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Enhance mental focus with a violin

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When we are looking for an edge to enhance our mental focus, one great idea is to take up playing a violin. We may have had some training as a child or we may be taking up this as an adult, but this training is assured to exercise our focus and discipline, which will enhance these qualities for our job performance as well.

Before we pick a violin, we need to understand that they are available in 8 different sizes. The full size is 4/4 and they decrease to the smallest at 1/32. For the best fit, we can measure the length between our neck and the middle of our left hand palm, with our arm in the position like playing a violin. The full size (4/4) will measure 23 inches, 3/4 is 22 inches, and 1/2 is 20 inches, with the sizes continuing to reduce until the 1/32, which is 13 inches.

This Cecilio 4/4 full sized violin is acoustic with an electric option, making this a very good choice for someone who wants the best of both worlds. It is beautifully hand carved with a solid spruce top and solid maple back and sides. There is a volume and tone control on the side. The pegs, chin rest and finger boards, and tailpiece are ebony and there are four nickel plated tuners. The bow is Brazilwood and has unbleached, genuine, Mongolian horsehair. The kit includes a hard case with foam insert. There is an adjustable shoulder rest with soft foam padding and rubber feet. Also included are a violin bridge, rosin and an aux cable.
$147 from Amazon $94 from Walmart

If we are seeking to be able to practice without disturbing others, this Cecilio electric violin offers silent play. This 4/4 size is a style 3 and has a yellow maple wood body with ebony for the fingerboard, chin rest, pegs, and tailpiece. There are four detachable tuners that are nickel plated. It is powered by a 9V battery. With this comes a hard case, Brazilwood bow with Mongolian horsehair, rosin, a bridge, aux cable and headphones.
$0 from Amazon

Are you left handed? This Cecilio is fitted for left handed players. It is 4/4 size with solid spruce for its top and maple for the back, neck, and sides. There is an inlaid purfling in antique varnish. The fingerboard, pegs, chinrest, and tailpiece are ebony. This kit has a chromatic tuner, lesson book, hardwood case, and two Brazilwood bows with Mongolian horsehair. There is also a rosin cake, an adjustable shoulder rest, and an extra bridge.
$0 from Amazon $168 from Walmart

This Cecilio violin comes in 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4, sizes. They all have sprucewood tops and maple sides, back and neck. They are strung with D’Addario Prelude strings. These kits include a chromatic tuner, hardwood case, lesson book, two Brazilwood bows, rosin cake, shoulder rest, and extra bridge.
$100 from Amazon

To go with any of these violins we will want a sheet music stand. This Hola! Music stand has a bookplate that measures 13.5 by 18.75 inches and has a two inch lip. The height will adjust from 25 to 43 inches. There is an angle adjustment tension knob to tilt the bookplate. The knobs, screw head, leg housing, and leg end cups are made of reinforced nylon.
$46 from Amazon $51 from Walmart

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Whichever we choose, we will want also to commit to music lessons with a qualified instructor. It will take time for us to become proficient with playing, but the benefits to our mental focus will occur almost immediately, once we dedicate ourselves to practice.

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