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wondering
Learning Problem
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OldOgre
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June 17, 2018 - 11:28 pm
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Hi All.

I own 3 violins and rotate through each when practicing. I wondered if anyone else has had trouble with bowing between instruments. I don't know if the constant changing of violins if hurting my progress. Since they each have there own differences.

With violins there is no fretting over the music.

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Bella86
Sweden

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June 18, 2018 - 7:12 am
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I imagine that, for example, different shapes of bridges will cause you to never really know the right angles for different strings.  Have you experienced any obvious problems in your playing?

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Irv
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June 18, 2018 - 1:34 pm
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I started practice on an inexpensive electric violin (to keep the sound away from my wife) and after a few months I read that playing would be easier if the string heights were reduced by trimming the bridge so it sloped down toward the e string (keeping a constant 42 mm radius).  I had a terrible time adjusting where to put my right arm to find a string after that for a few months.  Very frustrating.  But now it is easy.  And for some reason, I can change violins easily now (they all have a similar sloping bridge now, which is likely why I can change between them).

Another point to keep in mind.  The distance between nut and the bridge has to be the same distance for all instruments or you will never be able to adjust your fingers on the fingerboard consistently with reasonable tone.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
June 18, 2018 - 2:17 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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@OldOgre - I used to have a heck of a time playing on a different instrument than my own. Today, it hardly makes any difference which instrument I play because I play on multiple instruments every day. Probably about 15 violins a day.
I think it's all about what you are used to.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Charles
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June 20, 2018 - 8:42 am
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I've got two violins that I use moderately often - an MJZ 909 and a Stentor. I take the MJZ to my lessons, and sometimes I feel lazy and don't bother opening the case when I get home, I just play the Stentor (which is always out).

I asked my teacher about it, and he encouraged me to do that (swap off from one to the other periodically).  You become more flexible it in how you do things, and once you get used to switching among several violins, you'll have gained skills that make it easier to play on others you've never seen.

It's one more thing to learn (like we needed that with violin!), so it will slow you down on things like reliably hitting just the one string(s) you want, but you'll have an useful additional skill once you get it. Up to the individual which way to go.

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Irv
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June 20, 2018 - 2:21 pm
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Hello OldOgre (and others).  I was pondering your question, opened a book, and came upon a passage that was illuminating.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Centipede was happy quite,

Until the Toad in fun

Said "Pray, which leg goes after which?"

And worked her mind to such a pitch,

She lay distracted in the ditch

Considering how to run.

Mrs. Edmund Craster (d. 1874)

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

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bluesviolin
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June 21, 2018 - 12:27 am
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my 2 acoustics are quite similar in feel. bridge curve, string height etc. personally, I wouldn't want 2 or 3 fiddles that played very differently.

"Striving to attain Mediocrity"

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Mimi Aysha
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June 21, 2018 - 10:33 am
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I got lucky with 2 used purchases, I love them both, they are very different, seem to have their own little personalities! 

My new "old" one is my go to - it just seems easier, don't have to press so far on the strings, feels more used and playable. Helicore strings, I use it all the time, and I think it is actually easier to get a great sound out of it. We labelled this one "Percy" the old faithful fiddler.

The other seems like the strings are further up (like I have to press down further)  Evah P strings, it's louder and I have to play on it for a while to get used to it, has a beautiful tone (at least when my teacher plays it!) We labelled this one "Penny-lope" cause she's a slightly snooty classical.

Maybe as I get better it will be easier, but I wish I could flip back and forth easily, as I would prefer to take Penny-lope to lessons and such as I am always a nervous wreck with Percy.

OMG - I can't believe I named them, but it seemed easier than just saying the new old one, or the old new one!!!...

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OldOgre
OhiO
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June 21, 2018 - 11:51 am
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Hello all  and thank you all for your answers,

As a beginner fiddler it is good to know that with time I should be able to switch and know my bowing will smooth out.

I am about to throw a new wrinkle in to the mix as I have added a Viola to my collection. Yes I have been lured to the darkside… :)

With violins there is no fretting over the music.

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
June 21, 2018 - 12:11 pm
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@OldOgre 

Ahhh, so the dark side, it is.   In that, much fun to be found, there is.   

“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” Yoda, from The Empire Strikes Back

yoda.jpg

And as far as your original question goes (sorry, missed the posts until now) - I agree with others here - the more you play on different instruments - even when their setup IS different - will acclimatize you to their individual "peculiarities"...   I would stick with it, swap as much as you can, and, eventually it will all become fine.   I liken it to driving different cars - often takes a while just to get used to different turning circles, different power steering and so on - eventually, it becomes second nature...

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I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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OldOgre
OhiO
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June 22, 2018 - 8:23 pm
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Well the Darkside got here today. Had to repair it, put on fingerboard, add bridge and strings.. Had all those on hand (courtesy of a donor violin 4/4).

Hard to believe I really bought this just for the PVC hard case, really nice case too.

I now have a working Viola for free... Now lets see how badly I can mess up my bowing...lol

Mad ( @BillyG ), Yoda better be with me, I need all the help I can get...

P.S. Darkside is a 15" Viola. Originally from Paige's Music a school instrument rental company. No maker info.

With violins there is no fretting over the music.

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
June 22, 2018 - 11:59 pm
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OldOgre said
Well the Darkside got here today. Had to repair it, put on fingerboard, add bridge and strings.. Had all those on hand (courtesy of a donor violin 4/4).

   Seems to me you are following in the steps of Dr. Frankenstein, although he never actually gave a name to his creation - "Darkside" is good.   Have fun !devil-violin

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
June 23, 2018 - 1:10 am
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Oh - @OldOgre - I meant to ask you which strings you chose - just curious.

As you know, my viola is a fake ( it's a standard 4/4 fiddle, restrung C, G, D, A ) - and although it has the range, it doesn't have the depth of timbre you'd get from a larger bodied instrument. (It's the one you've seen me use on StreetJelly - and - thank you for your comment on that - she does have a nice tone in spite of her unusually-small size for a viola! )

BTW Don, now you have a "working viola for free" - try sticking a cheap piezo transducer on the back-plate, run it through an octave-dropper FX box - and "et voila" as the French would say - the viola becomes a cello....  :)   SO MUCH FUN ! - hmmm - you may have seen this strange creature in use with her cello-voice before - if not - here she is - 

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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OldOgre
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June 23, 2018 - 9:21 am
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Top of the Morning @BillyG,

 Just to remind you Frankenstein is the name of my EV.... :)

I used Prelude strings I had laying around and a Prelude C short length, from my Cresent Violin that fell apart.

I thought about just stringing it as a violin, but since I had the C string I went with that.

I do like the deeper sound of the viola. but I think 6oo and The soulless wonder are jealous..

With violins there is no fretting over the music.

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
June 23, 2018 - 9:28 am
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OldOgre said
Top of the Morning @BillyG,

 Just to remind you Frankenstein is the name of my EV.... :)

I used Prelude strings I had laying around and a Prelude C short length, from my Cresent Violin that fell apart.

I thought about just stringing it as a violin, but since I had the C string I went with that.

I do like the deeper sound of the viola. but I think 6oo and The soulless wonder are jealous..  

  Hahahahahahahahahaha - awesome !  "soulless wonder" - love it !  Hahaha !

  Have fun there my friend !  drummer

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
June 23, 2018 - 9:30 am
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Oh yeah - of course - I recall you discussing "Frankie" the EV before !  Man...

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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