I started to think about taking up the violin and actually try learning it by myself. I can already read music. The only reason I'm not taking private lessons is because of money. yeah, I know that a violin costs money, but I have a friend who will sell me his for less.

i dont think it's that hard to play or learn [except for some techniques]. you'll be pretty average if you learn it yourself. if you wanna be excellent though, private lessons are.. kinda vital.

Yes dying1004 is correct if you play without private lessons you probaboly will just be average. But Violin is easy enough to be able to learn without lessons.

^ What they said, although that's fairly misleading. When they say you can be average...well, if you want to just get it and learn how to play twinkle twinkle little star and some fun pieces and the like... go for it! It's fun, and fairly easy.

Be forewarned, however; some of my friends took up violin because I said it was easy... and they were eternally frustrated. It all depends on what you want to do with it. That is the reason that I am probably making it sound harder than it is; my friends were pretty ticked. I didn't know what they wanted, though. XD

Without a few beginning lessons at least, just so you know how to hold the instrument properly and whatnot, it'll be pretty hard to get it by yourself. It's a very anti-intuitive instrument, but once you get used to holding it and the bow correctly and stuff (which doesn't take all that long) you'd get the hang of it and wouldn't need lessons. But I'd say that just to start off with the basics, you should have some sort of coach.

Eventhough this topic has been quite for a few days this is important:

Learn the proper way to hold a violin bow! If you lock up your wrist in a funny way, it can rub at the carpel tunnel in your wrist and cause major injury! Please ask someone who really plays well how to teach how to hold the bow! ^_^ My violin instructor always got on my case for proper bowing position. XD