The violin is the best known bowed string instrument and is also called a fiddle. Used by all music styles from classical to rock and pop.
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Tension when practice arpeggios on the violin
I have played the violin for 2 years. One of the most persistent problems for me is the unbearable tensions in the left hand. The tension is much increased when I practice the arpeggios, with the ...
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2answers
43 views
Delay / Distortion pedals for electric violin with bridge sensor (Schertler)?
I am playing a violin with a bridge sensor (currently a Schertler STAT-V http://www.schertler.com/homepage_schertler/statv-en.html). I am looking for good ideas for :
Delay pedals
Distortion / ...
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2answers
158 views
What do you call plucking the violin strings with the finger, rather than using the bow?
I was attempting to learn a bit about violin sheet music, and then I wondered if the act of producing sound with the finger or the fingernail had a written notation.
I had a hard time finding a video ...
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1answer
67 views
Why does my violin's A-string show signs of damage after only a week?
I changed my A-string on my violin due to accumulated damage (over 1 year of playing) about a week ago. Now the new A-string has tiny dings and what looks like slight unraveling. The damage seems to ...
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3answers
44 views
String ball end sizes, specifically “Size Gold E String Ball End”? - Violin
What are the the different string ball end sizes for a violin? Specifically, what does "Size Gold E String Ball End" mean?
I have come across this description here and am trying to figure out why ...
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2answers
118 views
How many lessons are necessary to pick up the basics of violin with sufficient practice?
I'd really like to learn the violin, however I'll just be able to muster up enough money to buy a cheap violin and a few lessons. How many lessons do you think I would need in order to avoid ...
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1answer
56 views
What resource teaches me finger placement for violin sheet music?
New to the violin!
... So, I'm really confused now.
You see, as a hobby, this whole time I have been learning songs by memorizing the finger placement some violinists use for their pieces.
Buuut, ...
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4answers
130 views
What methods are there to determine when a violin string should be replaced?
I am very new to the violin. I have broken a string just once - and it was while attempting to tune it.
The string breaking was rather surprising and powerful - I'm glad my face was not too close.
...
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3answers
201 views
Is a violin's shape (particularly the f-holes) necessary or is it just for aesthetics?
Violins have a rather beautiful design.
... is such design necessary? Is a violin's natural sound only achieved when it has this specific shape?
I have a particular interest in the f-holes. Are they ...
5
votes
4answers
191 views
Why do string players tend to breathe heavily in performance?
Recently, I've started to develop an interest in classical music, specifically chamber music and, more specifically, piano trios. Having listened to a few performances now, I can't help but notice ...
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5answers
134 views
Is there a significant difference between playing one note or multiple ones per bow stroke?
So recently I realized that I tend to do just one note per bow stroke for everything I play.
I was taking a look at how violinists played, particularly with Fur Elise, which begins something like ...
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2answers
117 views
What purpose does adjusting the violin bow tension serve?
A violin bow has a screw that allows you to adjust the hairs' tension. Like a tuning peg so to speak.
When I just got mine, I didn't pay attention to it. I worked with the tuning pegs because I knew ...
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5answers
170 views
What am I doing wrong when tuning the violin using a web application?
I don't know anything about violins, and I won't have time for a tutor until much later.
When attempting to tune my violin, I was advised to get a digital violin tuner. Alright. But before I go get ...
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votes
3answers
105 views
What should I consider when I see a loosen hair in a violin bow?
This drawing should do:
These are the hairs of a brand new bow. Straight, clean, etc.
I noticed this:
As you can see, it seems like a certain hair is a bit loose.
Is this wrong? (affects ...
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5answers
180 views
What can I do to learn violin before going to a teacher?
Well, I just got a violin today. Got it set up, tuned up (I think), aaaand... Most horrible sound ever heard in my life! :D
So, it is time to learn to play it. Apparently, it is highly advised to get ...
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votes
3answers
93 views
Am I able to repair the pegs on my violin?
A couple years ago, my cousin gave me her old violin that she never played, and it is for sure over fifty years old. When she found it, the pegs were really loose and they will not stay in their place ...
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2answers
169 views
Does the species of woods used play any role on the sound of a violin?
Whenever I check on violin-learning-related sites, they usually begin talking about the quality of a violin. The strings, the species of woods...
... the species of wood. Ebony? Maple? Rosewood? I ...
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4answers
77 views
Are there limits for the possible pieces for different violins?
I don't know anything about violins. No, actually, I don't know anything about music, so this is rather basic:
Despite it looking terribly hard, I decided to learn to play the violin nonetheless. I ...
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4answers
246 views
Do competent violinists avoid open strings?
I just picked up a violin for the first time in what must be 25 years. All that time ago, I had lessons and playing in school orchestras - but moved on to other instruments.
As a beginner I would use ...
5
votes
3answers
107 views
Should a violinist use hand strength exercisers? If so, what kind?
Should a violinest use a hand exerciser, by which I am referring to the kind generally used by guitarists? An example of one may be found here.
If so, is there a specific kind and/or tension which is ...
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votes
3answers
132 views
How can I evaluate the quality and value of a violin?
