Violin timeline, what should they be learning in the first couple years

[Anonymous]

DD7 is learning violin (traditional, not Suzuki) and while I can read music, I have no strings experience. Can anyone who plays or whose child plays give a progression of expected learning for the first year or two? I'm hoping to look ahead and just learn a little so I can help with practice and theory. Her teacher is also quite different and uses an uncommon book so I guess I'm also looking for see what other learners are learning and what the progression is. I have looked ahead in the book to see topics and will keep doing that too.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean, the teacher is quite different and uses an uncommon book? There are various Russian and European etudes books, and then beginner concertos. After a rigorous 2 years, I can see a good 9 year old student playing the Accolay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean, the teacher is quite different and uses an uncommon book? There are various Russian and European etudes books, and then beginner concertos. After a rigorous 2 years, I can see a good 9 year old student playing the Accolay.

Teacher is from Eastern Europe and uses Baronreiter German method book, which isn't as widely used in the states at least that I've heard. Right now she is learning folk songs that are teaching musical techniques. I'm more familiar with Suzuki method which emphasizes listening and playing "real" pieces sooner. I don't have reason to be displeased with the teacher, but just wondering whether we are on par with other methods and what will come next.

[Anonymous]

Never heard of it

[Anonymous]

We did traditional too which was a heavily focus on etudes and scales to start and technique, lots of note reading as opposed to Suzuki. We also did Suzuki books 1-4 but not the method just the songs to supplement. After that, we switch between fiddle songs (his choice) and songs in the ABRSM catalog. Very little theory.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't worry as much about the repertoire at this point as whether your child is developing good intonation, nice tone production, and effective practice techniques. Accolay is possible at 2 years (I'm fairly certain that's when I played it), but the fundamentals are far more critical.

[Anonymous]

I have a related question. Did you have your child put a mite on for practice or wear any hearing protection? It seems like it’s either genetic or luck of the draw as to whether violin can affect hearing, but I wonder sometimes if we should be doing anything. My child practices maybe 30 minutes a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a related question. Did you have your child put a mite on for practice or wear any hearing protection? It seems like it’s either genetic or luck of the draw as to whether violin can affect hearing, but I wonder sometimes if we should be doing anything. My child practices maybe 30 minutes a day.

Mite should be a Mute. Did you use a mute?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a related question. Did you have your child put a mite on for practice or wear any hearing protection? It seems like it’s either genetic or luck of the draw as to whether violin can affect hearing, but I wonder sometimes if we should be doing anything. My child practices maybe 30 minutes a day.

Are you serious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a related question. Did you have your child put a mite on for practice or wear any hearing protection? It seems like it’s either genetic or luck of the draw as to whether violin can affect hearing, but I wonder sometimes if we should be doing anything. My child practices maybe 30 minutes a day.

Are you serious?

Totally serious. I’ve heard some people have their kids wear an earplug in their left ear.

[Anonymous]

DC wears earPeace earplug on left side since the high note hurts his ear, violin teacher said it’s fine and she use it sometimes too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a related question. Did you have your child put a mite on for practice or wear any hearing protection? It seems like it’s either genetic or luck of the draw as to whether violin can affect hearing, but I wonder sometimes if we should be doing anything. My child practices maybe 30 minutes a day.

No mute, it distorts sound. If your child is disturbed, wear something in the left ear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean, the teacher is quite different and uses an uncommon book? There are various Russian and European etudes books, and then beginner concertos. After a rigorous 2 years, I can see a good 9 year old student playing the Accolay.

Teacher is from Eastern Europe and uses Baronreiter German method book, which isn't as widely used in the states at least that I've heard. Right now she is learning folk songs that are teaching musical techniques. I'm more familiar with Suzuki method which emphasizes listening and playing "real" pieces sooner. I don't have reason to be displeased with the teacher, but just wondering whether we are on par with other methods and what will come next.

Don't say Eastern Europe unless you mean Russian school, OP
Do you mean the Sassmanshauss Method? It's a perfectly fine beginner method, but is not Russian school.

[Anonymous]

I don't know what method my daughter had - she took lessons at school starting in first grade, still takes those plus a private with the school teacher and is in a youth orchestra (she's now in sixth) - but there were a lot of folk songs at first. Go Tell Aunt Rhody is one that comes to mind. Suzuki was sprinkled in there. She's in the first violin section, second chair, in a moderately competitive orchestra so I don't think this hurt her. She might be the same in a competitive one, I'm not sure, we are more in this for fun at this point.