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Playing an instrument comes with ups, downs, growth and plateaus – but all musicians have something in common: they will need to upgrade their instrument eventually. Upgrading your violin is an exciting time for you get to try new instruments, learn their histories, and visit your local luthier shop until you become their best friend. All in the hopes you find that one violin that resonates with your soul, your needs, and your wallet.

All in all, we have to wonder – when is the right time to upgrade your violin? We know that children, teenagers and adults all have different requirements, so let us take jump into the question at hand. We will define at what point is an upgrade suitable, what type of budget you may what to aim for based on age group, and professional growth that leads to inspiring and aspiring towards a new instrument.

Upgrade a Violin for Your Child

Children grow fast,  really fast. So, that tends to make teaching them instruments difficult – especially when their arm spans change almost instantaneously month over month. But this is something to continuously monitor for your little one. They will need multiple upgrades. If you keep your child on the same size for too long, it could hamper their progress and create bad habits in their play style.

As an example, as a child’s hands increases in size, they will have to make adjustments to gain the right intonation, so on a smaller violin with less finger board space, their fingers will begin colliding together to fit into place. To combat this, you simply purchase a bigger instrument as the hands and arm span increases to account for the growth.

Now, when it comes to price, children are rough on instruments. They may not be as careful, or they may not continue with the hobby at all. So, investing in expensive instruments may not be the goal unless you know for sure they will continue with it. It also may be best to purchase something more expensive when they stop growing so you know what size to truly go for. Dropping a lot of money on something they will outgrow may be a waste in some people’s eyes, however if your local shop has a great trade-in policy many times all of the money that you spent will simply rollover to the next larger size instrument.  It is also a great time to upgrade not only the size but the quality during this trade-in process.  A couple hundred dollars invested each time you go up in size will result in having a great deal of equity once you reach the full size allowing you to retain your investment that you have made along the way.  What better way to reward your kiddo than to encourage musical growth than by providing them with a better sounding violin each time they reach the need for a larger instrument.

To recap upgrading for your child:

• Children’s hands and arm spans grow exponentially faster
• That growth will hamper their progress on an instrument of the wrong size
• Upgrading the level of the violin is a smart way to retain your investment and build equity in the instrument that you currently have all the while laying the foundation for having a quality instrument once the full size is reached.

Upgrading Your Violin while Climbing the Skill Ladder

Age plays a big role in upgrades. If you are an adult, and just starting out, you may want to opt for a less expensive instrument just to see if you will keep with it. But, you are an adult, and if you want to buy something more expensive – no one is stopping you. Some of the benefit in jumping right into an intermediate/professional instrument can be that the price keeps you motivated. We all know that if you invest in the risk of something, you are going to try to make it successful no matter what – so it may be a good way for you to keep yourself inspired to practice.

Adults learn quickly. So, when you begin to play, you will notice a lot of subtleties on a lesser instrument that sound really off compared to a better instrument. Those subtleties can end up hampering your growth because you may not be able to hear the resonance of the different notes as well, or you may feel like some notes are hard to reach based on the set up of the instrument.

Upgrades to an instrument as an adult can come in several different fashions. You can upgrade strings, your bridge, your bow or the whole instrument itself. Any of these moves come with an improvement in sound. A complete instrument upgrade is the most expensive option, so these others may be more suitable to the budget you have – no matter the case, investing in any of these options while you progress are great ways to gain an improvement in sound quality of the instrument, thereby increasing your enjoyment of practice and play.

As you become more skilled, you will notice different aspects of the violin you had not before. Does your violin finger board set up make it easy for you to reach the G string and E strings easily? Is the instrument light on your shoulder? How does the sound progress up the musical register? Do you like a warm rich sound or maybe a bright sound? As you begin to note the discrepancies in the musicality of the instrument, then it may be a good idea to swap out for something that meets your needs.

Let’s recap upgrading based on skill ladder:

• As an adult beginner, a beginner violin could hamper faster growth since adults take in information differently – it is up to you whether to start with beginner or more advanced instruments
• You can upgrade different attribute to your instrument if budget is a concern. Try the bridge, bow or strings – you will see a difference!
• Purchasing a more expensive instrument may push you to practice as a beginner
• When you begin to hear and feel the negative attributes to your instrument, it may be time to swap things out

Upgrade Your Violin through Inspiration

We mentioned this before that a new and more expensive instrument may inspire more practice time, and that is true. A new instrument also inspires an attachment to the instrument that comes with the violin learning journey. When you hold something that feels natural in your hands, that provides an extension of yourself and pushes you to take on a new plateau – that feeling is unmatched.

