Violin sizes of 1/8 and under differ per size

While 1/4 violins and up have mostly general measurements, two 1/8 violins can be very different. In the video I show two 1/8 violins that are two centimeters apart, which can be the difference between fitting and not fitting. Some 1/16 are the size of a 1/10 and the other way around.

When measuring your child’s arm length to look up the size in my violin size chart, make sure to also take a look at the standard measurements and compare that to the violin that you’re about to buy.

1/16 size violins often don’t sound good and are hard to play

The smaller the size, the more precise a child should bow to not hit other strings. Due to the small soundbox, often very small sizes don’t sound that well. While I always advice when in doubt to go for the smaller size, for very young children it might be better to go for a slightly larger size. Certainly in the beginning one mainly bows on open strings and doesn’t have to strain the fourth finger for example.

Violin sizing is very individual

Certainly for very young children, a violin size chart can just give an indication. It’s very personal what size is the best choice depending on the arm length, size of the hand, posture and the playing level (open strings vs already playing stopped notes).

General violin sizing for 1/4 and up

This video was specifically about violin sizing for very young children. If you’re looking for size 1/4 and up (also adults), watch this general video about choosing the right violin size.