Posted by Jerold Siemering on Mar 8, 2011
Article word count: 870 Times read: 50
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Online violin lessons are a wonderful breakthrough. These digitally delivered programs make learning violin within the reach of anyone. They aren't necessarily ideal for every situation, but you can lessen the effect of the drawbacks once you know what they are. In this post, we'll go over the benefits and the potential drawbacks of learning in this manner.
Most notably under the good category is price. Digital products have low to no delivery cost so there is no required markup. Since the makers can get their investment back quickly, you are only paying for the value you receive. You only have to pay once for these programs, as opposed to the alternative. And that one time price is normally less than the cost of a single private lesson.
The next thing to note is convenience. It isn't necessary to go out, but you don't have to stay in to learn either. With more and more people getting mobile devices, it's possible for you to learn how to play the violin anywhere. And if you want to go on a vacation, you don't need to mess around with appointments for learning the violin You don't need to spend the extra time and money driving to and from the lesson either, so you have more free time to practice or do whatever else you like.
For the drawbacks, you don't have someone to correct your form if you have it wrong. This isn't always a problem though. If you have quality guides to learn from and a keen eye for detail you'll be fine.
The second potential drawback is that you aren't forced to keep a schedule of playing. Many people have problems when it comes to getting themselves to practice. Being around people who love the instrument and play it on a regular basis will rub off on you. Being around them keeps your motivation high by reminding you of your own passion for the fiddle.
To avoid this problem, you can find other people who love to play and practice around them. If you have a friend who also wants to learn, practice with him or her. This allows you to keep one another on a schedule. You could also just get someone to make you do it, either by asking or bribing. Once you've gotten into a ritual of playing, it is hard to break.
Schedule and motivation have been lumped into one point as improvement or degradation of one creates a similiar response in the other.
Now, breaking it all down, who should choose which style?
I recommend the offline option if you often have motivational problems or need extra help. Just by the amount of money you have to funnel into these lessons you're more likely to be motivated to practice and get good.
If you aren't sure about how long you'll be wanting to play or don't have a big budget, start light and go with the online option. Online lessons are also good for those that feel they may forget parts of their lessons or just want additional practice. Even if you already have group or private lessons, these are a great addition for the price.