Violin setup
Here’s what you’ll need to get ready for your child to start violin lessons through Katie Suzuki Music
You'll need a violin!
- a violin and bow of the right size (see below)
- shoulder rest or foam
- Rosin. Violins often come with rosin but if not, you'll need to buy some
- Pinky-hold (optional). This is to help your child keep their pinky finger curved and on top of the bow, but it's not necessary if you can't easily obtain one
Tech setup
- A laptop/ipad to do lessons on (see below)
Book/mp3s/Paperwork
- Suzuki violin book and mp3s
- weekly practice sheets (print a few)
- A folder to keep your child's violin paperwork in (a slim ringbinder works well)
MyMusicStaff
Lessons are booked through the calendar in MyMusicStaff so you'll need:
- a login and a lessontime. Please contact Katie to arrange which teacher your child will learn with and to choose a regular lesson time (this can always be changed later if needed).
What we need from you
- Please sign the Enrolment and parent consent form
There’s quite a bit to prepare at the beginning, so please feel free to contact Katie or your teacher if you have any questions. We're very happy to help.
Laptop/ipad for lessons
The best setup for lessons is a laptop plugged into ethernet. I think that children concentrate better when the picture of the teacher is larger so I like the bigger screen of laptops, but ipads/tablets or even a phone can work too. Another option for violin is to use a smaller device to put the teacher’s picture onto your TV screen. Ethernet provides the most reliable internet connection but many people use wifi and this usually works fine too.
What size violin to get?
Violins come in about 7 different sizes. Adults use a "full size" violin. Children use one of the smaller sizes.
The easiest way to find out what size violin to get for your child is to measure their arm, following the instructions in this video. If you’ve already bought a violin, don’t worry — just let us know the size and we can look at it together and advise whether it will work well. If you haven't got a violin yet, please don’t ask a music shop about sizing! Suzuki teachers usually like the violins to be smaller than what many shops recommend.
Violin's vary in size even within the quoted size so it is more accurate if you can actually measure the violin you are considering and compare it to your child's arm measurement. Better still is if you can hold the actual violin up to your child's arm. The full length of the violin (to the end of the scroll) should be about the same or slightly shorter than the child's arm measurement (neck to wrist).
If you are buying online and can't try the violin out against your child's arm, then measure your child's arm (neck to wrist like in the video):
- For a child with arm length 36cm (15 inches) or smaller, get a 1/32 size violin
- For arm length 37-39cm (15.0-16.5 inches) get a 1/16 size violin
- For arm length 40-42cm (16.5-17.5 inches) get a 1/10 size violin
- For arm length 43-45cm (17.5-19.5 inches) get a 1/8 size violin
- For arm length 46-49cm (19.5-21.0 inches) get a 1/4 size
- For arm length 50-53cm (21-22 inches) get a 1/2 size
- For arm length 54-58cm (22.0-24.5 inches) get a 3/4 size
- For arm lengths 59 cm (24.5 inches) or longer use a full-size violin.
If your child is between sizes, or you're not sure which size to get, just contact Katie or your teacher for advice.
Where to get a violin from
A good second-hand violin can be absolutely fine, though it can sometimes be difficult for beginners to judge quality, so buying new may give more peace of mind. Hiring a violin is also worth considering, especially because it makes moving up through the sizes easier.
With violins, you often get what you pay for so don't just get the cheapest violin. The nice thing about there being multiple different sizes of violins is that you'll get the chance to upgrade in quality each time your child needs the next size up.
I see that Shar Music sells beginner violins. I have no experience of their violins but it is an option:
https://www.sharmusic.com/instruments/violins/beginning-violins
If you are in New Zealand, the easiest "click a button and it arrives at your door" option, Endeavour "Optimist" violins from the String Workshop. String Workshop has a range of violin qualities from the "Optimist" model up (though I have no experience of his upper-range violins at ~$NZ 10,000-15,000). If you can spend more then I highly recommend Antonio Strings. The Antonio Strings AS10 model is their cheapest option (at ~$NZ 900) and it comes in all sizes. If you go to their Violins page you'll find a range of violin models from this one up.
Shoulder-rest or foam
I recommend that very small children's violins (size 1/16 and 1/10) just use a foam.
For violins size 1/8 and larger I suggest a shoulder rest.
Foams can be shaped, or can be a foam offcut or even a kitchen sponge.
Rosin
Rosin needs to be applied fairly frequently to the bow hair to help it grip the string and make a good sound. A new violin will usually come with rosin but if not, please buy some.
Pinkyhold
A pinkyhold is optional, but students often find them helpful. They just push onto the end of the bow and help pinky finger to stay curved and on top of the bow. (Only get a small one for pinky finger, don't get the big versions that try to mould the whole hand).
They are often available from Amazon or Shar music.
Suzuki book and mp3s
You'll need Suzuki violin volume 1 and the accompanying mp3s (or CD).
The newest edition of the book is the "International Edition", but the "Revised edition" is also OK. The book comes in many languages so check the version you order has English words.
The latest recording is the recording by Hilary Hahn.
Note that not all links work from all countries (because of the Suzuki copyright license agreements), so if you have trouble buying anything do get in touch with me and I'll help.
