What are /r/violinist's favorite Products & Services?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

You want one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Otto-Musica-Artino-Practice-violin/dp/B006GCNUHQ/

That's a coated heavy practice mute, and is probably the best compromise between sound dampening and not damaging your bridge (which some metal mutes can do).

But you should see if you can use a practice room on your campus. At some colleges, dormitories have practice rooms. Otherwise, whatever building is used for the music department almost certainly has some.

A better option might be getting a full on practice mute. Not like one of the plastic ones, they do nothing but a big heavy metal one like the one I've linked to. It's cheap and extremely effective, they make my full size, powerful violin sound about as quiet as an electric. I use them all the time when I'm practicing late at night with my sleeping partner in the house and she never notices. Just don't try to force it all the way onto the bridge it just kind of sits on it.

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TLDR: Buy this thing I HIGHLY recommend it over an electric.

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https://www.amazon.com/Mudder-Violin-Practice-Silencer-Silver/dp/B01N0GKLZR/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=violin+practice+mute&qid=1559845350&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Whistler Scales book!

I also recommend the Barbara Barber scales for young violinists book but it may be a bit more advanced than beginner since it does go to third position and such.

I'm pretty sure your teacher is being overly picky: for a starter, if she likes the violin and it isn't literally unplayable(and if it is [like this one]http://www.amazon.com/Mendini-Antique-Violin-Shoulder-Strings/dp/B0051UUHPC), the amazon reviews prove it isn't), the violin is fine. Your "a good musician can make a cheap instrument sound like a million bucks" is probably exaggerated, but if it sounds like this it's going to be fine. Frankly, if your husband is a cellist, has heard it and he says it's fine you shouldn't even be asking us: it's obviously OK. Maybe get a teacher who is less anal about this?

Some facts of life:

• You'll always be your own worst critic. You'll always notice things that you did wrong that other people won't pick up on. This is the other side of the Dunning-Kruger effect, and it typically gets worse the better you get.
• Practicing for 15 minutes in a stretch is OK. There's a cult of practice, where more is considered better, which isn't a bad thing, but it needs to be effective practice. Learn to recognize that you're beating yourself up and take a break, it'll make things more enjoyable and you'll get more out of it. You'll also slowly build stamina over time, as well.
• Foster a growth mindset, not a fixed one. I can tell from your post that you see yourself as either being good at the violin, or not, instead of seeing it as a skillset that you slowly get better at. People with a fixed mindset tend to break when they fail at certain tasks, because they view it as proof that they they do not have an ability, while people with a growth mindset recover more quickly because they see failure as a necessary part of the learning process. (The book Art of Learning is very good and goes into this topic.)
• It's okay to take a break from practicing the violin, or even stop. Most of all, music should be fun. Don't do something you hate, and it's okay to take a break until you figure out if it's something you really want to do.

edit: grammar

You're welcome. And I don't mean to be rude or cruel, but there is basically no way with just a year of training (I just noted that part of your post) he could be intermediate or advanced. Not even the most gifted players in the history of time were at that level within a year.

Given that, he is probably best with this: https://www.amazon.com/Scales-Young-Violinists-Barbara-Barber/dp/1470619296/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_0/141-4261684-8704142?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1470619296&pd_rd_r=27e5dc5c-47a9-4a35-a444-ced5254f030d&pd_rd_w=V30oz&pd_rd_wg=vRu6d&pf_rd_p=a0d6e967-6561-454c-84f8-2ce2c92b79a6&pf_rd_r=273FXXVV7MWEZQYGP4H0&psc=1&refRID=273FXXVV7MWEZQYGP4H0. But definitely validate with his teacher first.

Good luck!

110 db seems to be off. That's like Rock concert levels of sound and I can say for sure that Hilary Hahn doesn't even put out that level of sound in a halfway decent venue, and she's probably the loudest live violinist I've heard. 110db can cause hearing damage after just 1 minute, so if she's been doing this 6 hours a day you would already have noticed hearing loss. How are you measuring this?

In any case, I recommend these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G0PPTAK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Basically what you want is a set of ear protectors that will have a neutral-reduction in sound levels across all frequencies. Uniform attenuation of sound as it were. Foam earplugs are kind of a blunt-instrument approach, and they tend to be more effective on high frequencies than low frequencies.

The ones I linked claim to provide 12db reduction, although I have never verified this with a meter, it is definitely miles more effective than foam plugs.

nono, that part is easy! this is multitrack recording. notice they are wearing headphones?

you record one part, and then you listen to that while you record the next and just play along like you were playing with another person. but since you use headphones, only the part you are actively playing gets recorded on that track, so you can make it sound clean when you mix it all together.

this also means you can have a click track going to keep it steady. in other words, you literally have the metronome going while you record, but its through the headphones so you just mute that track once you are done and theres no sign of it on the final product .... other than unnaturally perfect timing ;)

my student just won a cover contest doing this! :) she used audacity to record all the parts in her laptop. and recorded vids of herself on her phone while she was recording it.

audacity is free audio software. you can get it here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity/

so once she was happy with her audio, i used video editing software to line everything up, but its just a matter of dragging things around till the audio on the video matches the good audio exported from audacity and then muting the extra audio.

most computers come with some cheap kind of video editing like movie maker or imovie, but i used vegas cause i happen to have it. im sure there's something cheaper though...

i mean, this is so popular theres probably programs that have presets for how many boxes you wanna put yourself in and automatically syncing audio to video :P

(i just used what i already had so i didnt explore stuff custom made for this)

Clean the rosin off the strings after you are finished playing for the day.

