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@@Oliver... I have a FM Soloist violin. The first version. A gift from a friend who believes in my playing.
I started out with a good student violin three months before I found FM.com.
I do also have a similar to the 99$ or even cheaper ...violin that was given to me. I have a video to show people that if one wants to play... Yes a beginner can play that kind of violin.
Yes... I do spend more time with violin than any human in my life... So It could be my mid life crises love child. Ha ha
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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I've always just been in amazement with violin music. The heavenly string sound when played on the "A" and "E" string... I went to Reno and watched David Garrett play about 2-1/2 years ago, I was able to go see him once again this year in January with my violin partner and restored any lost motivation... and after that first performance I was determined to play something. It didn't matter what, just something. So I found our old almost beyond repair German Violin that had been in the rafters of our garage/shop for the past 40 years and restored it. I play it every day practically and since my violin playing partner bought me a 'kit violin', I have almost finished it (just waiting for the finish to season now) but play it now as well. I have 3 total acoustics and one electric/acoustic violin and love them. I feel I'm a little behind Toni because I still haven't devoted my studies to reading music but I play by ear and study one tune for months getting it perfected before going on to the next one. Will I ever stop playing... (?) maybe... when I die.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
cdennyb said
I've always just been in amazement with violin music. The heavenly string sound when played on the "A" and "E" string
My thoughts also. My wife plays hammered dulcimer and I want to play with her.
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@ Dan-Hur - I know exactly what you mean when you say "it's much more productive than vegging out in front of the TV"...
This is why I like to leave my instrument out in plain site. I feel much better if I play for an hour than if I watch some useless program on TV for an hour. Granted, there is a lot of great entertainment on TV as well. 
@ MrYikes - If you want to play with your wife, I think you should. 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
@Yikes
I used to have a duet partner who played hammered dulcimer. She was not too great but the charm of the instruments happened anyway. Good combination.
She gave it up when she realized that it was both fun and work.
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@cdennyb I think you will play forever, it is in your heart, mind and soul.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Why violin? Let me count the ways:
You can get a decent one without breaking the bank.
Fully chromatic.
Forgiving. If you land on a wrong note, you can quickly slide into the right one. Can't be done on a piano.
Only 4 strings to tune.
Not as hard to learn as all those non-violinists would have you believe. (Don't know anyone who has truly mastered it, though.)
Portable (that one's a biggie for me).
Works in any genre of music.
Everyone likes to hear it.
There's probably more.
Cheers,
Jim
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I bought my first violin in January. I have always wanted to learn to play the violin, and much like DanielB, decided my someday was going to be now, not later.
I practice every day, maybe some day I will even sound good :-); but even if I am the only one I sound good to, it is worth every bit of time and effort I put into it. I find it very relaxing and rewarding!
I am glad I did it, and will never stop learning.
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I started when i was quite young, but my parents say that i had been asking to play the violin for a long time so they got me one and i started playing (as you do). I am very thankful to my Mum who spent lots of time (and maybe some chocolate) getting me to practice, I wanted to be good without having to practice.
I did stop for a few years when I wasn't able to get lessons, but then picked it up again, and bought myself a really nice full size and have been playing without lessons for a few years, mostly because i am really fussy about who my teacher is. 
But now I practice because I love it, and couldn't imagine not playing the violin.
Great question Oliver
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Well @oliver Oliver, as I said in my Fiddlerman 'interview',
"After being diagnosed with cancer two years ago, and having always wanted to do something musical, I decided that it was about time to try to to play an instrument. Why the violin / fiddle? Well, since starting I’ve asked myself that question many a time. One of reasons is because I felt that it would be a challenge. Did I ever get that one right."
It's been over 2 1/2 years now since I started and I'm still bashing away at it. There gave been ups and downs and at this particular time I'm having one of those 'downs'. But I know that I'll work my way through it.
That is an important thing in learning the fiddle. Never give up. Yes it's difficult but in the long run it's going to be all worthwhile.
Seen it all. Done it all. Can't remember most of 
..... What was I saying???? 
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Now, "Why do we stay with it?" would be an easier question to answer...
Because it is just such a hellaciously fun little instrument!
"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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I'm 29 and just started playing the violin about 2 months ago now. It's something I've always loved listening to and seeing others play. Jiu jitsu and wrestling had always been my main recreation, but with injuries and the joys of family life keeping me off the mats, I found myself thinking more and more about learning to play. And like others have also said, a big turning point for me was just in realizing that there are good, affordable beginner violins out there, and there are plenty of online resources to help the beginner out. In fact, my violin purchase was largely the result of watching the Fiddlerman's online review of the Mendini MV650. Coupled with seeing a professional play it and the mostly positive Amazon reviews from other beginners, I decided to give it a try. So far, its been a great decision. My wife and I have been learning to play together, and we absolutely love it. Big thanks to Fiddlerman for this site and all the great resources you put out there!
Honorary tenured advisor
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Some people see the violin and think: "Why?" I see the violin and think: "Why not?"
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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Spots... congrats on your playing. How fun to have a spouse play along also.
Congrats and enjoy.
Toni
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Congrats Spots > your gonna like it!!! Its my ME time when I play my viddle > I play it every day.
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Thanks Toni and StoneDog
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Hey Spots,
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new journey.
I did Jiu jitsu for a while but felt guilty for not finding enough time and dropped it in the end. I am so thankful for having taken up the sport though as it is beneficial in more ways than one would imagine. Even now being out of shape and all, I can defend myself quite well if needed. But the surprising thing is how I have been able to fall nicely when unavoidable. For example I was rollerblading over a railroad track and tried to jump over the tracks. My wife who was biking behind me thought I did it on purpose. Short story, I just rolled and got back up like nothing had happened. Comes from all those boring falls, jumps, dives and rolls in Jiu jitsu.
We look forward to hearing about your progress.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Ha! That's awesome you've trained before. Though, I was just told by my wife that its funny because I've been training for over 10 years now (brown belt) and yet I show no signs of it in my everyday life...she's saying I'm clumsy...and yeah, I'm pretty clumsy 
Thanks for the friendly welcome
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Even if you are clumsy, I would guess that you can put down an attacker pretty easily if you had to.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Omg... Long story short... Lets say that I used to study music long ago when I was a child for so many years... But she life stuff and the heck of my head pushed me away from it for more than a decade...
Now I am trying to get back, taking the piano and the violin as a bonus, because back in the day I had a secret love toward the violin...
But its a really long and emotional story...
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