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Hello all fiddlers out there. I'm a 20 year old female from cold Norway. Today I got my first violin, after ages of dreams and expecting. I haven’t played violin before, and because of the circumstances, I've to learn it by myself.
Since I was a child, I have always dreamt of playing violin. Unfortunate, all I grew up with was my dads untuned guitar, with a big leak of strings. (Always missing two or more.) Do I have to tell you that either me or my dad played a lot?
I don't know much about violins, but I've learned a lot after I bought the violin online some weeks ago. Like never buy a cheap violin or one you haven't heard. And don't ever buy one online! Well, I did mess up on all steps. It's a cheap violin, was around 1,300 norske kroner for it. (That's like 218$ or so.) With bow, case, rosin and something more that I can't remember. Am I screwed? Probably.
It's looks nice (and just nice, it's not a beauty. Just a anonymous one, that you probably would skip if it were in a shop.), and it seems to be in good condition.
The sound... I don't know if it's me or the violin, but it sounds a little weird. Not bad or good, just weird. I have no other way to explain it. I may be used to it. I was worried my ears would bleed, but luckily it wasn't that bad.
Everyone is telling me that I'm too old to learn it. I can't be too old, I mean, I'm just in my early twenties. There may be some issues related to my age, but it can't be impossible, right?
I thinking about stick to this violin for a few months, maybe a year. Then go over to a older violin with better sound. Thinks that's a good idea, or maybe I'm just weird. Great site! 
Some tips for a newbie like me?
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
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There are always people who will tell you negative things. The best policy is to find out for yourself if you can learn to play. It's not impossible; many folks here are learning for the first time at ages that are more than twice your age. As far as the violin itself, use it to start your learning and then move on to something that's better. I can't say when you should get a better violin because an instrument that sounds better and is easier to play will inspire you to play more. You will have to decide that.
Anyhow, don't start out by thinking that you made all these mistakes. Start out by believing in yourself! Best of luck in the learning process. I think you will do fine!
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Thank you for the advice. Yeah It's better to be positive about it. I can't wait to have my first real training session tomorrow. Till now it has just been trying the violin and stuff.
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
Old? 20? 
I'm 29, and started to learn in 28 =)
I don't know if You're screwed with the violin choise, but don't be so critical... When i first time took the violin, i was afraid that my ears would bleed too =) LOL!
Anyway, You're on your way now. What can be better?
What type of tips do You prefer right now? This forum is full of them =)
Welcome!
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Mad_Wed said
Old? 20?Anyway, You're on your way now. What can be better?
What type of tips do You prefer right now? This forum is full of them =)
Welcome!
Not old, old. Just... eh.. dunno. Just now it's like I'm too old for doing everything, that's kind of sucks.
Just to could play would be pretty nice. But, before that it's a lot of work to do.
Now I struggles most with understanding notes, really. I have always been note-blind of some reason. Everyone have tried to teach me it for ages, it just won't get in. It's like dyslexia for notes, or something. (I have dyslexia too, so maybe it is. LoL.
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
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HatefulPain said
Just to could play would be pretty nice. But, before that it's a lot of work to do.Now I struggles most with understanding notes, really. I have always been note-blind of some reason. Everyone have tried to teach me it for ages, it just won't get in. It's like dyslexia for notes, or something. (I have dyslexia too, so maybe it is. LoL.
Learning to play music is not easy, but that makes every gain so meaningful. If you expect instant results, you will be disappointed. If you expect to put in lots of effort and watch yourself get better and better, then you will be richly rewarded. All of us, including professional musicians, struggle with learning new things. It's like climbing a mountain. It is very hard to do and when you finally get to the top you can certainly see some beautiful sights, but there are still many beautiful sights to see long before you get to the top. As learners we live for those things. At least, that's the way I look at it.
Watch some of the videos that other beginners have posted to this site. I think you will be inspired, and you will see how this community offers help and support to those beginners.
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I don't expect instant results. I know it's not learn over night.
