2025-01-11
tags: none
Words: 1343 (5 minutes to read)
This is an apparent sequel to my previous wv, Violin (pt. 1) where I talked myself out of buying a violin. Now, I want to talk myself into buying a violin.
I was looking at a shop to buy some guitar strings (I want to restring my guitar to see if that improves the sound; once restrung, I basically know that any problems with it are due to my being bad at guitar) and saw on the website a violin going for £75. It is second-hand, comes with a bow and case too. I really badly want it, if I am honest.
I currently have the guitar and the mandolin and am to be honest pretty bad at both of them. I cannot do either well. A violin would be more or less the end of my desiring instruments (until I want more expensive instruments, or decide that I would really like to play the mandola, or whatever) but would necessitate more spending. Perhaps, it is spending that is necessary to appease my desire for music, and I do like playing music now (not sure if I'll ever be any good, especially if I don't focus on the one instrument).
It is only £75. I have, for my budget this month, £600. It isn't bad if I spend that money, because it is budgeted for leisure and pleasure spending, not for savings (though any leftover will go into savings). Further, I am actually getting a bonus of £150 this month from completing my LM2. So, in terms of spending, I essentially have:
That makes £400. Essentially, I still have a load of money left over!
I'll also be spending £~40 on strings, so that makes it £440. I've spent £90 on various shows for later in the year: £510. I've got £90 left, which could easily cover the £75 for the violin + I'll have to buy resin separately. Still, I could do it, and it is well within budget. It'll mean that I can't really spend much else, though. Essentially, it might mean I forego other things, e.g. going out etc. I might also have to think about what happens if there are drinks this month: just have water? Sure, I can do that. TBH, I won't spend £100 on cafe trips, so I will be a little covered from that.
And... this is spending money. I have it in pocket. I won't suffer from getting it, and can always sell it again if I need the money back. It will mean that I can try to play violin again, which will be fun! I just want to have things that tide me over, and act as good skills for the future. I doubt I'll ever become good at the violin, but I do want to be able to try it again.
So, financials decided. I can hack it this month. Now, onto whether I actually should or not.
Firstly, it can't be bad to play a violin if it entertains me, and playing and learning will aid me generally in my musical ability (currently, not incredible)
I also have to realise that I don't even like the guitar very much, but I still do play it, and enjoy playing it. The mandolin... I really enjoyed it at first, but am beginning to grow tired of it, perhaps because I'm only playing the one song. I just need to get good at that and I can begin to progress. Of course, time is of the essence, and what will really help me out is being consistent with music over a longer period of time.
Having the violin cannot hurt me, except in that it might detract from my existing guitar and mandolin. That said, I can argue that because the tuning on a violin is the same as a mandolin, that I will actually gain mandolin skill by it. Therefore, it is good... sure. However, the violin is a radically different skill to the guitar or the mando, and so I will have to dedicate time to it. Potentially, just having it, for those instances where I have excess time and do not want to do guitar, mando and have already done those would help me out. It can be another time sink, and one I don't hope to progress at (at least for now). Therefore, I can get it without feeling bad: I have the money for it (and can always sell it again if I don't use it), I can play it without detracting from my existing instruments, and can learn musical techniques by it. For instance, I believe the violin uses the normal musical notation, so I will have an opportunity to learn that a bit better where I don't get that chance (well, I do, but it's easier to use tabs) for guitar and mando.
Overall, it will help me kill time, and that's the most important thing. I want of course to progress, but progressing is a general thing, and involves essentially spending my time not consuming media outside, but rather improving my existing abilities. The gym is one that has outward consequences, however music does not unless I perform. I would probably start to perform guitar and mando soon (well, I am practising Losing my Religion on the mando, and Norwegian Wood for the guitar (as well as Villa-Lobos Prelude no. 3) to perform, granted in private amongst a small group. Violin won't be like that. Still, it would be fun to do, and involves progressing myself by trying to cultivate a skill. It will be a thing I do solely for fun though, and doesn't need to have progress or pressure associated with it. Generally, it probably isn't healthy the obsession I have with progress (and, how little of it actually comes to pass). Generally, it is good for me to try a) do better at what I do, b) take each day as it comes, and make it productive, c) overcome vices. Ultimately, see, what I want is happiness, and I am trying to orient myself towards it. I am not sure the kind of life I want to lead; at the moment, music seems to offer me a chance to do something, but that I am not good at. Regular practise will see me gradually improve, but it is very gradual. Frankly, I think I am plateauing at Losing my Religion, but it may just be that I am not practising enough, or that I am making some kind of general mistake that I am not aware of. Over time, I will come to improve, is all I know. For instance, I could previously not play chords mute at all, and now I can somewhat. I still have no chance with barre chords (which are necessary to play Villa-Lobos) and often mute the D and G strings when trying. I am not very fast at the switching between, either.
So what. Basically, I've settled on buy. The main thing is, I won't make it a habit (I've bought a mandolin only last month, and have played it pretty consistently, but basically I don't want to get to a point where I buy a cheap uke or mandola or mandocello or whatever just to try. I ought stick to the main two: guitar and mando as what I want to practise and get good at for the performance coming up, and if I've got time then I can play violin for a bit of fun). I'll use the spare money I have this month to get the strings (quite a bit of cost just there, in fact half the cost of the violin) and the violin, and then will be able to go from there. If it isn't any good I'll return it, and I get a voucher for that amount (basically, covering guitar string costs for probably several years).
It is impressive the power of writing. I managed to talk myself out of a violin a few months back (then again, I wasn't really playing at that point in time). Now, I'm talkin myself into buying one. Once I've got it, I'll experiment around a bit, and have some fun with it.
Have a good one.