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First things first, hello everyone, I am an aspiring musician, aged 16, who wants to be able to play the violin. Hence why I came here.
I love the violin, it's my favourite instrument, but I feel like I'm progressing VERY slowly and have come to this forum hoping for some help with that. Anyway, greetings from the darkness, and I hope my obligatory first post didn't bore you too much 
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Hello and welcome! I'm new here too, but the community here is very helpful.
Few questions though
Do you have a teacher?
How long have you been playing?
How often do you practice?
Regulars
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Yep, teacher, time, and practice. Lots of people here are doing it on their own with no teacher but I certainly don't know how lol. No way would I have been able to do it without one.
Opportunity is often missed because it wears suspenders and looks like hard work.
Regulars
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Welcome to the community!
Don't panic, it takes a long time to learn any instrument and the violin takes longer than most (in my experience anyway!). Just keep practising (with proper guidance) and you'll get there eventually - you're young and you have plenty of time. 
Regulars
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@Serotonin I just turned 60!!
I have played and practiced every day on my violin for 2 years and just last week for the first time was told - "You are playing great and sounding so fluid". And for the first time I can hum a tune that I have not memorized and pick out the notes on the violin.
Please be patient!! It will come to you!!
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
Honorary tenured advisor
Regulars
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Welcome. Do you have a list of things that you specificly want to improve? That is the first step. Then, design your practice to address the items on your list. Let's say you want to improve your intonation. Devote a portion of your practice to playing different scales and using a tuner to make sure that you are never more than 5 cents either side of the correct tone. If it's bowing then devote some time to practicing just bowing technique, and so on down the list.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright
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Dom said
Do you have a teacher?
How long have you been playing?
How often do you practice?
Yes, I'm not self-taught at all, I would have given up long ago if I was
I have been playing since I was about 11 or 12, but I feel like I should be past grade 4 by now :/
Not enough. I usually practice about 20 minutes a day, but often skip days and sometimes, if I'm busy I don't pick the violin up for a week or more. Also, I just started learning guitar, which is great for improving my knowledge of music and music theory, but whenever I want to practise I will often just play the guitar and not the violin because it is oh so much easier.
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Uzi said
Welcome. Do you have a list of things that you specificly want to improve? That is the first step. Then, design your practice to address the items on your list. Let's say you want to improve your intonation. Devote a portion of your practice to playing different scales and using a tuner to make sure that you are never more than 5 cents either side of the correct tone. If it's bowing then devote some time to practicing just bowing technique, and so on down the list.
Well, I feel like my tuning is a lot better than it was, but I need to improve my bowing, my control making a full sound, timing (MAJOR ISSUE HERE) and my ability to interpret sheet music and to understand music by ear if that makes sense. I just feel like when I play, it sounds weak and scratchy but when others play on the same violin it sounds much fuller and much more pleasing to the ears, as if there's something specific that they're doing that I don't.
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Serotonin,
Welcome to the forum.
Setting goals is a great way to improve. Along with your goals you want to challenge yourself with a good practice schedule as well. Don't push yourself so hard that you feel like quitting but a reasonable schedule to accomplish your goals. Set reasonable goals as well and don't expect perfection.
Record yourself and be happy with PROGRESS. Progress is what really matters. Recording yourself will hep you see the progress.
Not many people have taken advantage of this but I have a Q & A in which I show the player video and try to help with a demonstration and answer to the players question. I might be able to help you.
In any case, many of the players on this forum post videos on the critique corner forum. https://fiddlerman.com/forum/c.....ue-corner/
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Welcome to the forum.
1. You are probably making more progress than your realize.
2. Practice and listen to violin songs..
Welcome... so happy to meet you and if you need anything feel free to ask.
Cheers.
Toni
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
Serotonin said:
I have been playing since I was about 11 or 12, but I feel like I should be past grade 4 by now :/'
My daughter would have said, "Boy, you have really high standard!"
Well high standard is good in someway, it helps you improve.
You have a teacher and you are on the forum here to help you, I think like other said, set a goal, what you want to achieve (how much you want to progress) for each practice and each week.
Two of my teacher's students: One used lesson time as practice, meaning she never practice, she managed to stick with violin for over a year, but never make it to finish Suzuki book 1. The other student practice maybe two three times a week and progressed very slowly (never finish Suzuki book 1 in two years). Then when she joined orchestra, she was required to practice more, and she had a break through.
My main suggestion is PRACTICE EVERYDAY! It is recommended to practice each day as long as your lesson time. If you cannot practice as long as your lesson time try even if you could only practice 15 minutes a day would help. If you have long practice time, you could go through everything. If you have short practice time, focus on a technique, a tricky section, a scale and arpeggio, shifting, or etude, etc. You will notice your dedication pays off. So, my first goal for you is to practice everyday!
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