Instruments & More |
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Winter is one of the toughest seasons on your instrument. Moisture – and mostly a lack of it – can present moderate to large problems. Temperature and humidity fluctuations bounce between outdoor extremes, indoor climate control, and the "in-between" places like your car or on the bus. These extremes and constant changes can cause issues that damage the bridges, tuning pegs and strings. They also affect the wood body of the instrument, causing it to warp or crack.
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Does your violin sound a bit more nasal or tinny when you play it during the winter? Perhaps your instrument feels a bit tight, and you get more aggressive with it.
Read More
The violin is the undisputed leader of the orchestra. Anyone passingly familiar with music knows of the violin. But how much do you know about its origins and evolution?
Read More
Italian instrument maker, Antonio Stradivari, has long been regarded as one of the finest instrument makers of all time. Primarily a builder of violins, violas, and cellos, his career started around 350 years ago. Today, many instruments he made with his own hands are still in use. His instruments command the highest prices at auctions and have been owned and played by some of the world’s top musicians of every generation for the past 300-plus years.
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The holidays are right around the corner, so it’s time to make those gift lists. If you have a string musician in your life, the following eight gift ideas are right up his/her alley. We’ve done our homework and found great gift ideas - at a variety of price ranges - so your gifting respects your budget
Read More
If there is one instrument that represents orchestral music to the general public, it’s the violin. After all, you never see anyone sarcastically pantomiming a harp in mock pity, right? What most people outside the music world probably don’t know, however, is how many different types of violins there are. Considering the subtle variations that can exist among violins that are otherwise similar, the answer can be complicated. For clarity’s sake, we’re going to break it down according to generally accepted categories.
Read More
So much of what we enjoy today has ancient origins. People have been fermenting grapes into wine for 10,000 years. Baking bread goes back even farther. The way these things are made by hand varies little today from the ancient methods. The same can be said for luthiers who craft violins.
Read More
Thank goodness for trees. We celebrate trees for many reasons. Mostly, people think about the vital role trees play in sustaining the environment and wildlife. And, because of trees, we have violins and other stringed instruments.
Read More
Prior to electricity and the advent of instrument amplification, violinists were “instrumental” at parties and dances because violins are one of the loudest, acoustic instruments out there. A single violinist (or a fiddle player or two) was a host needed to get dancers out on the floor – no matter the crowd. Keep in mind that, back then, most crowds at an average social event or gathering with music wouldn’t have topped more than 100 or 200 people.
Read More
For all the attention given virtuoso musicians, where would any of them be without an extraordinary instrument?
If you've been a violin student for any length of time, "Guarneri" is a name you've heard. Now is the time to learn a bit more about this famous family of luthiers.
Read More
Winter is one of the toughest seasons on your instrument. Moisture – and mostly a lack of it – can present moderate to large problems. Temperature and humidity fluctuations bounce between outdoor extremes, indoor climate control, and the "in-between" places like your car or on the bus. These extremes and constant changes can cause issues that damage the bridges, tuning pegs and strings. They also affect the wood body of the instrument, causing it to warp or crack.
Read More
Does your violin sound a bit more nasal or tinny when you play it during the winter? Perhaps your instrument feels a bit tight, and you get more aggressive with it.
Read More
The violin is the undisputed leader of the orchestra. Anyone passingly familiar with music knows of the violin. But how much do you know about its origins and evolution?
Read More
Italian instrument maker, Antonio Stradivari, has long been regarded as one of the finest instrument makers of all time. Primarily a builder of violins, violas, and cellos, his career started around 350 years ago. Today, many instruments he made with his own hands are still in use. His instruments command the highest prices at auctions and have been owned and played by some of the world’s top musicians of every generation for the past 300-plus years.
Read More
The holidays are right around the corner, so it’s time to make those gift lists. If you have a string musician in your life, the following eight gift ideas are right up his/her alley. We’ve done our homework and found great gift ideas - at a variety of price ranges - so your gifting respects your budget
Read More
If there is one instrument that represents orchestral music to the general public, it’s the violin. After all, you never see anyone sarcastically pantomiming a harp in mock pity, right? What most people outside the music world probably don’t know, however, is how many different types of violins there are. Considering the subtle variations that can exist among violins that are otherwise similar, the answer can be complicated. For clarity’s sake, we’re going to break it down according to generally accepted categories.
Read More
So much of what we enjoy today has ancient origins. People have been fermenting grapes into wine for 10,000 years. Baking bread goes back even farther. The way these things are made by hand varies little today from the ancient methods. The same can be said for luthiers who craft violins.
Read More
Thank goodness for trees. We celebrate trees for many reasons. Mostly, people think about the vital role trees play in sustaining the environment and wildlife. And, because of trees, we have violins and other stringed instruments.
Read More
Prior to electricity and the advent of instrument amplification, violinists were “instrumental” at parties and dances because violins are one of the loudest, acoustic instruments out there. A single violinist (or a fiddle player or two) was a host needed to get dancers out on the floor – no matter the crowd. Keep in mind that, back then, most crowds at an average social event or gathering with music wouldn’t have topped more than 100 or 200 people.
Read More
For all the attention given virtuoso musicians, where would any of them be without an extraordinary instrument?
If you've been a violin student for any length of time, "Guarneri" is a name you've heard. Now is the time to learn a bit more about this famous family of luthiers.
Read More
