When Is a Violin Like An Amp?

[destroyer X]

So, no modifications allowed..but you can do it by yourself if you want.

New violines have a steel bar inside the arm... does not make sense to you dismount your violine to make it once again to include some modern features on it?

regards,

Carlos

[Variac]

Originally Posted by destroyer X

So, no modifications allowed..but you can do it by yourself if you want.

New violines have a steel bar inside the arm... does not make sense to you dismount your violine to make it once again to include some modern features on it?

regards,

Carlos

actually they do upgrade violins - even old and expensive ones! Even those of the Italian masters. I have heard that almost none are in the same state as when they were made..Someone else may know more about this..

[tinitus]

Originally Posted by Variac

I have heard that almost none are in the same state as when they were made.

ehh, nooo, they were originally baroque instruments, made with a more straight "horisontal" neck, and using natural strings made from cats ...
This kind of setup is still used by some musicians playing bach etc, where it gives that special sweet sound

http://webspace.webring.com/people/n...cobus/id57.htm

But most of the old violins have been rebuilt with a modern slanted neck, and mounted with steel strings
Inner bass beam may also have been replaced by a stronger heavier one

Astoundingly such instruments retain their superiodity, despite the radical intervention

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWQKNKw4J8Y

[destroyer X]

Man...... Mr. Stradivarius will be extremelly bothered if he know people are doing these things with his masterpiece of art.

Well..... each one of us with our opinions about....i do think it is criminal to use anything but a piece of cloth to wipe dust from the Violine...to keep it protected against sunligth and inside a soft case (inside) and hard case outside to protect.... when not in use playing good music, naturally.

I do think the same about Tinitus violines and other craftsman products..not done in series, or a small series..these ones are rarities, a piece of history, should be respected and protected.... the same to the first amplifier Mr.Pass made.. terrible if someone decide to replace a single resistance there.

People dismounting, installing metalic reinforcements..my God!... this seems criminal to my eyes.

I have listened a Stradivarius playing.... and then compared to an ordinary, common, standard violine, these ones made almost in series..... what a difference!.... even not comparing, played my the same man, you can notice it is better... but how better..only comparing.

regards,

Carlos

[tinitus]

You are absolutely right
Lots of these rebuilding was done years ago
Today I doubt anyone would dare to change such instruments

Whatever we think about it, no original barogue violin would have a chance in todays big modern orchestras
You know, its really the same with regards to the music....Mozart, Beethoven, etc
In their time it NEVER sounded like today
We have changed their music too

Or maybe we play their music the way they would have wanted to themselves

Oh yes, I think Stradivarious, Beethoven etc, they would all like and approve what we do today, with their things
If you have interest, there are some orchestras specialising in original music, played on original instruments

btw, a strange thing most dont know about violins like Stradivari is that it wears out from hard professional use
At some point it gets "tired" and worn out, and cannot be used professionally anymore
Apparently its hard to be a violin too

Well, I wont bother you with my crazy hobby

[PMA]

Originally Posted by tinitus

If you have interest, there are some orchestras specialising in original music, played on original instruments

In fact there is a growing number of these orchestra that are playing on authentic or historical instruments, and some conductors, like Harnoncourt, Gardiner, Herreweghe and others are specialized in authentic instrumentation.

[Ian Finch]

Perhaps Tinni, you also seriously play these beautiful things. My pianist father used to swear by (and at!) recordings of solo violin to set up his Hi-fi turntable and speakers. The point being that the violin's high register might also make a very on topic listening test for the real design aim of Carlos' Blame ES/ST, if he likes the idea.

Think of it as the main performance test! - Blame ES v Paganini!
best regards

[gaetan8888]

Hello Carlos and Cal

Just a last one... this one are not completely off topic...

Cal, if you want to delete it, wait a day, so few guys my be interest to know a bit more about the subject.

Like an amplifier a violin do need a good frequency response, depending of the tickness and quality of the woods, you will have a tone from a violin, we call it tap tone because we tap on the violin plate to eard it's tone.

A good violin will have the four strings with about same level of sound wen you play them, it will not be flat as an amplifier but the frequency response of a good violin will be sort of flat with four equal peak from the four strings. And a good violin will not loss all the harmonic from the strings and the woods resonances, and the note from the violin need to have ringing, meaning some sustain, so the note will not fade to fast.

A cheap violin will not have the four strings with about same level of sound wen you play it and the note will fade to fast, and it will loss lot of the harmonic from the strings and the woods resonances.

A good woods for violin making, wen dry, will ring like a bell wen you knock on it (but with lower volume than a real bell).

To know much more, you can go there;

CAS Forum Home Page

Btw, I was violin maker for few years, but since people buy more chineese violin all violin makers in the region did moved or changed job.

Bye

Gaetan

[BV]

Well and nice said, but here is one substantial difference.. Violin is source of sound, it is creating sound. Amplifier not, it should "only" reproduce.To make a violin is a kind of art, make an amplifier is strictly technical matter.

[gaetan8888]

Originally Posted by BV

Well and nice said, but here is one substantial difference.. Violin is source of sound, it is creating sound. Amplifier not, it should "only" reproduce.To make a violin is a kind of art, make an amplifier is strictly technical matter.

Hello

Yes, making an amplifier is technical matter, but some excellent amps designers do also use intuitions and not only technic.

Hugh Dean are a example of that.

And violin making are also a sciences, read from Carleen Maley Hutchins, she done lot of scientific works who help in violin making understanding. Joseph Curtin are a violin maker who use both arts and sciences to made some of the best violins in the world.

I will not talk more about violin, it's becoming quite off topic.

Bye

Gaetan