Fran said

 

Been playing since June. Used to play in late 60's. Really enjoying this. Please excuse the intonation problems here & there and that I hit 2 strings at once towards the end. Any suggestions/ideas to help me improve would be appreciated   

Could it be, that the sound would change to more gentle, if there was less rosin on the strings? I don't know who else is doing that, but I always have a paper handkerchief under my tailpiece. And if the sound turns to scratchy and yowly, I wipe off the rosin from the strings. Then the sound changes to nice and gentle again. It helps to have a little rosin on the strings, to have good response, but if it gets more and more, I find it nasty. I also have my handkerchief while performing, so I can fix that problem anytime.

You are a true rhythm machine, very exact and highly precise. I'm very sure, you're a big rhythmical talent! I think you also can concentrate very well. I'm different in this matter--this etude would drive my nuts. 

Fran said
@Demoiselle Thanks for the ideas. I have since bought a better violin & bow so perhaps that would also help with a better sound?  

Yes, it does--you hear that everywhere. What I meant is, if the contact between hair and strings feels very sticky, then it might perhaps help to wipe off rosin from the strings. I don't know whether it helps you, but it helps me a lot if the sound gets a little scratchy. To me you sounded like very sticky, so you might not have been all that unrelaxed. I don't think it's necessarily too much rosin on the bow, it's building up on the strings anyway. A little is good for response, but if it gets too much my sound turns to not so nice anymore and I take a handkerchief.

Fran said
@Demoiselle  I now always wipe down my strings after playing and the violin as well of course.  Thanks for these suggestions.  I just may have been using too much rosin. I listen to classical music station in my car.  Love it so looking forward to that coming out in my playing as you say   

I never wipe rosin off after playing. It might be better for the strings to wipe it off, but the next day I will probably need its grip--at least as long the instrument is cold.

I wipe rosin off as soon as the grip gets too much. And it obviously has to do with temperature. Yesterday I was wondering because I had to wipe it off several times and then looked at the thermometer, realizing it got pretty warm in my practice boot!

Since this summer and now change to fall, I'm absolutely sure and that helps me a lot. I need less rosin in summer--also less on the strings--and more in cold seasons. Unless I turn on the radiator too much and it gets hot like in summer.

It is not necessarily so that I had rubbed too much rosin on the bow. Rosin is building up more and more on the strings anyhow. And sooner or later I will wipe it off, when there's too much grip and the sound gets scratchy and yowly.

Personally I find this etude very tough. I have neither the concentration, nor the nerve power to struggle through something like that and feel like having to protect myself from stuff like that. Nonetheless I think this etude will help you a lot. And as it's just an etude and not a nice little tune (you possibly might perform), prettiness is not the first goal. But after having managed that, you will be able to relax more while playing easier pieces which won't force you into sustained eights. To me it really sounds like it was time for you to play this etude and it will make you more agile. Nice slow ballads will be very easy afterwards and you can involve prettiness and beauty.