Forum,

I am a bare-bones beginner who, after a lot of research and waiting, has finally started renting a violin with the intention to purchase another later. The only instrument I have played before this is the piano. While I did work with notation while playing piano, I played more by ear than by paper. Consequently I have found myself a bit more confused than I thought I would be with the note structure.

In my first week with my violin I have been focusing strictly on bowing technique. Which, admittedly, is a bit boring as there is only so much you can do with a constant G, D, A, E drone. So this week I was going to be starting on actual notes so that I can start to play something that sounds like a song. So I pulled up FM's fingering chart, and to my musically ignorant confusion saw that there were not one, but eight fingerboards listed with the same notes. (Like I said, I'm a bare-bones beginner who is currently teaching himself) Go ahead and laugh at how much of a musical simpleton I am (but don't let it reflect in your response ;).

Needless to say I am a bit confused by the fingering and notation system associated with this instrument. So I came to you guys, as you seem to be good natured and more than qualified to answer this question lol.

Thanks in advance