Violin Resources

May 4, 2007 at 12:29 AM

Here's a list of resources that I've found over time that are very useful to any violinist.
Tips and Tricks - Five things every player should know about caring for your instrument
A well written article from Strings Magazine about how to look after your instrument. Covers: Installing and Caring for Strings, How to deal with Bow Bugs, How to look after your instrument, How to fix a tilting bridge, and detecting and Deciphering Buzzes.

Just Wipe it Off
Dealing with rosin on the instrument, and keeping your varnish in tip top condition.

6 Things to look for when buying a bow
Material, Weight and Balance, Shape, Price and Test.

Best Bow - Finding the right stick for you
Going into more detail about the Material, Sound, Weight, Balance, Shape (Round or Octagonal), and testing it in the shop.

Stick to it - Basic Bow Care
Tips for looking after your bow. Keep it safe, clean and look after the hair.

Rosin Decoded - Deciphering What it is, how it's made, and which one is right for you
What Rosin is, how it works, which one is best for your instrument, and different types.

7 Things to consider when buying a violin
Playability, Tone and Sound, Price, Craftsmanship, Setup, The Package, The Dealer or Shop.

Rest Assured - Choosing the Chinrest that's right for you
A brief history of the Chinrest, and different styles for you to choose from.

The Straight Dope - What every player should know about Pegs
The Nature of Wood, The Cure, and The Best Wood for Pegs

Tools for Tone - Mutes
A discussion about the various types of mutes available, what they do, and why you should have a variety of them.

Orchestral Auditions
This is a list that I compiled of Orchestral Excerpts for Violin Auditions. These are excerpts that have actually been asked for in Auditions around the world. It not only lists what excerpts are expected to be known, but also what other items - some request some solo Bach, others a Mozart Concerto, some go with Chamber Music. Anyone considering an orchestral career would be wise to make sure they know all of these.

If anyone else has some articles that they think are worth mentioning, please post. I would be welcome to receiving these and adding them to my collection.

Reposted from BenClapton.id.au

From Anne Horvath
Posted on May 4, 2007 at 1:21 AM

Very nice. For the audition excerpts, Concertmaster or titled 1st violin chairs usually have the Heldenleben or Zarathustra solos.

From Yixi Zhang
Posted on May 4, 2007 at 3:52 AM

Good stuff! Thanks Ben!

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on May 4, 2007 at 7:11 AM

Thanks for all the good resources, Ben.

From Karin Lin
Posted on May 4, 2007 at 4:30 PM

Hey, this is awesome! Any chance we could get it on a wiki or something for the site?

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