Stradivarius vs modern violins again

[STC]

32 minutes ago, esldude said:

I had a clear and obvious preference for #2 and #5. I saw you had picked #2, but didn't know which it was when I listened.  Picking between those was tough and I chose #5

 

I only listened to the first three and picked #2. When it was mentioned that the majority had preferred #2, I wrongly assumed that was the Strad and wasn't paying much attention to three other tests. But somehow #6 didn't get much attention from me. Between #2 and #5, I wasn't too keen because if you listen carefully #2 noise floor was higher. If you ask me to identify the six violins individually just by listening than I can safely say I would fail terribly.

 

[rando]

Some months ago I commented to the effect appeal for these ages old instruments goes beyond exclusivity and show billing.  I think, at least I hope, anyone here seeing the years long process of tuning the instrument and musician to exact musicality would gain some insight. into questions such as this.

 

No, in fact the prevalent question is how to make modern instruments mature.  Handing a student instrument they will master before gaining competence should be a clue towards how bored a professional would grow with such a lifeless contrivance.  Blind tests are nothing but a social experiment.  Anyone worth their stock would go blind with rage and deface, manipulate, tamper, disimbue, and otherwise molest such an instrument until both parties had gained sufficient sense of the other.  There remains a slightly higher chance of doing so gently and fastidiously with a priceless ornament than a direct from the factory tool of the trade.  That in a nutshell is what happens when some wealthy benefactor hands over a Strad warped by countless others mad desires.  

[gmgraves]

On 5/10/2017 at 10:31 AM, gzubeck said:

I would really like to hear what a complete orchestra would sound like with carbon fiber instruments. I can really see the allure of these carbon instruments...massively cheaper, no humidity/temperature adjustments needed, and the cost if lost, stolen or damaged is off the charts cheap for a professional musician. I think also we have to get used to the different presentation of these new carbon fiber instruments....they are definitely cleaner in presentation and the player is going to have to work hard to figure out how to maximize its strengths...

 

Certainly not all string players are playing CF instruments, but a goodly portion of the Boston Symphony's string section uses Luis and Clark instruments. Go to:

http://classicalwcrb.org/programs/boston-symphony-orchestra#stream/0

and give a listen. WCRB streams at 192 kbps, so it actually sounds very good and the engineers on this station who "work" these broadcasts really know what they are doing.

[crenca]

On 5/10/2017 at 3:17 PM, gmgraves said:

 

That's the paradox here, isn't it? To wit; cheap violins don't "handle" very well. They are difficult to finger, requiring undue finger pressure and they do not respond to the bow very well. This makes it so difficult and unpleasant to try to play that often students who think that they would like to learn the violin get discouraged and give up. How do I know this? Because I was one of those students. When I decided to take up the violin, my elementary school provided one. I didn't know that there would be any difference between how various violins "handled", and not knowing any better, I assumed that they were all miserable to play. So I quit. Years later I was going with a young lady who played violin professionally in the local symphony. I told her my experiences in grammar school with a school-provided "student" violin, and she handed me her 19th Century Flemish instrument. It was a revelation! Where fingering the old student model was difficult and uncomfortable, my girlfriend's instrument responded to a very light touch. To say I was flabbergasted by this would be an understatement. 

 

This is a common experience with all instruments (even including electrified instruments like electric guitars, etc.).

 

Recently I purchased a student grade trumpet for my daughter but I made sure it was of a sufficient quality such that she has at least a chance to experience the instrument for what it is supposed to be...

[gmgraves]

3 hours ago, crenca said:

 

This is a common experience with all instruments (even including electrified instruments like electric guitars, etc.).

 

Recently I purchased a student grade trumpet for my daughter but I made sure it was of a sufficient quality such that she has at least a chance to experience the instrument for what it is supposed to be...

 

It's just as well that I didn't get serious about playing the violin. I could never be good at it. After all, I'm not Jewish.

 

[esldude]

1 hour ago, gmgraves said:

 

It's just as well that I didn't get serious about playing the violin. I could never be good at it. After all, I'm not Jewish.

 

Or Asian??

[gmgraves]

15 hours ago, esldude said:

Or Asian??

 

To a lesser extent, sure. But David Oistrak, Yehudi Menuhin, Yascha Heifetz, Nathan Milstien, Isaac Stern, Itzahk Perlman, and Anne Sophie Mutter do make my point for me pretty well. After all, I've never heard anyone call a violin an "Asian Guitar"

 

(no anti-semitism implied here)

[sphinxsix]

@gmgraves

Obviously you don't have to be Jewish to play the guitar. Ever thought about it?

But you may be..

Check out wedding band's (!) orthodox guitarist (solo starts at 2:30 and it's ..I'd say an orthodox Eddie van Halen style )

1 hour ago, gmgraves said:

(no anti-semitism implied here)

either.

I think I'd enjoy a wedding party like that!

 

 

 

[jabbr]

Pretty sure that's : 

[gmgraves]

1 hour ago, sphinxsix said:

@gmgraves

Obviously you don't have to be Jewish to play the guitar. Ever thought about it?

But you may be..

Check out wedding band's (!) orthodox guitarist (solo starts at 2:30 and it's ..I'd say an orthodox Eddie van Halen style )

either.

I think I'd enjoy a wedding party like that!

 

 

 

 

I Think that you misunderstand me. The violin is often referred to as the "Jewish Guitar" obviously a reference to the fact that most world-class violinists (the famous ones, anyway ) are Jewish. Nobody is saying that Jewish people can't play any instrument that they please...

 

[sphinxsix]

11 minutes ago, gmgraves said:

I Think that you misunderstand me.

I understood all very well. Maybe expressed myself in a slightly disorganized way. I was trying to make you consider playing some other instrument (I myself bought my bass guitar after 40 ) eg guitar.

[gmgraves]

4 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

I understood all very well. Maybe expressed myself in a slightly disorganized way. I was trying to make you consider playing some other instrument (I myself bought my bass guitar after 40 ) eg guitar.

 

It would be very nice to be able to play classical guitar (like the other John Williams) but I have less than no interest in  electric guitars. But alas, I took up french horn instead (I was no good at that either).

[jabbr]

9 hours ago, gmgraves said:

 

It would be very nice to be able to play classical guitar (like the other John Williams) but I have less than no interest in  electric guitars. But alas, I took up french horn instead (I was no good at that either).

You claim to be single because of your choices but just consider that the french horn might be a factor... if you are really looking for "free" women, the electric guitar is quite effective... that said, the first violins have the entire second violin and viola sections to pick from

[gmgraves]

8 hours ago, jabbr said:

You claim to be single because of your choices but just consider that the french horn might be a factor... if you are really looking for "free" women, the electric guitar is quite effective... that said, the first violins have the entire second violin and viola sections to pick from

 

Since I haven't picked up a french horn since high-school, so I doubt it is a factor. As for bachelorhood being a choice, better dead than wed!

[sphinxsix]

18 hours ago, gmgraves said:

But alas, I took up french horn instead (I was no good at that either).

I used to say that my instrument is better than the instrumentalist (me). I played bass guitar a little in my teens and 20s. Than had a 20 years break. I will never have a good technique (I don't even try to practice hard) but I concentrate on my strengths and just enjoy playing my instrument. When I'm in the groove - the feeling is awesome