Violins have this reputation for being pricey instruments, probably because they are often used to play classical music. The training needed to play the violin is also not cheap. It’s no secret that the world’s most accomplished violin players have devoted a large portion fo their lives learning to play this instrument well.
However, it may surprise you to know that violin prices range from a few hundred dollars for a beginner model to thousands of dollars for luthier-made professional instrument. The difference is due to a large number of factors, from the kind of materials used, the precision and technique utilized in making the violin, the reputation of the manufacturer, among others.
Read on to know how much violins cost, what makes them as expensive as they are and why all these matters if you are serious about learning how to play this instrument.
How Much Do Beginner or Student Violins Cost?
The cheapest violins can set you back around $100 to $400. For this amount, you can buy a child-sized violin or a cheap full-sized violin. The difference between partial or child-sized instruments and full-sized lies in the neck which is longer or shorter depending on the length of the player’s arms. Partial-sized violins are cheaper because they are often made for children who are expected to move up to full-sized instrument as they grow older. The sound they produced are also of a lower quality than that of a full-sized violin, with lesser range.
Often, beginner violins in this price range are mass-produced and can be easily bought in your corner music store or even the mall. They are built to have a quality and durability that is enough for beginner students to learn the fundamentals of playing the violin.
Violins in the higher end of the cost spectrum that are meant for students or beginners are often made to grow with the musician as he or she moves up from being a beginner to an intermediate player. Violins known for their quality violins in this category include Windsor, Stentor Student I 1400, and Forenza Prima 2.
Intermediate Violins
Intermediate violins range from $3000 to $5000. Violins in this range are made using better materials and more precision to offer a higher dynamic range and a more complex sound quality. You will find these in the hands of intermediate and advanced players who may have not have made the leapt to professional playing. Musicians with at least 5 years of playing the violin as a hobby are likely to invest in instruments in this price range. Violins in this price range are also good as back-up instruments for professional players.
Professional Violins
The higher-end violins starting from $5000 upwards are often made of the finest quality of materials and higher quality workmanship. A violin that costs $5000 or $7000 is often made by one or two craftsmen and by hand. Violins in this price range are often dated and signed by the maker. You can easily find these violins in the hands of highly -skilled musicians, those who have spent years and decades perfecting their music. This is because higher-end violins are more responsive and produce a more nuanced, complex sound, amplifying even the slightest error or inconsistency when played.
Antiques and Collectors’ Items
These are high-end instruments with values compounded by their age, the maker, and the condition of the instrument. Violins in this range can set you back $10,000 or more.
What Makes A Violin Expensive?
The cost of a violin depends on a number of factors. These include the kind and quality of the wood, the production quality, the quality of varnishes use and how the wood has matured over time.
Violins under $500 are often called conveyor-belt instruments because they are often machine-made using inexpensive materials. Violins priced at $100 or below $500 often come with plastic fittings, flimsy fingerboards, poor tone, with low-cost materials used to make the bow and other accessories. These instruments are likely made in factories using templates and not by expert luthiers. This is understandable, considering that instruments in this price range are targeted towards children and beginners who often make the move to intermediate violins after 6 months or one year.
Violins that cost $3000 and below are often made of solid tone woods, usually with a combination of spruce and maple. Violins $3000 upwards tend to be made with a higher quality of woods and varnishes and a higher level of precision and workmanship goes into the construction of each instrument.
You can find violins in the higher end of professional violins to made by highly-regarded craftsmen, luthiers who studied the craft of violin making and who have won awards, who make the instrument by hand from start to finish. The type of wood used and how it is aged also add to its value. Maple and spruce may be aged for up to 10 years before they are used to construct one instrument. These are the types that can easily last a lifetime with good maintenance.
Antiques and collectors’ items are valued as such because they have lasted for decades and even centuries. For example, instruments made by Antonio Stradivari can easily fetch $10,000 or more. Actual values are determined by careful examination of the authenticity of the instrument, its condition and history. Violins made by famous names and dating back to early 1900s are usually regarded as high-end antiques and sold as collectors’ items in auction houses.
