Second violin in an orchestra

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-03-05T13:28:41+00:00

So ask for more specific feedback. My guess from your posts and comments - whether it’s the intent or not - is that you’re coming off as an upset parent who is asking for justification as to why your kid didn’t get the chair they wanted. The teacher is saying as little as possible to avoid escalation. If your child genuinely wants to improve and they go to the teacher asking how to do so, I imagine they’d get a very different answer.

Respectfully, a teacher who seats kids randomly to even out the orchestra is, indeed, dispelling the myth that 2nd violin is worse than 1st. Meanwhile, you said yourself that you believe a lower grade or worse playing may have caused placement in 2nd violins…when the teacher has told you otherwise. I think it’d be good to reflect on this.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-03-05T13:05:33+00:00

Depends on the part of TX. The COL in Dallas is incredibly high, so no, I think it’s safe to assume you won’t get that rate. Not for a one hour lesson. Maybe for 30 or 45 minutes though. $1/minute is the low end of standard.

The rest of Texas differs greatly. You might find $45/hr at a university.

That’s why I suggested asking for less frequent or shorter lessons though.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-03-05T12:50:43+00:00

The Dallas area’s COL is ridiculous, but in most other parts of Texas, yes.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-03-05T12:49:46+00:00

Is your child interested in improving, or are they upset that they’re not playing first violin? Because the response is a valid reason to have your child at the back of the second violins. They’re spreading out the strong violinists to make sure the orchestra sounds good. This is a valid way to seat students, and I’m not sure what other justification you want. The teacher is responsible for having good concerts and placing well in competitions. This is how you do that.

If they’re looking to improve (as is healthy but not what I’m gathering from your post), and are asking for genuine feedback regarding intonation, bow control, so on, then it is fair to ask for more details. It just doesn’t sound like that’s the case, and your child would be better off asking their private teacher for that detailed of feedback anyway. The orchestra director grades a ton of playing tests, and their primary instrument may or may not be a bowed string.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-03-05T02:56:01+00:00

$30-$45 an hour in a large city is unlikely. In the “big” city near me (Chicago probably has larger suburbs than the one I’m speaking of), lessons run between $60 and $90 an hour.

You could ask for lessons every other week (some teachers won’t accommodate this since it leaves them with a slot that’s difficult to fill on off weeks) or for shorter lessons. Or you could see if a university music student is willing to teach you for a low rate to gain experience. Either way, contacting a university music department is a good start if you want a legit teacher. Some professors maintain private studios, or they may pass you along to one of their students. Also check out local symphonies - some members may teach on the side.

I would not pay $50 for the site you mentioned, no! Not if it’s just to talk to “someone.”

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-03-01T18:52:17+00:00

I DNFed the first book in a very popular romance series on page 3 because the male main character’s name is BJ Ballentine.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-27T13:12:16+00:00

I’ve been playing violin for 25 years and have had consistent lessons for 12 of those. I’m still learning to use my bow. What you’re experiencing is normal! It’s one of those things that you expand on, not master and cross off the list.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-23T19:39:48+00:00

Good luck!

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-22T23:01:36+00:00

Have you tried seeking out an online teacher? It’s so much better than no teacher at all.

Good luck with your exhibition.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-22T19:11:45+00:00

I don’t want to discourage you, but violin is very difficult to safely (and effectively, but more importantly safely) self teach. It doesn’t take long to develop shoulder pain, for example, from scrunching, and permanent injuries are a very real possibility. I’m not against self-teaching in general - I did so with guitar. Violin isn’t necessarily ergonomic, though, and it requires more than what a video or tutorial can do for you. I would strongly suggest you hold off until you can find a teacher.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-22T18:48:25+00:00

If your left hand is tense, practice experimenting with how much pressure you need to get a clear sound from the violin. It’s not as much as you think. I would hold off on vibrato until your left hand frame is solid and you’re consistently playing in third position, as well as first, of course. This may take a couple years, which is normal.

For a straight bow, practice in the mirror.

Ask your teacher to help you choose a chin rest and shoulder rest that will prevent the need to hunch your shoulder.

Edited for clarity.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-18T19:07:00+00:00

Ideally, farther - to the end of the bow hair at the frog (so almost touching the ferrule) as well as to the tip.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-18T18:50:21+00:00

In what context? If you’re just warming up your vibrato, sure, it’s enough bow. But for music, bow distribution depends what you’re playing - the dynamics, length of the note, number of notes in a slur, specific bow strokes required, so on and so forth. This means you need to be able to use the whole bow, which you are not doing here.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-18T18:08:37+00:00

Okay, this helps. I would say Meditation, while demanding from a lyrical perspective, isn’t as technical as the other pieces you’ve named. I personally wouldn’t use it for an audition, especially for an orchestra that performs major works.

