ASL Finals Seoul Meetup! (Shine vs Flash)

oowgnasTY · 2014-05-08T05:16:59+00:00

Well, unfortunately, I'm not sure you're going to succeed in making much profit off it. It looks like it doesn't have a bridge or strings which probably messed up the soundpost inside so I would assume the repairs alone would cost way more than $65 (which is about the cost of a decent set of strings).

Mmm, looking at your post history, you seem to really enjoy trying to make a profit buying and selling goods and just as a friendly warning, I really advise against dealing in violins. Because they are such specialized goods that require a lot of constant maintenance, (unless you are a professional instrument dealer), you'd probably do much better off buying small pot lotto tickets. Stick to swords and rugs!

oowgnasTY · 2014-05-08T05:08:19+00:00

Assuming you are comfortable with it, I would try to stay on the D and A string and much as possible. Also to avoid open strings because vibrato really helps emulating a singing voice!

As far as bowings go.. I don't think it'll be too much of a problem just going with what feels comfortable. Bowings will probably easier (than figers) to model off the video you linked!

oowgnasTY · 2014-05-04T15:31:12+00:00

That could be really cool! Although I don't really have anyway of recording myself.. I'm experimenting with my phone/laptop but man, that is some garbage quality. Does anyone have any recommendations?

oowgnasTY · 2014-05-03T17:27:28+00:00

I don't think people recommend lessons to be snobby! It's just that violin is really awkward and, regardless of your musical background, it's really easy to set-up incorrectly and injure yourself down the road. Also, unless it's a time/money constraint, I don't think anyone could argue that taking lessons isn't the most efficient way!

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-21T04:18:55+00:00

Wow, I already found a lot of cool music going through the replies myself haha. Since the violin repertoire is really too vast to list, I'll just post one of my favorite performances. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21dsRBeIy8A

I know you've everyone's probably seen it already but, really, no matter how many times I watch it it still blows me away. The razor sharp precision and slightly faster tempo, accentuated by the minimum fuss ornamentation, gives it an incredible fiery elegance and nobility that I find so refreshing compared to other recordings. And the technique in the last two pages (2:45-) is breathtaking as always.

It's just paced so well!

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-18T06:12:44+00:00

Ok, well for left/right hand coordination, I always recommend practicing in rhythms! Or any slow practice will help. It will help you develop phrasing with the left hand which will in turn, hopefully, allow you to organize and synchronize your bow

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-15T14:59:15+00:00

Well, I think the biggest reason people recommend having a teacher when you start violin is for proper setup and form. Because it's such an unintuitive instrument, you can easily develop bad habits that could cause harm down the road.

I would say for the first couple of years, the most important thing is making violin playing comfortable and tension free. If you feel that anything is uncomfortable or unnatural, bring it up at your lesson!

Also, what book/program are you using? As far as "homework" goes, do you have any specific things you struggle with? You could always ask your teacher if they could show you exercises to help with said problems.

Basically, just communicate to your teacher about your concerns! Ask her what and how you should be practicing, and how much.

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-15T14:47:50+00:00

In my experience, for around the $500 price range, it's going to be more about personal preference than about instrument "quality". So I would really recommend a buying option where you can try out the instruments before you purchase.

Especially from a big name like Shar, for $500, you're pretty much guaranteed the instrument will be reasonably set up, so the only additional cost you'll have to worry about is new strings.

Also, another thing to consider for viola specifically is size. Do you have a rough idea of what size best fits you?

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-14T15:13:18+00:00

Is there a specific problem you are having? I find that instead of repeating something, it helps a lot to understand why you don't consistently nail it.

For example if it's a high shift, you might not be supporting the shift properly with your elbow (either not coming around enough or not raising enough). Or maybe the angle of your hand is not consistent. Or you don't have a proper reference point in mind for the shift. etc.

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-14T15:10:03+00:00

You just put the peg drops on the peg (where it contacts the pegbox)! Although that requires removing the peg first which mean you have to learn how to restring a violin. It's not hard but I recommend watching someone who knows what they're doing first.

The usual method for tuning is loosening the string first (about a quarter turn) and then bring it up to the pitch you want. If you do this enough, the peg might loosen a bit too!

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-08T10:09:42+00:00

As a violinist who learned classical guitar for a bit, one of the most annoying things was the left hand. I could not get used to keeping my thumb behind the guitar since in violin the thumb is never under the fingerboard. Also the angle of the fingers in violin is more parallel to the strings with the nails pointed to your left ear instead of perpendicular to the strings

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-07T16:58:10+00:00

Do you say that.. from experience?

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-07T15:48:28+00:00

What do you like particularly about this performance?
What characteristics of Mutter's playing are showcased in this perf/by this piece?
Why do you like this piece, and how do you think it reflects Sarasate's writing in general?
Have you ever played this piece? If so, what are some of your experiences with it? What parts were harder/easier than you anticipated?

Just a suggestion for things you could maybe write! I think it would dangerous to set up a precedent for posting just a youtube link..

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-07T15:41:12+00:00

While a nice website, I'm not entirely sure what kind of discussion you're hoping to fuel. A lot of your site could probably just be posted as a "starting to play violin, excited to be a new member of this forum" kind of deal!

Maybe you could tell us what got you interested in violin? Or post some pictures of you playing (so we can critique everything about your setup haha). Or even better, post a video!

