As a teacher for more than a decade, I have often been asked this question. I used to say, “No, everyone should give it a try!” because why not? I love it, everyone else will too. But, I have since had to realize that it is not a yes/no question at all, and that the answer is really very individual. Consider the points below to come to your own conclusion.
How quickly will I sound good?
People often equate how much time something takes with how hard it is. As a society we are used to instant gratification and are attracted to the promises of overnight success. It can take the average beginner a few months to a year to get where they can make a fairly decent tone. To some, this may make the violin harder to learn than perhaps an instrument like the piano where from day one you can strike a pleasant tone. Is the skill of getting a good tone that difficult? I don’t really think so, but it does take some time.
Do you have access to a good teacher or tutorial?
This can make all the difference in whether or not you find learning to the violin to be difficult. The guidance and insights of a good teachers can make violin playing quite straightforward and relatively easy. A teacher who does not give clear instructions on the other hand can make violin playing a very difficult task indeed. Click here to check out my blog post on the Characteristics of a Good String Teacher.
How good at violin playing do you want to be?
In terms of the amount of time and dedication necessary to achieve the goal, becoming a concert violinist is much harder than learning enough violin to show off your favorite melodies to friends and family. It is relatively easy to make violin playing a hobby whereas becoming a professional player takes as much dedication as mastering any other skilled profession.
Is it hard compared to other instruments?
Having observed students learn many instruments over the years I have concluded that some instruments take less time and less skill to produce a beautiful tone than others. That being said, there is a point with every instrument where you will have to invest a lot of time and effort to really master it. For example, as I pointed out earlier, getting a pleasant sound out of the piano can be much easier at first than for a stringed instrument. However, for certain wind instruments, it can take some time to even acquire the skill to get any sound at all. In that sense, they may be harder to start out with than a stringed instrument.
Conclusion
Learning the violin can be a very rewarding activity, but whether or not someone finds it difficult depends very much on the amount of time they wish to dedicate to it and what they see as their goal in learning the instrument. If you are looking for a quick fun hobby, playing the violin might not be your thing; however, if you can find a good teacher and dedicate some time to it, the skills needed to play are not that difficult to learn.