Violin FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)

(3) Issues regarding purchase of starter instruments.
At one point in time, several years ago when this FAQ was originally conceived, my recommendation was to rent a violin at first, in order to determine if the child would remain interested. However, based on experiences with my own private students and given the favorable economic climate between the US and China regarding Chinese instruments, many of which are fine instruments and quite good quality at exceedingly reasonable prices, my views have changed. Given that you can purchase a very decent starter violin for under $200 (viola, cello and bass are consecutively higher, of course, since they're larger instruments), it is more economically sound to just purchase such an instrument. If you work with a teacher the instrument can be sold when the child outgrows it, or traded in for a better and larger instrument. I think, now, that this is the way to go. It's simply that if you can purchase an instrument outright for the price of a few months rental, it's more sensible to purchase it.

The contributing factor in the change of my views is the quality of these instruments. Certainly there are still shoddy instruments, but there seem to be a lot of very nice instruments coming from China nowadays, which are beautiful to look at, play well, have no problems, come with a very attractive case and bow (also with no problems) and at reasonable prices. The bows come furnished with real horsehair; this once-dear stuff has now become so reasonably priced that one can hardly find synthetic hair any more.

NOTE: The advanced player, who is no doubt under the tutelage of an experienced teacher, doesn't need my help—aside from perhaps the admonition to play a lot of instruments in combination with bows, and find what pleases you the best, paying less attention to the price and more to the sound. Fine instruments are a major investment and many professional players spend decades paying off the instrument, acquiring it through a loan from a local musicians union or bank. Many players enjoy instruments given to them as gifts because of their exceptional abilities, but most players buy them or borrow them. As orchestras are ranked, in the top tiers the string professionals require instruments starting in the $30-$60K range.

(4) Am I too old to learn the violin, which has always been my dream?
I would not like to discourage anyone from studying music, because the benefits to the mind, spirit and intellect are so great. However, in my experience and that of many other private teachers I've spoken with about this, regardless of our efforts, what often happens is that the adult takes a few lessons and then mysteriously fails to show up for lessons, without any explanation. I think the reason is that people often don't realize that it takes at least five years to get into the violin. It's difficult for adults who are accomplished in other areas to become like children again, playing Twinkle and other simple pieces, and it's also often very difficult for busy adults to integrate consistent practice time into their busy schedules. The focus and intent must be very strong; there are some good books to guide adults in this area. See Never Too Late: My Musical Life Story by John Holt and Making Music for the Joy of It: Enhancing Creativity Skills and Musical Confidence by Stephanie Judy. Personally, I would encourage anyone to take up the study of an instrument; just be patient with yourself. Playing is an humbling experience, but that in itself can be positive.

Also check out:

(5) Since I am left-handed, can I learn to play and have a violin fitted for playing in the opposite way? (In other words, with the G string to the right, and holding the bow with the left hand?)
Much like the question about adult learners, this question is very controversial, and I would hesitate to answer positively one way or another. The literature is really not designed for this, and the problems of adjustment in reaching higher positions seem overwhelming when you consider what the configuration would have to be. It would require a re-fitting of the G bar inside the instrument, and a reshaping of the bridge, at the very least. I think a lot depends on what sort of music you want to play; there are very many areas of music where a left handed player would be at no disadvantage. I'm thinking of popular players in rock, C&W;, Jazz and other musics. I don't see it as a problem in those venues, though my knowledge in this area is limited. I do think that in so-called "art music," left-handed players are very rare, since the ensemble playing in orchestra or chamber music requires consistent bowings, and even consistency with respect to fingerings for uniformity of phrasing. I know of only one such player whom I encountered in a university orchestra, and do not know of any others.

While, oddly enough, the question of refitting the violin comes up rather often, this is, naturally, a separate issue from someone who is merely left-handed and wants to study the violin with a traditional hold. One player suggested that being left-handed is an advantage because of the requirements of the left-hand technique, and certainly there is nothing to prevent a left-handed person from taking up the instrument. My guess would be that the percentage of left-handed string players is the same as the percentage of left-handed people in the general population, though I have no hard data on this. If anyone has research on this and would like to contribute it, that would be great. See also: Playing the Violin and Fiddle Left-Handed.

(6) Requests to appraise an instrument.
This must be done by a reputable shop. I get frequent requests about specific instruments, but that is not my area of expertise, and it cannot be done, people, over the internet without a direct examination from a reputable expert, which most violinists are not. Labels can and often are faked!!

