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Howdy ya'll!
My name is Matthew, and I'm from Texas! :]
I'm 23, and I've always loved the music a violin can produce. From fiddle music to beautiful classical pieces, it totally envelopes my mind. I can sit on youtube for hours just listening to it all.
So, I've finally decided I want to learn it. I want to be apart of this beautiful musical world! Why shouldn't I aspire that for myself? I'm full of questions and super eager to learn. Which violin should I start out with? Do I need to get different strings immediately? How the heck am I going to learn to read sheet music? I'm full of questions.
Looking forward to getting to know ya'll!
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Hello Matthew! Welcome to the forum!
It's okay if you have a lot of questions, we will help you! You can take a look at the fiddlershop. Fiddlerman provides you demonstration videos of each model to help you choose your violin. They are already set up with nice strings, so you don't have to change them immeadiately.
About the sheet music, try to look at some beginner books or even some videos. Scales are the base of everything so it's a matter of habit, practice and time until you can read them more naturally 
Nice to "meet" you and enjoy your stay!
Edit- I found this chart here by Fiddlerman. It may help you
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Thanks Elisa!
I'll be honest, that chart is not very enlightening... I have a lot of learning to do! I have a lot of spare time on my hands right now, so I'll be putting in a lot of practice if my wife doesn't kill me. 
I'm thinking of starting out with the CVN-500. Any thoughts?
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Hi Calypso. That chart will be helpful along the way, since it shows every note you could run into.
But if you're just starting out, you might want to look here:
https://fiddlerman.com/fiddle-.....o-i-start/
And welcome to Fiddlerman.com and to the amazing madness that is the violin/fiddle.
It's fun! Honest!
"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman
Honorary tenured advisor
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Welcome to the forum. There are lots of resources here to help beginners learn to play. With regard to which fiddle to buy (or anything else for that matter) my general rule is to spend just slightly less than the amount that triggers my wife to throw heavy objects at me. Of course you can't precisely determine what that level is until you've crossed the boundary a few times so spend some time practicing bobbing and weaving.
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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Uzi said
Welcome to the forum. There are lots of resources here to help beginners learn to play. With regard to which fiddle to buy (or anything else for that matter) my general rule is to spend just slightly less than the amount that triggers my wife to throw heavy objects at me. Of course you can't precisely determine what that level is until you've crossed the boundary a few times so spend some time practicing bobbing and weaving.
Ow! She told me I'd have to practice in the garage! I imagine that'll warp a wooden bow lol.
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Hey, welcome! I'm very new to playing the violin too (my violin arrives in the mail tomorrow).
I was considering the CVN-500 as well. It got great reviews for a beginner violin, and great bang for the buck (from the research I did, not that I would know from any kind of experience).
Ultimately I went with the "Fiddlerman Apprentice Violin Outfit." I like that they set up and tune the violin before shipping it out, and the Fiddlerman himself makes a youtube video of him playing your exact violin.
Plus, he includes a great carbon fiber bow that is supposed to be much better than the typical bow that comes with most violins (again, from what I've read).
I figured the extra cost was worth having it set up and tuned alone. I have a fear of breaking the bridge if I ever have to set it into position myself.
Either way though, you can't go wrong with any of them, IMO.
(oh, and I'm also from Texas; Austin)
"The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be."
~Marcel Pagnol
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BaldBeardedViolinist said
Hey, welcome! I'm very new to playing the violin too (my violin arrives in the mail tomorrow).I was considering the CVN-500 as well. It got great reviews for a beginner violin, and great bang for the buck (from the research I did, not that I would know from any kind of experience).
Ultimately I went with the "Fiddlerman Apprentice Violin Outfit." I like that they set up and tune the violin before shipping it out, and the Fiddlerman himself makes a youtube video of him playing your exact violin.
Plus, he includes a great carbon fiber bow that is supposed to be much better than the typical bow that comes with most violins (again, from what I've read).I figured the extra cost was worth having it set up and tuned alone. I have a fear of breaking the bridge if I ever have to set it into position myself.
Either way though, you can't go wrong with any of them, IMO.
(oh, and I'm also from Texas; Austin)
I've been to Austin a couple of times... Some of the best BBQ I've ever had
I might get the Apprentice outfit. We'll see.
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Calypso said
I've been to Austin a couple of times... Some of the best BBQ I've ever had
I might get the Apprentice outfit. We'll see.
I'm a little ashamed to say, I've only had ribs (or any BBQ) from Chili's since I've been here, for 2 years. 
I will make the excuse that my job had me out of state too often though. heh
"The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be."
~Marcel Pagnol
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BaldBeardedViolinist said
Calypso said
I've been to Austin a couple of times... Some of the best BBQ I've ever had
I might get the Apprentice outfit. We'll see.
I'm a little ashamed to say, I've only had ribs (or any BBQ) from Chili's since I've been here, for 2 years.
I will make the excuse that my job had me out of state too often though. heh
I saw that you're not a native Texan... I'll let this pass for now. You really should look up a great bbq joint around you, Austin is loaded with them. It'll be worth it, I promise!
I went ahead and ordered an Apprentice kit earlier. Looking forward to getting started!
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Welcome @Calypso, hope you enjoy playing!
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Welcome to the forum Calypso,
There are probably more beginning adult players here than any other forum. You came to the right place.
I look forward to hearing about your start and progress.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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@Fiddlerman That [probably more beginning adult players here than any other forum] is very cool claim to fame!!
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.
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