first of all, Hi! second, it might be odd to ask, but i need quick help on the violin. Ok, i haven't found a teacher, and when i try to play the violin, it produces a scratchy and alomost whispering tone, even with rosin and everything. which kinda scares me, cause that's not how it usually sounds like, right? i just want to see if any violinist on EC could help me out? Am i doing something wrong?
I'm your man, crimsonarcher! I'm studying violin at the uni here, so maybe I can be of service. Here are some possibilities: 1) Are you applying enough weight with your right hand? Weight is primarily directed by your pointer finger (when playing nearer the tip of the bow) and pinky (nearer the frog), so make sure you've got a firm grip. 2) Are you playing on the "meat" of the strings? In other words, are you playing near halfway between the end of the fingerboard and the bridge? (It's the so-called "Kreisler highway.") This is where the violin sounds best, and is likely the culprit for your wispy tone. 3) Do you have quality strings on your violin? They may need to be replaced, or you may simply need to upgrade to better strings, depending on what type you already have on your violin. Sometimes poor or worn-out violin strings will begin to unwind and lose their reslience, resulting in a poor sound. 4) Does your bow have a decent amount of hair on it? It may need to be rehaired if there is not a sufficient quanity of hair on it to accept the rosin you use. Hope this sheds a little light on the sitch!
When you play, look in a mirror and make sure you're bowing perpendicular to the strings for the whole motion. Sometimes people tend to bow straight near the frog, then near the tip it starts swinging out toward the fingerboard because you bring your elbow around near your body instead of straight out and using your wrists (don't keep those wrists stiff). That's what creates the scratchy tone.
I use to play for about 7-8 years but then I recently stopped playing because of high school and loads of homework and other stuff I had going on. Anyways, what's most likely going on if it's making that scratchy sound, is that you probably need new strings. After a while strings collect a lot of rosin on them and start to wear out. Rosin sitting on the strings after you stop playing is bad and should always be cleaned/wiped off after your done playing. Also, another thing that is a big factor is the type of strings you buy. Steel strings tend to last longer but they are cheap and don't usually sound good. I still have my violin and I use very good strings, Pirastro Olive Violin Strings. They are probably the best strings out there right now, but they are a bit expensive. They're about $120 for the full set (4). They sound awesome though. Plus you get a nice golden E string . Anyways, good luck
Make sure you've got as much of the hair on the bow in contact with the string as possible - and make sure the bow is tightly wound. Not enough so the wood is straight, but about so you can fit your pinky between the hairs and wood in the middle of the bow. Your teacher will sort it out. =)