Walking into a luthier shop is taking a step back in time. They utilize old blueprints from master makers from the 1700s – tools, styles, and craftmanship built on historical foundation. Walking into a shop is like walking into another word full of curiosity. As adults, we do not get to be kids often. But as adults looking to find a new violin, we get to feel that way once more. We see the intricacy of a violin’s creation. We see the beauty in its woodwork. We identify with the artistic nature of its curves and symmetry. The experience adds to the inspiration, and if you are a professional player, hobbyist, or beginner, we can all agree that these instruments inspire the best in us, and finding the next violin match marks a steppingstone in our violin journeys that pushes us forward just one more step.

When you reach a certain level of skill, sometimes it is the inspiration of playing on a new instrument that moves you forward. If you are a beginner, utilize it to make you practice more. If you are intermediate or advanced, find that next violin that speaks to your musicality. If you love your instrument, you will love your music!

Upgrading Your Violin Conclusion

Upgrading your instrument is a big decision, and there are many reasons to upgrade. Whether you are a child growing too fast, an adult beginner who wants a nice instrument right from the get-go, a professional looking for their next inspirational violin, or an intermediate/advanced student aiming to find the instrument that speaks to them, the process of upgrading brings joy and fun to those involved. We love seeing our customers happy with their instrument of choice, and we invite you to always join us at our shop where we can take you back to the time of the great wood workers of the past.

Looking for an Upgrade?

This Advancing Violin Outfit provides a great upgrade. It comes with a Lightweight Deluxe D-Shaped Case and Carbon Fiber Composite Bow.

UPGRADE TODAY

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Not every airline will allow you to buy a seat for your cello.  However, these are the four airlines that I recently traveled with, and I found them to be cello friendly

• Aer Lingus
• American Airlines
• British Airways
• Ryanair

BOOKING

When booking, the cello will need a window seat, and you cannot be in an emergency exit.

Also, at the time of this article, if travelling internationally, you will need to use your passport number when checking in for both your seat and the cello’s seat 24 hours before departure.

SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Speaking of international travel, I use my Mezzo-Forte cello and carbon fiber bows when travelling for many reasons but chief among them is that travelling with carbon fiber eliminates the need for a CITES certificate (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

• Ivory
• Tortoiseshell
• Brazilian Rosewood
• Snakeskin (used as a bow wrapping)

Are all endangered and require a certificate if used on your instrument or bow.

Also, mother-of-pearl must be declared to U.S. customs but does not require a CITES.

SECURITY 

In case you are wondering… standard cello cases have no problem going through security x-ray machines anywhere that I have travelled.That said, be prepared for your cello and case to be thoroughly searched, scanned, and all manner of probes applied.

So ALWAYS add extra time for travel. I add an extra hour when travelling with my cello.

BOARDING 

No matter what boarding group you have been assigned to, make sure to notify the agent at the boarding gate that you have a cello, as they may want to let you board first.

Not that it takes much to flip the cello case upside and slide it into a seat, but it can be easier with fewer people trying to climb over each other.

As you are boarding the plane, make sure to tell the attendant greeting people that you have a ticketed seat for your cello and ask for an extender belt (seat belt extender) that you will need to secure your cello.

Remember that even if you have paid for your cello’s seat… You may be required at the last minute to check your cello due to plane or seat reassignments. 

Be patient.

Be kind.

Hope for the best.

And add extra padding to the inside of your cello case (just in case).

In Cellos We Trust – Matrick Thorpe

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I am an advocate of practicing so that you can ENJOY playing a piece. Practice makes perfect is  something we constantly hear and strive towards as string players, but it can be a source of incredible stress as well. 

Why?  

Because mistakes happen. A string will break. Your bow will break. The room will be so cold that you  can’t feel your fingers, or it will be so hot that your instrument slips from your sweaty palms. You will  forget a note. You will go sharp. You will go flat. You will forget your music. Forget your place. Maybe  even forget your name.  

