ok i was wondering if anyone could give me some advice!
i've wanted to learn violin since i was younger, but have never got the chance. i decided at christmas (after seeing les mis with school and falling in love with the 'stars' intro) that i would really like to learn it.
except i then heard cellos, which sound and look amazing! so now im wondering what to do...
i have to pay for this all myself, and so im hoping to get a job in the summer (will finish my gcse's in 2 weeks) to start saving up
so the main problem is if i can afford to learn cello, and whether i can fit it in - my music teacher is worried that picking up another instrument could mean that i wouldnt have as much time to spend on flute and piano, which i learn at the moment.
soooo, big problem- do i learn a stringed instrument, and if so which one?
because i have also been told that i will have to upgrade - what kind of standard is this at?
anyway, i would apprieciate any advice!

Well Stringed instruments take a lot of time and effort to play, partially becsue only other stringed instruments are held in relatively similar postures (Cello - Double bass - Viol D'amour and Violin - Viola).

I've only really upgraded twice so far (for violin) once at round about Grade 5 (roughly £300-£500) and then again at Grade 7-8 (at least £1000 i reckon but some times can be less). Buit the heady height of higher grades take a long time.......7 or 8 years for me now.

O h and go for Violin/Viola

Agree - stringed instruments take lots of work at the beginning especially to get the intonation and bowing right. Takes time and patience. My teacher says that there will come a day when my fingers automatically go to the right notes but it's a long time coming LOL.

I'm guessing but if you read music and start with a good teacher you could be seeing grade 3 in maybe 2 years with 2 hours a day practice. With strings a teacher is important in the early stages as there's so much to think about and SO many bad habits to learn! They're harder to break and they'll lead to all sorts of problems later.

I shouldn't worry too much about price right now. Get the best you can afford but don't go crazy in case you find it too much on top of your current load. By the time you get to grade 5 you'll know if you need to upgrade. Some pupils go right through the grades with quite modest instruments. I've talked to my teacher about this. A more expensive instrument is no guarantee of better tone.

Viola or cello if you fancy joining a local orchestra easily - they are in short supply. Violin and viola are more portable. Viola means learning a new clef.

Good luck.

thanks for the advice! now i have lots to think about!
if i play anything, im not planning to start until after my flute exam (near xmas) anyway, because i didn't think it would be a good idea to start before an exam.
so i now have plenty of time to think and look at prices - i can hire a cello for about £60 for 4 months, so im thinking of doing this and seeing whether i enjoy it or not (our music shop does an offer where you can hire for 8 months, and then knock the rental price off the total price of the instrument if you buy it)
so thankyou for advice! much appreiciated to get some other opinions!

Obviously play what instrument you wish, but I find that the cello is hopefully not too prominent if one goes wrong in orchestra! They are a logistical problem I know for young people without cars. My niece tells me that only one youngster in her school(of 1,200 plays the cello, as there is sadly no longer a supply of cellos kept in schools as in my day. I still am wary of getting the instrument knocked at orchestra,but you get used to that sort of thing.
Very hard,but well worth it, even if I cannot get my teacher's gorgeous tone.!

(sorry about last posting-pressed wrong button)

hehe! thanks for the advice...yeah the car thing might be a problem, but im hoping to bribe my dad (he has a 'tank' car - ie landrover thingy - so it should fit in no problem!)
so the only problem now is gettin a job i suppose! oh well, only 2 weeks of exams left and then i can start saving!yay!
im even having dreams about cellos now....hmmm...