I want to start learning the violin, but I don't know what's a good price for one. Should I get a used one or a new one? How can I tell that a violin is of good quality and worth the price asking for? ...
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5answers
741 views
Do I need a teacher to learn violin?
I'd like to take up the violin, but I travel too much to take lessons.
Is it reasonable to learn violin without a teacher? And I take 'unreasonable' to mean "don't even bother- you'll be much better ...
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4answers
256 views
What kind of pre-requisites do I need in order to start learning violin?
Can someone suggest to me what kind of pre-requisites I should need in order to start learning violin by myself or with help of a tutor please.
I'm a new learner with not much musical knowledge, ...
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5answers
306 views
Why does conventional playing style give the string manipulation to the left hand?
For the majority of players, the right hand is used for most tasks that require exacting manipulation: writing, throwing, etc.
However, guitar, violin, lute, etc., etc., use the right hand for ...
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votes
3answers
121 views
How can I evaluate violin pickups?
I wanted to buy some pickups for my accoustic violin and I was looking on thomann.de and see these two models that seems interesting with the same price:
Fishman V-200
David Gage Violin Minijack
...
5
votes
3answers
121 views
Downshifting in high positions on violin
I'm having trouble going down to fifth position from a higher position. I often land a little offkey (usually flat by a quarter-step unless I overcompensate), I think because that's where the base of ...
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5answers
677 views
Teaching rhythm to a beginner
I'm teaching viola to a beginner high school student.
His progress with technique and reading are pretty good, but one thing he has trouble with is rhythm and tempo. He tends to want to work on ...
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votes
2answers
188 views
How do violinists manage headphone wires?
I've been playing acoustic classical violin for years, and I recently bought my first electric violin: A Yamaha SV-200. Right now I'm making do with the pair of in-ear phones that came with it. I plan ...
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votes
4answers
119 views
What are some songs/music piece that I can use to practice Violin?
I just started to learn violin. So far, I only know how to play "Ode to Joy" and also learning to play "Canon" in C.
Can you please suggest me some songs that are easy for beginner like me to ...
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vote
1answer
128 views
Harmonizing a violin and a fife
My roommate plays violin (a concert C instrument). I play fife (a concern Ab instrument).
Fifes typically are played with music in either D or G, due to ease of hitting the notes on those scales. ...
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2answers
380 views
Rosin doesn't work on the bow
I just bought a violin. It comes with the yellow color rosin that doesn't seem to apply well to the bow hair. I've been applying it like for 30 minutes but it doesn't seems to improve at all. What ...
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4answers
220 views
Is there a name for this guitar technique for Paganini's Capriccio #6?
I've spent several years working up Paganini's Capriccio #6 for the violin on the guitar and I wonder if the idea already exists and has a name.
For the violin, the piece is a coninuous double-stop ...
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5answers
454 views
Violin strings breaking in fingerboard area
My violin's strings have been breaking every 3 to 4 weeks. I only practice about 10 hours a week.
It is not normal for strings to be breaking constantly and though the problem could be an incorrect ...
3
votes
2answers
180 views
What technical difficulties will I encounter transitioning from violin to 5-string viola?
What is harder to play, violin or viola?
My question is should be completely agnostic, i.e. no relation to the classical repertoire or any other rep., nor should it be about the string order.
The ...
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131 views
Is there a chance for heavy violin strings to harm the instrument?
Is there anything like that that heavy or other kinds of violin-strings should break down the instrument?
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4answers
3k views
Are fingertips supposed to hurt and get calluses from playing the violin ?
Whenever I play the violin a lot my fingertips start to hurt to a point at which it is painful to keep playing and this is just from around 3 to 4 hour a day practice which I don't consider to be ...
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votes
3answers
467 views
How many voices do violins usually play in modern orchestral music
I've been into arranging and composing for orchestral music for a few years now, however, my music is usually fully computer-rendered (ewql), so I don't have any practical limits of how many ...
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2answers
281 views
Alternate violin strings for gypsy music?
I will be playing traditional/gypsy music on my classical violin, and would like to have a sound that is stylistically appropriate (deep/rich/warm/old/woody as opposed to brilliant/sweet/ringy).
Can ...
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votes
3answers
716 views
Violin Pickup that will sound like natural violin?
I am constantly looking (for years) after a violin piezo pickup (or any other that is feedback-safe guaranteed), that won't ruin up the violin sound.
All the PUs I've been experimented with, over the ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
Violin fingering schemes for different scales
I had a 10 year gap in my violin play and I'm still having trouble remembering the correct fingering (specifically for 4 and more sharps/flats).
Where can I find some fingering charts/schemes ...
6
votes
4answers
602 views
Should fingerboard tapes be used for beginner violinists ?
Some teachers use them and some don't. I've heard that they can become a crutch and cause delayed ear training development, but others say they are necessary at the beginning.
Can they really cause ...
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7answers
2k views
What is the right age to start learning to play violin?
I heard that it becomes very difficult to learn to play violin after a certain age (14 IIRC). Is that correct? And what is the reason?
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3answers
642 views
What is the difference between 'martelé and 'détaché' bowing?
As the title asks, I wish it could be clear to me. Can someone give me a good characterization? Do you produce them differently on a cello than on a violin or viola?
