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Fellow

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Everything posted by Fellow

  1. Play "fast" and play "slow" at will and use whole bow. Practice every technique in book such "up bow flying staccato" , "fast string crossing" etc. Never hold bow too tight, watch how your arm extneded,and hand etc. (minimum energy princile... natural) Play Mozart music (Book 9, Suzuki)(more friendly than others) ...some of theings I keep telling myself.
  2. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A harsh sound is a feature of factory made violins in general. // Manfio +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Yes, it is so true. What makes a hand-made so "smooth" are much kind attentions have been given to an intstrument,namely check and check its neck angles, bridges height, strings experiemnents ,and a lot of playings. etc. My violin (Karl Bauer, #2 model, Germany, 77) was factory instruemnt but I have its neck anlge and finger board changed,bridge re-cut,sound post adjusted many times. It mellows somewhat almost " equal" to a hand-made except the stubborn E. The E is not pretty, but bearable. My local luthier casually commented it "Nothing wrong with the sound" (i.e. no miracle, factory is factory, want a princess? ) and they don't hold this kind of violins very long when they examine them , I noticed it ) True, I accept what it is a "Bauer" (but it well worths the money I paid for it) I have two better violins to practice. Thank you everyone for the kind advices and good suggestions.
  3. I have seen a "defintion of good violin". It talks "hey, pick me up" and says " don't put me down " (keep playing) by Darnton
  4. Most violins of price range $500-$1500 are factory instruments. Any hand-made violins should start from $2000 and up. $20k are very common. Exceptions are very few as I know. I am still learning (market and instruments ) what could be available. Good luck for your hunting. Please tell us what you think a "good " violin is? (interesting subject)
  5. Yes, I understand that but a winner makes many violins which not all were (created) equal. A winning instrument may not be a typical dozen of instruements he oe she has made.
  6. The VSA convention is more names (of maker) recognition than instruments recognitions.? Say , so-and-so won an award of tone, we don't know which instruemnt he or she made, got the honor if you were not there.
  7. Hi Mr. Jeffrey Holmes, I assume you are one of the sponsors of the VSA meeting. There are two groups of people in this forum, one group who have been there and other never been such. Anything you said from (the first group) will be benefit for the second group for the sake of knowledge. For example, How good is the winner's violin? ( in two separate competitions (?) in tone quality and in craftsmanship) Better yet, if we (second group) have a chance to play or see the winner's violin( or cello for that matter) without having attended to the meeting? (kind of exhibition somewhere else) These are the questions of many of us (in the second group people) would like to ask. Thank you
  8. What I meant was " good players are good players; top instruemnts can contribute only the last 5% in the scale" I think general audience may not even notice the scale (sorry, for I inadvertently skipped the important word "not" in the sentence.) ( I slapped myself a few time for the mistake already)
  9. Let me use a linear scale to explain my thinking: Suppose a top player (well known) with top choice of instruement he can achieve 100 points in this scale. If the same player (well known) use a very decent instrument,but not a top choice one ,can achieve, say, 95 points in this scale. This player still need to look for the top choice instrument in order to get the edge. That is what I meant. The scale is only in his or her mind. This scale may be even noticed by the audience.
  10. Fellow

    Violin ID.

    It does not look like an expensive violin to me (forgive me if wrong) (not as an expert, a comment of $0.02). Varnish too smooth and shiny, neck too thin. Is the sound Okey? Powerful?
  11. I listened carefully to these great sounds of great violinists (well-known kind). It makes me think that their sounds were not from their instruments, but their playings. I must say 95% if not more. We praised how rare were their instruments, a wrong direction of our attentions. Their instrument,not doubt, were extraordinary. Their (instrument) physical properties were not so much different from mine or yours. I am very curious of what you think. Please let me (and us) know what you think.
  12. Use a cloth hanger make a small loop and use use a small string (not instrument string, ordinary string)also make a loop through the loop (hole)of the hanger. Hold two ends of the string of the loop to hold your sound post (outside) and navigate it (to get inside)in position. When it is position,loose the ends and pull the the string out. Make adjustmnet of the post after putting it up in. I have done that. Caution: If you don't do it carefully, accident would happen and f-hole could be damaged easily. ( I almost damaged the f-hole as my hand slipped.)
  13. Don't use rice. Use fish tank gravels instead. (clean and try gravel)
  14. I am very sorry that I did not tell you what kind of electronic tuners I am using. It is Matrix SR-1000, A 440 with a clip-on. Clip on the bridge and then you tune your violin. (I like this kind, easy and accurate)) The needle moves steadly one way or other, it won't jump like other kinds which has a mic( by sound) (I don't recommend this kind)
  15. I am using Dominant G,D,A and Dominant wounded E (mittel,i.e, medium ) now from William Harris Lee shop. I have no idea what kind is good for what feature. The E was definiely my problem. Now it is bearable It could be better, but how? Should I try to move the sound post? What direction? I have post setter at hand. I can take it out and put it back. Only problem is I would not knowing what I will be doing. Usually, a violin becomes worst if I try to fix it. (lol) ( I believe I am not alone in this catagory)
  16. G,D, A are fine and warm but E is harsh. Could it be the string? I used steel E before it was terrible. Now I use wounded aluminum with steel core. It became a little better. Is it a string problem?
  17. Hi All, One of my three violins,an improved (Karl Bauer #2, 1977(?), make in Germany) has a harsh (non-smooth)sound. It is so different from my two other violins. I have my luthier cut a new bridge for it and its fingerborad angle corrected so it plays better but the sound is very bright. May I ask you ,experts here,that what possible be the reasons? Too thick of the plate? Too hard the bridge? Too high the bridge? Wrong graduation? etc. I like to present it as a case of problems for your opinions so you can enlighten us on this subject. Thank you in advance.
  18. Why not the winner have it insured for $45K? It the insurance company willing to accept the insurance then who cares?
  19. It is a very popular piece. I love it so do many others.
  20. I repeat here my question: How does Cao-1500 compare with Jiang ($4k)? and Snow ($2k)? ( in sound only)
  21. My advice: Bring you old violin and compare with it your "new" violin to see if it worth to upgrade. (by playing both) Even better if you have someone play both and you do the listening. Good Luck.
  22. I know a little about Chinese made violins, precisely I have owned two in one time or other (i.e. Snow ,Jiang) but I don't know any Cao's. I have heard a lot of good things about Cao's violins. May I ask: How do they compare with Jiang? or Snow? ( in term of sound, of course such comments are subjective and be cautious ) Just curious.
  23. In a better detail, I did a little more than just changing the strings. (To cure the buzzing) I put a drum skin on A at bridge (violin) and pulled back a little of the bridge which was tilt,and had my lady luthier knocked the soundpost a few time. Praised her works. etc. The bottom line was no more buzzing after that.
  24. It happened one time strange "buzzing" to my violin. I could not figured it out why. So I got rid of all the strings; put all new strings of different brands. It cured the problem.
  25. Are you sure that the strings in question is not too close to the fingerboard? Nut too low? bridge too low? (overlook the obvious of obvious) etc. Amateur's opinion.
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