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Hey all.
Hope the day is going well for ya all.
While waiting to hear back on the Violin I'm buying, thought I'd try to track down the BEST & Most Affordable "From Scratch" Beginner Book/CD Package.
Hands down I'll be using Fiddlerman's offerings (and have been greatly enjoying myself on this site !!!) But for a portable solution (or bedside as is most likely), what to go with.
Everything I check assumes you know where on the neck to find the notes, and assumes you can read music.
What if you only want to use some form of TAB ? Does such instruction exist? Seriously, I've NEVER been able to get music notation.
I can only go by what I find online as my local tore is DRY.
STRICTLY STRINGS Book 1: VIOLIN
FIRST LESSONS VIOLIN
ESSENTIALS 2000 Violin
These are the main ones I've found all in the $16-20 range with CD
*Essentials seems like it has a lot, but also assumes the most, and no tab, and maybe no fingering chart even (from what I can review).
*First Lessons has Book/CD and DVD. Has a mixed music selection, supposedly has a lot of charts, but the reviews all say, no info on tuning, finger placement or any Tab.
*Strictly Strings is the meekest, smallest package, but seems well rounded, sampled a number of pages. Supposedly has a unique Letter-Notation method, but all I see is traditional music.
My main concern is understanding what "fretting" position (so to speak) one should be at. In Harmonica/Guitar/Concerntina etc... there is a TAB that relates both neck and finger position. I don't see this with Violin ?
Anyone got some hands on experience with these—- or suggest something better (anything with Tab? or an over-abundance of fingering charts to help assist?)
Thanks
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There aren't a lot of violin sheet music with alternative musical markup so I would really recommend learning how to read the music notes. Although around the forum I have seen alternative music notation before. Learning the 'official' music notation might be really slow at first, but I can guarantee the effort will pay off in the long run.
Beginners usually start off in the first position on the violin and don't shift positions until they can play in first position stably. Many of the beginner sheet music provided by fiddlerman have fingerings on them so check them out here:
/studies-etudes-and-music/free-etudes-by-fiddlerman/
And here is a fingering chart: /wp-content/uploads/2010/10/6.-FingerChart.pdf
You should be careful not to develop an over reliance on fingerings on sheet music though, but use them as pointers to get you started.
When I first atarted to lear to play the instructional videos told you where to put your fingers and all the music was written as D0, D1, D2, D3, A0 and so on. Yes you could play a song that way but it wasn't until I decided I wanted to learn to read music that I found it easier. Once you familiarise yourself with the notes and the key you can see the pattern in the music which to me made it easier to play. Even some music I have found in notation I start up finale note pad, free download and 10.00 after a month to keep it, then put the music into finale and print out the sheet music also save a mpeg of it and play along.
I waisted time learning notation and not reading music.
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Hey thanks
I can get the basic layout of music notation, but I can't get my head around knowing the diff in notation between positions. Maybe after seeing it enough in relation to hearing it played I would.
I see there are learning violin, and also Learning Fiddle.
Many of the fiddle are just song books, but there ARE from newbie to Fiddle player, like:
Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus
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RECOMMENDATIONS ????
Could I get some hands-on recommendations for Learning Book/CDs on Beginner learning Fiddle?
I know there are basic Fiddle, Irish, Bluegrass, Country etc...
There are different focuses, notations etc....
I mainly want to play Irish & Old-timey like Hymns, Mountain and later Cajun
Taking advice in here, I'll work on learning music, though if you know of one that incorporates a tab type notation and works at teaching music, even better (thanks to Fiddlerman for using some notation in his sheet music !!)
I posted a couple above (not the first post with Violin books)
The Country one is loaded with great songs, but No CD, and I can only imagine a CD to hear what it Should sound like is something I WILL need
Thanks folks
jim
If you really want to go the DVD route and fiddle route with notation Aside from Fiddlerman
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Hi.
Thanks Kevin.
I'm staying away from DVD.... trying to unchain myself from the computer (grin).
And besides Fiddlerman got the Video part clinched for me 
There's just so many primers etc out there.
IT's like books on writing... ever wonder why so many are writing books on how to write, but you never see actual writing credits from them? haha.
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I got 2 books before I found Fiddlerman. I found Mel Bays Beginning Fiddle Solos useful as it provides the sheet music, but under each note it shows string and finger position. It also contained a 2 Channel CD. Right side is fiddle, Left is a guitar for each song. Played at a slow speed. So it allowed me to hear the song and follow the sheet music. But as I learned the song, I can also turn to just the left side and try to play along with the guitar.
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@Barry - Hey, I have that Kit bookmarked on ebay. It's one I was considering ! What kind of notation does it give? Just traditional music reading, or does it guide you into it?
@CGBownut - Thank you. Sounds ideal, but as a Solo book, does it teach from Beginner, or is it a solo book for people who know how to play ? Also, how do you "turn"to left or right side?
Thanks folks !
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It is for a beginner. It starts with simple and moves to just a little more detailed.
I honestly am not far into it, but for me it helps, as I can try to play reading just the music, but when I get stuck or question the note. I can use the reference directly below the note
Check out this link and then click on see inside the book and you can see the first couple pages to get an idea.
Sorry. I was not clear on right and left. You simply use the speaker balance on your stereo. So all the Fiddle music is heard on the right speaker and all the guitar music is heard on the left speaker.
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