Accessories
The total cost of playing the violin is not limited to the instrument alone. Accessories needed to play the violin and for proper maintenance all add to the overall cost. While most sellers include the bow, case and rosin in the purchase price, other accessories like the shoulder rest, tuner, extra strings and even a violin stand can add to the overall cost.
A violin is one of those instruments that require the same level of craftsmanship and expertise to produce quality music. The good thing is that violins can be affordable for those who are just starting out. You have every option to invest in a more sophisticated instrument as your skill progresses over time.
Born over 400 years ago in Italy, opera is truly a time-defying art form that is still adored by millions of people worldwide. Today, almost every major city has a theatre where families gather and enjoy live performances of opera. Here are some of the most popular and beloved opera songs of all time.
An Introduction to Opera and Its Most Popular Pieces of Music
Opera is collaborative art with musicians and actors who carry out a complex piece of dramatic work. Opera is a precursor to art forms like Broadway Musicals and Disney movies. Each opera has many songs. But like anything, certain songs from certain “go viral” and become crowd favourites. If there were an Academy Awards show for operas…these songs would be the ones played between award presentations.
Here are some of the most well-known (and well-loved) songs from operatic works.
Nessun Dorma
Probably the most popular opera song of all time, Nessun Dorma is a composition that is still regularly listened to today. It is the best-known aria off all time that originates from the final act of Giacomo Puccini’s opera named Turandot. It has been performed by many world-renowned tenors throughout the years, such as Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Paul Potts, and many others. To put things into context, in the opera, Nessun Dorma sings when a complex series of events take place, in which princess Turandot has to guess Calaf’s name until the sunrise, to avoid marrying him. Through the song, they communicate with each other with princess Turandot initially telling him that she will find out his name, no matter the cost. Calaf responds telling her that he will eventually win and marry her. The signature Vincero line from the song means I will win in the English language, with Calaf ensuring the princess that he will have her hand by the end of the night.
Queen of the Night
Die Zauberflöte, or The Magic Flute is Mozart’s majestic opera which encompasses one of the most beloved opera songs of all time, named Queen of the Night. First and foremost, this fast-paced aria is very recognizable due to the ah-ah-ah-aah passages performed by the Night Queen herself. The song signifies and embodies rage, vengeance, and despair the Queen feels once her position is threatened by the young sorcerer named Sarastro. Consequently, after finding out that her daughter wants to join the sorcerer’s ranks, the queen orders her daughter to kill him, otherwise she will be cursed and disowned. This aria is very difficult to pull off, and very few sopranos can even attempt to perform this on stage, the most popular soprano performing this regularly being the German singer named Diana Damrau.
O Mio Babbino Caro
Moving on, we’ll discuss another world-famous aria named O Mio Babbino Caro (Oh my dear Papa), taken from the opera Gianni Schicchi, written by Giacomo Puccini. While the opera itself isn’t as significant as some of Puccini’s other works of art, O Mio Babbino Caro is one of the most performed arias over the past 100 years. Contextually, the aria is sung when Lauretta, a young lady situated in Florence, Italy, falls in love with a man named Rinuccio and desperately wants to marry him. The song depicts pure frustration that Lauretta feels when she cannot be with the man she loves, and while the lyrics are quite simple and straightforward, the message they send is one of pure love and affection. Additionally, Florence at that time was full of people trying to backstab each other, and this song acts as a message of peace.
La Donna e Mobile
The first canzone on this list is La Donna e Mobile (Woman is Fickle) is the song performed on the third act of Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece named Rigoletto. This canzone is a great test for every tenor, as it is extremely difficult to sing some of the high-pitched notes in the composition. The song itself is sung by the character named Duke, who has the opinion that women are a joke and that men should stay away from them, as they are unreliable and fickle. Interestingly, after Rigoletto’s premiere in 1851, the song proved to be very catchy and many Venetian citizens were singing it at the time.