Since you bought it online, you really should have your teacher look it over before even starting to play. He/She will be able to tell you if it is in sound condition after shipping. A lot can happen to a package between Amazon and your home.

Don't buy any music books until you secure a teacher (often music stores can help)Then ask what books they want to teach out of.

Also a Kun shoulder rest will help big time https://www.amazon.com/Kun-Original-Violin-Shoulder-Rest/dp/B0002FOLPI

Stop picking. If your fingertip skin tends to get dry and peel like this, try Eucerin Advanced Hand Repair - https://.amazon.com/Eucerin-Advanced-Repair-Creme-Ounce/dp/B001699TI8/

It'll smooth out your fingers in a few days.

Yes, I was just about to say that! The sound quality itself is great, but playing less on the fingerboard can give an even better tone. Your posture seems good too! At times, just try to relax your wrist though it seems to be pretty good for most of the playing. For the playing straight, try playing something super slow like scales. Another great way to practice is this book! It has a lot of excercises where you can focus on your bowing. The best way that workwd for me was personally just taking it slow and recording myself often. Try recording every single attempt. This way you can see how the bow looks and try to fix it. It took me a very long time to fix this so don't lose hope, it is a gradual process. The bow seems to be a bit slanted which is what is causing the fingerboard playing. It is very important your wrist is flowing (I was taught kind of like an octopus) when playing which will give a straight bow. Try playing around with your index and pinky finger and see what helps to bow straight. A lot of playing around and experimenting with my bow hand and recording is what helped me a lot! good luck!

I have used Kaplan Premium for years, mostly because it has a plastic case but the rosin is good too. Ddarrio suggests yours is a different formula but since mine only cost $3 more it’s probably very close.

It is a stethoscope case. Found it here:

https://www.amazon.com/Caseling-Hard-Case-Littmann-Stethoscope/dp/B019IZZKUC/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=stethoscope+case&qid=1619567767&sprefix=steth&sr=8-5

If you have Amazon prime, you can stream Bill Preucil playing these and talking about this for free. https://www.amazon.com/Orchestral-Excerpts-Violin-William-Preucil/dp/B0016Q6CPY/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1496446219&sr=8-9&keywords=preucil+violin+cd

It's also bizarre that there are no bowings. In fact, many of the slurred bowings after the first repeat during dotted rhythms... no one plays it like that.

I had the luck of stumbling across it while looking for recordings of Walther's Scherzo D'Augeli con il Cuccu. Plenty more on youtube, but this seemed like the best fit for the sub because it's apparently little-known, written for unaccompanied violin, and prefigures some of Paganini's contributions while also displaying (prominently) arpeggiated sequences similar to those in Bach's S+P that i and probably many of you can't get enough of.

Plus, you know, the rocking and the grooving.

Curiously, (and suggestively) imslp doesn't have the score. But luckily books.google.com does, scanned from a copy at Lyon public library:

https://books.google.com/books?id=5B0GKQt2dS8C

Warning, the pages are in reverse order.

Barbara Barber, "Scales for Young Violinists".

https://www.amazon.com/Scales-Young-Violinists-Barbara-Barber/dp/1470619296

Try contacting Amine directly to see if he has sheet music he is willing to share if it is his arrangement.

And if you can't figure it out by ear and he doesn't want to share the music, you might need to hire someone on fiverr.com to try to transcribe it. Whether this is ethical or not I leave to others to decide.

You will only need first to third position to play this - except one brief section with fifth position or a harmonic for the high E.

Flying spiccato. The ricochet bowing that purple is talking about is from the 1st movement. While technique isn't exactly easy to articulate over text, here is an excerpt from one of Galamian's books describing the former technique.

"Stradivari's Genius" by Toby Faber is really interesting. It starts as an in depth review of the history of five select instruments that can practically be traced from the present back to Stradivari's workshop as well as branches out to assess Stradivari's impact and place in history

Get a Catrpilr. Does a better job of preserving the sound quality, won't damage the bridge.

https://smile.amazon.com/Catrpilr-Practice-Mute-for-Violin/dp/B07S1CMZJ8/

I'd recommend a method book for focused 3rd position practice - Introducing the Positions Volume 1 covers 3rd and 5th positions. Suzuki book 4 starts getting into 3rd position, though that may be a bit advanced for you right now.

the cheaper carbon fiber bows can start out nice, but i have had several students who had them fail after a few months. the thin end just breaks. a student is using one now and we can see cracks forming, so its just a matter of time. its not like the coda bows!

the wood bow... im just not sure. i had two that looked like that come through my studio. one was very nice and one was absolute trash. so i think someone started making decent student bows with that design, and then another company copied the look. i dont know which this brand is.

if you can get to a violin shop and try several cheap wood bows, one will usually stand out as better than the others. range usually starts around $70 for the cheapest eastmans or similar.

if you are stuck buying on amazon, my students have been treated well by this company, which has some stuff in a similar price range.

https://www.amazon.com/Giuliani-Premier-Violin-Full-Size/dp/B006AZRMPA/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1494580563&sr=1-1&keywords=kennedy+violin+bow

https://www.amazon.com/Giuliani-Forte-Brazilwood-Violin-Full/dp/B01N17V43O/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1494580971&sr=1-5&keywords=kennedy+violin+bow

I think Southwest Strings has a better rep (at least according to my teacher who is a professional violinist), so check that out.