People often write me about instruments with Stradivarius labels, violins which have turned up in an attic, closet, cupboard, or garage sale. The "Stradivarius" label often has a tiny copie de above the word Stradivarius, which means a copy of a Stradivarius, or an instrument built on that model. If repaired, these instruments may be good student instruments, but unfortunately, they're seldom or never valuable. What must be done in every case is to locate a professional repair person who can do an adequate appraisal.

(7) Are the violin and the fiddle the same instrument?
Well, yes and no, it depends. What it depends on is who's playing it, and in what cultural context you're speaking. Growing up in the midwest, I felt uncomfortable using the term fiddle, because what that meant, then, was country and western fiddle, and I wanted no part of that. However, you hear violinists of the highest calibre, like Stern and Perlman, for example, referring to the violin as a fiddle...but their cultural context is Eastern European, which included gypsy-like so-called "fiddle" music, which is not the same at all as the American genre. The instrument itself may be the same, though folk players of violin (and other players who are playing something besides art music) may take more liberties with respect to the way the instrument is held, its fittings, and so on. Aside from some small details, however, the instrument is pretty much the same; there is no separate genre, fiddle, which is not also a violin. I get asked this a lot.

(8) Can you give me some advice about how to play the "wiggly thing," i.e., vibrato?
This is one of those large subjects which would take a very long treatise to explain, and really, since it would not be interactive (I could not see and hear what you're doing), impossible to do in so many words or less over the internet. You really need to go to a teacher, though reading about it can be helpful, particularly for teachers.

(9) What's the difference between the violin and the viola?
A lot of people ask this, particularly parents who are trying to help decide what instrument their child should study. One of the first things that musicians might think about in this connection are violin/viola jokes. The viola plays a somewhat different role in the orchestra than the violins do, and there is some gentle and sometimes not-so-gentle teasing between the sections. Musicians' jokes aside, the viola is a somewhat larger (longer, heavier) instrument and it is a fifth lower than the violin (five pitches, in other words). Many string players play both instruments, making their careers more flexible in terms of what they can offer. I would encourage anyone to play viola; the literature is a little different, but the viola has a deep, gorgeous tone and is quite as wonderful as the violin. There have been many eminent viola players (Pinchas Zukerman is a great example, and he's a genius who also plays violin and conducts). You might want to take into consideration also, that if your child likes the instrument and wants to play it, and especially if the child is tall and has long arms and larger hands, the instrument may be an excellent idea; I think it's fair to say that fewer people are drawn to the viola and therefore it may offer more opportunities for a child to play in school groups, and perhaps even later prove to be a career advantage. In the long run, both violin and viola are perhaps the most difficult of all instruments, and they provide immense advantages in terms of physical and mental training. See also The Much Maligned Viola by Kim Kashkashian.

(10) How can I determine if this violin is the right size for my daughter/son?
Regarding measuring children for violin or viola, there are two methods but the second probably works better and is more exact. At one time what we did was to stretch the child's left arm under the instrument, and have them grasp the scroll with their fingers wrapped around the scroll. If the elbow was slightly bent but not too bent or too straight, it was a fit. However, a more reliable method is to stretch the child's arm straight out under the instrument, and under the scroll, and if the instrument's scroll ends flush with the pulse, it is just right. According to the build of the student, it can be a little shorter or longer. A sturdy child can take a little longer; it will mean less bend at the elbow when they play--which is tiring but can be tolerable--but if the candidate is weak, then better not, and one chooses rather a little shorter instrument. This rule is for kids during the time they grow, i.e. until early teenage. For "grown ups" it no longer applies. Violins come usually short and violas usually long.

(11) What is the best way to avoid being nervous at a jury or an audition?
(1) Prepare the music carefully, leaving nothing to chance. Everything should be so well prepared, you can play it cold, no matter what. This requires you to divide your practice up into "preparing time" and "performing time," a concept Galamian talks about in Principles of Violin Playing and Teaching.

(2) You should make an effort to tend to your health--that is, have had enough sleep, eat potassium rich foods like bananas, don't eat meat, fried foods or dairy (vegan is best, but at least avoid heavy foods), and exercise. But don't hurt your hands! I recommend walking, lifting light weights (I have a pair of 4 lb. Chinese barbells which I use regularly, lots of reps) and do yoga and stretching. Swimming is also good. Bicycling is good, but you can hurt your hands if you don't do it right, so be careful. Lots of fresh air and sunshine and positive thoughts.

(3) Be philosophical. Why do we study music? To make a big deal out of ourselves? No. If anyone does art to aggrandize themselves, they're doomed from the beginning. We do art to be in contact with the best human minds, to make beauty, and to express the best in humanity. We do it out of love. We do it because we can't do anything else. Given all that, so what if you aren't perfect? Only god is perfect. Do your best, give it everything you've got, and then make music and enjoy yourself. That's what counts. Forget yourself.

