How to determine the size of a violin. Violin sizes by age

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

A child's studies at a music school always require some savvy parents in choosing a musical instrument. When it's time to go to the store to pick it up, the first question parents ask is "How do I determine the size of a violin?"

Of course, a win-win option is to choose an instrument with a teacher. He will be able to evaluate the violin in all respects and choose the best one from those presented in the window, because even mediocre factory instruments can differ greatly from each other. However, this is not always possible, and then parents should prepare a little in the theoretical part, because in fact everything is not as difficult as it seems.

Terminology

The size of a violin in centimeters can vary between manufacturers, this applies to both factory and master instruments, but there are global standards, so here you need to arm yourself with a ruler or centimeter. But first of all, let's look at the concepts of "half", "quarter", "whole", etc. A whole is called a 4/4 violin (four quarters), this is an adult violin. Smaller instruments are called, for example, “half” (that is, half of the whole or 1/2), “quarter” - 1/4, “eight” - 1/8. Thesethe accustomed names came from the notes, respectively, whole, half, quarter and eighth, but the intermediate sizes did not receive such nicknames.

How to determine the size of a violin

To find out what size the violin is, you need to measure it by two parameters:

1. The length from the curl (head) to the bottom of the body (excluding the button, the part on which the neck is attached).
2. Length from the shoulder (where the neck ends at the back of the violin) to the bottom of the body (excluding the length of the "heel" that protrudes from the back where the neck joins the body).

These measurements will help determine the size of the violin:

• 60cm/35cm ratio corresponds to the whole violin;
• 57.2 cm / 34.4 cm - size 7/8;
• 53, 3 cm / 33 cm - size 3/4;
• 52 cm / 31.7 cm - size 1/2;
• 48, 25 cm / 28 cm - size 1/4;
• 43 cm /25 cm - size 1/8;
• 40.6 cm/ 22.9 cm - size 1/10;
• 36.8 cm / 20.3 cm - size 1/16;
• 32 cm /19 cm - size 1/32.

However, it should be borne in mind that sometimes the difference in the size of whole violins for some manufacturers or for different models can reach two centimeters. But the width of the soundboard does not matter and often differs not only among different masters, but also among factory instruments of different models, which often repeat the proportions of some well-known master violins, such as Stradivari or Guarneri.

Violin sizes by age

Individual student data may affect the required size of the violinboth up and down. Sometimes even an adult can, due to their physical characteristics, play the violin 7/8, but, as a rule, the violin of a child should be changed every 2 years.

Size/Age Conformity Chart

We offer you a table by which you can roughly determine what age certain sizes of violins correspond to:

• 1/32 - 1 to 3 years old.
• 1/16 - from 3 to 5 years old.
• 1/10 - 4-5 years.
• 1/8 - 4-6 years old.
• 1/4 - 5-7 years old.
• 1/2 - 7-9 years old.
• 3/4 - 9-12 years old.
• 7/8 - 11 year olds and adults with small hands.
• 4/4 - 11-12 year olds and adults.

It should be taken into account that such ratios may vary.

If there is no ruler, but there is a child

However, in order to correctly choose the size of a violin for a child, it is not necessary to make accurate measurements, there is a much easier way. It is necessary that the young musician extend his left arm slightly to the side, without straining, then put the violin on his left shoulder. If the size of the violin is correct, its head (curl) will be exactly in the center of the palm, and the fingers will wrap around the curl without tension.

This should be done if you were unable to consult with the teacher before buying, or if the child has some features (for example, rather tall or small for his age).

Tool change

So, how to understand that a child has grown out of hisviolins? It is enough to carry out a simple manipulation given above every year. If the head of the violin rests on the beginning of the palm or even on the hand itself, it's time to switch to a larger size.

Teachers often exchange and sell instruments between their students, which is very profitable. In addition, in some workshops there is such a practice when a violin bought from them is exchanged with an additional payment for a larger one, which is also very convenient, so you should not assume that teaching a child to play the strings is associated with serious expenses. The market is now flooded with a huge number of Chinese instruments, which may not be very good, but are cheap.

There is one more nuance: sometimes you can take a violin a little more than required. This applies to the so-called intermediate sizes, especially the size 7/8, because, depending on the growth rate of the child, this tool will require a change after 3-9 months.

However, there is a second caveat: playing a smaller violin is easier, so you should not take a violin two or three sizes larger. This leads to hand clamps and inevitable muscle strain. This can still be somehow justified if the child rarely or does not study at home. Therefore, get ready for the fact that if you save on an instrument by buying it “for growth”, you will most likely cause a complete aversion to classes in your child, because they will be associated not only with constant discomfort, but even pain (when playing for a long time). Think about whether it is worth saving when there are a large selection of budget models on the market for musical instruments, alsoyou can look for options in violin workshops.

There is an opinion that a smaller violin sounds worse and quieter than a whole one. In most cases, this is true, but only applies to factory tools. Many workshops make good violins in 7/8 sizes that are in no way inferior to whole ones, so if you have small hands, you don’t have to “struggle” with a whole violin, now there is an opportunity to choose a concert version of an intermediate size.

Questions about bows

The choice of the bow is the second, but no less important task. Too short a bow will inevitably lead to psychological clamping and severe fatigue of the right hand (the student will instinctively restrain the movement, knowing that the bow is short). An overly long bow is also not good, although if it is not possible to take the right size, then the “growth” option would be the best, but this is an extreme case, and everything should be agreed with the teacher. In addition, the student's bow should not be too heavy. The wrong choice can affect not only the placement of hands, but also the he alth of the student.

How to choose a bow for sure

The size of a violin bow follows the same rules as the size of the instrument itself.

The ruler will again help in choosing, but now it's the turn of the student's measurements. The length of the arm from shoulder to hand is a sure guide in this matter, but do not forget that this only applies to children, adults play with a 4/4 bow:

• 1/32 - less than 35.5 cm;
• 1/16 –35.5cm;
• 1/10 - 38cm;
• 1/8 - 42cm;
• 1/4 - 45, 7-47 cm;
• 1/2 - 50.8 cm;
• 3/4 - 54, 6-56cm;
• 7/8 - 56 cm with small hands;
• 4/4 - 58 cm or more.

In addition, you can no less accurately determine the appropriate size in practice. It is necessary to put the bow on the string with the upper end, while the elbow should be unbent without tension. If the size is small, the right hand will not unbend to the end, and if it is large, the right hand will wind up behind the back, not bringing the bow to the end.

Why is it important to choose the right size?

If a thing is small or large, it looks messy, but nothing more. But the correct size of the violin is the first step in mastering the difficult art, because if it turns out to be more or less than it should be, it will be difficult for the student not only to maintain the correct position of the hands, but also to understand it.

All actions during the game should be brought to automatism and at the same time not cause discomfort, which is impossible with the wrong instrument.