Reddit mentions: The best orchestral string instrument parts

Not sure what your price range is or what your bf has but here are some ideas (I'll try to go from cheapest to most expensive) :

A nice dark rosin. http://www.amazon.com/Original-Hill-Dark-Rosin-Violin/dp/B000F3FQP6


Chair strap. http://www.amazon.com/Xeros-Anchor-Endpin-Rest-Cello/dp/B000FCJUV8/ (This is the kind I have. There is no substitute, if he doesn't have a strap like this then he really needs one. If you are buying one note that you get one with a circular holder for the end pin and not a V-shaped one. The V-shaped ones are for basses and don't work nearly as well)


Sheet music. I am a fan of the Music Minus One (MMO) series. However a nice anniversary gift might be duet music. I can help think of some good duet music if you want but would like to know a little more about your playing level.


Bow rack. I bought my rack at Home Depot and it looks like this. (actual pic, sorry no link) http://i.imgur.com/Ytww0.jpg They're just hooks, but I really like mine


Cello CDs. There's a lot of good recordings out there but that's for you to find, I can give some suggestions if you want.


Music stand. http://www.amazon.com/Manhasset-Model-Sheet-Music-Stand/dp/B0002FOBJY/ If all your bf has is a wire stand then this is a great gift. There's also stuff like pencil holders, lights, and other stuff that would make good gifts as well.


Cello stand. There are lots of stands out there, I highly recommend a stand that supports the neck of the cello like this. http://www.amazon.com/Stagg-Foldable-Stand-for-Cello/dp/B003ZUEQLG/ref=sr_1_6?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1343515413&sr=1-6&keywords=cello+stand




There are some other cool stuff you could get, but may come off as offensive.


A practice mute. I would suggest an ebony comb style mute kind.http://www.amazon.com/JSI-Ebony-Cello-Mute/dp/B000F3HK5U/ over a "tourte style"

A tuner and or metronome. I use http://www.amazon.com/Matrix-MR500-Metronome/dp/B0002F6ZJI/

A wolf tone eliminator. http://www.amazon.com/Generic-Cello-Wolftone-Eliminatr-Brass/dp/B003KWGW9I

If you can afford it, a nice set of strings would always be appreciated! This set is one of the better combinations around. There is also an option to buy a silk bag for cheap if you buy those strings, but even that would be a great gift alone :)

Otherwise, If he likes to practice in the evening, a heavy duty mute maybe? I use the Artino Cello Practice Mute

If he needs a endpin stop, the Dycem Black Hole hasn't failed me yet!

What kind of level is he? You could buy him some nice sheet music! Are you musical? Buy something you can play together!

Does he have a metronome? A nice mechanical metronome like the TakTell Piccolo would be ideal!

You want a practice mute. Regular mutes are used in orchestral and chamber music to change the tone, but they don't really affect the volume.

A rubber practice mute is lighter, and since it dampens less of the overtones, it sounds nicer but diminishes volume less than a heavier mute. A metal practice mute will give you maximum volume control, but since it dampens so much of the sound, it can mislead your ear if you ONLY practice with it on. The Artino rubber-coated metal mute came out a few years ago, and it's supposed to give you the best of both worlds. I find that it has a little bit nicer sound than a traditional metal mute, but mostly I like that it grips the bridge better and won't vibrate off while playing, which metal mutes will sometimes do.

A practice mute is definitely something you should own. But I wonder, why don't you want to annoy your family? Unless the only time you can practice is in the middle of the night, they should just deal. Practicing is important and necessary to get better; they need to understand that. Plus, they have to love you no matter how bad you sound. Being self-conscious just because they might be able to hear you is counterproductive. I hope you're concentrating on doing what you need to be doing when you're practicing, and not what anyone else is thinking.

Edit: On a more positive note, my rubber mute was delivered today, and I love it! It allows a little more volume than my heavy metal mute, which is nice. I've found that the metal mute is overkill for most situations. Plus the rubber one is far less scary to use; my metal one always made me a bit nervous since it could easily damage my violin if it fell onto it.

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Another week of the Suzuki Book 4 struggle. I don't know if I can say I'm at a plateau, because I am progressing, but progress is SO slow. I've been working on piece #4 since February! I can finally play it all the way through (took a while to build the stamina), but it still isn't too pretty.

More than anything I'm just frustrated with myself. I go through these cycles throughout the year where my energy and general motivation rises and falls. I feel like I've been on a low motivation kick for months now. I keep letting my dishes pile up in the sink, I have unfolded laundry lying on my bed, I spend way too much time mindlessly browsing Reddit, and my violin practice schedule has been all over the damn place (sometimes in the afternoon, sometimes at midnight like tonight). I really need to get back into a routine. The good news is that this anger with myself is usually the feeling that sparks a high(er) motivation period, so I should be getting my act together soon.

