The Lidman Music Studio --- violin, viola, piano instruction

Frequently asked questions

General questions

Q: What sort of lessons do you offer?
A: We offer private music instruction on your choice of violin, viola, or piano. You get the one on one attention you need so you can make the fastest progress. We follow traditional teaching methods, but private the instruction aspect allows us to cater directly to the needs and wishes of the student individually. Back to top
Q: What is the best age to start at?
A: Generally between 6 and 8 years old is considered the ideal age to start. We have had success starting students at any age, young children right through senior citizens. No matter your age, you will stand to benefit from learning an instrument with us. Back to top
Q: How old must my child be to start lessons?
A: That varies with the student and the instrument. Our piano teacher accepts students as young as 3 years old. On violin, 5 years old or thereabout is good. Back to top
Q: Do you offer trial lessons?
A: Yes, at the discretion of the teacher you can schedule a single lesson if you would like to meet your teacher and get a taste of what your lessons might be like. The thing to keep in mind with a trial lesson is that it is just that, only a small taste of the full experience. Rather than a trial lesson, it is recommended that you take lessons for 3 months and evaluate after that point. From there you will have a much clearer idea whether or not this is right for you. Back to top
Q: What does a trial lesson cost?
A: $39 for a 30 minute private lesson. Back to top
Q: Do I need to practice my instrument daily?
A: Yes. Learning an instrument is fun, so it should be no problem to practice it every day. Playing the instrument is even more fun when you are making progress with it. We make progress best when we are consistent about practicing an adequate amount of time every day. We understand there will be days where that is not possible, but as long as you are consistent overall with practice, you will make progress and play better much more quickly. Back to top
Q: How long must I practice my instrument for every day?
A: One rule of thumb to go by is to practice for at least the length of your weekly lesson. For example if you take a 30 minute lesson, try to practice at least 30 minutes per day. If you do this consistently, you are bound be more successful. Back to top
Q: My schedule is very busy, can I just take a lesson every other week instead of weekly?
A: That rarely works, so we strongly advise against it. Consistency is needed for this type of training. It is difficult enough to avoid falling into bad habits with technique and practice methods with a lesson only once per week. A two week span opens the door much wider for these problems to develop. In our experience, the only time that worked was when training fellow professional musicians who were already well versed in the decades of discipline it takes to learn a musical instrument with any level of proficiency. Back to top

Piano specific questions

Q: Do I need to have a piano at home?
A: Yes, in order to practice every day, you need a piano. Back to top
Q: What type of piano would I need?
A: Any acoustic piano will do provided it is in decent repair. It could be a grand piano, a baby grand piano, an upright piano, a console, or even a spinet. Ideally it should be kept in tune and the action adjusted by a qualified piano technician if necessary. Back to top
Q: Is an electronic piano ok?
A: There are many fine electric pianos on the market for both sale and rental. The main criteria is that they have full sized keys, weighted keys to simulate real piano action, and have the standard foot pedals. Back to top

Violin specific questions

Q: Do I need to have a violin to take violin lessons here?
A: Yes. You need to have your own instrument which you bring to lesson, then take home to practice with every day. This violin can be an instrument you own or rent. That said, we do have violins available on premises for those looking to take a few trial lessons or in case of emergency and your violin is in the shop. Back to top
Q: Where do I get a violin from?
A: You can buy or rent from any number of music shops locally or even online where you can have the instrument sent to you directly. Please call us at 603-882-5456 for our current recommendations on local or online shops. Back to top
Q: Should I rent or buy a violin?
A: When starting out with violin, I always recommend renting a quality violin from a reputable shop. A quality instrument will facilitate learning and will allow you to produce a much better sound. Typically a good beginner student violin can cost $500 or more and that is a large investment up front, it makes more sense to rent initially. Also, there are many rent to own programs available so that your initial rental money can go towards eventually owning a very nice instrument that you will enjoy playing on for years. Back to top
Q: I got a violin on Ebay for $50, came with a bow, case, and everything. Can I use this for lessons?
A: Unlikely, but there is still a chance it may work. If you already own such an instrument, just make an appointment to meet us we would be happy evaluate it for you free of charge. Every once in a while a violin such as that is usable, usually after some work and investment added to it. The vast majority of the time they are not adequately built and set up to serve as a musical instrument, they just do not have the level of quality and precision needed. What ends up happening is we spend a lot of lesson time trying to make the instrument work, reworking parts and setting it up to be play as it should. That is time lost from teaching you to play the violin. And with that, your savings on the original purchase are lost. In the end you may have a playable instrument, but the quality of sound is almost always inferior in these and there really is not much you can do to improve it. In order to get the best experience with your playing and your lessons, rent or buy a high quality instrument. We can help you with that. Back to top
Q: My child is small, do violins come in different sizes to accommodate them?
A: Yes. Most violin players age 11 and above are ready to play on a full sized instrument. For the younger and smaller players there is a vast array of smaller sizes available. Even a preschooler can have a violin sized appropriately for them. The sizes from smallest to largest 1/16, 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and finally the full sized or 4/4. At the time of initial rental of the violin, the shops we recommend will fit them with a proper sized instrument. As your child grows, we make recommendations when to advance to the next size. Back to top
Q: What is a shoulder rest, and do I need one?
A: A shoulder rest is an accessory for the violin or viola which attaches to the back of it and adds support. We strongly recommend having at least some kind of shoulder rest, as it makes holding the instrument and keeping good posture so much easier. In many cases I would say it is impossible to play well without one. There are many types, I recommend the KUN style rests or similar models. But even a firm foam properly shaped and attached to the violin by rubber bands will do the job nicely. Sometimes these come with rental violins and sometimes not, inquire at the shop from which you are renting or buying. Back to top
Q: What is the difference between a violin and a fiddle?
A: They are the same. Fiddle really refers to styles of playing more than to the instrument itself. You can fiddle on a violin and vise-verse. Classical violin playing in its more advanced levels generally requires a higher quality instrument than is typically acceptable for most fiddle playing, but they are still the same instrument. Back to top
Q: What is the difference between violin and viola?
A: The viola is a larger version of the violin, and it is pitched lower by a fifth (5 notes lower down the scale). It's character of sound is different as well, offering a little more depth in the lower registers. Viola can be played as a solo instrument, but more frequently it serves as the middle voice in an orchestra or chamber ensemble. It is played largely with the same technique as violin, with a few small differences to accommodate the size and slightly different nature of the instrument. We offer viola lessons in addition to violin. Back to top