It’s a thought that nearly everyone has when they first pick up the violin: “Do I actually have talent for this?” Comparing your journey to another violinist’s, and noting how they’re getting better faster, or have a nicer tone right out the gate, only reinforces this idea. You walk away convinced that progress hinges on innate talent.
Well, the truth is, the degree of long-term success on the violin has far, far less to do with talent than many people believe.
You see, this is an instrument of precision and repetition. Each nuance, from the bow hold to the placement of the fingers, to control of the pressure applied, needs to be learned over time. These aren’t abilities that can just pop out of thin air. They have to be built.
That’s why consistent effort trumps bursts of intensity.
By practicing at least a little each day, you’re giving your body and your brain the time to learn a skill at a pace that allows that skill to become natural. Repetition over a long period of time enables you to do something that would take you several times longer to learn in the short term, or even prevent you from mastering the technique altogether.
Another element here, which is crucial for the violin, is how the body responds over time. This is a physical, and even more so mental instrument. Your brain and your arm are developing new fine motor skills, which, for the average person, they don’t use every day. And it takes time for the fingers to learn where they need to be positioned, and for the arm to develop the muscle memory required to be able to move smoothly with the bow.
All of these skills require repetition. And even if your practice is slow, and feels simple, you’re still learning control. This, in turn, adds up over time.
One of the main issues many students face in their first year of violin, or sometimes for years after, is getting discouraged from lack of progress. The violin isn’t an instrument that has obvious rewards at the beginning. Improvements aren’t always noticeable. And it can feel like you’re not changing much at all.
Except, that you are.
The thing is, those improvements that aren’t visible immediately are still happening. And, over time, they add up to a noticeable difference. It’s often sudden, in the beginning of your journey that your sound suddenly becomes much nicer. That’s when you find you’ve gained a better sense of control. Suddenly the bow is moving more comfortably. You’re not moving at the same speeds and it sounds like it should. That feeling comes from many repetitions.
It’s also important to remember that consistency doesn’t require perfection. Some practice sessions will feel great, and some, they won’t. That’s part of being human. And the most crucial part to keep in mind is that it doesn’t matter how good the practice session feels. Just show up! That’s all you need to do!
Even when you feel like you aren’t changing much at all, you are at least reinforcing your skills. And, if you were to skip practice for too long, even one of your most productive practices sessions could feel worse than usual.
One of the great things is creating a habit that is easier to stick to. Find a set time where you are able to practice for your instrument, have your practice time be manageable and realistic, and have a few clear objectives you’re focusing on in those sessions. That will decrease the resistance you feel towards getting your instrument in hand. Once a practice routine becomes part of your normal everyday habits, it starts to feel like more of an afterthought, and less of a task. You start to feel the benefits that come from a routine.
And, as your ability to control the bow and your instrument improves, so will your confidence in being able to play. You’ll no longer need to worry about making the sound, you’ll simply be able to focus on the music. That confidence comes through familiarity.
It is not, in the end, about talent, but rather consistency. It’s the one student that will continue to practice in some capacity, no matter how much, who will eventually be able to play. It is the student who starts and stops, who will likely always feel the most “stuck,” even if they have potential.
Mastering the violin requires patience, and it will take time to reach a stage where you are comfortable at the level you’re able to play. Learning to be comfortable with progress will come over time. It’s not an easy task, and it’s not something you can rush. But, there’s no other way to do it. Practice!