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Anyhow, here are some nifty links I recently found:

Printable Scales - PDFs of 1, 2, and 3 octave major and minor scales.

Scales - This page is nice because it has audio files for all the scales, so you can hear what it's supposed to sound like when you play it.

Online Flashcards - Flashcards for learning music notes! This is just the kind of thing I need to sharpen up my sight reading.

String Articles - Articles for/about string musicians.

Good job! I saw the violin on Sesame Street when I was really young and my parents were able to save up to send me to private lessons for most of my childhood. I'm no professional or anything and i really only play my son to sleep these days. But I am really inspired by your journey. It makes me want to play again.

To do something with it.

There is a point (you are getting close to it) where the instrument really does become a part of you. That is my favorite part of the fiddle, I can communicate things with it in a way that I can't with my words or work.

Just a quick recommendation. How you practice is how you play. If you want to practice playing with strength but without volume you may want to consider buying a practice mute https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B7N8P5A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_D5eByb1636QF8 they are relatively cheap and you can play with the whole bow and all the pressure you want.

I hope this helps and I hope you keep going.

An old bluegrasser once told me that rhythm was his only stopper. He'd play with anyone who couldn't keep the tune or follow the jam. But, they couldn't keep rhythm, the whole group would fall apart. Feel the rhythm, keep practicing, and if you don't already, go find some jam sessions and join in.

I have a few questions for you here if you don't mind. I'm a (very) beginner cellist and I'm playing one of these cheap-ass amazon cellos. I immediately replaced the tailpiece, the bow, the strings, and the rosin. I'd say the tailpiece and bow replacements really dramatically increased playability for me, though the base instrument is still obviously kind of shit.

What I want to know is, what kind of a difference would I see in being on an actual better Cello? Given the nature of the beast, it seems like i'm not running into the playability issues that you do on terrible guitars (bad frets, buzzing), and I'm not going to. I understand tone won't be the best, but I'm not certain I'm a good enough player for that to matter yet anyway. The whole friction peg situation is a pain, but the better tailpiece means I rarely have to re-tune at the head, I just get them stuck in the general area and i'm good for like a month.

Also, you mentioned putting better strings on, can you comment a little more on the difference between a $20 set, and say, this set of jargars? Edit: I guess you already did, What I mean is, can you describe the specific way cheap strings sound bad that better ones don't? I want to see if that's a part of my experience.

Also also, the rosin i'm using is still pretty damn cheap, and I feel like i'm leaving alot of rosin on the strings (a white cake buildup), but it takes really alot of rosin for the bow to feel sticky. Is better rosin better in that way? Do you have a recommendation on brand? How do you de-rosin a bow to get the chance to switch brands?

Thanks!

I've also been playing violin for about 16 years. I stopped studying violin privately after I graduated high school, but played in orchestra through college while practicing a bit on my own. Just orchestra music and random practicing wasn't enough to keep up technique and I started deteriorating, especially in bowing technique. I found doing very slow bow practice and etudes (Kreutzer and Sevcik) on my own helped, but the most useful thing by far was to find a teacher again. I'm in grad school and have very little money and time to take lessons, but just going to my lesson twice a month, even if I've only practiced once or twice in between, has been really helpful and I've had noticeable improvement in the last year. As for practice mutes: I really like the one I have. It's metal coated in rubber and it mutes mine enough to play in my apartment late at night.

I personally like the look of that better. Your neck looks more relaxed. I got to talk with a chinrest expert a while back (a person with a custom chinrest business). There are some great examples on this site:
http://chinrests.com/fullsizegallery.php

Her point of view was - find a comfortable chinrest first, then use minimal height on a shoulder rest.
A high shoulder rest will make it necessary to raise your RIGHT arm significantly higher, whereas a slightly beefier chinrest won't impact the right arm significantly.

It might be worth trying a higher, and perhaps center mounted chinrest (https://www.amazon.com/Flat-Flesch-Violin-Chinrest-Standard/dp/B000EARF1I/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1495907040&sr=8-6&keywords=center+chinrest), while additionally trying a lower shoulder rest.

My students tend to prefer the center mounted rest because it places the violin a little higher on the collarbone.
Playing on the G string and in high positions is usually more comfortable because the left elbow doesn't have to jut in front of your body as much.

These things you'll probably experiement a lot wih over time, and as you become more experienced.

Lots of people like The Realist which may be what she has, but personally I feel like the Shadow SH-956 produces a better tone when played through a system. Hope that helps!

