Most of the time, determining violin size is straightforward: measure arm length, see how comfortably the fingers reach the fingerboard, watch the elbow angle, and you arrive at the right size. But every so often I run into a case where a student plays on a smaller size, is noticeably more comfortable, and it still isn’t quite right, and that’s actually some of the most useful evaluating I do as a teacher. I ran into exactly this with one of my students recently, and it’s a good example of how I approach teaching.
When “Better” Isn’t the Same as “Right”
This student is tall for her age, tall enough that most people would assume a full-size violin was the correct size. She had been playing on a full size violin, but I noticed she was having to reach uncomfortably with her pinky finger (fourth finger) no matter how much we adjusted her hand and thumb position. So we tried a 7/8 violin. It helped. She was noticeably more comfortable.
But ‘more comfortable’ isn’t the same as the size actually working for her instead of against her. She was still working harder than she should have to reach her fourth finger. That gap between improvement and actually solving the problem is exactly the kind of thing that’s easy to miss if you stop evaluating the moment a student says a smaller instrument feels better. It’s tempting, as a teacher or a parent, to treat ‘better’ as the finish line. Sometimes it’s just the next data point.
Why I Didn’t Just Size Down Again
The obvious next move is to try a 3/4. But with a student who has long arms, going smaller isn’t automatically the answer. A 3/4 can shorten the reach for the pinky while making the instrument feel cramped for a longer arm. It’s a genuine trade-off, not a simple fix. Solve the hand problem and you might create an arm problem.
There’s also a factor a lot of parents don’t know to ask about: neck thickness. A thinner neck doesn’t change the size of the violin, but it can make a real difference in how much the hand has to stretch sideways to reach around it. Two violins can be labeled the same size and still feel completely different in the hand for exactly this reason. I’ve had students play a 7/8 with a slimmer neck profile and immediately find the fourth finger easier, without any change in the instrument’s actual length or body size.
Not Every 3/4 Is the Same 3/4
This is the part I really want parents to understand: violin sizing isn’t standardized the way a ring size is. Two instruments both labeled 7/8, or both labeled 3/4, can have different neck widths, different string lengths, and different overall proportions. Instead of simply recommending a size, I recommended she and her mother go try several actual instruments at a violin shop, not to find ‘a 3/4,’ but to find the specific instrument that fits her hand.
My plan is to bring a 3/4 for her to try in a lesson first, so we have a real point of comparison against her current 7/8 before she goes instrument shopping. I’ll be watching for pinky reach, hand tension, whether her arm still feels natural, and how her intonation holds up on each one. If the 3/4 solves the reach problem but her arm looks cramped or her elbow has to tuck in too far, that tells us just as much as if it works perfectly. Either result moves us closer to the right answer, since it involves watching her play instead of measuring or guessing from a chart.
Sometimes the Answer Is Bigger, Not Smaller
It’s not always about downsizing. I had a student who was almost 6 feet tall and had been playing on a standard 14-inch violin, which is the typical body length for a full-size instrument. Even at that standard size, his left hand and arm felt cramped. When I brought in a larger violin, one built beyond the usual 14-inch body length, he was noticeably more comfortable on it.
That surprises a lot of people, because “full-size” gets treated like a ceiling. It isn’t. Full-size violins themselves aren’t all built to identical dimensions, and for someone with a larger frame, a slightly larger-than-standard instrument can solve exactly the same kind of discomfort that a smaller instrument solves for someone with a smaller frame. The principle is the same one that applies to the 7/8 and 3/4 discussion above: it’s not about defaulting to whatever size matches an age or a height chart. It’s about finding the specific instrument that lets that particular player’s hand and arm work the way they’re supposed to.
The Bigger Point
Height and age can tell you where to start, but they don’t tell you where to stop. If your child has already sized down once and still seems to be working harder than they should, it’s worth having someone actually watch them play rather than assuming the first adjustment solved it. I cover the basics of how I approach sizing in my violin size guide, but cases like this one are why sizing is really an ongoing evaluation, not a one-time decision.
FAQ
Is it normal for a student to need more than one size adjustment? It’s not unusual at all, especially for taller or faster-growing students. The goal isn’t to get it perfect on the first try. It’s to keep checking until the instrument stops working against the student.
Should we just buy the biggest size our child will eventually grow into? I’d avoid that. A violin that’s too big introduces tension and bad habits before technique has a chance to develop, and that’s a harder problem to undo than sizing up again later.
How long does it usually take to know if a new size is really working? I like to give it a few lessons rather than judging from a single session. Hands need a little time to adjust to a new instrument, and I learn more from watching a student play over time than from one fitting.
If you’re not sure whether your child’s current violin is actually the right fit, that’s exactly what I check for in a free intro at any of my studios in Falcon Heights, North Oaks, or Mounds View, or through online violin lessons, which I’ve been teaching since 2014, if that works better for you.
Contact me to learn more.