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Violin/Questions Answered by Expert Jessica Vaughan
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Bowing/string harmonics | 1/8/2012 |
| Q: When I play there are times that the string will go into almost a harmonic/buzzing type of sound or ... A: Dead spots in strings is as much as a mechanical problem as it is a physical and technical one. ... | |
| Violin | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: I have been looking for an inexpensive full size violin that is acceptable for beginning level (or ... A: I really can't answer questions about brand names, makes, or models because even within a brand name ... | |
| THE BOW | 9/16/2010 |
| Q: 1.how do you learn to play by ear other than just sitting there for HOURS trying to find the right ... A: First, I don't really know much about the Incredibow. I prefer wood bows made of higher-quality ... | |
| HOW TO PLAY BY EAR & BOW | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: 1.how do you learn to play by ear other than just sitting there for HOURS trying to find the right ... A: I can answer your question about playing by ear but not about a violin for you because I live in the ... | |
| senior beginner | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: I am pushing 70 and have just purchased a no-name violin at a flea market. The violin looks like ... A: First, let me say how great it is that you continue to play and enjoy the music. You're never too ... | |
| Aluminum bow | 7/9/2010 |
| Q: do you have any knowledge/info about aluminum bows (past and present)? I recently acquired one with ... A: I don't know that much about them, either, but maybe what I do know will help you make a decision. ... | |
| sizing of violin | 7/2/2010 |
| Q: I'm 34 and have always wanted to learn the violin. I finally decided that I'm not getting any ... A: We generally try not to use 3/4 size violins as adults because even though they might be made by a ... | |
| Grading/ Levels | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: I was just reading a response to a question concerning a student entering their "grade 5" as it was ... A: When you hear people mention that they are a certain grade or level with regard to violin skills, ... | |
| Finger "jamming" :/ | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: This occasionally happens with my fourth finger as well. Something just doesn't seem right about it, ... A: Your pinky problem is a common problem with musicians. Many report issues with their 4th fingers ... | |
| Vibrato problems | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: I've learnt the violin for about nine years already but I still have this one problem that I cannot ... A: First, double-check the position of your violin with regard to your body. If you can't get your ... | |
| Unaccompanied "Soloistic" violin piece | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: it's me the 15-year-old violin student again! This time I'd like to ask: Do you know of any solo ... A: You don't always have to use pieces that were written specifically for unaccompanied violin as ... | |
| solo violin piece, French composer | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: I am a 15-year-old violin student. I'd like to ask about unaccompanied French violin pieces: Some of ... A: If the booth is about French culture, you may be overthinking the music situation. While there are ... | |
| singing while playing violin | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: I want to learn a musical instrument. I am 57 years of age so will never be a maestro. I can deal ... A: Yes, you are correct. The violin is a very difficult instrument to learn, even in the very ... | |
| Perfect pitch ear training -notes and chords | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: I play violin accompaniment, and rely predominantly on written music, although I am able to write ... A: If you can do all of that, then you're actually much closer to your goal than what you realize! You ... | |
| Just starting out | 2/25/2010 |
| Q: Hey, I'm a 19 year old college student, and I've always been in love with the violin in music. I'm ... A: You should get a full size (4/4). The other sizes are for children. As far as whatever else you ... | |
| improvising accompaniment by ear | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: I have done violin to grade 6, and have taught myself to write violin arrangements to pieces ... A: Your question is actually not as difficult as you might think it is, especially if you can improvise ... | |
| Violin music evolution | 2/9/2010 |
| Q: Since violins started as mainly "classical" instruments, I am wondering how violinists began to ... A: This is a fun question! Unfortunately, your (and many others') assumption of the origin of the ... | |
| am i to old to learn how to play the violin? | 2/5/2010 |
| Q: i'm thinking about learning how to play the violin next year. i'm 14 and i dont if im too old or ... A: No, you're not too old to learn to play the violin. In fact, you're never too old. My oldest ... | |
| started | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: I am a 12 year old girl from england and i have just started my violin lessons today is it easy to ... A: Honestly, it doesn't matter what interest you take up, you'll only get out of it what you put into ... | |
| I'm interested in the violin | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: I am a lover of music! I love to sing and have recently been indulging myself in many different ... A: It may look easy, but learning the violin is extremely difficult, at least in the very beginning. ... | |
| movie violin music | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: well i have been searching forever and i cant find it so i came here. my question is in psycho the ... A: The music you're referring to is just simply called "Murder" and is found on the Psycho Complete ... | |