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
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What does you people think about assistive tools like Bow Hold Buddy and Bowzo? Is it no go?
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
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If you hear the call of the violin learn to play no matter what anyone says. If they think you are wasting time, its your time not theirs live your way not theirs.
Try the fingering game to help reading music.
https://fiddlerman.com/fiddle-.....ring-game/
The game really improved my site reading skill and speed.
Welcome to the forum.
If you think your violin sounds strange have your teacher play it for you, it will inspire you to hear how well YOUR violin can sound.
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If you think that things like the Bow Hold Buddy or Bowzo might help, you can always give them a try.
I thought about it, especially in my first month or two, since the Franco-Belgian bow hold felt awkward at first and to this day I still have to remind myself not to bend my thumb backwards on the bow hand. LOL
And I don't think 20 is all that old for learning an instrument. It is too old to get to take it in grade school or high school classes, but other than that, the only thing that can stop you is.. You.
"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
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screeeech said
Welcome to the forum.If you think your violin sounds strange have your teacher play it for you, it will inspire you to hear how well YOUR violin can sound.
I have played the game sometimes, it's great. 
Unfortanete, I don't have a teacher or someone that can play violin, so I can't have anyone to play it for me.
My bow have already started to loose hair. After max 4 hours of play. Do they really start so early? And it kind of have darker spots all over the hairs. Is if because it's bad hair quality?
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
@ HatefulPain..... Did you buy this violin from E-bay and is there a return policy.
$218.00 USD is not that cheap.
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I bought the violin from it's maker. It's a return policy, can return it until 14 days.
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
Are the dark spot's up and down the entire length of the bow hair's or just at the end's?
Contact the seller and explain to him what your problem is with the bow, find out if you can return the bow only or do you have to return everything. It could be that the bow has been laying around for a long, long time. One of my violin's is really cheap and the bow that came with it has lost a lot of the hair's, but it's been over the course of about 7 year's so I'm not to worried about it. I wouldn't wait too long to contact him.
Good luck with the result's. 
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It's mostly on the ends, but it's some all the way. I will contact him someday next week. I awaits a new bow anyway, so it's really no deal if it's not possible to return it alone. I like the violin and I don't want to return it, just because of the bow.
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
Chance's are it's just a rosin build up combined with dirt and dust. My bow's are the same way, in fact, I was just looking at the one I use most, same way.
Many time's with cheap bow's, the maker will use hair which come's from a mare/female horse's tail. The hair's will be stained a yellowish color do to the fact of the female horse urinating on the hair. I don't think thats your case if it's at both end's, sound's more like rosin mixed with dirt, not saying you are dirty, it just happen's.
I would still contact him.
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Fiddlestix said
Many time's with cheap bow's, the maker will use hair which come's from a mare/female horse's tail. The hair's will be stained a yellowish color do to the fact of the female horse urinating on the hair.
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I think I welcomed you on another post but in case I didn't, "WELCOME"
We have players here that have started in their 50's and 60's and I imagine even 70's. You are not too old and you can become very good with a lot of dedication and hard work.
This place is a great place to get and stay motivated. Be sure to stop by regularly and participate in the discussions to get extra motivated.
As far as buying instruments online, I would agree with you but I can't because I opened a business called "FiddlerShop.com" in January and am relying on fiddlers spending their hard earned cash online 
Sounds to me as though you did good though since you do not wish to return your violin.
I played a few times with a quartet in Oslo and also went on tour in Narvik with Musikk i Nordland (MiN) for two weeks. Enjoyed the north part of Norway very much. Got to see the northern lights (aurora borealis) at their best
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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That's good to hear. I think I will stick around for some time. Its a really great site you got.
I'm really happy about the violin, and I think I will be more happy with it as time passes by.
By the way, thank you for shipping my bow so fast, Pierre. I definitely will spend more money in your shop at later time.
Sounds like a lot of fun. Frankly, I don't think I have been in either Oslo or Narvik, maybe I should.
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
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