It’s often said that it’s easy to learn a new skill if you already know how to play another instrument. But is this really true?
Can you really transfer the skills you’ve learned on one instrument over to another? And if so, how easy is it to do?
In this article, we’ll take a look at how easy it is to learn guitar if you already play the violin.
Is Learning Guitar Easy If You Already Play The Violin?
Learning Guitar after you already play the violin should make it a lot easier to learn. This is because Violins and guitars are both string instruments, this means that you’ve already developed strength in your hands and that you’re already used to putting your fingers on the strings the right way.
But there are some key differences between the two instruments that make them different.
How Is The Guitar Similar To The Violin?
Both are string instruments. This means that you are already familiar with making chords on the strings with your left hand.
Because of this, you’ve already developed more strength in your left hand. Making it easier to play guitar.
What Are The Main Differences Between a Guitar And a Violin?
The Violin is a bowstring instrument and the guitar is a plucked instrument. The violin is played with a bow and a guitar is played with a pick or your fingers.
This means that you need to learn two new techniques with your right hand. Instead of moving the bow across the strings, you’ll be either;
- Using your fingers to pick the strings or
- Strum across them.
This will take some practicing and getting used to.
A guitar has frets on the neck unlike a violin. Which makes playing guitar a bit easier because you don’t have to have perfect pressure and placement on the strings.
Another difference is that the guitar usually has six strings instead of four on the violin.
How is Playing Guitar Different From Playing Violin?
Playing guitar is different from playing violin in a few key ways.
Firstly, pluck instruments are usually easier to play than bow string instruments. This is because plucking requires less precision and timing than bowing, which can be more difficult for beginners.
Secondly, the violin has no frets, which means that players need to be more precise with their finger placement. This can make the violin harder to play than the guitar, which has frets that guide the player’s fingers.
Finally, the way that the strings are tuned on a guitar is different from the way they are tuned on a violin. This can take some time for beginners to get used to because chords will be played differently on a guitar.
Learning How to Play The Guitar
Now that we’ve looked at some of the similarities and differences between playing guitar and violin, let’s take a look at how easy it is to learn guitar if you already play the violin.
As we mentioned before, one of the main advantages of learning the guitar if you already play the violin is that you’ve developed strength in your left hand from playing the violin. This will make it easier to play guitar because you won’t have to start from scratch in developing the necessary hand strength.
You can start learning how to play right away! There are tons of video tutorials on YouTube showing you what positions your fingers should be in, teaching strumming patterns, and other stuff like that.
If you really want to learn the guitar fast, taking some private guitar lessons might be worth it.
But keep in mind that playing the guitar takes time; you probably need some getting used to at first but after a while, you’ll see progress if you stick with it. Just pick up any beginner tutorial book or watch some videos online and remember: practice makes perfect!
Different Music Genres On Guitar Compared To Violin
One of the great things about playing guitar is that you can play a wide variety of music genres. You can play anything from rock to country to classical and beyond.
The same can be said for the violin, but the violin is generally associated with classical music. This is because the violin has been used in classical music for centuries.
So, when picking songs to learn on the violin you will have a higher chance of finding a lot of classical music than rock for instance.
Music Genres most commonly played on the Guitar:
- Rock
- Pop
- Blues
- Country
- Metal
- Jazz
Music Genres most commonly played on the Violin:
- Classical
- Pop
- Jazz
- Folk
- Fiddle
Tips For Buying Your First Guitar
Now that we’ve gone over some of the basics of playing guitar, let’s take a look at some tips for buying your first guitar.
There are a few things you should keep in mind when purchasing a guitar. Firstly, you need to decide what type of guitar you want. There are acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and classical guitars. Each type of guitar has its own unique sound.
Usually, I would advise starting with a Spanish acoustic guitar, because of the nylon strings that are easier to press down. But because you already play the violin you’re already used to holding down the strings. So you could just pick any guitar you like.
Secondly, you need to consider your budget. Guitars can range in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. It’s important to find a guitar that’s within your budget so that you don’t overspend.
I would look for a second-hand guitar or one that is a few hundred bucks. When you’re just starting out and you’re not sure if you actually like playing guitar, you don’t want to be spending $1500 on a guitar to only touch it a few times.
Thirdly, you need to decide what size guitar you want. Guitars come in different sizes, from small guitars that are meant for children to large guitars that are meant for adults. You should pick a size that’s comfortable for you to play.
Are Guitars Expensive?
Compared to a violin guitars are a bit more affordable. The manufacturing process of a guitar is a bit simpler than a violin making it less expensive in general.
For a beginner, you could get away with paying around 200 to 300 dollars. If you want something of better quality it’s recommended to spend at least $500 but even then you don’t have to go crazy, anything less than that will do just fine for the beginning stages.
Electric guitars tend to be a bit more expensive than acoustic guitars. This is because electric guitars require additional equipment, such as an amplifier and cords.
Classical guitars are typically the least expensive type of guitar. This is because classical guitars are generally simpler in design and don’t require as much work to create.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you already play the violin you already have a bit of a head start on learning the guitar. The violin and guitar share a lot of similarities, so the learning curve isn’t as steep.
But on the other hand, there are some key differences between the two and it definitely will take some time to get used to and learn some new techniques.
That being said, it’s important to remember that playing any instrument takes practice and dedication. So be sure to put in the time and effort if you want to learn how to play the guitar.
Thanks for reading!