Stress Value
Just because a violin is inexpensive, doesn’t mean that it will offer a good value. Indeed, if you and your student have to constantly struggle to keep it in tune or find the right tonal pitch, the wasted time means that your child isn’t learning how to play the violin—they’re learning how to repair it. Moreover, a poorly built instrument often requires frequent trips to the luthier for re-gluing, and the materials used can have greater susceptibility to changes in temperature and humidity, which means that costly cracks and other expensive fixes are more likely.
By stressing the value factor, you can help parents understand the importance of a quality crafted violin, and how the initial cost will translate into long-term savings.
Focus on Craftsmanship and Materials
Parents want to know exactly what to look for when buying or renting a violin for their student musician. With violins, a clear-cut check list is difficult to determine because of the artisan nature of the instrument. But, you can outline some basics that will help clarify their decision. Have parents look for:
Sound
Before buying a violin, parents should listen to the instrument being played. Just because something looks good, doesn’t mean that it will sound that way, so it’s a good idea to have parents ask for a demonstration at the instrument shop. If possible, have them take along another violinist who can play a few bars on the violin while they listen for tinny sounds, projection and tonal quality. You may even want to arrange a time each month when you’ll be available to meet with students at a local dealer’s shop to help make the selection.
Offer a Trusted Brand
A violin that has been crafted with quality materials and fitted out by a professional luthier can help beginning students sound better, and make your ensembles sound super. But, parents need to balance financial demands with their child’s musical inclination. A poor sounding instrument will discourage the student and possibly lead to students defecting from the program, which would be a terrible shame.
By offering a quality-crafted, brand name violin, you can help solidify your music program’s success and encourage life-long playing enjoyment in your students. Revelle offers exceptional instruments that provide splendid sound by using the best tonewoods and a hands-on fitting out process. Outfits start at around $500 and include a hard case, carbon-fiber bow, and a quality built violin so you can feel good about recommending a Brand that will offer long-term value and listening pleasure.