Have you always wanted to learn to play a violin? In-home violin lessons are a convenient option for students of all ages. Here, Irvine, CA teacher Tasha S. shares her advice for preparing your playing space for your lessons…
Taking violin lessons at home can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only does it save you time and money on travel, but it also allows you to learn the instrument in a comfortable, familiar environment.
However, if you’re going to have someone come into your house to teach you how to play the violin, there are a few things that you should do first to make sure everything goes smoothly.
Below are five tips for preparing your home for in-home violin lessons.
Are Private Violin Lessons Expensive?
Private violin lessons are often seen as a luxury expense for many parents considering music education for their child. But here’s the truth:
- In some cases, depending on the region, it may even be comparable to the cost of group lessons or associated with community-based learning programs.
- A good way to determine whether private lessons are within your budget is to research viola instructors in your area and get a full understanding of their rates.
- Ultimately, the investment in individualized lessons can be well worth it for people who want the fastest progress in learning how to play this beautiful instrument.
Ready to find in-home violin lessons near me? If so, you’ll want to consider violin lessons with TakeLessons. You’ll get all the benefits of any other violin lessons in home settings, plus you’ll learn fun new skills like what you see in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak8BvsAAAQ8
What Are the Benefits of Violin Lessons in Home?
Have you ever wanted to learn how to play the violin? If so, have you considered taking violin lessons in your own home? The benefits of learning the violin in your own home are numerous, and it’s worth considering as an option if you’re looking to become a master musician. Let’s explore why learning violin at home can be advantageous and see if it’s right for you.
Convenience and Comfort Levels
One of the primary advantages of taking violin lessons at home is the convenience factor. You won’t have to worry about commuting to a music school or having your lesson schedule disrupted by traffic or weather conditions, allowing you to better focus on mastering all aspects of playing the violin. Additionally, since you will be learning in a familiar environment, this will help make your lesson time more comfortable for both student and instructor alike.
Time Management
Another advantage of taking violin lessons at home is that it allows both student and instructor to manage their time more effectively. For example, if certain family members are running late from work or school commitments, these delays can easily be taken into account when scheduling lessons at home rather than having them take place elsewhere. This makes it easier for everyone involved to stay on track with their study plans.
Personalized Tuition
When learning any instrument—not just the violin—it is important that each individual receives personalized tuition tailored specifically for their skill level and goals.
Home-based tuition offers students flexibility with regards to what they practice and how often they practice, which helps ensure that their individual needs are met as quickly and efficiently as possible. This allows them to take ownership over their learning process while still receiving expert guidance from an experienced instructor.
Violin Lessons in Your Home? Get Ready With These Tips
From a teacher’s point of view, these are the elements I look for in a student’s home to make it suitable for in-home lessons.
1. Private, undisturbed space with decent acoustics.
2. Music stand that is sturdy and height adjustable.
3. Chair without arms for me to sit in.
4. Pencil for the student to write reminders in their music; pen and paper for me to write lesson notes down.
5. Metronome and tuner for the student’s use.
Lesson Space
My colleagues and I joke that if we go to our students’ houses, we take over a room for an hour, or however long the lesson is. It sounds silly, but it is quite true. We need a space that isn’t disturbed by other members of the household to ensure our student can focus for the duration of the lesson. When Dad is watching TV in the living room while I’m trying to teach a lesson there, it doesn’t work well for either party. If the room is carpeted and has lots of furniture soaking up the sound, it can be difficult to get a more realistic idea of the projection of the instrument, and nuances in phrasing and dynamics are easily missed. So a space that is preferably fairly open, room enough for two string players and their cases, and has hard floors is more ideal for acoustics. As this has come up before, I wanted to mention that it should not be the student’s own room for propriety and focus reasons.
Music Stand
I cannot tell you the number of times a collapsible music stand has fallen during a lesson, nor the number of holes poked into music while trying to write on it. If you bought one of those $20 skinny metal stands, I’m talking to you. Those stands are easily transported because they are lightweight, small, and come with a carrying case — but they aren’t realistic for lesson or serious practice use. The best stands have a solid desk, no holes or gaps, and have some heft to them to keep them steady when writing notes in music. Manhasset, Hamilton, and Peak are popular brands.
Seating
Since your teacher is likely teaching lessons before and after yours, he or she will need to sit down during the lesson. It is ideal to demonstrate something quick in a chair without arms. The arms on a chair inhibit a shorter string player’s technique, as well as someone who is tall but has long arms. A chair for you may be necessary, also, depending on your age. I usually have older students stand for the entirety of their lesson. Younger students often lack the stamina, even for a 30-minute lesson, so I request a similar chair or bench be provided so they can rest as needed. The only time we play while seated in a lesson is when we’re working on orchestral music or chamber music. This provides the opportunity to practice proper seated posture in those performance standards.
Pencil, Pen, and Paper
A mantra of mine is that all notes written in music are written in pencil, not pen. Pen is permanent, and fingerings, phrasings, and personal notes for each performance may change. Take care to use a separate eraser that will be less likely to shred the paper if massive erasing needs to happen. The pen and paper is for me. I take thorough notes of assignments and suggestions in the lesson, both for my benefit at the next lesson and your benefit during the practice week.
Metronome and Tuner
I always bring a Korg TM-50 metronome/tuner gadget with me in my own case, so why do you need one in the lesson? To ensure you understand how it works and how to get the settings necessary for the current repertoire. Often we discover in lessons that the gadget you have is too complicated, and it discourages using it to the point it goes untouched until the next lesson. Since a metronome has been nicknamed by several students of mine over the years as “the ticker off-er,” I don’t need any other reasons to make its use a challenge. I recommend the Korg and Intelli brands; there are also several user-friendly apps for iPhone, iPod, or iPad that are significantly cheaper. The only problem there becomes when the battery dies, or if it’s not your personal device and you don’t have access for some reason.
Bonus
One thing that always warms my heart is when I walk into my student’s home, and notice they’re already unpacked and warmed up, and are ready to start. I really appreciate that kind of forethought and preparation. Those lessons are generally much more productive than if the student and I unpack at the same time, and the student hasn’t had any time to get warmed up first. Just 10 minutes beforehand can make a big difference as you continue with lessons and learn to play the violin.
Where to Find In Home Violin Lessons Near Me
Are you looking for an in home violin lesson near you? With the right teacher, these lessons can provide a great way to hone your skills and grow as an artist. Consider researching local music schools or music institutes that offer different resources, such as private and group lessons. You can also look at higher-level conservatories, where instructors of all ages come together to teach instrumental and theoretical studies.
Alternatively, consider searching on teaching sites like Superprof which list a variety of tutors who can come to your home for individualized violin lessons at different price points. Before choosing the right tutor for you, make sure to read reviews and speak with them directly via video chat or over the phone so that you both feel comfortable and have realistic expectations.
See what works best for you when it comes to finding in home violin lessons near you – and consider signing up for private lessons with TakeLessons today!
Tasha S. teaches fiddle, music theory, and violin in Irvine, CA. She received her Bachelor of Music and her Master of Music from Eastern Michigan University, and has been teaching since 2002. Learn more about Tasha S. here!
Photo by sean dreilinger
Suzy S.