hi there!

i'm planning to take up violin but i'm totally clueless on getting the instrument.
planning to enrol with yamaha @ ioi mall as nearest to my place....

how to buy a violin when i dont even know what to look for?
should i enrol for the class first and get the teacher to help out?

any good music shops selling the violins around subang/puchong area?

anyone know any violin classes around subang/puchong or near puchong?

thanks!

hi kimmie and pigcat
thanks a lot...
i might go to the city square to have a look. i assume there will be ppl to help me pick an instrument?

rm1500 .. a little steep... maybe i get a beginner violin first ... grow on it then change it when my skills evolve?...
i'm so eager to start the lesson....

some other questions :
in malaysia, the price includes the bow, case, shoulder rest, etc?
what should it be in the package? what should i look for? sorry, no experience in this...

thanks ya!

i found these 2 articles informative :
1. http://www.zaretandsonsviolins.com/choosingviolin.html
2. http://www.zaretandsonsviolins.com/goodtoneviolin.html

but... dont really know most of the term... only thing i learned is must be LOUD....erm....

u think if i go to the shop they would have ppl there who know how to play? i obviously cant...
after reading from pigcat... i was thinking of getting a better beginner violin... around 500-1k...
so what can i get from that budget?

any suggestions on any brand? (i know not suppose to judge brand but ....)

hi crabjim
i think i would like warmer tone... actually i was also considering taking cello as i love the mellow sound... but it is so hard to get a teacher as i asked several shops. no cello teacher...

hmm. is it possible to find out more about the shop contact?

sorry, i'm kinda geography challenged. taman danau desa is same as desa water park rite?

i have thought of that but i would prefer to go for classes.... at least until i can get tue fundamentals correct.
i've yet to enrol in a class too but without any knowledge of violin playing, i wouldnt know if i was even holding the violin correctly ...
as for reading the notes, i guess you can learn it yourself but i do have piano background

have you bought your violin? if yes, where, what and how much you got yours? (sorry ya, very typical asian question : how much, ah? )

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Added on March 26, 2008, 4:15 pmi bought the violin!!!! i'm so excited ..... and broke

thx for recommending euro music. the lady vivian is very nice

she actually know my ex-piano teacher!! what a small world.

This post has been edited by storm04: Mar 26 2008, 04:15 PM

ok more updates on my purchases...

total spent around 1k include

- violin outfit (bow, rosin, oblong case)
- extra set of dominant string
- shoulder rest
- music stand

so the violin i bought - eurostring 300... yea, it's a made-in-china. actually i was not really sure to get it until the lady introduced me to a customer who plays with the bandaraya .. he was very kind... he did a quick tuning and played a short tune. i fell in love... with the violin of course... the sound was rich and LOUD... maybe cos he expert and know how to play it well. but he also agreed the violin got BIG tone.
anyone with the similar violin? yea i know i bought it already but anyone with any opinion?

suppose to get a chromatic tuner but was too excited and forgot about it... any suggestions on tuner?

hey pigcat
thanks for your advice!

i've found a violin class! and yahoo!!! it's so near my place too. there's this place "de music" ... they sell instruments too.. until today only i notice the shop there... haiz.. if know earlier no need to go down to kl . but is ok la.... nice experience to meet ppl oso.

no la... the guy who played my violin didnt choose for me la... i was sam si si wanna buy or not ... then he was there to get some books and vivian requested him to play and i was hooked


yahoo... tomorrow i will be starting my lessons!!! (i hope i wont do some embarrassing stunts ... i'm so ever clumsy....)

it's in bandar puteri puchong.

are you familiar with bandar puteri puchong?
if yes, it is directly opposite bumbu bali ... (2 roads away...in the opposite direction lo) corner shop, 1st floor. it is above a steamboat shop.
hmm... i will take a photo tomorrow when i go lesson...

actually i told alex, the guy in charge, to make the sign more attractive lo.... cos it is like faded liao and not really noticeable... some more no website...
i mean if make a simple website a just create a blogsite oso ok. just put name, sign, contact... put words like violin,cello, music, lessons.... and of course puchong, selangor, malaysia
at least when ppl do a search can find them mar rite? businesss man business...

