imho euro music and chamber music (i think carismen dolce as well) also selling very expensive. in fact, not just malaysia, in US also got dealers selling instruments at price that's higher than average place. so in order to get something with better value for money, you have to search around especially knowing more orchestra members. can't help in this regard, though.

classical players also need different bows, some bow suitable for baroque pieces, some for classical, some for romantic pieces. also some are backup bows for situation like outdoor, you wouldn't want to mess around with an expensive bow.

it's around RM1xk ~RM20k+ to be exact. i think concert master higher some more. it's normaly cause grade 8 to MPO players is like kids games.

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Added on October 15, 2008, 5:28 pmoh and by the way, most musicians are miserable...

This post has been edited by little ice: Oct 15 2008, 05:28 PM

i've yet to see young grade 8 holders play something that's pleasing to the ears. cert is cert, skill is skill.

of course, if you're not talking about prodigy...

This post has been edited by little ice: Oct 15 2008, 06:28 PM

obviously, he's not talking about you. why the fuss? did he said all diploma/grade8 holders are retards?

This post has been edited by little ice: Oct 16 2008, 12:11 AM

em...no...it was his ears not his eyes...

piano (or keyboard family) is the easiest instrument to start with, and it goes perfectly with music theory for intuitive learning, it's like you learn with your eyes. but you can't do that with other instruments.

some world best violinist also use shoulder rest. it doesn't really matter. but using shoulder rest does take away from vibration and result in slightly softer sound, but that's like, 3% softer...

just don't clamp the violin too tight and you'll be fine.

put a sponge or cloth *under* your shirt, at your shoulder area. that way, it's invincible and give more comfort to your shoulder. this idea is from Isaac Stern. but this only works well if you're on coat or tuxido, or if you have more fats on your body lol. it'll be very obvious if you're a skinny person.

anyway, being able to play without shoulder rest is a good thing, you can pick up any violin anytime at any place without asking shoulder rest or else it'll be quite embarrasing.

but again, you should aim for whatever works for you, don't care about what others do.

just for entertainment, watch this amazing performance by Leonidas Kavakos, playing on a Stradivari

get a scale book and work on them. best, attend lessons.

seriously.

there're way more than just notes in playing scales on violin, than on piano. fingering, bowing, intonation, shiftings, just to name a few. there're quite a few way to practice scales.

as far as i experienced, you can't generalize that way. i've played violins that're heavy but bright, and light but sound mellow or even hollow. it depends on whether the violin is well made or not.

first of all, strings will only give you 5% of the sound, 20% is the bow, 20% is the setup. the remaining is the violin itself (and players also make a huge different too, even on the same violin/bow). strings will only give you, the player, yourself the difference, it won't make much difference to audiences.

dominant strings are standard for synthetic core along with pirastro tonica. don't mess with gut core, the respond is even slower. the sound will go "barking" if you don't know how to play them, even a professional will make this happen.

strings experiment is costly, at least for malaysian. all are imported and good synthetic are generally above RM100, and a really good gut core strings can be rm200~rm300 or above. the most expensive synthetic core in malaysian market is evah pirazzi and obligato, both by pirastro, but they're around RM200 or over RM200.

generally, if your violin won't sound good on domimant, it won't sound too good on other strings although you might get some improvemen on more expensive strings, but it doesn't worth in the long run. many people thought they can get better sound with more expensive strings, in the end they waste quite some money just to find the right strings, and will end up maybe maximum around 10% improvement.

everytime i was about to give up, i always listen to world class violinist playing, or go concert and get inspired.

but to tell the truth, violin need a lot of patience and a lot of attention and a lot of effort and a lot of time. because violin is such an alien for human being (heck, even musicians), nobody can produce a decent sound by just picking up the violin and play.

have you picked up any other instrument in the past? it'll be really difficult for a non musician to pick up violin as it's so much harder just to play a decent twinkle twinkle little star. but don't give up, just spend time practice. if you don't spend time to practice, there's nothing more you can do.

i missed out James Ehnes, he came to MPO recently. he's consider the best violinist in the world now.

James Ehnes is the one i show you that day, a video shooting of him playing with a piano, perfect notes, perfect tones, perfect techniques. you know sarah chang (who also came to MPO before James) play very well right, he is even better by a lot and most people agree on that!

hmm ok i guess it's the best for many people but not most people and it's all personal preference.

anyway these are the video of James Ehnes. to me, i haven't heard anyone can play as perfect as him (as of the current generation of world class violinist), and yet as musical at the same time. enjoy!





This post has been edited by little ice: Dec 26 2008, 12:48 PM

when i play a song, i enjoy what i listen. my hand kinda move automatically or unconciously, and when i want to control the sound i'll just think and my hand will do it automatically. hmm, means i focus on what i hear than what my hands are doing.

lol his name is cello but reversed.

anyway becareful not to advice him until be a maniac like me.

because the name already used by him.

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showuser=102521

oh me ah, always touch this touch that, change this change that, almost ruin a few violins before, because not satisfy with the sound and the hand start itchy.

but of course i gained a lot of knowledge after those experiences. but as i said, don't simply simply touch your instrument, don't be like me.

PM me if you're interested.