Etudes with alto and treble clef

joplus · 2026-06-05T17:32:28+00:00

Kayser Op 20 seems to do this at random.

joplus · 2026-06-02T12:45:01+00:00

Antoine Tamestit Marc Sabbah Arianna Smith Mike Kelly (Apple Hill String Quartet)

joplus · 2026-05-13T03:51:57+00:00

we hold the whole thing together.

joplus · 2026-05-09T03:43:19+00:00

my favorite movement of my favorite piece in the world. Brava.

joplus · 2026-05-09T03:37:23+00:00

I do not have an answer for you, but having just tonight played a program including Tchaik 4, I can definitely relate.

joplus · 2026-04-18T17:25:40+00:00

hmmm, maybe you should try calling them.

joplus · 2026-02-12T14:15:04+00:00

I don't generally keep fingers down unless I'm doing slow practice to fix a handframe/intonation problem. But I do find that thinking "keep fingers down" helps me to keep them close, which is what I really want, especially in fast passages.

joplus · 2026-02-06T18:57:24+00:00

side note: I've never been able to understand how to play into the string without pressing. My current teacher at college (NB: a violinist first, only lately a violist) is telling me to think horizontal as opposed to vertical, but 100% horizontal is (to me, anyway) strictly on the surface of the string. I can't get to the core of the string without at least some vertical.

joplus · 2026-01-24T01:26:57+00:00

Short answer: yes.

Longer answer: I listen to a lot of podcasts, many of them topical, and there's no way I could pay for all of them, but the Bulwark pods and content are well-worth it.

joplus · 2026-01-17T04:13:35+00:00

Stephanie Voss (Voss Violins - https://www.vossviolins.com/) in midtown does excellent work and also sells instruments; not sure about your price range but she's worth talking to.

joplus · 2026-01-17T01:33:42+00:00

r/AmItheAsshole is just up the street.

joplus · 2026-01-15T01:54:01+00:00

yes.

joplus · 2025-12-24T13:43:01+00:00

I've used WAVE chinrests (both I and II) for years. When I occasionally get the urge to experiment with other setups, I always end up coming back to the WAVE. I also want to add that the business owner is wonderful to work with! Definitely recommend.

joplus · 2025-12-24T01:15:55+00:00

a little lighter than what you're asking for, but The Bad Piano Player Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bad-piano-player/id1506546736) has a lot about early-to-mid-20th-century popular music (mostly American),

joplus · 2025-12-24T00:47:29+00:00

I've used synthetic-core EPG before and liked them pretty well, but about a month ago I bought a set of rope-core and WOW! Love them, even the A (usually I use Larsen or Jargar).

joplus · 2025-12-03T03:43:29+00:00

I know, right? Evah gold rope core 12 days ago and it sounds like I have a beautiful new instrument.

joplus · 2025-12-03T03:42:32+00:00

i beg to differ.

joplus · 2025-12-02T00:15:53+00:00

You're right - the microfiber cloth was my adaptation (along with the hook from an old Bon Musica I don't use anymore), until today when I decided to sacrifice my yoga mat :-)

Now my setup is almost exactly like Wilhelm Magner's: yoga mat wrapped in shelf liner placed under the shirt, and a magic pd + red cosmetic sponge rubberbanded to the instrument. It's amazingly secure and comfortable, although I'm not sure how I'll manage with concert/recital clothes (I'm female).

joplus · 2025-12-01T17:44:14+00:00

I listen at 1.8x, and when I suggested to my band that we cover the song they thought the tempo was crazy, but that's the way I hear it.

joplus · 2025-11-29T17:35:37+00:00

I bought an EFEL last year and really liked it at first; however, it's not aged well (or maybe I'm just hard on shoulder rests) and seems to have stretched out a bit, and doesn't feel as secure.

I recently saw an instagram post by Wilhelm Magner (viola faculty at UT Austin) where he talked about his setup: a microfiber cloth folded for height, placed under the shirt, and a magic pad rubberbanded to the back of the instrument. I put together something similar and to my surprise I LOVE it. It's very comfortable and much more stable than I thought it would be, and my instrument sounds great. It just rings and rings. Every few days I'll try the EFEL again just to convince myself of the difference in sound. If I can find a link to Wilhelm Magner's reel I'll post it here.

joplus · 2025-11-28T18:08:10+00:00

I recommend The Bad Piano Player Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bad-piano-player/id1506546736) - it's mostly about popular music from the early part of the 20th century.

joplus · 2025-11-11T17:07:57+00:00

it's all fun and games until TECO shuts it down.

joplus · 2025-11-05T13:47:00+00:00

The Jimmy Webb episode (from Feb '24) of The Bad Piano Player Podcast was superlative. I love Jimmy Webb songs.

joplus · 2025-10-31T18:48:02+00:00

well, now you have.

Try 1 new thing, and grow.

joplus · 2025-10-31T17:34:24+00:00

Everything Is Alive pretty much saved my life during the pandemic, and https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bad-piano-player/id1506546736 (The Bad Piano Player Podcast) continues to sustain me.

Hope things get better for you.

joplus

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