Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Violin Tone Technique

I found another video that goes with the violin techniques learned in my last post on Monday, November 26. In this video, Todd Ehle, talks about the bow and how to make the best tone. He is very good at teaching this technique and has great ways to help you understand and describe what you must feel. He mentions his own teacher trying to hit the bow off the strings to see if there's enough weight on the bow. This is a great idea, which I plan on using with my students. Be sure to work on this technique for 10 min each time you practice. This is an important technique to be working on even as a beginner. I hope you find this information helpful.


Monday, November 26, 2012

Violin String Crossings

I found this video showing the technique to use when practicing string crossings. This video is really great for beginners to work on bow arm movement. If you really want to learn the proper violin techniques, this video is really good to get perfected. As you advance, the lessons learned in this video will make things easier. Pay attention to the bow arm's wrist and elbow. Those are the two key areas to focus on when perfecting this movement. I would practice this for 10 min. at every practice session until you feel comfortable, and see and hear the fluidity of the bow change. Leave any questions in the comment section below.


Sunday, November 25, 2012

Silk Spider Spun Strings


Have you heard about these silk spider strings? I guess they've been around for awhile. Check out the link below for more information on the Silk Spider strings. Please leave a post if you have any comments on these strings.

Silk Spider Spun Strings Information

Has anyone tried these violin strings? What do you think about them? Would you switch from nylon strings to these spider violin strings?

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a blessed Thanksgiving! Remember to be thankful to God for all you have including family and friends. 

Shar Music is having a "Black Friday" Sale tomorrow. Check out their website to buy violins and accessories!

Shar Music

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Monday, November 19, 2012

Violin Rosin

What does rosin do? Rosin is rubbed on the hairs of the bow to provide grip between the hairs and the string. Dark rosin is more thick and sticky and grips the string more. You want to use dark rosin if you want more power and sound with your violin. It's also better to used if you live in a less humid climate.The lighter rosin gives you a more clean smooth sound. This is best to use if you live in a very humid climate. If you're not sure which kind to use, go with the lighter rosin since that is the most liked by most violinists.

There are a several different makers of violin rosin. There are all kinds of brands for beginner violin rosin, which comes molded into a piece of wood so it is easy for young violinists to use. Any brand is fine, because there isn't much quality difference. 

The higher quality rosins have slight differences, so you may have to try a few to choose which kind you like best. Pirastro makes a good rosin and they make a Obligato rosin and Goldflex rosin, which is very popular. The Gold flex has a light color which makes the bow have a smoother sound. Hill makes good violin rosin, both light and dark, and is a more cost effective option for students. Bernadel is another brand of rosin which is used by most professional violinists. Melso is an all natural rosin, if you'd like to go more "green". There is also Dominant, Motrya Gold, Larsen, Hypoallergenic, Kaplan, Andrea, Hidersine, Kolstein, and AB. 

I used the beginner rosin up until high school. When I began high school, I got a new violin and bow, so it made sense to switch to a higher quality rosin. I've been using AB (dark) and I've loved the sound it gives me. 

If you're a beginner and still elementary school age, use the beginner / cheapest rosin. Once you are more advanced, switching rosins can help your tone and improve your sound. 

The video below tells you about rosin and applying it to the bow.



Friday, November 16, 2012

Violin Bow Grip Instruction

If you've ever heard Itzhak Perlman perform, you know he's one of the best violinists ever. Whenever I'm working on a violin solo, I listen to Itzhak perform it. I've been in awe of his talent since I was little. 

Are you a beginner and want to know how to hold the bow? Are you a more advanced violinist but would like to hear from the expert how it's done so you can make any corrections? Here is a great video that Itzhak made to show you how to hold the bow properly. I hope this is helpful.

Itzhak Perlman speaks about bow grip