That doesn’t mean it will happen every time, but it will happen. And when it does, you need to not let it  freak you out in the future. The best you can do is practice, prepare, be reasonable, and don’t forget to  forgive yourself if something unexpected happens. 

PRACTICE  

• Set time aside each day to play without distractions. Turn off the TV and set your ringer to silent. • Make sure you tune. I like to use the TE Tuner app set to fine tuning and saw wave. • I like to play one “fun” song to loosen up before I get down to business. 

• Start (or continue) your practice session with at least 15 minutes of scales. 

• Practice slowly in the beginning. My teacher and I always mark out small passages that are tricky  and require more attention. 

• I cannot stress how wonderful a good teacher is in helping with fingerings and phrasing. • Practice with a metronome to instill muscle memory. 

PREPARE 

Some things are inevitable when you begin competitions or auditioning, but preparation can help. An  extra set of strings, a second bow and a tuner are important. But here are some other common issues. 

• Playing too fast– When you perform, your nerves will get to you. This means that your heart will  start to beat faster, and your playing will follow suite. This is why practicing with a metronome is  so important. It helps instill muscle memory. 

• Distraction – Practice in whatever shoes and clothing you will perform in until you get used to it. You don’t want to be distracted by things you aren’t used to wearing. Also, make sure you eat  (don’t overeat), drink and go to the restroom before you perform. 

• Tight playing –Another common stress response of the body, is constricted blood flow to the  fingers. Yes, the body betrays string players when under stress. To help prevent this, make sure  to stretch before you play and if you know it will be a cold room, you might want to consider  wearing gloves beforehand. 

BE REASONABLE  

One of the worst feelings is knowing that you should have practiced more. On the flip side of that, driving  yourself crazy (in search of perfection) until you loathe the piece or worse, your instrument, is not a great  feeling either. • Remember, if you are enjoy performing a piece, your audience will enjoy listening. • Try positive affirmation. Say “I’ve practiced, I’ve prepared, and I’m ready to do my best now”  before you perform. I find it more soothing than the “Don’t screw up. Don’t screw up. Don’t screw  up.” mantra that initializes panic mode in my brain.

• If something unfavorable does happen, remember that every performing musician alive has  experienced some of those same things. Forgive yourself. 

In Cellos We Trust – Matrick Thorpe

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By Phoebe C.

Learning an instrument is always a challenging process, but some instruments may be easier to learn for certain people. Both the violin and piano are demanding instruments and take perseverance and dedication, but the violin has proved to have a steeper initial learning curve. 

The early stages of learning violin may be very uncomfortable as you are met with many challenges such as correctly holding the violin and bow, memorizing the placement of notes on the instrument fingerboard, making sure that those notes have the correct intonation, and learning how to play with the bow in order to produce a beautiful sound. However, on the piano, a beginner student is able to play the instrument right away, the sound is usually pleasant (as it is produced by the piano mechanism), and therefore the only challenge is learning where each note lays on the keyboard.

But after mastering the basic fundamentals of each instrument, they can become equally as challenging. Both instruments have their individual challenges, which grow over time as the player becomes more advanced and the repertoire becomes more demanding. For instance, pianists will need to read and play two staves of music (one for the right hand and the other for the left hand) as opposed to violinists, who are only required to play one. In addition, pianists play each stave on a different clef (usually treble clef for the right hand and bass clef for the left hand) while violinists play only on one clef: treble clef. Pianists will also learn to navigate large chords, multiple voices, and perhaps even large jumps across the keyboard. 

Similarly, violin has difficulties that challenge musicians as they advance in their musical training. Violinists will have to learn to shift positions, play harmonics and double stops, all the while constantly maintaining nearly perfect intonation and good sound.

Learning violin and piano can both become great challenges but will produce amazing talent if committed to. Yet violin is undoubtedly more challenging at the start of your musical journey. Although both instruments will prove to have big demands, it is undeniably worth the lifelong musical talent and knowledge. 

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What is music theory? Music theory is a practice musicians use to understand and communicate the language of music. It examines the fundamentals of music and provides a system to interpret music compositions. Frequently, music theory describes how composers make music. Music theory is the more technical side of music. It talks about melody, rhythm, dynamics, pitch, tuning, consonance, and more. Now, why is it important to learn music theory? There are several reasons why it is important, but the ones I will be talking about today are the following: boosts music performance, helps musicians understand the structure of music, master pieces faster, and helps sight-read music better. 