That said, I bought the Fiddlerman Carbon Fiber bow from Amazon (I had a gift card), and I really like it.

I don't recognize the tune off hand, but here are three suggestions:

a) Ask your teacher to help you play through it IF this is a pedagogical approach that is appropriate for you at this stage;

b) Break it down slowly. First figure out the correct notes one at a time. I assume you know how to read all the notes in terms of what pitch they should be. (If not, tell us which measure[s] is/are the issue.) Practicing your scales will help with reading the pitches. Once you have figured out the pitches for each note, practice the rhythms by clapping them against a metronome at a SLOW speed. Perhaps 1/4 note = 60. Then, when you have the notes and rhythms down, put them together.

c) To learn how to read music, it is best NOT to listen to a recording until you have tried b) above first. If you get to a point where you really cannot proceed, find a composition program like flat.io (free edition), and then type up and playback the music.

I’ve used a string swing for my violin for easily at least 8 years, since I had a half size. My teacher recommended it to me since she uses it for her violin in her practice room, and if she trusts it for her nice (and very expensive) violin, then I trust for mine.

It doesn’t “clip in” but it definitely feels very secure and gentle on my violin. It also has a spot for the bow and feels pretty secure (for a wall hanger of course.) It’s proven to work well for me throughout the years. I’ve also never noticed anything with my pegs or my violin going out of tune.

Hang it in a safe, low traffic area, and out of sunlight. Also make sure you hang it high enough. Mine was at the same hight as it was when I was a child, and my cat would sometimes brush against my bow so I had to raise it. Just keep it in mind.

I have my violin hanging almost 24/7, but anytime it’s even slightly more humid or dry I put mine in my case just to be safe. It can mess with the pegs, the wood, and your bow. Just be careful with this!

Here’s the link to it on amazon! I hope I could help!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HXMOBW6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_P39KG4935CYND6NPGWXE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

If you're touring for gigs or the like, and need a proper music stand, I'd buy a Peak: https://www.amazon.com/Peak-Music-Stands-SMS-40-Collapsible/dp/B00KBD47EG

But if you're just going to practice in your hotel room, you'd be better off with a portable, collapsible book stand that weighs next to nothing. Or bring a tablet with your music.

I got it from Amazon! Here’s the link!!! violin case

Are you looking for an orchestra mute for tone - or a practice mute?

For an orchestra mute, the cheap black rubber violin shaped-Tourte or circle-shaped mutes are plenty fine.

For a practice mute, this one (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B7N8P5A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is satisfactory for the price point.

Books on pedagogy and technique are generally written for players who have mostly mastered the instrument, are playing at an advanced level, and may be teaching others.

Galamian, Flesch, and Auer all have solid historical perspectives on how to play the instrument. (Going farther back, we get interesting treatises by folks like Leopold Mozart, also, but they aren't hugely relevant for anyone who is not doing HIP.)

For a fully-modern, primarily Galamian-influenced perspective, Simon Fischer's "The Violin Lesson" serves a similar role. While it (and his other books) may be used by intermediate players are a useful sort of reference, they aren't self-teaching books.

For interpretation, I recommend "Sound in Motion": https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0253219264/

Teaching at a public school, I see a lot of the Amazon instruments. Stentor is probably my favorite of them, though the Cremona are all right. The quality can really vary on those cheaper instruments, especially when the peg box or bridge are poorly cut. Amazon has a pretty good return policy if you want to consider buying a cheaper one and asking your child's teacher if they'll be successful on it. If you end up buying one of the cheap ones, you're probably better off getting a $30 bow from Shar to use instead of the one that it comes with.

I love that the affordability of these instruments opens up the opportunity for more kids to play violin, but they really do make playing harder for the kids using them. If you think the kid will stick with it long enough to get to a full size, I think that's more reason to invest in an instrument that is more playable and produces a better tone so they enjoy it more. But I get it when parents can't afford that extra cost.

Short answer: Cheap Amazon violins like this Cecilio will play and sound like crap out of the box without professional set-up an a few hundred dollars worth of amps & effects to make it sound decent. An iRig and some patience can mitigate this for an inexpensive alternative.

Long answer: Expect to spend around $600 for a good, playable entry-level electric violin like a Yamaha YEV-104 which can be used for silent practice with the right accessories. There's no such thing as an "acoustic electric silent" violin. Acoustic = self-amplified, not silent. Silent = solid-body, not acoustic. An electric violin with a resonant body will encounter feedback issues when amplified and will still be fairly loud when played on its own even without amplification. A solid-body violin is much quieter, but requires a bunch of external equipment to get a decent sound. If you plug headphones into something like the Cecilio linked above, it will sound like crap. If all you care about is practicing silently so other people don't hear you it'll be fine, but for performance... not so much.

I am so in love with my American Fiddle Method books, look them up! This should be perfect for your level, I also use the Suzuki method.

I've been playing for about a year.

Recently I checked out this $45 bow on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DVRXZVE

It is lighter and has a better balance than the fiberglass Glasser bow that came with my $500 (from a luthier) violin.

I wish I would have upgraded sooner.

I ordered them in bulk from Amazon specifically to make this project (part of a college application).

They’re definitely not a speedcube brand, I think most people buy them as party favors for little kids. Each cube is like 1.5x1.5 inches and they turn terribly.

I'm a big fan of the nice sheet music or book + thoughtful letter approach. I would recommend this small hardcover edition of the Bach S+P manuscript.