(4) Remember the little things which the listeners are going to be looking for (particularly if one of your listeners is a conductor), and which will indicate if your training is solid. These include stylistic accuracy, rhythmic integrity, attention to phrasing and dynamics, good intonation, and musical sensibility. Bach is different than Brahms. Dynamics don't just happen, you have to make them happen. Everything in the score is there for a reason. Plan the bowings and phrasing ahead of time (though some leeway is allowed for interpretive inspiration of the moment). This is all very hard work and time consuming, but don't blow any of it off and expect it to happen automatically when you go in to play. It won't.

Also see the following:

1. Stage Fright in Music Performance and Its Relationship to the Unconscious , Michael I. Goode
2. Audition Success: An Olympic Sports Psychologist Teaches Performing Artists How to Win, Don Greene
3. Complete Guide to Pilates, Yoga, and Meditation
4. Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment, George Leonard
5. Mental Toughness Training for Sports, James Loehr, Ed.D.
6. The Inner Game of Music, Barry Green.
7. Zen in the Art of Archery, Eugene Herrigel.
8. The Alexander Technique Workbook, Richard Brennan.

(12) What is the distinction between "weight" and "pressure" with respect to playing double (and triple) stops?
Galamian students (Davidovici, Luby, Bedelian--the three I studied with) relay to their students the notion, taken from Galamian (and from his teachers, one supposes, though I have not followed this through), the distinction between "weight" and "pressure" in bowing. In Galamian's Principles of Violin Playing and Teaching , (Prentice-Hall, 1962), I located the exact passage (page 57):

What counts in tone production is not the amount of pressure used but, if one may so term it, the quality of the pressure. This is determined by the manner in which the pressure is transmitted. The main point is that it must not, under any circumstances, take effect as a dead weight, inelastic and inarticulate, that would crush the vibrations of the string or, at best, produce a tone of inferior quality. Instead the weight of the arm and hand and the pressure from the muscles should be transmitted through the flexible and well-coordinated system of springs, natural and artificial, which was outlined...

Thus students are warned to use "weight, not pressure," as I heard from my teachers over and over. A deeper examination of the whole chapter is recommended to clarify all the issues involved.

(13) What is the best way to protect the violin from extremes of temperature and humidity?
There is a lot of disagreement about whether the two items used to manage this problem are necessary: hygrometers measure humidity levels; humidifiers correct dryness. Hygrometers in cases are either digital or analog (dial), and are not always accurate; in some cases the hygrometer has to be recalibrated regularly.

Sometimes there is a plastic vial (a humistat) which contains water and supplies humidity for the case. It clips in place somewhere down around the pegbox/scroll portion of the case and can be adjusted to allow more or less water vapor to escape. If there is not one of these vials accompanying the hygrometer itself, you can purchase a humidifier to put in the f holes of the violin. Both Strettos and Dampits seem to work well, although Dampits are more of a hassle since you have to resoak them frequently. Many musicians keep a humidifier in the music studio (aim for a steady 50-60% humidity), which protects stringed instruments and pianos.

Certainly there are players who question the usefulness of these products and wonder whether any kind of humidification is a good idea for string instruments, in terms of avoiding cracks. Humidifying an instrument in its case may be unnecessary except in extremely dry environments. It's conceivable that too much humidity could cause problems with insects and otherwise damage the wood. The constant changing of the moisture content of the wood can't be good for the instrument; if the maker has selected well seasoned wood, the best thing to do is let the instrument adjust to the prevailing humidity or lack thereof.

For example: like Italy, Los Angeles is classed as a Mediterranean clime by geologists. Violins sound better in L.A. then they do in the humidity of NYC, but players often don't have any problems- or use humidifiers. Dryness may be good for fiddles - avoiding extremes, of course.

(14) How do I break into the music business (i.e., get gigs?)

Any or some combination of the following recommendations will probably work for you:

INITIAL CONCERNS:

