Hiring and starting dd (7 in 4 days) off on violin before starting lessons at school good idea or not?

[lexcat]

Just been at the local music shop and found out can hire a violin for 3 months for just under £12.
Did play the violin when I was younger and still remember some. Can get a book with cd and with simply picture for me a dd to follow.
Can't start till September at school and am a little worried about paying for a whole terms lessons and she hates it.
So was thinking of the hiring first and she can get a taste for the violin first and I can start her off on the basics.
Am I mad to try and teach my own child or a great idea.
She herself can't wait to start and wants a violin NOW. Plus has also discovered Vanessa Mae and just loves watching her on youtube.

I asked DP as he played and was very good, he says no. He says problem is if she learns to hold it wrong it is difficult to relearn to hold it properly. Difficult though if she that keen. Maybe try to keep her interest other ways like a recorder to learn reading music and intonation etc.

Did play and don't remember learning to hold and posture been that hard to get wrong if you know the right way which I do remember been drumed into me.
Plus I am talking only a short period of time after all, september is not that far away.

Anyone tried to teach their child an instrument
I'm only really talking about the basics as school lessons will start in 4 months time. Just so she get a taste for the violin and see if she really likes it before comitting to lessons.

DD taught herself the recorder from an abracadabra book and that seems to have worked ok. She's been playing the violin for just over a year and I would be wary of introducing it yourself. Teachers have different styles, for example DD didn't have a bow for ages and learnt the basic finger patterns first and in your position I'd be concerned that your DD would be frustrated if the school lessons appeared to be a step back.

I hired a violin for my son (then 5, now 6) at the same time as he started his lessons. I bought it when it turned out he liked it. I agree you should start her on the recorder and teach her to read music first. It is easier to learn another instrument after you have learnt to play something quite simple, as a recorder.

Tried to get her to do the recorder but she really doesn't like it.

DD spent 2 months just learning how to hold it, how to pluck, how to hold down strings. I think a lot of teachers are very particular about getting those things precisely right.

I would be afraid to teach her one way and then her teacher might use a completely different approach. Having tostart all over again might demoralise. So personally I would wait until paid lessons start.

Depends what the school lessons are like and if they will stick to the basic initial programme no matter what.

Dd2 learns in a small group and they all follow the same programme (loads of plucking for months) before some gradually move ahead a little bit with the tunes.

You might risk making her first experience of violin lessons very boring if you have started teaching her tunes. Unless it's one to one tuition for a reaonable amount of time.

Surely if I find out the book they work from at school I can get a rough idea of what they start with and work from their.
Was thinking I may only get as far as the holding the violin and bow, learning the different strings and some open bowing.
If my memory serves me right I started off with a friend of the family she played but was not a teacher. Then start the lessons shortly afterwards.

My son is using "Fiddle Time Starters" if that is of any help?

I'd speak to the violin tutor