Desktop software is free. https://musescore.org/en/download

You can download and edit the musescore files, but you need a free account to do that.

If there is music you want as is, you can download for free without an account to pdf.

I don't know about any app that is $7. Don't bother with any iOS or android apps.

I have this book for piano and vocal:
https://smile.amazon.com/Miserables-Alain-Boublil/dp/0793529182/ref=sr_1_2?crid=261DJ97DQW10W&dchild=1&keywords=les+miserables+piano+book&qid=1628003739&sprefix=les+miserables+piano%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-2

I just took a look at the vocal part and it looks like it's all within range with the exception of one low G flat. But most of it is in e flat major, unfortunately...

What everyone said about having a doctor (preferably an ear doctor, and maybe a neurologist.

Also what someone said about allergies. Or an ear infection.

But also, get some musician's ear plugs. I recently got these (no affiliate link), sold by the manufacturer on Amazon cheaper than on their own website, and I really like them.

Currently your videos sync nicely with sound from your phone. If you’re considering a external desktop mic you may find the extra steps frustrating. They sell mics that attach by lightning connector. Like this one. I cannot speak to its quality but it should be a bump up from the internal mic and within your budget

I purchased a Manhasset conductor's stand, which will hold an awful lot of music on its surface. They're available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Manhasset-Regal-Director-Sheet-Music/dp/B0007WRNQK

Beware of Amazon because fake strings have been known to be sold on Amazon. If you do order from Amazon, make sure the seller is an actual violin shop like Johnson String Instrument. This set has an option to buy from that particular shop. There may be other shops that also sell on Amazon, but this is the one that I recognize having ordered from them directly in the past.

I have not tried obligato rosin. Since you are looking at ordering from Amazon, I have noticed that there is a Melos rosin 4 season set on Amazon that includes both a light and a dark rosin. If I hadn't already bought Melos dark rosin, I would have considered this set to see which one I preferred. I think ordering rosin from Amazon should be pretty safe as I'm not aware of counterfeit rosins.

I don't know whether you have an Android phone or an iPhone, but here's an Android app I've been using to help me learn to read music.

I didn't find the actual mic I have, but it's sth similar to this:

https://m.thomann.de/de/the_t.bone_lucan_system_cc_200_rc.htm

You need an audio interface for it though.

My tuner is this one here:

https://smile.amazon.de/dp/B00L1LL7DQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_i_9GAD26C5J65T3PZG5RFY

One of my friends who is very neat and organized has a bookshelf on which she places organizers similar to these. Those are then labeled.

You could organize them by composer. She has a separate section/shelf each for concertos, other solo works, etudes/exercises, chamber music, orchestral works, and scores.

get some musician earplugs like these, and just use one in the left ear so you can still hear and be able to discern her playing.

I can’t speak for the Kun Bravo but every Kun shoulder rest I’ve had ended up with torn rubber on the feet. And most have the U shape unlike OP’s and the Kun Bravo. And if you’re gonna spend as much as a Kun Bravo then look into the Mach One

You and I are in the same boat of searching for a beginner violin.

I took the leap with an Amazon VSO - https://www.amazon.ca/Vangoa-Acoustic-Violin-Beginner-Student/dp/B07C4BBWJV/ref=pd_sbs_1?pd_rd_w=yLlkC&pf_rd_p=c2360efe-cd48-4541-ac20-e99c48f6c1e6&pf_rd_r=J6PEN96607A4M4G8BC83&pd_rd_r=55453b41-e522-4cf0-8f25-8dcb21d1b4ec&pd_rd_wg=kxO5n&pd_rd_i=B07C4BBWJV&psc=1

Have been in touch with the seller because it claims to be a spruce/maple with ebony fittings. Got it anyway because I had accumulated some amazon gift cards over the holidays . Let's see how it goes

I started using a couple of Android apps, to be honest, and also teaching myself to play piano, classical guitar, and recorder. They're all helping each other.

I got Perfect Ear, which has a free and a paid tier. They had a Christmas sale that I took advantage of.

I also got Complete Music Reading Trainer, which I like better for starting to learn. I have not upgraded to the paid version of this, as the free version is suiting me fine, for the moment.

I also downloaded a bunch of worksheets and have been filling them out while watching TV. Maybe not 100% effective, but it is helpful. I'm trying to fill them out quickly and not count lines and spaces.

I've only been doing this for a month, or so, and not every day, but I've already gotten MUCH better at the treble clef main notes (no ledger lines, except for middle C). It takes time, and if I actually did some practice every day it would definitely go faster.

The Perfect Ear app has a guitar fretboard trainer, which is cool. I've limited it to the open strings until I can identify those with no hesitation. I wish they had a violin fingerboard trainer, too, but oh well.

Good luck! I'm 49 and for YEARS resisted learning to read music, even though I said I wanted to learn. It wasn't until I found the Complete Music Reading Trainer (which starts you with two notes and adds one each level) that I feel like I made much progress at all.

If I were looking to purchase just a single book for Scottish fiddle, I would buy the Caledonian Companion. Excellent tune selection as well as useful stylistic instructions. https://www.amazon.com/Caledonian-Companion-Alastair-J-Hardie/dp/0946868085

If you plan on spending time in areas that have non-humidified hot air, I would highly recommend it.

In the meantime, as you're at 21% RH, get one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Oasis-OH-6-Case-Humidifier/dp/B0010XSZ3A/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=case+humidifier&qid=1607118061&sr=8-3

It's not a cure-all, but it will help reduce big humidity changes.

