I need a fairly cheap but decent violin since my parents dont fully beleive that i will stick to it… is renting the way to go? and i need a bow, rosin, shoulder-rest, chin rest, violin(duh xD)and case right? any thing else needed? thanks in advance!
I am a violin teacher, and often I recommend renting an instrument to beginners. So many people find that violin is not for them, and if you rent, you are not out any money. In my area, you can rent a violin for VERY cheap ($10??) for the first couple of months, then you have an option of renting to own, which is fairly reasonable. Plus, they offer insurance for loss or theft, which is great if you’re taking the instrument to school and there’s a risk involved.
A new student instrument isn’t really all that expensive, as far as instruments go. You can get a complete student outfit (good quality at a VIOLIN SHOP, not a general music store) for about $200-500. You’ll need the violin, a bow, a shoulder rest and a nice case. I recommend an extra set of strings, a tuner (about $20) and a metronome (about $10) (you can find tuner/metronome combination units that work well). You will also need a music stand. I have a sturdy stand that I paid $40 for, but all of my students use it. You can get a nice stand for about $15 or so. DO NOT prop your music on your case on the bed and sit on the bed when you practice. This will form bad habits that are difficult to break.