Go get your sound post adjusted. That might help it become more manageable with eliminators. Also, try squeezing the cello with your knees when you play the note. It's not the most ideal solution, but it works fairly well.

I bought this one from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003KWGW9I?cache=bacae8532cc2759f4a78c0fafe56edbf&pi=SX200_QL40&qid=1407362686&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
(Sorry no formatting, I'm on my phone)

There are also mutes that hang off the string below the bridge that might be more appropriate for a really bad wolf.

I don't know why your teacher wants you to buy a new cello. It seems like you guys haven't really tried much in terms of controlling it. Try getting it adjusted by a luthier (not your teacher) and ask them what they would recommend you to get.

Edit: For some reason I feel very wary of your teacher asking you to replace your cello simply because of a wolf. Any teacher should know that a good cello will have a wolf and know what to do to manage it. I would be cautious in considering the cello your teacher wants you to buy...often when instructors get in with people who sell instruments they are offered a percentage on sales that come from their recommendation. I'm not saying this is definitely the case, but it's pretty weird that they wanted you to get rid of what is probably a perfectly good cello because of a common and fixable problem. If there's ever a time when you want to replace you cello, shop around yourself.

1.) I bought this and I live in an apartment with very thin walls and floors. Speaking too loudly causes my downstairs neighbor to bitch, as does walking around for too long in a single session (pacing on the phone for example). I've been playing with this mute for about 2 weeks and I haven't heard a word from her. It doesn't fit my violin the way it does in the picture, but that doesn't seem to matter..

2.) I'm a new player, I started about 3 weeks ago and I can play 5 or so Suzuki book 1 songs decently. I practice from 20 minutes to an hour a day and focus on very particular problems each time. I'm 23 and rather pleased with my speed of learning the instrument.

3.) There's a lot of resources online, and being a beginner I might not be the best to advise but here's some things that have been working for me.

• When starting posture and good habits are key.
  
• Be very, very mindful of how your hand is holding the bow, follow online tutorials from (there are several youtubers, professorV, theonlinepianotutor, 1stfiddlerman are some).
  
• Play in front of a mirror or a webcam, make sure the bow is parallel to the bridge at all points during your bow stroke
  
• Some teachers say taping "frets" onto your violin help you learn the finger positions, again, many youtube videos on this topic.
  
  Last thoughts are: playing with a mute is sort of depressing. It barely sounds like a violin half the time, and you'll hear the bow friction on the string more than some notes which makes intonation sort of tricky but it's not insurmountable and it's good to find a place to play without it sometimes

I promise you that this practice mute is plenty quiet enough. It will make your violin softer than a spoken voice..

Just make sure to find good times to practice full volume sometimes as well so you make sure you're practicing good sound quality technique too :)

Mass and a shortening of the vibrating string length on the tailpiece side. The string is harder to pick up if it has this shortened length. Ideally, it is 1/6th of the nut to bridge string length, for maximum playability and projection. I play in a rock band and I love my wittner for quick and easy intonation fixes.

As a modification to a violin, taking the tuners off and having a shop apply a Hill Style tuner would be the first thing, if the player didn't want all four fine tuners still. I would have a shop do it too, because the edges are sharp and there's a little noodle that goes on the tuner to protect the loop end e. I have seen many e strings get sacrificed to unprotected or unmodified hill style tuners.

I would install a hill style over keeping one long arm tuner as well, because with the long arm tuner the e string will have a sounding point further towards the fingerboard because of the shortened string length. Right when you are used to coming close to the bridge for the higher frequencies, you have to back off towards the fingerboard.

yeah, the fish tank is for real. You can rent them for a few hundred dollars for a few weeks, or make your own. Someone tested it and the expensive version is nothing more than the fish tank thing. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/ToneRite%C2%AE-TR-GR03-ToneRite-for-Guitar/dp/B004BA83ZO

STRINGS:
1 x Pepe Romero Strings PEPESR Classical Guitar Clear Nylon HT, Full Set (PEPESR)

From strings by mail was like 13. Pepe said the "old" 60's nylon string formula was lost so they recreated it for him. I haven't put them on but as I remember good reviews. A unique string with a cool story.. check out youtube for Jr. talking about them. :)

cheapest good shoulder rest is the everest, should be well under $20...

mute? they are really cheap... i just use the single hole tourte. ...or did you mean a practice mute?

chinrests are also cheap...you wont know what kind you like til after you try to play for a while... this style is a good place to start because the bar over the tailpiece gives you options for where you put your head, seems like most rental instruments come with those as default now ... https://www.amazon.com/Guarneri-Violin-Chinrest-Standard-Bracket/dp/B000F35SG8/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1525475122

but some people find that too tall and later swap it out for a flatter one that just goes to the side of the tailpiece.

the bridge is where you will get into some trouble... yes you can buy a bridge over the internet, but it will not fit. they have to be custom shaved to the instrument. so if you are going to take it to a luthier to have that done, you don't need to buy one ahead of time, they will already have blanks of the kind they like.

and if you are going in anyway... maybe wait on the chinrest... at least my local shop has a million spares because they swap them out when they get new instruments in... so you might get a deal there and get to try more types.

