): i)In piano, there are 2 sets of fingerings to take care off, and two staves to read from at a time, and coordination is really challenging for beginners (wonder why I didn't have that problem myself when i started learning piano); whereas in violin, there are only four fingerings, and 1 staff to look at. ii)People learning piano tends to mistaken fingerings for the notes they played (adults and children faces this problem); whereas in violin, this is not really a problem, since the fingers don't 'run' up the fingerboard unless you are in higher grade. The only thing hard to learn in violin is the intonation but, once every note gets into your ear and head, it is fine... Only vibrato...vibrato...I myself had a hard time mastering it still

Tx, like 'violinist' you have inspired me to take up the violin now.

Um . . . what is vibrato?