Violin Forum/Message Board

actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

In a recent post Michael D. remarked about the different needs of the soloist vs. chamber music player... that the stage soloist will rarely test the ppp volume of their instrument, inasmuch as "stage whisper" piano is still quite loud when competing with an orchestra.

Which leads me to ask... can just about any instrument be set up to satisfy these various tonal outcomes...the quartet player/orchestral musician/soloist?

Is a "screaming e" baked into the DNA of an instrument or can they all be adjusted for the player's needs?

Best regards,

E

Michael Darnton · Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 8:06 pm Post subject:

The range can be moved around on almost any violin. Some may not have as much potential at either end, though (won't play quietly no matter what, or may not get as loud) due to what I'd regard as construction errors.

I always tend to think backwards on this kind of thing: the perfect violin does everything it's supposed to. Maker errors cause the violin to fall short of perfect. He who makes the fewest mistakes wins. :-)
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actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

Hi Michael:

"Working backwards" in that kind of way, would you say there is an "optimum" arch height for violins to best enable them to do everything they're supposed to do?

I ask because I've got the impression, from a variety of sources, that highly arched instruments, (even where the arch adheres faithfully to the c. cycloid shape) tend to be softer and sweeter vs. their lower arched brethren. Have you found such a thing as an optimal arch height for overall desirability?

Best regards,

E

Michael Darnton · Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:29 am Post subject:

For me, the loudest violins I've made have been high ones--between 16 and 18mm high tops. The most dismal failures have been low. This has been very consistent. I know that there are a couple of very low and loud Strads, but only a couple, and at least one isn't all that tonally compelx. The low del Gesus that I know are mainly not that great.

Consequently, I try to stay at 16mm or above.

YMMV, as they say...
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actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

Appreciate that very much...