Probably weather related. I’ve seen this issue on some of the student cellos we have at the school I work at. Usually an easy fix. Also, you can buy a tailpiece with fine tuners built in for relatively cheap. It will likely improve your sound as well! As long as you’re not overtightening or being rough with them they should be fine.

Here’s a tailpiece: https://www.amazon.com/Wittner-Composite-Tailpiece-4-tuners-Tailgut/dp/B000LIC4HS

Also, if you decide you want to upgrade, I recommend Eastman brand cellos! Around 2k.

I use this super cheap Cherub pickup, but I've been thinking about upgrading to something like the Barcus Berry 3100 or Fishman V-200. I also have a multi-effects pedal, so the pre-amp on that has been alright at fixing the sound especially since I play in a loud rock band, but I still face feedback issues.

The Schertler is definitely a bit out of my price range.

In my (very limited) experience, violin is easier, though I did have guitar/bass experience first.

As far as neighbors go, as long as you're not a jerk about it, like playing at 3 in the morning, you should be fine. I have invested in one of these mutes recommended in another thread. They are much more effective than just a plain rubber one.

edit: I also am starting at the age 34. I always wanted to learn, and decided to pull the trigger. I'm taking an adult introductory group class at the Old Town School of Folk Music, and I think the average age is upper-30s/lower-40s, ranging from mid-20s to 60s. It's never too late to start.

The most reliable, well known, and best sounding player in this industry; Barcus Berry makes an OUTSTANDING pickup. I use it for every genre, and from churches to bars and rock venues.
http://www.amazon.com/Barcus-Berry-3100-Clamp-On-Bridge/dp/B000K9JPB6

Have you considered getting a pickup for your acoustic violin? If you like the way your acoustic sounds, this might be a better option.

I picked up one of these last month for recording and playing live:

K&K Sound Violinissimo PRO Violin/Viola Pickup w/1/4" Carpenter Jack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F3DVWUG/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_I5uJwb15XKCNX

It works pretty well for recording as long as I use a bit of compression and eq.

I got the fretless finger guide. Can be easily put on the violin and taken off without damage or residue. Stickers like the P&VT use can leave a residue behind. The fretless finger guide works great. I use it to kind of warm up and I hardly look at it after unless something sounds off. I say use it for warming up. Then try taking it off or playing blindfolded.

Here is Zack Rosenthal from Shar giving a demonstration of different performance and practice mutes. I have an Artino rubber coated metal mute and just a plain metal mute (one for each violin). I like them both. The Artino mute seems to have the least effect on the tone than the metal one. It is best to go without a practice mute, but sometimes they are just necessary. Especially if one lives in a thin walled apartment building like I do.

If an electric violin is anything like an electric guitar, you would be able to adjust the volume on the amplifier.

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As for mutes, I bought this on Amazon and it seems like exactly what you need. It dampens the sound. Like, a lot. So much so that you could probably realistically leave two adjacent bedroom doors open and another person in the other room would only just hear it.

I bought this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006GCNUHQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This works perfectly fine in the sense that it mutes the sound almost by half? Imagine playing an electric guitar that is not connected to the amplifier. However, the mute itself does not "fit" perfectly, out of the 4 legs, only 2 fits in? It still works though - and it is rather heavy. My only problem is that I'm new to the violin (4 months in) and I still have to see my bow on the strings to make sure its in the right lane. This prevents that, visually (unless you practice in front of a mirror, I guess). It's inexpensive so you have nothing to lose, really..

What sort of price range/brand might you recommend? Is "solid body" generally the quietest type of electric violin?

I already have an acoustic violin that I practice with at home, so maybe a heavy mute is the way to go if they'll be similar in volume. Do you have any recommendation on heavy mutes? /u/Yawzsheek recommended this mute, would that be considered a "heavy" mute?

If you're doing a classical violin, invest in a practice mute like this:


https://www.amazon.com/eBoot-Rubber-Violin-Practice-Black/dp/B01B7N8P5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483302604&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=violin+practice+mute&psc=1


It will mute the ballllls out of the music. And make your intonation better!

