Virtuoso Violin
Watch a Virtual Violin in action
The Pianola of the violin world. However, personally, I think it a) looks awkward and couldn't stand to have it in my house, and b) sounds shocking. The guy keeps saying it sounds like a real violin - but it sounds only slightly better than a midi-controlled violin. Heck, with some sound cards these days, you can get sound libraries that sound more like violins that some violins.
But anyway, what do you think of it? Useful invention, or waste of time?
Replies (2)
Sorry to resurface this old fossil, but I'm having troubles locating a copy of the video that was available three years ago, which was amazingly informative. YouTube deleted it because it was a copyright violation. Anyone have any idea where I can find a video on how it works?
(By the way...it used some pretty advanced physics to make the actual violin produce the sound. The MIDI only provided "the sheet music", in a sense.)
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August 25, 2006 at 05:26 PM · I think it is somewhat of a cheap trick. The sound is midi so you could play it back through a speaker alone. The bow doesn't vibrate the strings and the strings are not stopped to change the pitch. It is just another electronic device to play back a midi file.
One time I saw and heard a violin that used little round rotating disks rubbing on the stings and pads that pressed on the strings. All the sound was produced by the violin. It was all mechanical and sounded very good. Still, just a toy. Music isn't music without the musicion.