Because violins are made of wood that has grain in all different directions, the different components shrink at different rates. Your pegs are probably shrinking faster than your pegbox, which is why the strings are coming undone.

Yeah the royal conservatory violin series are really good books. Basic music theory should be easily learn able online. Use amazon com for usa.

https://www.amazon.ca/Violin-2013-Preparatory-RCM-Examinations/dp/1554404606/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478495523&sr=1-1&keywords=violin+repertoire+preparatory

Prepare to suck for 2 years before sounding "good". I don't know what is good to you so maybe 2 years of practice is enough to think you sound good enough?

Ifshin in El Cerrito is the best shop in the bay area. They have many different price ranges and do rentals as well. I would recommend renting for at least a few months and getting a teacher. Then you can go to Ifshin and ask to see violins in your price range, try them all, and pick one you like.

If you really want to buy one I would get one that's at least priced at $500. Online you can go to Southwest Strings or if you buy from Amazon get something from Kennedy Violins. They will have cheaper violins but they will make it harder for you to learn.

https://www.amazon.com/Louis-Carpini-Violin-Outfit-Full/dp/B00DMOKUUQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&srs=6796540011&ie=UTF8&qid=1501772920&sr=1-5

Here’s an Amazon link! And it’s like 1/3 of the price I paid for it lol.

Hrimaly - Scale Studies for Violin: Violin Method (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics, Volume 842) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0793525683/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-InBBb2ZBW8JR

FWIW, I'm 6'3" and like my music stand high as I almost always practice standing up. I wound up buying a returning a few stands on amazon before ironically finding the Amazon Basics stand goes quite high and is only $30.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018FCZBMG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No need to stop using the Kun - I replaced the latex tubing on my old Kun shoulder rest with silicone tubing, and it is much better in every way - it stays in place better (the feet don't slip like they used to with latex tubing) and it also seems to have improved the sound quite a bit. Here's the latex tubing I bought: Amazon link

You could also switch to Viva la Musica feet - I think they are made with silicone rubber but I am not 100% sure about that. Or, you can switch to a Viva shoulder rest altogether.

I'd recommend this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apppppp.harmonize

Listen for the beating. No beating is best. The slower the beating is, the better in tune you are.

Beating is a repetitive varying volume of a part of two notes that are played together.

Try to recreate the beating effect on your violin. If you play a perfect g on the d string, you can make the g string visibly vibrate without even touching it. Check the perfect g by a double stop with the open string again with elimination of beating.

Other notes than those from the open strings are increasingly more difficult, so at the start check non-open string notes with a tuner (don't mind temperament at beginning stage of learning).

I've used the Precipitube for many years; I've tried other humidification systems but haven't found anything else that works better (aside from humidifying your room or house) - I only use a little bleach if the crystals are visibly turning black, and I don't put the tube back into my case without wiping it and making sure it's dry.

The crystals hold moisture well enough that I've never had issues with the tube dripping, and I use mine in a relatively expensive case (an Accord); I have a friend who uses a Precipitube in a Gewa Idea (which has the same interior as the Air) without any problems. I have other friends who use them in their Riboni, Musafia, Negri, and other premium cases, and standard cases like Bobelocks and Bams - nobody has ever had any issues.

If the crystals seem too far gone to fix with bleach, I replace them - these seem to be the same as what they use, and $9 gets you enough for a lifetime, even if you share with friends.

Based on my own experience, anything under $100 is a tin can painted to look like a violin. The artificially colored ones are even worse, might as well be made of plastic. One of the following two would be the cheapest I'd recommend going, and thats only because these are supposed to be good brand names for lower quality student violins. If you want a good quality student violin, you are looking to spend upwards of $300, with an average of about $500-600.

Choice one

Choice two

If you are ok with an aluminum D and all medium tension strings, Johnson Strings offers the best reliable deal on Amazon for a set of Dominants + the Pirastro Gold E. It’s due to a special arrangement with their distributor. This is the loop end version: JSI Special 4/4 Violin String Set: Gold Label Loop-End E & Dominant A, D, and G Strings - Medium Gauge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000V6FY8Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WnT6EbX2VG39G

The ball end version is slightly cheaper.

I use this app to study the violin sounds, positions and even sighreading: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kochkapps.stringquartetsightread&hl=en

hey cool

in addition to a tuner.. i wonder if a spectrum analyzer would be useful? could give you visual feedback on tone..

i use this one: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=radonsoft.net.spectralview&hl=en_US

Awesome! I picked it up at 32. I knew absolutely nothing going into my first class and the teachers taught us as so.

-I didn't learn to read music until probably the 2nd or 3rd semester. (My tip=learn where the open strings are on the scale and then it makes sense which notes are which as you go up and down.) It was all basically bow hold, tuning, basic strokes, working our way through simple tunes, etc.

-A beginner music theory class will also be helpful.

-I upgraded my student violin after 4 years and you will probably want to eventually as well.

-I use the INS tuner app and it works well. "Pro" tip-put chalk around your pegs to get them to stay in place better.

-These are the strings I use. Other people might suggest differently, idk. I replace them about 1x/yr as I don't play everyday. I also just replaced my bow since the luthier said it doesn't make sense to re-hair cheaper bows.

-I've been taking classes for over 5 years and in some ways I still feel like a beginner. It's definitely a life long learning process but you'll never lack for new challenges.

