When you are looking at instruments, especially string instruments it can be a daunting task. You realize that you or your child wants to play, and you think it will be simple to get started, but there are a lot of decisions to make.

1. Online String Stores

• United States – When I taught orchestra and private lessons in Washington state, my two online string resources for purchasing a solid beginner instrument were Southwest Strings and Shar Music.
• Sweden/ Europe – Now that I live in Stockholm, I have found the German-based music shop Thomann to be a great online resource.

2. Choosing a Store & Instrument

Don’t buy from an online retailer that sells EVERYTHING. Ideally, you should go in person to a shop and get a chance to try the instrument. But, if you are buying online, use the online recordings to hear what the instruments sound like before you purchase. (Remember that you are not going to sound the same as the person playing the demo until you have training on playing the instrument, but you can at least hear the differences between the instruments.) You can find some budget options on the sites I listed above, such as

• Stentor (from Thomann) or
• Klaus Meuller (from Southwest Strings).

Generally speaking, within these two series, the higher the price, the better the quality.

3. Types of Bows

In your bargain instrument price range, you typically see carbon fiber and Brazilwood bows. I don’t like the brazilwood bows as they tend to need to be over-tightened to play correctly, and over time warp very easily. The only real advantage is that they have a warmer sound, but I would generally opt for a carbon fiber bow in the low price range. If you can get a pernambuco bow, then this is a harder wood and has a longer-lasting quality. Sometimes a carbon fiber bow still outperforms the cheaper permambucco bows, but you need to try things out and see what you like the best.

4. Sizes of Instruments

If you are an adult, you should get a 4/4 or full-size violin or cello. If you are buying a viola, then the size will vary depending on your frame and arm length. If you are buying for a child, it’s best to have a teacher or music store person help with sizing the instrument. But if you are buying online, you might need to figure out the size on your own.

With the violin or viola, I like to have the child hold their arm straight out to the left and place the violin or viola under their chin. The child should be able to wrap their hand around the scroll of the instrument, without being super strained with their arm ( a little bend in the arm is good). If the child looks to be in between sizes, this is a time to pick the smaller size. I know as parents we are always trying to look out for our kids and get something to grow into, but you can always play on an instrument that is too small for you, but it’s very difficult to play on an instrument that is too big.

5. Shoulder Rest & Chin Rest for Violin or Viola

Some people with a very short neck prefer to play without a shoulder rest, but most of the time, it’s easier to play when you have a shoulder rest.

• Kun brand is reliable for someone with a shorter neck length. This is a good place to start if you are not sure what to get when you first start playing.
• Bonmusica is good for those with a longer neck, and this is the shoulder rest I currently use, but I have tried many different combinations of shoulder and chin rests over the years to try to get the most relaxed playing position possible.
• And if you have a really long neck like me, you might also consider raising your chin rest height with something like the SaS chin rest, which comes in different heights. I use these on my violin and my viola, the only tricky part is that some instrument cases don’t accommodate these, so you might have to take off the chinrest when putting your instrument away.

I’m Leah Irby, and I specialize in helping beginners get a good start on their chosen instrument. If you still have questions and are looking to get started with music lessons, either in person in Stockholm or online, send me a message to see if we would be a good fit to work together.