This post has been edited by storm04: Mar 28 2008, 05:06 AM

i just realised that the bridge is slightly leaning towards the scrolls.... is it normal??
i suppose the teacher can adjust it tonite rite?

kimmie - cam = oly e500


hmm... just came back....

played some open string and hands damn tired....
he was ok. but kinda quiet a little... hmm at time felt a little awkward.. maybe cos i very talkative...
but the teacher doesnt really stress on correct posture....hmm...

he just ketuk a little on the bridge to correct it but it works la...

took a photo of the shop from outside but dark d and lauya phone so picture tak jadi.... gomene!


so did you guys use a mute? i just bought one... everything $$$...

This post has been edited by storm04: Mar 28 2008, 09:36 PM

hmm. actually a few that i asked, teachers are only available on sunday cos they said all full liao.

mute really helps to quieten down kiyoshi but leave some black marks on the bridge though....

heheh i named my violin kiyoshi. do you guys name your instrument? cos i was thinking that we will be spending loads of time together ... anyone as crazy as me out there?

i oso noticed no one posts their instrument pix here? erm i guess i'm overexcited one here, eh?

yup japanese name but it's china violin

IOI mall yamaha got a lady teacher according to the manager there. she only has slot for sunday.
pm you the hp of the another lady in charge of musikgarden (or something like tat) it's for todds but she said they teach addult also.
currently the teacher only have sundays slot.

i'm a little worried now ... i'm having quite a hard time adjusting my grip on the bow.... how long did u guys take to perfect this?
and i tried to play some fingering and i feel my fingers so stiff like cannot hold down the string properly maybe too old liao fingers stiff liao?

i took a photo with my lousy hp but it didnt quite turn out.
however, i have the address :
de music box
1-1, Jln Puteri 4/1, Bandar Puteri, 47100 Puchong
60 3 8060 0515


hmm... to tell u the truth ... i never held a playstation joypad before ... but yea... i guess it takes practice ...
btw,i'm a flower power kid

anyway ... i found a online tuner which i found useful.
http://www.get-tuned.com/violin_tuner.php

aiks u didnt inform earlier ... i was looking for one in puchong.
but now already under going lessons...

mind if telling your teaching experience, etc?

yea... already in a class. although he plays in some orchestra rtm or bandaraya... but he's rather young and only taught for a year...
but yea.. i will still continue under him until maybe i need better teacher...

part A
just wondering did you guys do any hand exercise before and after playing ....

i guess i'm new in this ... my fingers are so stiff (probably due to age too )
after practicing for like 15 mins my rite thumb and pinky kinda hurt.
and left arm kinda lenguh ... and i only playing open string!!

so give some opinions on
- what you normally do b4 and after playing
- exercise to strenghten your arms, fingers (especially the pinky!)

part B
i'm trying to get some good classical cd (ori pls...)

i seen something like the complete works of beethovan, etc. in an event but totally forgot to buy it after go shopping for shoes (well it's a girl thing...)
now i go in to many many shops ... all have limited choices n most is like a compilation of different composers, part of the composition e.g. moonlight sonata... always first movement only...
guess i'm sort of a purist.. i like to have a set of a composer .. perhaps the complete works, etc...

so where do you guys buy classical cd?

thanks ya.

thanks for the advice...
that's the reason i'm a little disappointed in the teacher at the first lesson cos he didnt emphasize on posture.
but on second lesson, i was thinking i better be proactive and ask... so i asked more questions on posture and he taught.
imo, good violinist might not be a good teacher.....

and that's why i sounded like i am looking for another teacher... cos i dont want to so use to the wrong posture that it is hard to change in future...
but i dunno how to tell them i wanna leave, if i am leaving?

where's your music school? do they sell complete works or something like tat?

1. kinda old 30+
2. i have always been interested in violin when i was young. but piano was a trend ... so like all kiasu parents i was pushed to learn piano. well i would have like it if not because the lessons were so exam oriented... and teacher didnt make it as enjoyable. and i suck in piano.... maybe lack of practice now.... i love its sound.... dunno why but i just love it... and i'm a great fan of classical music...
3. coming tues will be my third violin lesson...

in msia i guess this thing called trial classes is practically unheard of. i dont mind paying for them but at least i am able to gauge in the trial classes that the teacher is suitable for me or perhaps i'm suitable for the teacher... i saw sim got trial class but it's too far for me to travel to any of their music centers.

maybe you can pm me your lesson details (which day/time/slot available, fees, etc)?