The Rough Guide to Violin Tipbook, 1st Edition

I just started learning the violin at the age of 42. I have never read music or really played an instrument. I have however always wanted to learn the violin as it plays to my heart when I hear it. So, I went and bought a violin and started with some lessons. I however felt I always needed to know more than just - here, play this. This book is a valuable resource. I read through this in almost one night. It so help me to understand about the violin and what makes all the sounds, how to take care of it, what I should look for in a bow and violin and etc. I will keep this little book forever and I am sure will refer to it often on everything. A must get for someone who is starting out and really is serious about their violin. I think that every violin teacher should hand this out with the first lesson.

I'm a new violin player and this book has been extremely useful. Not only does it cover the basics like care and maintainence, but it also has information about buying a violin. This will be very useful when I upgrade from my student model. I also learned at there are different kinds of strings, so when I broke one, I had a little bit of a clue about what to ask for at the music store. This book has been a huge help to me and would be great info for any new violinist.

As a beginning violin student, I feel the need for lots of information presented in simple terms. This book does just that. It seems like every time I have a question about the violin, this book is able to answer it accurately and concisely.

Books like these are treasures. I can't think of a single topic the author left out: the history, the major names, how the viola differs, how the violin works, how it's made (even how the trees are cut!)...and on and on. The pictures are skillfully drawn, too, though the prose hardly needs them. And yes, the prose! I'd say buy the book even if violins hold no interest to you. When you have writer's block, pick up this little gem and read a chapter or two. The beautiful prose alone will get your own words flowing again. Throughout the book are wonderful little anecdotes as well. Somehow, this book says so much in scant few pages. The author clearly knows his subject and how to communicate it. I wish he'd written my calculus textbook!

This is an excellent book for the beginner! The following chapters are included: The Violin and Viola, A Quick Tour, Learning To Play, Buying Or Renting, A Good Violin, Good Strings, A Good Bow, Accessories, Tuning, Violin Maintenance, Back In Time, The Family, How They're Made, The Makers. Also included is a glossary, index, extra sources, and pages to write down your own information on your violin and strings. The book is very straightforward and teaches all the concepts well. Of major bonus is the fact that it emphasises that all violins sound different with different types of equipment -- it doesn't say, "this is the best violin" or "this is the best string". The illustrations are clear and help explain a lot of the concepts. This book teaches you all the basic (and some more advanced) ideas of the violin and its accessories.