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When people first consider learning how to play the violin, the first thing that comes to mind is that it will be a particularly difficult undertaking. But how hard is it really? What sort of obstacles are you in for? And is it worth the effort? That last question is something that only you can decide for yourself. All that anyone can ever tell you about it is their own viewpoint. For me, playing the violin is a deeply enriching experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. Take that for what it's worth. What I can do is give you a bit of a quick preview of what to expect as you begin this undertaking. This may especially help those who have decided that they want to play a musical instrument but have not completely settled on one yet.
The first thing to realize is that anything that is new to you will be difficult to gain proficiency in to one degree or another. There are no exceptions to that. Also, anything new will require a certain degree of dedication in order for you to master it. Learning how to play the violin is certainly no exception to that. You will not have to devote your entire life to the art, but you will have to make an effort.
Your progress will rest heavily on your attitude and dedication to learning how to play your violin. For the quickest path to musical proficiency, I would recommend that you strive to practice a little bit each and every day. It doesn't have to be all day. Even if you can only devote half an hour to your violin practice, just be sure to keep it consistent. This can be done. It is only a matter of making the firm decision. Telling yourself that this is what you want to do and sticking with it.
There is a learning curve that many will find to be somewhat steep as they start out. This can primarily be attributed to the fact that it is just harder to make noise with a violin. If you want to play the piano, all you need do is sit down and push a few keys. If you want to play the drums, just hit them with a stick. The guitar is only a quick strum away from some sort of a sound. Take note that I am definitely not talking about playing these instruments well. Just to get a sound out of them. When it comes to the violin, you need to develop a certain technique before you will even be able to produce a sound. Any sound. You very well may spend your first practice session just trying to figure out how to make noise. This can be a discouraging factor in the beginning. Just be aware that it will probably be the case, and that you will get past it. Thousands of great violinists have done so before you.
Something else that you will have to realize is that you will sound absolutely dreadful when you first start out. You will have to learn how to hold your violin in the correct manner. This way in which it should be held is something that is unique to this particular instrument and of the utmost importance. It will take time for you to become accustomed to it.
Realistically, you should expect it to take a couple months before you stop making a horrible squeaking noise when you are attempting to play your violin. Tack on another year or two to that number before you can play anything that someone may willingly listen to. A lot of it depends on how much natural ability you have, how dedicated you are to your practice, and whether you have opted to go it alone or accept a teacher. In my view, having a good violin teacher, who can tell you instantly what you are doing wrong, has got to speed up the process.
In the end, all I can tell you is that this could very well turn out to be one of the most maddening, irritating journeys to learn something that you ever undertake. But also one that is deeply satisfying. Is it difficult to learn how to play the violin? It is what it is. Maybe a better question would be whether or not it is a skill that will be deeply rewarding for you throughout the rest of your life. If any accomplished violinist were asked that question, the answer would most certainly be a resounding yes!