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Sound Response

December 29, 2007 at 4:55 PM

After reading Albert Justice's blog, Big Sound, Small Sound, www.violinist.com/blog/zeagle79/, I thought back to my last recital. I was first violin, but my teacher had me stand on the opposite side, my f-holes facing the fire place, not the audience, because she said I play extremely loud.

Well, I like having a big sound in all situations, more power to me. But I guess in chamber music, you would need to know how to regulate such things more. I play a lot of chamber music and I do not want to overpower, in sound, the other musicians because that is not what chamber music is about. But I have a heavy arm. I kind of play like Sarah Chang, not in sound or technique (I am in no way comparing my ability to Sarah Chang), but in the sense that she uses her strong forearm to move her bow, which creates a heavy, loud sound. I do the same thing. I try to use my wrist but that fails, and I feel uncomfortable. I bring my right elbow up really high on the G and D string which forces the weight of my shoulder into the strings. So, what should I do to be a better chamber musician?

Anyways, kinda random, but significant.