Send calming thoughts my way for my first Audition on Wednesday! - Page 5

RWood · 04-19-2007, 05:08 PM

Perhaps the concert schedule you will play after you get a job will be less taxing than the audition schedule to get a job. I know that for me over the years the hardest work was getting the job. Doing the job always seemed easier.

May you auditions go well and then we can close this thread and replace it with one about your concert schedule.

Leaping Gnome · 04-20-2007, 12:34 AM

Are verbal contracts enforceable in your part of the world, or did you put a deposit down or anything? That is if you want to go as far as making it a legal matter...

CommanderROR · 04-20-2007, 03:11 AM

Well. I'm not going to make it a legal matter. There was no real contract yet, that's what he sent me yesterday. I hope I'll be able to discuss it with him today...

@RWood

The concert schedule (or rahter performance schedule) will certainly be more relaxed than the audition thingy...^^
I've been doing the job I'm applying for at the opera house in Wuerzburg for the past (almost) 5 years and know that most of the time it's a nice job. Auditions are one of the worst things for any musician...

@Bob:

There are a lot of violin-makers out there, but only very few ones that are known to make very good instruments on a "regular basis". If this deal does not work out, I'll just have to continue my search, but I'll have to wait until after the auditions in May, because I don't really have time to worry about violins if I'm touring around germany and playing auditions (I need some time to practise as well...^^).
The big problem is that the well-known high-quality makers are all very well frequented and their waiting-lists are usually long. And it's also hard to get to play any of their instruments before you order one made which is a big handicap since liking or not liking a violin is a very subjective matter...

CommanderROR · 04-20-2007, 01:27 PM

Update:

It turns out that I was correct.
The Violin-maker had a famous violinist in to do recordings of two (real) Stradivaris. Out of curiosity they compared the Violin I'm after (the Guarneri Model) as well and found it to be better than one of the Strads and almost as good as the other (although it's completely new and not broken in yet...!!!) and the violinist was very fond of it. He did not promise to buy it, but seemed interested, adn until he has decided whether he wants it or not he'll be first on the list and I'm second.

I'm now trying to contact the violinist (which is not all that easy because he is so famous and you can only get at him through is agency by email and phoning him would seem a bit...impolite...) to ask him directly what he plans so that I can consider my next moves...

RWood · 04-20-2007, 02:00 PM

Sometimes bold actions are called for. You are going to be as famous as he is now so it should be a phone call of equals.

nekokami · 04-20-2007, 02:16 PM

Tell him he should let you buy the lesser Strad for a comparable price.

CommanderROR · 04-20-2007, 02:44 PM

@RWood

I'm not going for a soloist career, so I can't really claim that...^^

@nekokami

I would not really want a Strad...the insurance payments would ruin me...

Bob Russell · 04-20-2007, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommanderROR

I'm not going for a soloist career, so I can't really claim that...^^

Hey, once you become a star, you might not be able to fight it!

yvanleterrible · 04-21-2007, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

Maybe you should see if Yvan can make you one!

That's a good one Bob!

A good violin maker has to learn his craft for a longer period than it takes to learn to be a good violinist. The 'luthier' we're talking about here is a genius.

@neko

I saw a bit on tv recently about a violin constructed entirely of carbon fiber. They sell them for about 5 grand and professional violinists flock to them, because of their suprising quality. They use it for outside performances and for worriless traveling.

@CommandeROR

Have you tried outside of Germany,like Austria, Italy and France? There must be decent craftsmen in eastern Europe as well.

nekokami · 04-21-2007, 09:15 AM

I remember reading a fascinating article in Scientific American back in the early '80s about sonic investigations into violins. The researchers vibrated existing antique violins and used a variety of means to record the results, including (if I recall correctly) scattering filings and photographing how the filings organized along wave patterns. Using this information, they were able to drastically improve the quality of some factory-made "blank" violins. But I did a search yesterday to see if this research had progressed further, and apparently the "scientific" approach still hasn't passed the skill of expert luthiers, who hand-shape the different plates in a violin by tapping them to hear the tone of each plate. The human ear (including the brain that does the processing) is still best at the kind of recognition needed to produce truly fine instruments. Here's an interesting review: http://physicsweb.org/articles/world/13/4/8

@CommanderROR, hopefully the famous violinist will lose interest or decide he has enough fine instruments already.

UncleDuke · 04-21-2007, 05:54 PM

you only need one good fiddle and it'll last you your whole life

buy the best you can and never blame your tools

Bob Russell · 04-21-2007, 07:06 PM

Well... if my hobbies are any sign, you need many just as a hobbyist. For example, I have many keyboards, even though I can barely play. I think I'd have dozens if I used them professionally!

CommanderROR · 04-23-2007, 08:21 AM

@yvanleterrible

I know that carbon fibre violin I think...its' made by www.luisandclark.com

I had it here for testing early last year...I would not call it a piece of crap, but it could not outperform even a mediocre (and much cheaper) wooden violin. Alos, the shape is rather different from the traditional which would make it unacceptable for most european orchestras...

I looked for violins outside germany...there are some makers, but it's hard to try violins all over germany and even harder to do it all over europe, especially since I have a tight schedule anyway... :-(

yvanleterrible · 04-23-2007, 09:36 AM

An idea for violin makers... Integrating an eink display somewhere in the carbon fibre body to show your musical partitions, and have a bit of software that recognizes what you play to turn pages as you go.

CommanderROR · 04-25-2007, 10:43 AM

Good News Everyone!!!

The violinist who was also interested in the Violin I wanted just replied to my mail (I was not even sure whether he would receive it since it went through some kind of marketing company...) and said that he couldn't afford the instrument at the moment and thus won't stand in my way...