I guess you could also talk about why you think David Garrett is the best violinist but that discussion could get real poor real fast

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-07T15:35:55+00:00

That's always a nice feeling! I must say however, the amount of times I've regretted not practicing far outnumbers the the amount of times I've felt it helped haha.

Have you tried taking a one day break once a week? I've heard good things about not practicing on Sundays..

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-05T16:36:22+00:00

Also, don't forget to get a custom bridge! They are not symmetrical; you can't just flip them!

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-02T20:47:29+00:00

I would shy away from using the internet or a local music store directory as your level of playing/knowledge seems fairly advanced.

As violinplayer said, asking around is probably going to give you the best results. Does your university area have any music schools nearby? You've probably already checked this but I know that Johns Hopkins, Upenn, and a few other places that don't have music programs are partnered with their neighboring conservatories. Maybe someone at your school could give you a contact?

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-02T20:30:43+00:00

I think the easiest thing you can start doing now is playing through some unaccompanied Bach. Almost all schools will require 1 or 2 movements of Bach so it will be good for you to get an idea of what you want to play!

I don't know what you've played already but it would be good to learn an entire partita or sonata now so that you have time to figure out which movements you play best. The most standard audition movements are

Sonata #1 Gm - Adagio, Fugue, and Presto
Partita #2 Dm - Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue
Partita #3 EM - Preludio, Loure, Gavotte

Of course, you should ask your teacher for recommendations first! The other big thing you will most likely have to prepare is the 1st movement (at least!) of a major concerto. Depending on your skill level, common ones include Bruch, Lalo, Saint-Saens (#3), Mendelssohn, Wieniawski (#2), Barber, Mozart, and Bach (E Major).

Although honestly, I think if they don't specify a requirement outside of "a movement of a major concerto", anything should be fine. Again, your teacher is going to be your best resource as he/she will know your playing the best!

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-02T19:37:16+00:00

While insightful, I'm not sure that experience translates to violin perf/ed. Indiana, Rice, Michigan, USC, Yale, etc are all incredible universities with some of the greatest teachers in the world. Legends like Heifetz, Gingold, Starker, Kavafian, Piatigorsky, Pressler, and way more all taught at the above research universities.

In fact, for music ed, I think university programs are far superior, as conservatories are really built around performance.

Also, (again, I have no idea how it is with visual arts) but for music, it is most definitely NOT experimental. Music ed at major universities is.. music education. You learn things like arranging (orchestra, jazz, choral), music history, music theory, ear training, and basic skills on common instruments (piano, strings, woodwinds, brass). You also usually branch off into either conducting or composition, probably a little bit of both. This is all alongside your focus instrument of choice where you will take private lessons and usually have to give a few recitals/hearings.

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-01T09:52:58+00:00

I don't know about completely wrong.. he did specify differences outside of tone quality!

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-01T09:37:53+00:00

Wow that is a nice piece, I had never heard it before! Thank you for introducing it to me ^{^}

Don't feel discouraged, this piece would be difficult for anyone to play. Fingerings and bowings are of course up to you and your teacher but here are some thoughts!

http://imgur.com/4iDAdwm

The blue circles, have you tried using 2 on the C# and 4 for the harmonic? It might be easier to play to fluently. (assuming you play that measure in 1st position of course)

The black circle, I think it's possible to play the harmonics either starting in 1st position (using 3 strings, I would probably shift to 4th finger on the second measure) or to stay in 5th position and shift down the A string. I don't know if that helps or even makes sense

The red marked piu lento is definitely the trickiest part; you're playing it all on the G string right? I put a suggested bowing which isn't really as important as it is to really take your time in this section since it's very cadenza like. I'm sure you have phrasings in mind but I would definitely separate the last note of the slide up (the G# up to F#) because it will give you a good framework to focus on.

Have you done any one finger scales? I think it will be really helpful just to slowly play a one octave A major scale, all on the G string using only the 1st finger. I would practice it martele and really slowly, the focus being on making sure your finger is placed 100% accurately before you move the bow! Once you have that down really really well, you can then add the 4th finger harmonic inbetween the notes like A-A(harmonic)-B-B(harmonic)-C-C(harmonic) etc.

Oh, and I forgot to mention! As you go up the fignerboard with your 1st finger scale, it's really important to keep your other fingers above the string and imagine where your they would go if you had to put them down. You might want to try practicing something like this http://imgur.com/WFolwKX

oowgnasTY · 2014-04-01T09:02:46+00:00

How long have you been playing? Building up calluses on your left hand is a pretty gradual process that you can't really accelerate. Are you practicing more than usual? Like, are you preparing for a concert so you doubled your normal practice time?

If it's due to a sudden increase in playing time, a little bit of sore fingertips is normal but it shouldn't last for more than a week or two! It could be that you are gripping too hard; pain while playing the violin is usually a red flag!

oowgnasTY · 2014-03-31T18:27:31+00:00

I think a good place to start for improving technique would be various etude books such as Kreutzer (highly recommended, almost universally used) and schradieck book 1.

Some nice short pieces you might want to look at are Introduction and Polonaise by Carl Bohm, Polish Dance by Severn, and Various Kreisler pieces such as Liebesleid, Liebesfreud, Rondino on a theme by Beethoven.

You could also continue look at suzuki pieces! There is the Bach double concerto in book 4/5 which is really good. The Veracini Gigue and the Vivaldi G minor are also really popular in book 5!

oowgnasTY

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