1. Take private lessons (or lessons through your university) from the top person in your area; often the concertmaster or principle of the local symphony, or someone who plays professionally and teaches. There are often local "artist teachers" who are very good;
2. Be willing to play for free a little bit, especially initially to meet people, or if you're very young or new to the business. That is, play in church, play in community orchestras, play as much as possible. However, at some point, this business of "bring your instrument and we'll feed you" becomes profoundly offensive. Please don't say this around me unless you want a lecture; normally, you don't consult a doctor or lawyer for free when you're at a social function, and you shouldn't ask a professional musician to play for free, either;
3. Pay your AFM dues, Musicians' Union dues, which are initially perhaps around $120, and then a bit every year, like $30. This is how you get your "name in the book" and is really important. Make sure your phone is in working order with the same number as that "in the book";
4. Be reliable: be on time, be pleasant, don't gossip, be nice to everyone ("the music world is a very small world" is not an adage for nothing), and keep your word so people know they can rely on you;
5. Practice a lot. Every day. Know your stuff. Be ready when the opportunities come;
6. Get as good equipment as you can afford and keep getting better. Experiment with new products, talk to people, visit local shops frequently. If you're nice, people will help you;
7. Don't get into interpersonal conflicts with people, no matter how annoying people are. Everyone is concerned about their own lives. Once a conflict starts (and it will) take a deep breath, stop the interaction, and back off (even if, and especially if, you know you're right and the other person is a jerk). Don't be a push-over, either, but just rise above it all and most of all, be forgiving and let things go;
8. Keep learning, whether you're in school or not;
9. Even if you're not playing in them, attend as many concerts as you can. If you're deeply interested in music, you will do this;
10. Don't do weird things. Don't just not show up. If you say you're going to do something, either DO IT or call and apologize for not being able to. Reputation is everything in this business.

1. This is not a moral judgment, but drugs and alcohol ruin more musicians than anything I can think of. If you need something to relax, take up a sport. Weight lifting, Pilates, bike riding, swimming, tennis. Anything but drugs. In my experience, musicians tend to examine spiritual practices, read a lot of self-help books, and participate in retreats and yoga and that sort of thing;
2. If you really want to devote your life to music, you're going to have to think about getting the best instrument you can. This is expensive and scary, particularly since all shops are not totally free of self-interest. Play a lot of instruments until you can recognize the sound you want. Sometimes you can get an instrument for $300, say, which sounds as good as one for much more, but you've got to keep looking. A good bow costs $1,000 and up. Other expensive issues to examine are insurance and tax issues (the AFM will help with this);
3. You have to have the right clothes. I know - Thoreau: "Distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes". . .but if you're going to be playing a lot of concerts you really do need comfortable, elegant clothes;
4. At some point, you may want to investigate things like brochures, head shots, business cards, management, etc. Most of us don't, but many do, and it's something to think about, particularly if you're developing a quartet;
5. You absolutely must have a subscription to several periodicals, including the AFM publication "International Musician." Links to these kinds of magazines may be found at the top of the page on the Violinists' Library;
6. You will at some point, if you have not already, have to think about what direction you want your work to go: how professional, what level, does it include teaching or master classes, how much travel. And if you teach, what level do you want to teach? Public school, private studio, university? All of these arenas have different requirements with respect to qualifications. It's not true that most players have doctorates in performance, but many have Masters (M.M.) and that seems to be the norm. Try to go to the best school you can; you'll have more exposure to the best players, teachers, and opportunities;
7. Auditioning - whether for jobs or scholarships - is a learnable skill. You can get good at it if you work at it. Do as many auditions as you can until it becomes commonplace and non-scary.

(15) What is best approach to producing smooth bow strokes?
Bring bow stroke up from the bottom wrist slightly bent up. Make sure the hair has a constant firm contact on the string. As you approach the upper part of the stroke and are turning around, kind of throw your fingers up to make the turn, lowering your wrist at the same time. At the top of the turn, squeeze the bow as you lower the top of your hand. Bring your hand down squeezing and gradually release as you reach the bottom. Then lead with the top of your wrist. Leaving the fingers behind, gradually bringing your fingers through the stroke to end up top again to make the next turn. It's like driving your care around a corner, you don't stop, but bring it around smoothly. Watch the hand and wrist of good players.

(16) What technical routine do you use to stay in shape?
A violinist offered: Being a lowly doctoral student, I hesitate to add my comments to this discussion, but feel they may be appreciated by the students among us. I have a regime that I have developed to focus on the weak areas in my playing as well as improve and maintain the technique I already have. It depends on the day I do it and my ability or need to focus on certain aspects, but the regime takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete (As little as 1 hour and 15 up to 1 hour and 40):

1. I warm-up with Urstudien by Carl Flesch, the left hand exercises only.
2. Then, I do 5 different vibrato exercises to help me develop different shadings of vibrato.
3. Then, a series of chromatic scales against an open string to help tune my hand for the day.
4. Then, I do a soundpoint control exercise.
5. Next, I do extension exercises as well as one octave one position scales are arpeggios that climb up the fingerboard on the D and A strings.
6. Then comes the beautiful Yost exercises to improve shifting.
7. I follow this with scale and arpeggio based exercises based around one key a day. So I do in one key the following: one finger scale, one position two octave scales, a Galamian series in both Major and Minor, Arpeggios, Flesch 1-4 from the scale book in that key, and
8. then I do scales in double-stops (3rds, 6ths, 5ths, 4ths, 8ves).