One important reason to learn music theory is, it boosts musicians’ performances. Music theory allows us to recognize chords and phrases, which helps us read music easier. In music, groups of notes form chords, and those groups of chords form phrases. Music theory also helps make sure a musician understands the structure of their piece before performing. When performing, musicians usually play their piece memorized. Music theory talks about motor memory and harmonic memory. Motor memory, also known as tactile memory, is one of the most unreliable forms of music memory. In motor memory, your fingers know where to go based on where they’ve been on the fingerboard, and one mistake can completely derail the performance. Harmonic memory allows musicians to store large sections of music and thousands of notes in their memory under just a few common chord progressions.

Another reason why it is important to learn music theory is because it helps musicians learn pieces faster. Having a clear understanding of how the piece a musician playing is constructed, helps them learn it faster. In comparison, it’s like knowing a city very well, helps the driver drive more efficiently. In music theory, a musician learns about the Sonata Form. Knowing this form can help with memorization and speeding up the learning process of the piece. The Sonata Form is a musical structure consisting of three main sections in the first movement: an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation. Understanding the Sonata Form can save a musician much time from interpreting how the composition is constructed. Knowing the theme, the repetition of the themes, and the variations in the first movement of the sonata, will help speed up the process of learning the piece.

The last reason that we will be talking about as to why learning music theory is important is that it helps a musician sight-read better. With the knowledge a musician will obtain by learning music theory, they can understand common note/chord progressions and the structure of the piece they are playing. This can help them predict what the next few measures of the piece will sound like. Not to mention, developing a good grasp on intervals will assist in recognizing them on sight. With this information, a musician can sight read faster, and can classify larger patterns in the notes, rather than reading each note one by one.

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Students need pieces fit for their level of playing. You can’t be playing a beginner piece (like in an early Suzuki book) when you should be playing a more advanced piece, and vice versa. Playing a piece in your level can help with your technique and can also help you to graduate from a lower level to a higher one. To be an intermediate student, you need to be able to do the following: play in different positions on the violin, be able to understand and execute more complex rhythms, bowings, and vibrato. Here are three violin pieces for an intermediate student.

The first piece we would like to list for an intermediate student is: Accolay Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor. In this excellent piece you need to apply various skills including the following: challenging rhythms, intonation in many different positions, memorization of a long work consisting of several pages and shifting through many positions. The range of rhythms in this piece encompasses quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, triplets, and sixteenth notes. You need to know how to read all these different rhythms and be able to execute them well. The positions you need to play in stretches from first position to seventh position.  Going from low to high register on the violin, you need to make sure that your intonation is accurate. One of the most important aspects in playing the violin, and certainly in this piece, is to make sure the notes are correctly in tune; if they are not, it makes the piece sound amiss. Memorization is also very important. When you play with the sheet music in front of you, you have less freedom as you need to be looking at the music. When you take the sheet music out of your way, you have more freedom as you can move around and play the piece with more passion.  

The second piece that we would like to mention for an intermediate student is: Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major. This is an intermediate-advanced piece. In this piece you need to play even more complex rhythms, go very high on the fingerboard, and play with a lot of power and conviction. Also, you need the skill to play spiccato notes. This piece requires a lot of practicing, especially for intonation. Since the piece goes up and down the fingerboard, having the notes in tune makes the piece sound more sophisticated. In this concerto you need to play Allegro at a brisk tempo, and Adagio at a slow tempo.  

The third and final piece that we would like to talk about is: Czardas by Vittorio Monti. This piece requires much practicing and dedication. In this piece, you need to do: glissandos, very fast passages, vibrato, and harmonics. If we were to compare this to a piece from an early Suzuki book, we can tell that Czardas is much more advanced. In the early Suzuki book, you stay in first position all the time, you don’t do vibrato, and the rhythm and bowings are not hard either. Now, if we were to compare Czardas to a very high-level piece, the Mendelssohn Concerto, we can tell that the Mendelssohn concerto is much more advanced for several reasons. The first movement of the Mendelssohn Concerto consists of several long passages, while Czardas only has a few. The cadenza in the Mendelssohn Concerto is very long. When you compare memorizing the pieces, it’s harder to memorize the Mendelssohn because of its length. The rhythms, bowings, and shifting positions are much more advanced than they are in Czardas. 

