Daniel Stanley String instruments are regarded as being particularly challenging to play. The cello and violin are similar – both are played with a bow hand and a fingering hand. They both require correct tension and utilize mutual techniques such as vibrato. The size and shapes of the instruments has an impact on difficulty. There are other … Read more
Pablo Cassals self-taught himself the cello up until age 11, and André Navarra stopped formal cello lessons aged 15. So clearly it’s possible to self-teach the cello and be highly successful. However, unlike the keyboard and guitar, there’s a high risk of injury since there are so many muscles involved in correctly playing the cello. … Read more
There’s an endless number of expensive gadgets you can purchase for the bass guitar. These range from special effect pedals to preamp pedals, costing thousands of dollars. However, there are only a handful of items you need to play most music to a high quality on the bass guitar. Here we’ve listed (in order of … Read more
Some people think the viola is a challenging instrument to learn due to its size and lack of frets. It normally takes at least 3-5 years just to sound good. It’s important to consider multiple factors before learning the viola. In this article, we take a close look at how hard the viola is and … Read more
Being interested in the violin shouldn’t just mean you enjoy playing the instrument. Learning about the great violinists who achieved mastery or about the intricacies of violin-making can help you appreciate the instrument even more. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best violin documentaries. Ranging from biographies of contemporary violin virtuosos to the … Read more
The best violin recordings are not necessarily the most technically difficult pieces, nor do they need to be recorded by the most well-known violinists. What all of these recordings have in common are an impeccable interpretation and a stunning performance. Here are the 7 best violin recordings of all time: 1. Nathan Milstein – Bach … Read more
An overly dry environment or sudden changes in humidity can cause damage to your violin, resulting in reduced sound quality. This damage is often irreversible and easily prevented. Luckily, violin case humidifiers are inexpensive and effective. In this article we look at how important violin case humidifiers are, three different types and the best possible … Read more
The viola and violin don’t often play duets and it can be challenging to find the best duet music. We’ve therefore put in hours of research to find the best 11 violin & viola duets. We’ve chosen from a variety of composers and presented varying difficulties to suit all players. 1. Halvorsen’s Passacaglia for Violin … Read more
Are you preparing for an upcoming violin audition? Pay close attention to the instructions your auditioners may have given you. Make sure you’re working on a repertoire that meets these requirements. If you are able to choose which piece to play, you’ll find these suggestions super helpful in impressing your judges. We provide a variety … Read more
Water can cause significant damage to the structural integrity of the violin. When wood gets wet it changes shape and distorts, causing sound quality to decrease. But this depends on how wet a violin gets and for how long. In this article we look at how badly water can damage the violin and the immediate … Read more