(17) How can I develop a private teaching studio?
Important question, especially for those of us whose income is primarily from teaching and performing. Mimi Butler has two good publications which address these questions, and I highly recommend them. There is a link to these materials in Mimi Butler's listing in the Teacher Directory: click on "workshops."

Also see:

1. Develop a contract (set boundaries); see mine at Studio Policy Paper
   
   
2. Design a webpage (GeoCities is free, easy to use)
   
   
3. Advertise regularly in a local paper.
   
   
4. Get business cards and include email address, URL, and phone.
   
   
5. Play as much locally as you can.
   
   
6. Contact music schools, music stores, luthier shops, any and everyone associated with string music in your area
   
   
7. Develop a quartet for weddings and social functions
   
   
8. Contact the newspapers to see if they will do an article on you
   
   
9. Announce your studio in university publications
   
   
10. Design a flyer and post at schools, and any public bulletin boards. Montessori Schools are good.
    
    
11. Contact local public music teachers and see if you can give demonstrations, guest conduct, and get referrals
    
    
12. Join the local musicians' union (AFM), American String Teachers Association (ASTA), and the Suzuki Association if you're a Suzuki teacher. Attend all functions. Follow up all calls.

(18) What is the usual progression of violin études?
Ms. Sunday: In terms of the beginning series of études, Suzuki purists may disagree, but at the Minuets in the first Suzuki book, I add A Tune a Day Book 1 (for the younger students) and the Tune A Day Scale Book (an excellent book!) for the older ones. I find the Tune A Day, Bks. 1 and 2 helpful for ensemble practice and to review topics in musicianship. For foreign students, it's also helpful to share aspects of American culture, and often--with adults--amusing in this regard. It may be that I teach more music history, music theory and conducting than many teachers do, but I like to train my students to be broadly educated musicians, and this goal seems to serve the needs of homeschool, adult and advanced students, in particular.

I introduce the Wohlfahrt at the beginning of Suzuki Book 4 (Seitz concerti - see Suzuki Repertoire List), and the progression after that is Wohlfahrt-Kayser-Don't Op. 37-Mazas-Kreutzer, followed by Rode, Gavinies and Dont Op. 35. Scale books I use are Hrimaly-Schradieck-Flesch-Galamian (in that order). See Indiana University String Academy Sequence of Études, which includes additional materials to be added in.

Paganini 24th Caprice in A minor, Perpetual motion

FOOTNOTE (Dover ed., p. 97): "With respect to J.S. Bach’s two Concertos for violin, I have never given them to my pupils to study because, from my point of view, only the two slow movements in them are musically valuable and really worthy of their composer; while the first and last movements of each Concerto are not very interesting, either musically or technically. This, of course, is my own humble opinion."

(19) What is the best way to achieve good intonation in string playing?
As an intellectual concept, this is a difficult area, particularly if you're primarily right-brained and not given to mathematical and scientific thinking, though this sort of thinking can in some degree be learned, with effort. There is an excellent discussion of these issues in Dr. Michael Kimber's "Scales, Arpeggios, and Double Stops for the Violist." This book, available online on Dr. Kimber's page, has several pages of really interesting text at the beginning, referring to methods of practicing the material and intonation issues in string pedagogy. Extremely valuable resource. See his diagram explaining intonation differences.

As a practical matter, there are a few concepts that teachers use, including the "ringing tones" in Suzuki. These are the fourth finger/lower open string and third finger/upper open string pitches which should match, and also the notion of "frame" formed, initially, by the first and third fingers (with a "high" or a "low" 2), and somewhat later, the frame formed by the octave reach of first and fourth finger (around the 3rd Suzuki book, I suppose, along with the Wohlfahrt studies).

An additional concept may also be introduced, having to do with the roles that pitch steps (of the scale) play within the context of any given key, (tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading tone). Stringed instruments are not equally tempered the way the piano is, and thus, key context is everything when it comes to intonation on a stringed instrument. The leading tone, for example, is higher, and half-steps can be smaller, within the context of the key (than they are on piano). Playing with piano, one may attempt to adjust to the equally tempered notes, but this is not accurate for the violinist.

Scale Steps and their Corresponding Triads

I ii iii IV V vi vii°

Tonic supertonic mediant Subdominant Dominant submediant or superdominant leading tone

Regarding naming scale steps in minor, Roland Hutchinson: "The names of the scale degrees are the same in major and minor, with one exception: when the seventh degree isn't raised with an accidental to make a half-step with the tonic, it's better to call it "subtonic" instead of "leading tone". ("Flat seventh" or "lowered seventh degree" will also do in a pinch!)."