Habanera
Taken from Georges Bizet’s 1875 Carmen, one of the most popular operas of all time, is the next song we’ll discuss named Habanera. It is the popularized name of the aria originally named L’amour est un Oiseau Rebelle (Love is a rebellious bird) that talks about love and how it cannot ever be predicted or tamed. The song sings in the first act when Carmen and her co-workers meet in the town square and are asked by soldiers whether they will ever love them. Carmen responds with an aria that describes love as an unruly bird, whose movements cannot be predicted. Additionally, she tells that love is like a gypsy’s child, unpredictable and lawless, and that the soldiers won’t get the answer they were seeking.
Un Bel Di Vedremo
Un Bel Di Vedremo (One fine day we’ll see) is an aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera named Madama Butterfly. This beautiful aria is one of the most respected and famous arias that a soprano can sing, and is enjoyed by many to this day. It tells the tale of a lady named Cio-Cio-San who awaits the return of her long-lost husband. She pours her feelings into a heartwarming aria, in which she imagines their reunion as she sees the boat that her husband is boarded on in the distance approaching. This aria is beloved by many people because the story has a tragic ending, with Cio-Cio-San eventually committing suicide because of unendurable emotional suffering.
Libiamo ne’lieti calici
Rounding up our list of well-known opera songs is Libiamo ne’lieti calici (Let’s drink from the joyful cups), taken from Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata. Unlike the romantic songs previously mentioned, this composition simply encourages the listeners to drink and enjoy life, mostly referring to alcoholic beverages. This aria is a duet between Violetta and Alfredo Germont, who are the main roles of the opera. They perform this song in the first act when they meet at a party and start having feelings for each other. Initially, Alfredo is encouraged by his friend to start singing the song to make a good impression on Violetta, and she soon follows his lead and starts singing along.
How long does it take to learn piano? Well first you must decide what level you’re aiming for! The length of time it takes to learn piano all depends on whether you want to be a casual player, a music teacher, or a concert pianist. The time you devote to practice, the experience of your instructor, your motivation and your learning pace all factor into the time it will take to achieve your desired level.
If you’re simply looking to play one tune at a party or gathered around the Christmas tree, you can generally learn a simple song online in a matter of hours or weeks. To become a proper piano player, however, expect to take private lessons at least once a week and also practice for a minimum of 30 minutes each day for basic proficiency within a years time. For the aspiring concert pianist, expect it to take at least three years before more complex pieces can be learnt, and generally over ten years to play difficult pieces.
Learning Curve Depends on Target Level of Piano Proficiency
Before you begin, you need to ask yourself how well you want to play, what level you’re hoping to achieve, and what goals you have for playing. Consider whether your goal is to play professionally or to play for your own entertainment. Do you want to play classical music, jazz, modern rock, or do you want to play all genres?
The level you wish to achieve will determine the length of time it will take you to learn to play. You can start at the beginning, learning the scales and becoming a serious learner or you can sit at the piano bench and learn to play a short song in no time.
Songs such as Heart and Soul, Joy to the World, Chopsticks, and Fur Elise can be leaned in a matter of hours (or even minutes), depending on your pace. Learning to play the notes of a Beethoven piano concerto, however, might not be in the realm of possibility until you’ve been playing for many years. And there’s SO much more to playing piano than simply hitting the right keys. Professional concert pianists are continuously striving to develop and perfect their craft.
You’re never truly done learning to play the piano.
Age of the Piano Student
The time it takes to learn the piano also depends on the age lessons begin. As with any instrument, the earlier lessons begin, the better, but that’s not to say a retiree can’t start! There is no best time to begin lessons, but some piano teachers say that the ideal age to begin is between six and eight when children are more developmentally ready for formal learning and have the motor skills needed to move the fingers of each hand independently from each other.
