You are trying to decide about your first violin, or you are deciding on your child’s first violin. You might be overwhelmed with lots of questions. What is the proper violin size? Should I buy or rent my instrument? Is the violin the right musical instrument for me? What accessories do I need at first? Where should I buy my first violin? Start your first step by reading the article below to make this seemingly daunting task more manageable.
Violin size
Before purchasing a new violin, knowledge about the various size of the violin can help ensure the violin is suitable for your body. Choosing the right size is based on the age and height of the musician. In general, violin sizes come in eight sizes 1/32, 1/16, 1/10, 1/8,1/4, 1/2,3/4, and 4/4.
The right size is based on arm length and age. If your children are trying to learn violin, you can see that they might need a different size of violin to finally reach the full size, approximately 13 years and older. Also, choosing the right violin size will help the musician reach the notes comfortably and hold the violin comfortably. The wrong violin size for your children will affect the sound quality and cause pain in the neck.
What Violin size fits me
The most accurate way to find the correct violin size is to measure the arm length. The arm should be parallel to the floor. Use a tape to measure the distance from the center of the palm to the base of the neck. Check the YouTube video for accurate measurement.
The wrong violin size for your children will affect the sound quality and cause pain in the neck.
Are you still confused? Don’t worry. We created a table which gives an explanation of violin sizes, sizing and estimated age.
Are you still confused? Don’t worry. We created a table which gives an explanation of violin sizes, sizing and estimated age.
| Violin Size | 1/32 | 1/16 | 1/10 | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 3/4 | 4/4 (full size) |
| Arm Length (cm) | 35 and under | 35.5 – 38 | 38-42 | 42-47 | 47-51 | 51-56 | 56-58.5 | 58.5+ |
| Arm Length (inches) | under 14″ | 14″-15″ | 15″-16″ | 16″-18″ | 18″-20″ | 20″-22″ | 22″-23″ | 23″+ |
| Approximate age suitability (Years old) |
2 to 3 | 3 to 5 | 4 to 5 | 5 to 6 | 6 to 7 | 7 to 9 | 9 to 12 | 13 and up |
Helpful accessories for beginners
There is a huge list of accessories for violin instruments, but some are on the list of must-haves for beginner players. We narrow down your list to 6 necessary violin accessories for beginners.
- Shoulder rest
- Music stand
- Violin case
- Dust cloth
- Chin rest
- Rosin
Where to buy/rent my first violin
If your child has started to learn a violin and is looking for sizes smaller than 4/4, renting can probably have a great advantage. Purchasing a musical instrument can also be a good investment, demonstrating a sense of responsibility and progress. You can rent or buy a violin from great dealers that offer good quality violins, such as Long & McQuade, Tome Lee and Tapestry Music. The rentals ranges are from as low as 21$ to 32$. Rent to Own Programs in most of these dealers let your rental payments apply to the final full price of instruments.
Amazon is also another option for finding affordable violins for beginners. We highly recommend checking recent reviews and using your critical thinking skills and free Mifa Music and Art school consultation before your final purchase.
Finally, entering the music store and facing hundreds of instruments can be overwhelming. Consider all the points that we mentioned before your renting and purchasing decisions. Let your instrument choose you based on your true feelings. If you are delighted with your purchase, you will spend more quality time picking up your instrument and playing it all the time. Mifa Music and Art school will offer you free online and in-person purchase advice, consultation and tunning. We will help you select the best musical instrument based on your interest and, of course, fit with your body measures.