Other perspectives include:

Within the key context: 3 and 7 are high, the perfect 5th is wide

Tendency tones: 2 goes to 1, 4 goes to 3, and 6 goes to 5. The exception is that 7 goes up to 8, whereas the others tend to fall down to the tonic triad tones

Four different kinds of intonation: illustrated at Violin Masterclass (Click on "Definition") These include:

(1) Pythagorean Intonation;

(2) Just Intonation;

(3) Equal Temperament; and

(4) Expressive Intonation.

See also:

Tuning and Temperament: A Historical Survey, J. Murray Barbour.

Temperament: How Music Became a Battleground for the Great Minds of Western Civilization, Stuart Isacoff.

This discussion takes an entirely different turn if we were to address baroque performance practice:

The Development of Musical Tuning Systems, Peter A. Frazer

Pythagorean Tuning and Medieval Polyphony, Margo Schulter

The Just Intonation System of Nicola Vicentino. This article originally appeared in 1/1: Journal of the Just Intonation Network, 5, No. 2 (Spring 1989), 8-13.

Understanding Temperaments, [Included in: WannaLearn / OpenHere / music-instruments-list and many others]

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(20) At what stage in students' development do they begin vibrato and shifting?
Interesting to pair shifting and vibrato, since they really are in so many ways, related concepts. I have some ancient Paul Rolland tapes (I haven't seen the new ones--assuming there are any, which I imagine there are), where *beginning* students are doing tapping and other exercises to develop the flexibility necessary for both of these practices.

By the time the student gets to Suzuki Bk. 4, shifting is necessary for Seitz concerti, and vibrato should be online by then, also. (See: Suzuki Repertoire list). Towards the end of Bk. 3 I introduce the Wohlfahrt studies and numerous exercises for developing a freer left hand, even in the Hrimaly. [I don't think it's wise to get into the habit of practicing scales with vibrato, all the time, but according to Dr. Michael Kimber you can practice scales with or without vibrato, but it should be either with or without, but not both, and deliberately, not habitually. If you're not careful, vibrato can be a hindrance to developing pure intonation, "frame," and "ringing tones."]

Depending on the age of the student--with adults there is *much* more verbalization--ideas about both vibrato and shifting are mentioned early on, but not addressed directly until maybe mid- Bk. 3. But indirectly addressed by seeing that the left hand is flexible, free, and able to operate independently of holding the instrument, which should be more a function of the collarbone and shoulder.

(21) How can I recover if I lose an audition?
You have my sympathies. Losing an audition is tough, and there are not too many musicians who don't go through this at one time or another. Remember the adage that the only person who never fails is the person who never tries anything. And then I can think of some recommendations, in no particular order:

1. Try to analyze your playing objectively; gather together all the resources you can—excerpt books and recordings, books about auditioning, books on string pedagogy—and read and listen to them at night after practicing as many hours as you can get in;
   
   
2. Find out who the most eminent teachers are in your town (won't be difficult to determine) and study with them; they were probably on the committee (did you say that you auditioned behind a screen? Even if you did, teachers can recognize the playing of their own students);
   
   
3. Try to get with someone, perhaps at a summer institute or workshop (do a Yahoo search), who specializes in preparing players for auditions. Borok, for example, who used to teach at SMU but is now at U of H, is known for doing this. And there are others.
   
   
4. Know that many times, one may lose an audition based on the unfortunate chance that just so many positons were open, and some exceptionally good players, or well-connected players, showed up at the same time you did.
   
   

You can feel badly for a while—you're entitled—but then take it as a challenge, I'd say.

ICSOM Orchestra Budget Statistics New! POSTSCRIPT: It should probably be added that positions in major orchestras are not only highly competitive, but shrinking in number due to economic conditions. One very successful professional player noted on the newsgroup that repeated failures to win auditions may be simply that the person, however intelligent, may lack critical physical abilities, and that, regardless of how hard the person wishes to win a major job, or how hard they may work, it is cruel, they say, to not try to gently guide them into some other field where they might have greater success--given that doing auditions is an extremely expensive and time consuming activity. In terms of winning a major orchestra job, the newsgroup violinist is absolutely correct. I think it is accurate to say that the majority of musicians on the planet do not have high paying jobs, and that seeking a position in an orchestra with a smaller budget is often a good compromise, as is freelancing and teaching (only if you enjoy teaching, please--not as a fall-back position!!), and also combining some other field with music. If you lose an audition, you can also ask to be put on the sub list, and then decide where to go next with your playing. [And I would mention to young people that, if you find yourself in an emotionally painful situation, please know that painful feelings go away eventually. These feelings won't last forever.] There are many fine musicians who are also Phd's in some field, or physicians, or computer professionals, or lawyers, or police officers. Many really fine musicians have second jobs, or are doing music as their second job. There are many more ways to go than just getting a high powered orchestra job, in other words. It also doesn't follow that if you get a graduate degree or degrees in instrumental performance, even from a first rate music school, you will automatically earn a good income. There are a lot of unemployed people with doctorates.

