Important Considerations for Buying Violin Books

While it may seem obvious that a search for violin books would render results of a list of music, often times that is not the case.  Violin books are extremely varied in nature and scope and this article will help you sift through the information to find exactly what you need.  You may find as you search for violin books, that although you were looking for music that you might enjoy playing, you discover a book on the history of violin making that piques your interest.

One of the first things to consider when purchasing violin books is the level of the student.  Violin books are rated by their level of difficulty.  Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced or Expert are the major violin book rating categories.  You will find that these categories vary widely on their offerings, so choose wisely.  In other words, some violin books that are rated for beginners may have some pieces that are more difficult to play than others that may be labeled intermediate.  Generally speaking, if a student has been playing for 1-2 years, he/she should be using intermediate level violin books.

Another consideration when purchasing violin books is to determine if the music you want is available in sheet music form or from an online teaching system.   You may not want to purchase a complete book of music and sheet music may be a more economically viable option.  On the other hand, violin books keep you music together in an orderly and progressive format.
 
As you look for violin books, you should be thinking of their ease of readability.  Just as when you are reading the evening newspaper, the font size and style can either make your reading experience more pleasant or more difficult.  Look at the style of the music printouts. If they are printed in a hand-written style, you may find it pleasant to look at as a piece of artwork, but extremely difficult to read as music.  If you are purchasing violin books for your child you will want to make sure the fonts and print styles are in bold, dark (preferably black) print.

There is one more thing to keep in mind when selecting violin books.  Please don’t overlook the importance of music theory.  Music theory is the study of what makes music work.  Because music theory is the academic side of an art form, its importance can often be overlooked.  Music theory will help the student understand and appreciate not only the style and instrument that he/she is attracted to, but there will also develop an appreciation of an entire world of musical exploration.  Because violin books tend to key in on one instrument and solo performance, Music theory will broaden the horizons of the student, allowing them to see far beyond their individual craft.

Violin books are available by the thousands!  Look for violin books that are level and/or age appropriate when you are learning violin.  Ask yourself if you would get a better ‘bang for your buck’ by purchasing violin sheet music.  Is the font and print style suitable for the student? And finally, is there a generous dose of music theory interspersed throughout your violin books?  Having talking about the beauty of books; so many people today elect to learn their songs through online training.  It’s a fast and easy way to learn if you aren’t particularly good at reading music. Happy playing!