There are plenty of free Tuning Apps nowadays. I use and can recommend:

• Tuner - gStrings Free for Android
• Pano Tuner for iPhone.

Tuning any string instrument is not easy, so be careful not to go too much over pitch as it can break the string. With some practice, I'm sure you will get the hang of it.

Good luck! :)

This might have been the book that I saw recommended on another thread.

The book Bach's Works for Solo Violin: Style, Structure, Performance by Joel Lester provides a really in-depth analysis of the G-minor sonata including the adagio. I think you would enjoy the book given your question.

Good-quality rosins are so inexpensive that there's no reason not to use one. Millant-Deroux's Jade is $12 on Amazon and a cake of it will last you the next decade or more. https://www.amazon.com/Jade-LOpera-Rosin-Violin-Viola/dp/B002Q0WT6U/

"Core" is likely the brand of the case, not the violin, but the 3/4 size is the important part. Any kind of bow or strings would need to be matched to that size. Keep in mind they'll likely grow out of 3/4 size in a few years. So I wouldn't spend money on a bow.

If it's a rental I would avoid buying anything that might get returned with it; violin bow, rosin, tuners, etc.. If you get him a tuner, get him a music stand to keep it on.

My recommendation would be, a music stand and violin hanger. Another option is a violin stand lamp and hanger if he already has the stand.

For gypsy jazz you might look into the Myers Feather mic pickup. It’s an actual mic, not a piezo so it won’t have the nasal tone, and if you’re playing gypsy jazz you generally don’t have to worry about it picking up a drum kit or anything too loud around you.

https://www.amazon.com/CARPENTER-VIOLIN-MICRO-GOOSE-Myers-Pickups/dp/B00VMQEPYS

Get yourself a copy of the Fiddler’s Fakebook and you’ll have more than enough music to last you a lifetime. I grew up playing fiddle music, and this is what I used https://www.amazon.com/Fiddlers-Fakebook-Ultimate-Sourcebook-Traditional/dp/0825602386

I've been putting moleskin adhesive on my chin-rest for many years. This sort of thing: https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Scholls-Moleskin-Padding-Strips/dp/B097YXFWL4. It covers the entire top surface of my chin-rest.

But it depends where the mark is and what part of the chin-rest it is coming from... I had some issues with allergies to the metal bracing at the back of the chin-rest when I was young. Then, I just covered those with some moleskin as well.

u/l0lhi, you might consider https://www.amazon.eg/-/en/Pirastro-319120-Chromcor-Violin-Envelope/dp/B001F4REJ0/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_w=qHyut&content-id=amzn1.sym.99ee4bb8-c411-4cac-918d-614ae5569995&pf_rd_p=99ee4bb8-c411-4cac-918d-614ae5569995&pf_rd_r=SPAJBWGSX99MSTC952FF&pd_rd_wg=VwBZe&pd_rd_r=7533aa73-f69c-4e1a-a581-ce28def22f40&pd_rd_i=B001F4REJ0&psc=1 as an option.

Get a Foam-a-lin. https://amazon.com/gp/product/B003BSSXUW/

I suggest you discourage him from treating it like a toy, though. If he decides to play an actual violin later on, you don't want to get him into the habit of treating it roughly.

There is a Japanese reprint of this book on Amazon. It looks like they only have one copy, and it’s quite expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Gris-Gori-Violin-primary-textbook/dp/4874631851

If you're going to spend that much money, get a real musician's smartwatch, the Soundbrenner Core - https://www.amazon.com/Soundbrenner-musicians-Vibrating-metronome-instruments/dp/B07ZRK97BT/

https://www.amazon.com/Andrea-Rosin-Solo-Violin-Cake/dp/B009LRI690?th=1

This is the one i use and it hardly creates any dust. A half cake is all you need. It will last forever.

Something I did not expect and was delightful: I found a shop that uses an old violin tuned to an A major chord as the doorbell, with a guitar pick attached to the door (or some other plucking mechanism idk) so that the movement of the door plucks the strings. Absolute vibes right off the bat.

Something I do expect and usually see: a single-use bathroom with soap that doesn't leave a film on your hands and is completely unscented. A stool to put your stuff down on in the bathroom would be nice too, in addition to door hooks.

Something I'm always hoping for and have not yet run into: a practice room/try-on room with a huge mirror. One that really lets you see your full range of motion, horizontally and vertically.

Something that was a bit inconvenient: the shop didn't sell case blankets or silk bags individually. I didn't want to buy a whole new case just to replace my current blanket.

Something that made my visit more pleasant: the return policy for accessories was very lenient and they said they would simply work with me if I decided to return something. I didn't end up returning it but it made me feel like they cared about my musical well-being.

Something I just thought of that might be impractical to implement but would be nice!: when I'm trying out several instruments or something I like to record myself playing on each one. The last time I went to a shop with this agenda I brought my own tripod. It might be cool if you could set up an area with a shop tripod that way people wouldn't have to bring their own and could just put their phone in and shoot! This is my personal one that I love, literally the Platonic ideal of a tripod, if you're looking for one.

Have you tried practicing with a mute? Maybe you can use it for times after the 30 min you are allowed. Something like this is really effective in lowering the volume https://www.amazon.com/Otto-Musica-Artino-Practice-violin/dp/B006GCNUHQ/

I've never done an audition, but tend to get sweaty hands, especially in summer. I've had good luck with Carpe hand cream. Carpe on Amazon

I have my iPad Pro in the most common folio case, the Ztotop (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073PZLZL6/) which adds nontrivial thickness to the iPad, and a bit of additional width, since the Apple Pencil is attached with a loop to the right side of the case, adding its width to total case width. The 2021 version is slightly thicker but that's probably compensated for by the thickness of the case I use.