The International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) ICSOM is comprised of 52 American orchestras. These orchestras comprise virtually all of the American orchestras that pay a full-time living wage. Click on the ICSOM link, above, for further reading. Interesting statistics: There are 52 ICSOM orchestras employing a total of about 4,200 musicians. During the academic year 2002-2003, American colleges, universities and conservatories graduated 14,601 students with degrees in music. During the 2003 calendar year there were 159 openings for musicians in ICSOM orchestras.

So in this, as in everything, there are no guarantees. One has to make choices and sometimes they are difficult. If a good player likes teaching, that is certainly an option, and freelancing, as well, provides opportunities to perform for a living, and freelancing does not require long-term commitments or painful auditions; often the jobs are given on the basis of past performance. If you can "sightread the bugs off the walls" and are an otherwise reliable player who does not mind travel, freelancing may be the answer. Even with freelancing, it takes years to develop contacts and the skills necessary to play in pick-up or back-up gigs. Everyone has to find their own combination of things to do, but there are certainly a lot of options, and one lost audition is only an audition.
Further discussion. . .

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(22) Should a teacher who is primarily a violinist teach viola?
I've played the violin for many decades, teaching and performing, and then started studying viola seriously just last year. I am enamoured of the sound and what the study of this instrument does for my overall musicianship.

I'm not an experienced violist in the same way I'm an experienced violinist. With the violin literature, I know every crook and cranny of the etude repertoire that students need to master; in the chamber music literature, I'm familiar with all these beloved works that anyone who had studied as long as this, would naturally know. But the question is this: in teaching viola, I'm still in the stage of relying on my general musicianship and string skills on violin. Should I be teaching viola? Even beginning viola? (I mean privately, private studio).

I wonder about the ethics of doing this, particularly if there are good viola teachers available. Same with cello. In a rural area, with no other options, perhaps it's excusable. But in a larger city, with numerous other teachers, I wonder.

Response from Roland Hutchinson:
While many of the standard studies for violin are available for viola (Mazas, Rode, Dont, Kreutzer, etc.), one ought not to neglect the original etudes for viola: Hoffmeister, Campagnoli, Fuchs, and others. Violin etudes of course have to be selected and/or edited judiciously for study on viola: ones that feature useless extreme-high positions (that are VERY stressful on the left hand on viola) and nearly or literally impossible reaches (tenths--ouch!) are not going to do an advancing viola player much good, and indeed can easily lead to counterproductive frustration. Even such a thing as over-use of the fourth-finger extension in first position is going to be an issue for most players on a adult-sized viola.

I think Fuchs has a note in the introduction to one of her collections mentioning that a lot of violin etudes fairly well neglect the middle range of the instrument -- and she's right. You could play violin etudes all week without learning that the instrument has a third string (slight exaggeration only!), thus without playing much in the register that is the bread-and-butter, most highly characteristic part of the viola's range.

* * *
In general, the responses on the newsgroups support the idea that a teacher in this situation would need to be aware of the needs of advanced students, or students with exceptional potential, whereas teaching beginning students would probably be okay, at least initially or until the student was ready for more advanced studies. Care should be taken, however, that the teacher who is primarily a violinist continues to study the viola and continues to understand the pedagogical aspects of viola playing. These differences include but are not limited to: broader vibrato, differences of tone production with the bow, more use of second position, and different fingerings.

See:

Donald McInnes - Representative List of Viola Repertoire, listed in order of difficulty

Lillian Fuchs: First Lady of the Viola by Amedee Daryl Williams

Viola Bookstore

(23) How can I determine the size of a violin (4/4, 3/4, etc.) if the label on the inside is missing? (and other violin measurements)

1. Total length and body length
2. String tensions and string length (footnote at bottom)
3. Violin bow length

(24) What are some of the techniques teachers use to approach beginning students? I will be happy to attempt to explain these things, though they would be better demonstrated in person. Since my training for two terms at Chapel Hill was in '89-'90, these ideas probably go by other names. I'd love, also, to hear from other teachers—I am sure there are thousands of such techniques used by teachers:

