Any violin teachers about?

[AnnesPuffedSleeves]

Can I ask any violin teachers for advice about teaching my grade 2 child about key signatures? I’m not sure how well I can explain this so apologies in advance.

I learned classical guitar at school. I learned very early the names of notes, what sharps and flats are, and how all of this corresponds to the frets.

My DC is 8 and working towards violin grade 2 (ABRSM). They got 140 for grade 1 so can play quite well I think and are very keen to do more. They are also confident with scales. However, I’ve noticed that when doing sight reading, they don’t seem to have any understanding of what key the piece is in and the impact of the sharps. Rather than learning e.g this is a G# and you put your finger here etc, they’ve learned ‘this is E2’. I’ve taught the names of notes myself but I now realise that if they get a piece in C major (for example) they don’t realise that the middle C natural is a ‘low A2’ not just an A2. Does that make sense?! Sorry if it doesn’t, I don’t play the violin so I find it hard to explain.

So….the question is….what’s the best way to teach them this? Do I teach them to learn each key and look out for L1L2s etc, do I give a finger chart? The teacher is in school and never responds to my emails so I’m at a bit of a loss. I have a really keen child so I’d like to help if I can. Or should I just butt out???? TIA!

I was taught violin like this over 40 years ago

But I also learned the recorder first so I already knew how to read the notes and the key signatures. Would learning data and sharps help on a keyboard? It’s so easy to see that a black note is up a bit for a sharp, down a bit for a flat - or sometimes “down a bit” has no black note eg C flat is just a D

You are all amazing, thanks so much for the ideas and comments.

I have ordered an intro to music theory book which I’m going to work through first (!), and I’m definitely going to find a good private teacher. AND…… I have just been up to the loft and found a 40 year-old keyboard that I had when I was a child - it still works! 😂 She does recognise and name notes now, but that’s only because I’ve done it with her, and every time she refers to eg. ‘low A1’, I’ll say B flat, or ask her what the note is called.

This thread has really got me thinking about how valuable music services are, but also about the strain they are under. I know that is true for all areas of education, but I don’t suppose I had really thought about it enough. I feel a bit stupid for saying this, but I don’t think I’d really appreciated how stronger/keen children really need a parent at home who is able to push them/fill in gaps/pay for extra lessons/take them to ensembles etc and how those that don’t have this are so disadvantaged. I’d love to know how many children keep up their instrument once they move from primary to secondary level, and when and why this starts to drop off.

I’m the same, as is DD. It’s always made me really sad that I can’t sing. I’m not completely tone deaf but I’d definitely doesn’t come out sounding like it does in my head!

I just don't know why its in a exam for an instrument. If I wanted to do an singing exam, I'd do that! I lost so many marks it was so annoying and it would make me nervous thinking about it in the exam. In my last exam, the bit I had to sing was so long I couldn't even remember it!

They don't necessarily need a parent at home. My father took me to music lessons on a Saturday. I took myself to orchestra practices as a teen where I walked a long way carrying heavy instruments and music, after school hours. My father than picked me up on his way home from work, because he could. Otherwise I'd have taken the bus for close to two hours home. I never thought twice about being expected to do these things and was very independent. What is needed is a parent who will show the child how to get there. Auditions are usually on weekends.