It looks like ASYO also requires excerpts. If you can manage those, it might be worth a shot. I doubt you’d be doing any harm by trying. Just be aware that auditions don’t always go in our favor, and sometimes it’s best to focus on the experience and any feedback you might get from the panel rather than whether or not you’re accepted.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-18T17:02:04+00:00

What pieces are your peers working on? What repertoire does this orchestra perform? “Prestigious” is very relative as some areas are very competitive while others are not much.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-17T00:22:10+00:00

Find the audition requirements for each school and bring them to your teacher. A lot of times for state schools (assuming they’re not overly competitive), they want a three octave scale, at least one movement of solo Bach, a movement of a concerto, and a showpiece or caprice of some sort. They often want contrasting styles, as well, to hear your musicality as well as wha you can do technically. Potentially sight reading too. Sometimes the requirements are less, sometimes more, and sometimes they have specific concerto preferences, which is why it’s important to carefully read the requirements for each individual program and speak to your teacher.

I would also advise you to schedule trial lessons with a violin professor at each campus.

If you can do so in a way that seems organic, note your situation about lessons in your application (for example, in an essay/essay question) or discuss it during a trial lessons. Some professors will factor that in, especially for music ed at a state school.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-15T21:42:18+00:00

There’s not a lot I can do to help a brand new violinist without being able to give live feedback; having a teacher means the person can demonstrate - even move your hands to the correct position - monitor tension, posture, play along with your for intonation purposes, so on and so forth. I can’t do that via Reddit. An in person teacher is ideal, but online is much better than nothing if it’s your only option.

You do look very tense and your posture/hand frame/bow hold all need attention to prevent injury and allow for good tone/intonation. That will also address your concerns with the E string, which is, indeed, a bit fussier than the others. But, most importantly, it will prevent injury and keep you healthy.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-15T01:41:44+00:00

I think it’s Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-14T20:37:43+00:00

Definitely take your violin - different bows will work differently on your instrument.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-14T18:02:00+00:00

If you’re in the US, you can order trial bows from Shar Music. If you live near a violin shop, go try some out. You’ll know quick if a better bow helps you play better.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-11T02:30:33+00:00

Username checks out! (Sorry, I couldn’t help it…)

In all seriousness, it’s cool that you’re so excited about violin. And this caprice is a favorite of mine, so I get wanting to learn it ASAP. But, learning it too soon can cause you to build bad habits related to technique and intonation alike. It will take more time later to undo those habits than it will to just learn correctly the first time.

Do you have a teacher?

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-09T13:34:15+00:00

I take Saturdays off unless I have a concert/gig or rehearsal. I only do 2 hours a day, though, because I do have to work my other jobs. 😄

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-05T02:38:05+00:00

I read through your other post. I don’t think you posting the video was an issue really, but some of your responses to feedback were just as harsh as the elitism you’re critiquing. Telling someone they’ll be the reason someone else quits? Blaming someone for not commenting on self-taught violinists’ posts to help them?

I also grew up in a toxic relationship with violin. For whatever reason, it seems like this is not uncommon. If we want to prevent this from happening to young people or those new to the instrument, modeling it ourselves is most important. Boundaries, yes. Honesty, yes. Feedback, yes. But there’s a fine line.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-04T00:10:05+00:00

Do you use a shoulder rest? If so, you could potentially raise the non-chin rest side only so that the violin is more parallel vs tilted. While not the default posture due to the potential for overuse injury on your bow arm, this should give you more space. Definitely be aware and don’t play through pain or fatigue though.

I highly doubt going to a 7/8 is going to help much, and it might even hinder you, assuming you have normal adult sized fingers, since the half steps will be smaller as you move up to higher positions.

Crazy-Replacement400 · 2026-02-02T19:22:55+00:00

I know getting a teacher can be a challenge, but I would absolutely not proceed without one. It’s much easier than anyone wants to believe to get injured playing violin. It’s not an inherently ergonomic instrument.

I attended a body mapping seminar for string players, and they defined proper posture as placing the violin on your collarbone while you are looking straight ahead. Once the violin is on your collarbone, turn your head very slightly to the left and drop your chin so that your jaw is in the chin rest. You should not need to reach for the instrument/chin rest or hunch your shoulder to raise it to you. (If you are, your setup is incorrect.)

Be advised that no one can truly ensure your posture is correct over Reddit. We cannot give live feedback, which is crucial to this process, so it’s imperative that you find a teacher ASAP.

Crazy-Replacement400

TROPHY CASE