I can fully zip up the music pocket with the iPad in there, and still put other things in the music pocket, including sheet music, as long as I don't further increase the thickness by trying to stack that on top of the iPad rather than putting it next to the iPad.

About once a week or so I use a little alcohol wipe, no worries about drips, you can grip the string easily so you get the along the sides of the strings as well. Cheap as chips too. Strings look like new.

Something like this, but they are sold pretty much everywhere..

https://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-Only-Alcohol-Wipes/dp/B004RIBVTK

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YSV104-Electric-Violin-Black/dp/B06Y4CMPJ9/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=38ES51PQLYMMF&keywords=yamaha+silent+violin&qid=1662299390&sprefix=yamah%2Caps%2C3465&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&smid=A2OH8CUXAUQ6XZ

Get a real book The Real Book - Volume 1: Sixth Edition: C Instruments Book with Online Audio Tracks https://www.amazon.com/Real-Book-Instruments-Online-Tracks/dp/1495079473/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=13S5AR7MDX3E4&keywords=real+book+in+c&qid=1660944831&sprefix=real+book+in+c%2Caps%2C1425&sr=8-1
i have one for my Bb clarinet and tenor in Bb of course ( if you look online you might be able to find a pdf of one for free). Take my advice with a grain of salt I haven’t done much jazz on violin also learn swing. Edit: in some ways it is a lot like folk music where it is very aural ive done alot of folk music and it certainly is diffrent from classical violin listen to the sounds you want to emulate i listen to a lot of Doreen ketchens and Eric dolphy because I like their sound

I prefer to not use phone apps for anything related to practice because I get too easily distracted. I use this Korg tuner/metronome which can play any tone as a drone. If you use Forscore on iPad it can also play a drone.

https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Elements-Strings-Book-Violin/dp/0634038176?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=f70e649c-948e-4ab8-93f6-be98d6d71658 this is the best violin book series I've ever used, as long as you listen to the tracks you'll be fine. It breaks it down slowly and you learn the notes passively.

Very traditional way for reading the lines Fine - Does - Boy - Good - Every -

In between is Face or E C A F

But again, get that good, you won't need to memorize, you'd just pick it up. The play alongs are very fun too.

Good golly, man. You're not a high schooler writing a throwaway paper and looking for a quick shortcut. You're writing a master's thesis. And to judge from the rest of the thread, you basically haven't done minimal basics towards figuring out what you need.

So here's a kind hint: Start with a biography of Joachim. A two-second Amazon search turned this up: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1783272848/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_FMHZE74RP2VWXKP1S6YS

Book's not cheap, but I expect you can get it through an interlibrary loan from another university.

Read it. It will undoubtedly have a bibliography of sources. I'm guessing that many will be primary sources. You'll have to hunt those down. I hope you can read German with at least moderate fluency.

And undoubtedly a search of your university's library system will turn up other books that can be raided for their bibliographies as well.

The 19th century tradition is, of course, not just Joachim. The 3rd sonata was dedicated to Hans von Bulow, and premiered by Jeno Hubay.

For future reference... The Fiddlerman carbon-fiber bow that you can get for about $60 on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Fiddlerman-Carbon-Fiber-Violin-Bow/dp/B00K0NZQHY) is a decent, basically disposable bow that should do fine for beginners (or for other players who cannot afford to buy a high-quality backup bow).

I love my Gewa Air, especially for air travel, but it is very limited in what accessories it can fit. My solution (as recommended by someone else on this sub a while back) is to use a stethoscope case for my shoulder rest. Then I put the stethoscope in my backpack. It's an imperfect solution, but it means I don't have to compromise leaving my Bonmusica shoulder rest at home when I'm on the road.

This is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DCNS9L5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Of course! Here it is: (The holding part is actually a little taller than I remember it, I would cut it down past the golden line, so that it really just serves as a guide and doesn’t hold your pinky really, because if it dies all the work for you it won’t train you as well. Additionally there is a video from Elizabeth Faidley (an amazing pedagogue for setting up and making beginners progress at lightening speed) on how to make one out of tape, which may work even better. Hope this helps!

pinky video

pinky rest

Disclaimer, beginner advice:

Muscle memory isn’t really a problem, as you advance, your finger positions will need to get more and more adaptable to play notes you don’t use yet. (eg B flat, E flat, etc). With time you you’ll get better at using your fist and 3 finger as anchor points for various notes.

Personally I think a sticker with notes on it is *very* helpful. With time you will get better and you won’t need it. I think any learning that helps your way is a good thing. J

Get back to scales. Enjoy it, and look for songs you know in different scales.

I used one of these for a long time. https://www.amazon.com/Fingerboard-Detachable-Reusable-Fingering-Beginners/dp/B09X2TDBXQ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=161SEJ74O7ABB&keywords=Violin+sticker&qid=1658838390&sprefix=violin+sticker%2Caps%2C271&sr=8-6

Look through the F hole -- the dark spot on the post inside the violin is what they're talking about. The hole there is just a mark from setting the post in place; you impale the post on the setting tool (mine looks kind of like this ) and maneuver it through the F hole to get it put in via a friction fit.

ProTip for those who might not be aware: There is nothing better than a Blackwing Palomino 602 pencil for marking up sheet music.