Toddler Piano Student Learning Journey
For toddlers, their fingers can be too small to properly maneuver the keys; however, it doesn’t exclude them from learning. They can sit on the lap of an adult and lay their fingers over the adult’s hands as they imitate the movements. They can also learn by listening, and by learning about the patterns of notes and keys. Parents of toddlers learning piano should understand that it will likely not sound like much of anything for a few years (even with daily practice).
Children between the ages of three and five often don’t adapt to formal lessons as sitting still for any length of time can be challenging, Games are generally incorporated into the lessons to ward off boredom. While private lessons are an option, some piano teachers offer toddler-focused group lessons where a half-dozen preschoolers can learn together.
Toddlers need plenty of encouragement and accolades to feel they are accomplishing something. Of course, most toddlers aren’t able to read music so they will be learning by sight and memory. The best teacher for a toddler is one who specializes in teaching young learners.
Child Piano Learners Journey
There’s no magic age when a child should start with piano lessons, and much depends on their developmental level. The size of the fingers and their agility, their interest to learn, and their ability to read and comprehend a musical scale are all factors to consider. As with toddlers, parents with school-age children learning piano should understand that it will likely not sound great for a few years (even with daily practice).
Piano teachers say that the younger the child, the easier it is to learn to play. A book-based method of learning might not work with children, and that is something to consider. They may, however, be interested in watching videos of inspirational child piano players or in playing songs from their favourite movies or TV shows. The older the child, the more focused they generally will be.
Learning Piano as a Pre-Teen
A preteen who has never taken any musical lessons can learn the piano, and with motivation, can do so quickly. They may be able to play simple songs with basic proficiency of both hands within a year of taking private lessons. The ability to read music is no longer a roadblock and preteens are at the age when they become interested in music.
They may have peers who play the piano or other instruments, and their school might offer lessons. At the age when their friends are playing in the school band or orchestra, it piques their interest in playing an instrument as well. They may also be interested in playing in a band or emulating piano-playing YouTubers.
Teenager Piano Student Learning Journey
For teens, the piano is a popular instrument because musical awareness is becoming developed. They are at the age when they have the patience needed to learn the piano, and they have the maturity and focus. It’s also the age when some teens will decide they want a career in music or as a pianist. A teenager taking weekly lessons should be able to start learning whole simple songs within a few months.
Teens that are self-motivated to learn piano are willing to spend more time practicing. They also have better hand and foot coordination. Teens can learn quickly, and overall they do well learning to read music. While the teenage years could be considered a late start for something like the violin, starting piano as a teenager is certainly reasonable.
Starting Piano As An Adult Learner
You’re never too old, and adults can learn to play the piano even if they’ve never picked up an instrument. It might take more patience to be an adult learner because as adults we are accustomed to being good at the things we can do. It’s important to not frustrate and not give up. It is a rewarding feeling when the first song is played from beginning to end.
The time it takes for adults to learn to play piano is highly variable. Some adults are rule-followers and will dutifully practice for a half-hour every evening. Others will only play during their weekly half hour lesson! Just remember…practice makes perfect. Without daily practice, it’s hard to progress beyond very simple tunes.
Taking Time to Learn Piano At Your Own Pace
How long it takes to learn the piano is completely up to you! Practice makes perfect, and it is especially true for the piano. Make time each day to practice and to watch or listen to inspirational piano players.
The best way to learn the piano is by taking lessons from a qualified teacher. There are many online classes and videos available, but they can never replace an in-person lesson. A piano teacher can guide your hands and show you pedal work. A video can’t provide you with the hands-on instruction that is crucial to mastering the piano.
The piano is a beautiful instrument, and the range of sound makes it an ideal choice for those wanting to learn to play a variety of genres. The keys and pedals can look intimidating, but learning to play the piano is a rewarding experience and one you’ll enjoy for a lifetime. Learning to play is not as daunting as it looks, and with proper instruction, it will be a smooth journey.