NSFWish: Digital art I made recently!

This would be great!

Learning on acoustic tends to start people off better. If the loudness is what's concerning you I'd recommend buying a practice mute for an acoustic and that way it's still very quiet but you can practice. I bought this a while back for while I was on your so I could practice in the hotel room, it works well and is very quiet.violin practice mute

I have the Artino practice mute, it's amazing how much sound reduction it provides.

Artino Cello Practice Mute https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001A5J2EY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jpJOCbVEVMJPN

https://www.amazon.com/Artino-PM-02-Cello-Practice-Mute/dp/B001A5J2EY

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I use this practice mute. Works very well! it lowers the volume to around conversation volume in your apartment. Highly recommend it.

You could consider a violin mute. I use one myself and it’s working very good!

Nobody does it? Look what they sell on Amazon, and I've seen many self-taught violinists on Youtube use those for the first half year/year or so...

https://www.amazon.com/Fretless-Finger-Guide-Full-Violin/dp/B00E9EC2K4

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When I started, my teacher gave me a little dot where the thumb goes, and that was it. After 2 months of practice, the dot fell off and then she was like "well, use your ear now..."

Good advice in this thread-- I would advise either a pickup that goes under a foot of the bridge, or a mic that clips to the cello itself. Here's an example:
https://www.long-mcquade.com/82202/Pro-Audio---Recording/Microphones/DPA-Microphones/Instrument-Microphone-for-Cello.htm

pickup example:
https://www.amazon.com/Realist-Pickup-for-Acoustic-Cello/dp/B000LQ3COE

If you want a more electric sound put your signal through a computer or pedals on it's way to the amp.

This mute can make an acoustic pretty quiet: https://www.amazon.com/Artino-Practice-Violin-Viola-japan/dp/B006GCNUHQ

Keep in mind you'll likely need a pick-up if you're playing with amped instruments. The Realist will work well for your needs: http://www.amazon.com/Realist-Pickup-for-Acoustic-Cello/dp/B000LQ3COE

I like the heavy metal mute

https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Practice-Mute-Violin-Viola/dp/B00CICR3H

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and the rubber-covere heavy metal mute
https://www.amazon.com/Otto-Musica-Artino-Practice-violin/dp/B006GCNUH

Not OP but I play the violin, get a mute like this one https://www.amazon.com/eBoot-Rubber-Violin-Practice-Black/dp/B01B7N8P5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483302604&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=violin+practice+mute&psc=1

There are note stickers for your fretboard though though (or just fret tape if you think that’s too much). Or you could get a tuner and look at it as you play and figure out which notes are where by looking at a diagram or something

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F35SG8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Having a wolf tone around the F#-G is fairly common as far as I know. You can take your instrument to luthier/reparier and they can move and reduce it by placing a small clamp on the string, discreetly below the bridge. Or you can buy one of these and do it yourself.

Also, check out this article.

Have you tried with rubber mutes? or even metallic ones? These ones reduces the sound even more

Fretless Finger Guide for Full (4/4) Size Violin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E9EC2K4/

Try this one from Barcus Berry.

Okay this is very, very weird. 2 things. 1, buy a practice mute. 2. Is your username in reference to the book by Ned Vizzini?

The best violin brand to begin with is renting one from a local shop. Preferably one that specializes in string instruments only.

I don't know if that's reliable for your area, around big cities teachers tend to charge more. But if I'm getting the exchange rate right, it's the low end of an average rate.

Practicing with a practice mute rubber only mute or rubber covered metal mute and keeping it to more normal waking hours should be fine. The heavy mute makes it so you can hear, but dulls the sound so it doesn't travel as far. If you're in a big city sometimes libraries have rooms you can practice in too, I've also practiced at Churches in empty rooms (they knew I was there) and community college practice rooms (they didn't...)

I'm afraid of those metal ones because they are REALLY REALLY heavy. If you drop it on your violin you're basically screwed.
I currently use this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Artino-Practice-Mute-Violin-Viola/dp/B006GCNUHQ
It isn't quite as effective, but it feels less risky to use it.

I use a metal practice mute, but with a rubber outer layer to prevent damage.

I would say it's maybe 30-70% louder than an electric depending on which mute you are using. Just guesstimates, people are generally bad at comparing volumes.

Here's a recording of muted (this mute, different from the one I linked just now. this is a heavier one), unmuted vs the Yamaha YEV104 electric violin, which is not marketed as a silent violin.

https://soundcloud.com/user-924209568/recording-12


(pardon the crappy playing and the mic cracking on the unmuted violin, and also the order of playing, I only realised how retarded the order is in hindsight)