They're both good and, for pencils, rather expensive (imported from Japan). People love them once they try them. (My Blackwings get stolen a lot in rehearsals!)

At your height you should have no issues using standard-height music stands. Someone who was very tall might consider the use of a Manhasset Tall.

This app does exactly what you describe. There's a quiz mode that shows a random note in a chosen clef for a given instrument and listens for you to play it.

It does many other things too, it's pretty excellent.

Viowess's Catrpilr 3D-printed practice mute is terrific. I don't find it dampens sound as much as a metal mute, but it preserves the quality of the sound much better -- you still get decent feedback from the instrument on the sound you're producing, so that it doesn't impact the usefulness of your practice as much as most practice mutes do. https://www.amazon.com/Catrpilr-Practice-Mute-for-Violin/dp/B07S1CMZJ8/

I don't think a good mute should ever significantly alter pitch. On that I respectfully disagree with u/planetGoodam. It will impact timbre and volume, though.

Artinos have been around for a while and generally are okay. Be careful not to drop them on your violin, though. Their weight can be quite damaging, but the added weight generates more dampening effect. I personally use https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B7N8P5A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and find it good enough. It's not going to eliminate all sound, though.

Get the book "College Prep for Musicians".

Did you just complete your junior year, or are you a rising junior (i.e. you will be a junior during the 22-23 school year)? Prescreening auditions take place during the fall of your senior year, so you have to think about the timing.

If you've just completed your junior year, you should have already figured out and prepared your audition repertoire. If you're going to start your junior year this fall, you have about six months until you need to start learning your audition repertoire. (Most people start to work on their audition repertoire around January of their junior year, though there are teachers who prefer to start teaching the audition repertoire even earlier.)

Usually, you'll consult with your teacher to figure out where you'll be applying to, and then you'll work together to consolidate the audition requirements into a set of repertoire (and sometimes etudes) that you'll need to learn.

The more competitive the conservatory, the more demanding the repertoire requirements, usually. There's also a difference between what's specified and what is expected. For instance, if the requirement is "1st movement of a Romantic concerto", a lesser school might consider Bruch or Lalo or the like to be acceptable, but a more competitive school would probably expect Tchaikovsky, Brahms, or Sibelius. Those requirements aren't absolute, though a superbly played Lalo is almost certain to lose to a superbly played Brahms (unless you play Lalo like Maria Duenas, i.e. extraordinarily well).

Oh, and it’s more cork than you’ll ever need but this is the cork with adhesive that I bought to make sure there was no scratching. The Feather does come with a few tiny pieces of adhesive cork, but I didn’t feel comfortable using it on my expensive instrument until I added pieces of these:

Blisstime 30 Pcs Self-Adhesive Cork Sheets 4"x 4" for DIY Coasters, Cork Board Squares, Cork Tiles, Cork Mat, Mini Wall Cork Board with Strong Adhesive-Backed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W11D27W/

Sorry for the delay in response, had to teach a few lessons-

If you read the pdf I discuss what a piezo pickup is - basically it’s a crystal which sends out an electrical signal when vibrated, which then gets translated into sound by the amp. Many violin pickups have this crystal installed within a bridge, and actually my primary gigging instrument has one installed in the bass bar within the body. The issue is that the electrical signal it sends out is extremely strong, and that can lead to a lot of extra noise. This is one of the big reasons we use Preamp/DI boxes: they clean up the signal by narrowing it down a bit before it gets to the speaker. Some mixing boards and amps will have a preamp designed to handle high signal inputs which these piezo pickups send out, but it’s generally better to have your own when using them- it also can help thicken up the sound a bit, although there are technologies out there (particularly Impulse Response pedals) which can change the nasal sound into a pretty legit violin sound. If you search YouTube the electric violin shop and Alex Price have done some great vids on how to get an electric to sound more like an acoustic instrument.

Yea there are a bunch of little clip on solutions like the korg, but honestly most of them are horribly constructed and die on you easily. The Korg has a nice thick cable and better soldering than most of the other cheapos, even if it’s not designed specifically for violin.

You actually do not need a TRS cable (with the extra black ring on it). Although that will work, you just want a normal guitar instrumental 1/4” jack cable. I recommend one with an L shape on one size for the Feather. I own a ton of these GLS cables and have never had an issue with them - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XQD34PQ/ 10 ft might be a good safe length

An acquaintance of mine who is a middle-school orchestra teacher introduced me to this mini bluetooth speaker: https://amazon.com/gp/product/B01JP2YLSA/ - $15 and small and light enough to just toss into a violin case.

That'd still give you plenty of money to spend on a Starbucks card.

A few things:

The Original Hill Peg Compound https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F3KSOU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CFSQZMTHM7EX19J69J27

Peg compound will help the pegs move easier

Tuning a violin is different than tuning a guitar. The guitar strings are held by the machinery, while violin pegs are held by friction. If you notice the pegs slipping right after tuning, push the pegs in slightly when in tune.

With tuning, small movements will make a big difference because of the scale length of the instrument. Getting fine tuners will make it so you can make smaller adjustments:

TIMESETL 4Pack Violin Fine Tuners for 4/4-3/4 Violin Metal String Adjuster Nickel Plated Anti Rust (Black + Gold) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079MCDKZB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JA9SYB3KH6EMX3H6SC2W

There is a chance that the G string is stretching enough to go out of tune by the time you tune the others, but the peg might be slipping as well.

Let me know if I can clarify any more