I draw the violin and bow and we study parts of instrument and bow

finger numbers; if student is also studying piano with me, the distinction is made between piano finger numbers and violin finger numbers

ask parents and student permission to place tapes on violin and bow: three finger tapes (for "frame") on fingerboard, and two tapes in centre of bow, to begin "Pepperoni Pizza"

"left hand technique" (violin hand) and "right hand technique" (bow hand)

how to hold violin (1-2-3): (1) violin is held at arm's length, scroll up, parallel to student's body; (2) position of violin is reversed, with scroll down; (3) violin is placed in correct position to left, on collorbone, with violin parallel or above to floor, and elbow under violin. Next step is to practice holding violin without hands, and then shaking hands under violin

how to hold the bow (1-2-3): (1) thumb is placed, under frog for little ones, crooked near grip for adults and older children (thumb and 2nd finger make "doggie" circle); (2) first three fingers are dropped across stick, tilted slightly toward the tip, with space between 1st and 2nd finger (importance of 2nd joint of 1st finger for the purposes of controlling articulations is later examined—often); (3) pinky finger is curved on inside of bow (add Pinky Pad)

"rocket ships": bow is held in correct position, and "launched" (with rocket noise) from floor towards ceiling

"tick-tock": bow is held in correct position, slowly making windshield washer movement

"the spider": bow is held from the back, careful not to touch the hair, and hand crawls up bow—up is easy, going down is much harder

"the stretch": (for adult or older students), bow is held in correct position, then fingers are extended flat, and then bow is drawn into the palm

"squeelies": start with bow at tip and draw slowly to frog, while running finger up and down strings (great for Halloween)—is preparation for shifting and vibrato exercises

"ticks": hold bow in correct position, and make tiny notes at frog and at tip—this is to develop strength in hands and focus on straight bow

son filé: start at one end of bow and slowly draw bow to opposite end, counting, with bow parallel to the bridge

"choo-choo train": very small bows in the middle, spaced notes, getting faster and faster—is prelude to "Wish I Had a Watermelon" variation, i.e., two sets of 16th notes, each starting down bow

"hovering" fingers: develop notion of hovering, e.g. the bow is hovering over the pencil

"Moon Man Silent Landing": bow is brought down, between the two centre tapes on the bow, on sounding point ("point of contact"); "Pepperoni Pizza" is developed from there, starting on the E string.

"pump handle": the seven levels of the right arm, four string levels and three combination levels

Well, a lot is omitted, and I won't go on, but this is the idea.

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(25) How can I get my child to practice?
This is often, for parents, a very serious and sometimes troubling issue in music study. They should be told that it is normal for students to not want to practice, and home practice should be supervised by the parents until the child is older and has developed more independence. There is an excellent book about this: How to get your child to practice without resorting to violence. In general, the recommendations in the book include:

1. Remain calm but firm; don't nag, threaten, get angry, or give up. Brushing teeth is not optional, and neither is practicing. 10 minutes a day is fine at the beginning.
2. Create a musical environment: this will include listening to the Suzuki CD's, other CD's of classical music or other musics, going to concerts, and listening to NPR (National Public Radio) programs with classical music. Have music on all the time, or at least during meals and before bedtime.
3. Make it fun and enjoyable. Let the child be happy and loved at all times. Never make being loved contingent on whether they practice, or whether they do well.
4. Use lots of praise, even for the smallest thing, and even if it sounds awful. There is always something positive to say: "You really worked hard" "That sounded pretty good" "That was much better than last time." No negative or derogatory remarks!!

Also recommended:

Fink, Lorraine: A Parent's guide to String Instrument Study

Morris, Carroll: Suzuki Parent's Diary: Or How I Survived My First 10,000 Twinkles

Starr, William, Constance Star: To Learn With Love: A Companion for Suzuki Parents

Nathan, Amy: Young Musician's Survival Guide (for older children, middle school and up)

More Suzuki materials:

Violin/Piano books

(26) Why we play.

1. The feeling of being a part of an ancient tradition
2. Sharing, if only briefly, with the greatest minds of the past
3. The sense that you are pursuing the thing which you are most suited to do
4. The pleasure of accomplishing something difficult and highly competitive
5. The pleasure of the audience
6. The sensual pleasure of the music, particularly when it goes well
7. The pleasure of working with your colleagues
8. The identification of the self with the profession
9. The joy of forgetting the Self
10. Dressing up, making money, the pleasure of having good equipment
11. The sense that you are contributing in some small way to the peace and intelligence of the world
12. The sense that you may be inspiring people with hope and beauty --and perhaps inspiring some children to have a better life

...I'm sure there are other reasons.

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