Now I'll just have to wait for this information to come to me officially through the violin maker (he does not know that I contacted the violinist and I'm not sure that I want him to know...could look like I "convinced" him to leave the instrument to me or something...) and then I'll have that problem solved.
If everything works out (which seems a lot more likely now) then I'll hyve my new instrument by the end of May...but perhaps I'll have a job by then and not need an instrument...well...I'll cross that bridge when I get there...but I think I'd buy the violin anyway...it seems like a good investment...

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04-19-2007, 05:08 PM	#61
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	Perhaps the concert schedule you will play after you get a job will be less taxing than the audition schedule to get a job. I know that for me over the years the hardest work was getting the job. Doing the job always seemed easier. May you auditions go well and then we can close this thread and replace it with one about your concert schedule.

04-20-2007, 12:34 AM	#62
Leaping Gnome Evangelist Posts: 490 Karma: 1641 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	Are verbal contracts enforceable in your part of the world, or did you put a deposit down or anything? That is if you want to go as far as making it a legal matter...

04-20-2007, 03:11 AM	#63
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	Well. I'm not going to make it a legal matter. There was no real contract yet, that's what he sent me yesterday. I hope I'll be able to discuss it with him today... @RWood The concert schedule (or rahter performance schedule) will certainly be more relaxed than the audition thingy...^^ I've been doing the job I'm applying for at the opera house in Wuerzburg for the past (almost) 5 years and know that most of the time it's a nice job. Auditions are one of the worst things for any musician... @Bob: There are a lot of violin-makers out there, but only very few ones that are known to make very good instruments on a "regular basis". If this deal does not work out, I'll just have to continue my search, but I'll have to wait until after the auditions in May, because I don't really have time to worry about violins if I'm touring around germany and playing auditions (I need some time to practise as well...^^). The big problem is that the well-known high-quality makers are all very well frequented and their waiting-lists are usually long. And it's also hard to get to play any of their instruments before you order one made which is a big handicap since liking or not liking a violin is a very subjective matter...

04-20-2007, 01:27 PM	#64
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	Update: It turns out that I was correct. The Violin-maker had a famous violinist in to do recordings of two (real) Stradivaris. Out of curiosity they compared the Violin I'm after (the Guarneri Model) as well and found it to be better than one of the Strads and almost as good as the other (although it's completely new and not broken in yet...!!!) and the violinist was very fond of it. He did not promise to buy it, but seemed interested, adn until he has decided whether he wants it or not he'll be first on the list and I'm second. I'm now trying to contact the violinist (which is not all that easy because he is so famous and you can only get at him through is agency by email and phoning him would seem a bit...impolite...) to ask him directly what he plans so that I can consider my next moves...

04-20-2007, 02:00 PM	#65
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	Sometimes bold actions are called for. You are going to be as famous as he is now so it should be a phone call of equals.

04-20-2007, 02:16 PM	#66
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Tell him he should let you buy the lesser Strad for a comparable price.

04-20-2007, 02:44 PM	#67
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	@RWood I'm not going for a soloist career, so I can't really claim that...^^ @nekokami I would not really want a Strad...the insurance payments would ruin me...

04-21-2007, 09:15 AM	#70
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	I remember reading a fascinating article in Scientific American back in the early '80s about sonic investigations into violins. The researchers vibrated existing antique violins and used a variety of means to record the results, including (if I recall correctly) scattering filings and photographing how the filings organized along wave patterns. Using this information, they were able to drastically improve the quality of some factory-made "blank" violins. But I did a search yesterday to see if this research had progressed further, and apparently the "scientific" approach still hasn't passed the skill of expert luthiers, who hand-shape the different plates in a violin by tapping them to hear the tone of each plate. The human ear (including the brain that does the processing) is still best at the kind of recognition needed to produce truly fine instruments. Here's an interesting review: http://physicsweb.org/articles/world/13/4/8 @CommanderROR, hopefully the famous violinist will lose interest or decide he has enough fine instruments already.

04-21-2007, 05:54 PM	#71
UncleDuke books & doughnuts Posts: 882 Karma: 37857 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: usa Device: sony reader, kindle2	you only need one good fiddle and it'll last you your whole life buy the best you can and never blame your tools

04-21-2007, 07:06 PM	#72
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Well... if my hobbies are any sign, you need many just as a hobbyist. For example, I have many keyboards, even though I can barely play. I think I'd have dozens if I used them professionally!

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04-23-2007, 08:21 AM	#73
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	@yvanleterrible I know that carbon fibre violin I think...its' made by www.luisandclark.com I had it here for testing early last year...I would not call it a piece of crap, but it could not outperform even a mediocre (and much cheaper) wooden violin. Alos, the shape is rather different from the traditional which would make it unacceptable for most european orchestras... I looked for violins outside germany...there are some makers, but it's hard to try violins all over germany and even harder to do it all over europe, especially since I have a tight schedule anyway... :-(

04-23-2007, 09:36 AM	#74
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	An idea for violin makers... Integrating an eink display somewhere in the carbon fibre body to show your musical partitions, and have a bit of software that recognizes what you play to turn pages as you go.

04-25-2007, 10:43 AM	#75
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	Good News Everyone!!! The violinist who was also interested in the Violin I wanted just replied to my mail (I was not even sure whether he would receive it since it went through some kind of marketing company...) and said that he couldn't afford the instrument at the moment and thus won't stand in my way... Now I'll just have to wait for this information to come to me officially through the violin maker (he does not know that I contacted the violinist and I'm not sure that I want him to know...could look like I "convinced" him to leave the instrument to me or something...) and then I'll have that problem solved. If everything works out (which seems a lot more likely now) then I'll hyve my new instrument by the end of May...but perhaps I'll have a job by then and not need an instrument...well...I'll cross that bridge when I get there...but I think I'd buy the violin anyway...it seems like a good investment...