Music related/ ask a question.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Hello, not sure if this is a good idea or not but there always seems to be somebody who has a quick question to ask but don't always need a thread themselves.

So might work, might not. Thought it was worth a try.

I will start.

Violins -

1. why, even though well tuned why would it be difficult to play Bb in tune.
2. What can you do to stop the bow from coming undone at the heal end. I mean the stringy bit at the bottom?

[Fiddlerontheroof]

Ok....

question 1. Do you mean the NOTE b flat or the scale of Bflat?

question 2. Do you mean individual hairs are coming off the bow occasionally, or the whole lot comes out?

[morethanpotatoprints]

Hello, I mean the note Bb the high one.

Also, the bow hairs are coming out of the bottom, the bit you can usually mend with a bit of tape for a temporary measure.

Had to buy a new bow today and it was new with the instrument.
She only had it a few months.

[RunAwayHome]

If all the hairs are coming out at the bottom, it sounds like there is something wrong with it and should be repaired.

If it's only a few, and the hair is getting thinner, you can take it for re-hairing every now and then.

It shouldn't need to be replaced just for that, unless there is something wrong that can't be fixed.

Do you mean the highest Bb? (i.e., 4th finger on the E-string)? It could be that it's a relatively unfamiilar position, as in many of the scale patterns that you learn first, the fourth finger is a whole step away from the third, so she might be just used to that, and hasn't worked out the muscle memory for where to put the fourth finger right close to the third finger. (you can do this on all the strings, but the Bb might be one of the first ones she has learned, depending on her level).

[JulieMichelleRobinson]

It's hard to play any note in tune. Is b flat the first note being learnt with the fourth finger? Little finger is shorter and if you're like me it's harder to keep it curved, this may mean that left elbow needs to cone further under violin, creating more twist in the arm, to get it in the right place. It's certainly easier than regular, high, fourth finger.

If you mean the even higher one, then it's probably coz the b is a harmonic and easy to find or cheat...

[morethanpotatoprints]

Julie

I think it is the little finger now you come to mention it, I will have a look at how she is playing it.
I'm not too musical myself but I cringe every time she plays this passage as the Bb is so out of tune, flat I think.


I hope some others have musical questions, or this thread will be soooo rubbish.

[Ishouldbeweaving]

I have a question - why is valve oil more expensive than a 12 year old single malt? (My supplementary question would be how is it that we have lost three bottles since July but I don't think you can help me with that one)

DH came home with two bottles last night, £6/59ml. He bought it from an actual music shop which explains why it's £2 a bottle more than I could get it on line (the saving would go in postage).

[pigsinmud]

Dh (trumpet bod) says... good question. He has no idea why valve oil is more expensive than a single malt!

[JulieMichelleRobinson]

My strings cost over £100 a set. Stop complaining.

Potato, if it's the leger line one, it's pinky. Don't know where she's at but you can cheat on d, a and e by playing open strings... Though I insist on fourth finger by grade one. For high b or b flat, there's no cheating...

[morethanpotatoprints]

I'm sure its high Bb it sounds awful, must remember to tell her teacher.
I think she's being lazy tbh, not the teacher, dd

Julie When we are getting into the realms of £100 for strings she will be giving up or getting a job.

I'm paying for lessons so believe me "I will be insisting on fourth finger" from now on, she's a merit at gr4, so no excuse.

[JulieMichelleRobinson]

Wth? So position work and everything. Being lazy, then! But elbow movement will help. As will paying attention to intonation..........

[Theas18]

I reckon high b flat is hard for small kids as it's a weak finger not used t taking pressure. Otherwise her teacher needs to work on intonation.

One think I have learned from my kids learning music is that the best results musically come from using you ears - yes even for beginners. Even on a recorder or trumpet putting the " right fingers" down doesn't play the " right note" it gets you close thrn you adjust with ears and breath to get there. So on a string instrument where you could put you fingers anywhere, and depending on how well the string is tuned, how loud you want it and the attack used the finger will not be in the same place every time!

Heard a bril example of this at the weekend. Au Clair de le lune - yep the 3 notes one ( the piano had the lower but of tune lol) played on a C clarinet by an 7yr old. 1st time through - eek tuning -2nd time really good. I suspect dh gave him a " look" from the piano that meant use you ears , and he did!

[morethanpotatoprints]

Ah, this all makes sense now, her teacher is constantly telling her about her elbow.
Also, dh is always telling her to use her ears.
She is practising atm but not the same piece, when she does I will hover and at the first flat Bb I will slip my fingers onto the piano note, whoops!

Another question.

OK, a bit of a piece of string question but roughly speaking what sort of price should we be looking at for a good student model violin to take up to the higher grades?
I know you can spend thousands etc, but just want the medium range for intermediate right up to grade 8.
If she does happen to go further she can buy her own

[JulieMichelleRobinson]

I reckon anything in the £300 to £500 range will do the job. Pretty sure I did my grade 8 on a £400(ish) fiddle, though it's not a factory brand. Bow should be 1/4 to 1/3 cost of violin, if it doesn't come as a set. Good strings - something in the same price range as a set of dominants will do (they don't suit every instrument but it gives you an idea). Remember that examiners also understand that not every student will have a Strad.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Thank you Julie
Have copied this for dh as he is the one who will have to buy it, although we should be ok for a while.
That's interesting about the dominant strings. These are on dds instrument because the previous weren't good enough quality. Her sound doesn't appear to be as good on these so maybe they don't suit her cheapish instrument
Her bow is a bog standard £23 stagg as her violin was only about £100 new.

[JulieMichelleRobinson]

I personally don't like Dominant strings, but virtually everyone here uses them. It's worth experimenting with different strings, but what I mean is don't stick Astreas on a good instrument - Dominants are about £50, right? So that gives you a rough price range.

I like gut, though I use gut core rather than plain gut. My violin has a dark tone and they accentuate it rather than mitigate. I could use brighter strings to balance it, but I like the richness.