August 18, 2005 at 3:49 AM

The near death of too many violins.

Today (really the past few weeks) was really sad. My regular violin has been out of use for about 2 weeks now, because the humidity has been high enough that the pegs won't move at all. So, today when I was going to try to bring it back into tune, I discovered that the glue at the neck joint and saddle had dissolved, there was no longer any glue, so the neck collapsed... everything seems like it will be ok (no cracks, thank goodness!!!) but it will be a little while before I can use that violin again.

So then, I went to go practice on the violin that I am borrowing from a friend, only to find that it sounded really weird... It sounded like a really old recording that was being projected under water... not a good sound. I only hope that something horrible doesn't happen to it over night. I keep imagining that I'll open the case tomorrow in orchestra only to find that the neck had broken on that one too, or the bridge.soundpost had fallen,, or just something bad...

Still wanting to practice, I went to play my old violin (something I'd been avoiding because its currently tuned - low to high - E B E E for a piece I was working on) but when I went to bring that one up to the regular tuning, I found that there was no way that those pegs were going to move (darn humidity).

Determined to practice, I got out my electric, and (surprise, surprise) it is in tune and works fine. If only I could play that in orchestra tomorrow (the first day of actual rehearsal).

Sigh...

And to think the drama would end there... something strange is also happening with the paino, it doesn't sound right - and I blame everything on the weather.

However, I just finished rebuilding a cello, and I actually have someone who wants to buy it... Also, my conductor from 9th grade hired me to repair another cello. Very exciting.

Also, I highly recomend the movie Ladies in Lavender, its really a good story, with good acting, and good music.

From Karin Lin
Posted on August 18, 2005 at 5:00 AM

What piece requires that kind of tuning? Especially with both higher strings on E's?

From Carley Anderson
Posted on August 18, 2005 at 11:22 AM

Wow...that's too bad about your violin. The glue dissolved? Wow. A seam came unglued in my violin, it's in the shop...I have some idea of how you feel.

Hey, that's great your cello's selling...congrats!

From Jessica Smith
Posted on August 18, 2005 at 1:23 PM

Karin- its a fiddle piece that uses lots of double stops. And it sounds really neat.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on August 19, 2005 at 4:45 AM

I'm sorry you've been having such bad luck with your violins. I'm glad that you have one that still works. Please explain to me how you tune a fiddle to EBEE. The G string is tuned down to an E, I suppose. What's next?

From Jessica Smith
Posted on August 19, 2005 at 11:07 PM

The G is down to an E
The D is down to a b
The A is down to an E
And the E stays the same.

Just remember to be careful, cause doing that takes of so much of the tension (hence my use of my back up violin)

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August 18, 2005 at 3:49 AM

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