The benefits of learning violin for guitarists

Music is an integral part of the human experience. Researchers have found that learning to play instruments can decrease stress and depression levels in older people by increasing their self-esteem and sense of independence. If you’re a musician, you’re doing yourself a service while treating others to your unique sound.

By learning violin in addition to guitar, you’d set yourself up with several skills that could improve your craft as a musician.

3 Advantages Violin Players Have Over Nonplayers

Learning violin might be a bit different from playing guitar, but it comes with many benefits. If you take on the challenge, your guitar skills may just improve as a result.

1. The Ease of Learning

At first glance, the violin and the guitar seem alike. While they have their differences, for the most part, they are pretty similar. Playing guitar means you have a sound basis for learning violin, and the reverse is true, too. In most cases, if you play guitar, it should be easier for you to learn violin than for someone who doesn’t play an instrument at all.

Violin requires a great deal of skill, though — more than guitar. Guitar players are trained to look at their hands, whether they’re aware of it or not, while violin players can’t rely on their eyes. Instead, playing violin improves hand-ear coordination. Both methods of playing have their advantages, but they are as different as they are similar.

2. The Challenge Violin Presents

Because playing the violin and guitar aren’t wholly the same, you’re going to run into a few issues. People who play both understand that the violin is harder to learn and play effectively because you truly can’t rely on your eyes — but the violin doesn’t have frets like a guitar, either.

Without frets, it can be harder to play flawlessly. The lack of frets poses a challenge to guitar players who must learn a new way of playing as they take up the violin. Additionally, while you can sing to accompany your guitar playing, doing so while playing the violin is not feasible.

By tackling these challenges with violin playing, you’re preparing yourself for more musical obstacles in the future. Willingly taking on a new instrument similar to the one you know with its own playing style shows your tenacity and willingness to try new things. That makes you feel confident about other things that may stand in your way.

3. The Extra Training Violin Players Receive

Playing the violin isn’t only different in the technique — you have to learn how to position yourself correctly, improve your posture and use the bow. Plenty of aspects of the violin make it different from the guitar, but you’ll set the foundation for learning more advanced techniques if you understand the proper methods.

With so much to absorb, you’ll stay busy learning the world of string instruments. In the end, you might just end up better equipped to play guitar.

Where to Begin With Violin

If you’re a guitar player wanting to learn the violin, you need to view the instrument as an investment, first and foremost. Violin prices can start at around $400, but that price does not depreciate — meaning your instrument can actually become more valuable over time.

Every violin has been handcrafted in a specific way for centuries, but the variations in each instrument are what make them unique. Understanding that you’re purchasing a piece of art that can only grow in value over time as you learn to play is key to starting with the violin.

After that, all you must do is open your mind and prepare yourself to learn a new way of playing music. Playing the violin can teach you about your musical habits and introduce you to challenges you can overcome with practice.

Commit to Learning 

If you’re looking to expand your knowledge in the musical realm and take on what might be a challenge, the violin is for you. Guitar players can expect to know some aspects of the violin already, such as utilizing your nondominant hand. Still, they must also be prepared for other obstacles that might show up.

While it may be difficult to learn both the guitar and the violin perfectly, knowing how it works and adopting some of its techniques will make a difference in your playing. You’ll find yourself becoming more methodical, perhaps relying more on your ears than your eyes, and respecting the craft more.

The benefits of learning violin for guitarists