We hope that you enjoy playing and working to continually improving these pieces, after all playing music should be less about the work and effort and more about the fun and enjoyment that it brings into your life.

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Violin makers, also known as luthiers, have passed down their fine art for over four centuries. The first violin, viola, and cello were made in the early 15th century in Italy, and as a result, a number of important and renowned luthiers have risen from its country of origin.

1. Antonio Stradivari 

Italian luthier, Antonio Stradivari, has been widely regarded as the greatest violin maker in history for quite some time. Born in Cremona in or around 1644, Stradivari was a pupil of Nicolò Amati when he began his career as a violin maker. He quickly became known for his skills in the art as he developed his own style for violins.  Today, the Stradivari method of violin making has set a standard for modern times. Out of the almost thousand instruments Stradivari made in his lifetime, only about 650 survived; some of which are still in use to this day and have carried on his legacy for centuries. His instruments have topped prices at auctions and have been owned and played by the greatest musicians of the world. Despite the vast amount of knowledge that has been discovered about Stradivari’s violins, what makes them special is yet to be found. It has long been thought that the secret of Stradivari’s violins lies in his varnish, of which the formula has not been found.

 

2. Nicolò Amati

Teacher of Antonio Stradivari and grandson to Andrea Amati, Nicolò Amati was the fourth in his family of influential Cremonese violin makers. In the year 1596, Amati was born as one of the twelve children of Girolamo Amati. Nicolò Amati began developing and showing his style of violin making, which is now known as the “Grand Amati Pattern.” 

The Italian Plague of 1629-31 affected Amati greatly; it killed his father, mother, two of his sisters, and his rival Giovanni Paolo Maggini. This left Nicolò Amati as one of the only active luthiers in the Cremonese tradition with an overwhelming demand for instruments. This resulted in a number of apprentices who would later grow to be a generation of great violin makers. Nicolò passed down his legacy and the art of Cremonese violin making through his instruments and students. Today, his violins are kept in museums or private collections and seldom played in public due to their age and rarity. 

 

3. Andrea Guarneri 

Among one of the apprentices of Nicolò Amati, Andrea Guarneri was the link between the Amati and Guarneri violin making dynasties. Andrea Guarneri was born in Cremona, Italy in 1626. He began his apprenticeship at Amati’s shop when he was fourteen years of age, in 1641. Guarneri adopted his teacher’s model so masterfully to the point where their works were indistinguishable. His models where generally freer and less precise than those of Amati, but nonetheless impeccable quality.  Andrea Guarneri was the beginning of the Guarneri violin making bloodline; his two sons Giuseppe and Pietro both grew to become celebrated and distinguished luthiers and from them the Guarneri legacy grew with time. The instruments of the Guarneri dynasty are highly valued to this day; one of which, known as the Vieuxtemps Guarneri, recently claimed the title for the most expensive violin in the world.

 

4. Francesco Ruggieri

Francesco Ruggieri was the first of an important family of luthiers, the Casa Ruggieri in Cremona, Italy. He was speculated to be one of the earliest apprentices of Nicolò Amati as displayed in his instruments. His violins were visibly inspired by Amati’s “Grand Amati Pattern,” as today many of his instruments are almost as renowned as Nicolò Amati’s violins.

Francesco worked most of his career just outside the walls of Cremona, Italy. There, he was assisted by his three sons as he closely followed the model of his teacher, Nicolò Amati. The Ruggieri tradition was carried on by Francesco’s son, Vincenzo Ruggieri, who was the only of his sons to pursue a successful career as a luthier.

 

5.  Giusseppe Guarneri

Bartolomeo Giusseppe Guarneri was an Italian luthier born into the Guarneri family of Cremona. He was son to distinguished violin maker Andrea Guarneri, and carried on the family dynasty and traditions of violin making. Giusseppe was born in Cremona, Italy in the year of 1698. During his career as a luthier, he rivaled Antonio Stradivari. Their instruments meet each other in quality, as some even claim that Giusseppe’s violins are superior to Stradivari’s. 

Many of his instruments were modeled after and derived from his family tradition, but eventually Giusseppe developed his own unique style. Today, fewer than 200 of his instruments survive. And due to the rarity and quality of his violins, their sale prices have been seen to exceed $10 million USD.

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