| no access to private lessons. | 11/18/2009 |
| Q: I would like to ask a question regarded about private lessons. I would like to ask if a person who ... A: You can do anything you want, private lessons or not! As long as what you are producing with your ... | |
| Block Fingering vs. Independent Fingering | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: I am a beginner violinist and I am wondering what type of fingering you recommend for a beginner, ... A: In my teaching experience, block fingering is easiest to begin with if you have no other musical ... | |
| Shoulder Rests | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: I'm a beginner and I've recently bought a violin. I have been searching for a shoulder rest for my ... A: The same companies that make chin rests for violas also make rests for violins, so all you should ... | |
| true notes! | 10/12/2009 |
| Q: hey there! I'm a beginner actually. and want to know Is there special practice for finding right ... A: We actually just start out by practicing our major scales. All major scales should sound the same ... | |
| Learning | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: I am currently considering learning the Violin. I have been in a band program going on seven years ... A: Reading the music and playing the left hand should prove no difficulty as long as you have a decent ... | |
| Sharps, Flats, Naturals | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: I have been playing the violin just a short while and I still don't Chromatic Etude and I cannot ... A: I think the problem might be two-fold. First, you have to have an ear for the intonation of your ... | |
| Violin price | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a Karl Knilling full size violin. What is or where would I find it approx value? A: Your best bet would be to take it to a knowledgeable luthier or violin repair shop (where you're ... | |
| Which violin to buy? | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I have a 12 year old daughter that is going for her 3rd. year on violin lessons at her elementary ... A: As it says in my profile, I'm not very good with brand names. I can't really tell you about the ... | |
| playing presto on violin | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: I have recently gotten a new piece of music called Russlan and Ludmilla Overture by Michael Glinka ... A: Tanvi. The answer is quite short, but there's really no other way to answer this question. You ... | |
| Want o purchase a violin | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: My 12 year old is in her 3rd year of playing the violin. I want to purchase a violin and have ... A: First, what you choose often depends on what you prefer to hear out of your violin. I like the ... | |
| Violin Bow | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: I am just learning to play the violin and am having problems with my bow hold. When I am playing, ... A: Loretta! There are actually several different bow holds that are taught. How you hold your thumb ... | |
| violin technique (left hand) | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: i am a beginner violin/fiddle player and have been teaching myself for about 3 weeks now and has a ... A: Well now, if you were playing topless at a bluegrass jam you wouldn't look out of place at all! But ... | |
| violin technique (left hand) | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: i am a beginner violin/fiddle player and have been teaching myself for about 3 weeks now and has a ... A: Yes, I would consider changing the chin rest and seeing if that makes a different, especially if you ... | |
| violin technique (left hand) | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: i am a beginner violin/fiddle player and have been teaching myself for about 3 weeks now and has a ... A: Ilyas! The short answer to your question is "yes" - the problem you are experiencing will ... | |
| violin | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: i am just an academic violinist that i do not know how to play the violin and you know how to get a ... A: Every musician needs to learn to tap their foot or keep the beat somewhere on their body. The beat ... | |
| how to cross two strings a far from each other? | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: I really enjoy your website, today I just want to ask that in a music piece, sometimes there are ... A: When they're that far apart, one of two things is going on: 1.) If the music is unmarked, you ... | |
| Intermediate (Classical) Violinist, fiddling question | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: I've been taking violin lessons for about eight years now, from a few different teachers. I'm very ... A: I'm glad you're asking these questions here because a lot of people have the same trouble that you ... | |
| violin brand? | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: My daughter has been playing the Violin since 3rd grade she is now going to 6th grade and the ... A: Normally I don't answer questions about brand name, but since you're not asking about anything ... | |
| Intermediate (Classical) Violinist, fiddling question | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: I've been taking violin lessons for about eight years now, from a few different teachers. I'm very ... A: Adria! Well, your question has many levels, and there are some things that need clarification. I ... | |
| Violin Vibrato | 5/29/2009 |
| Q: I've been playing guitar nearly 30 yrs. Just bought a violin 1 week ago. I have a really good ear ... A: Michael! I'll see if I can help you with the easy stuff, first - holding your violin. I do ... | |
| Upcoming violin lessons | 5/28/2009 |
| Q: I have recently signed up for private violin lessons at my community college. I bought a beginner's ... A: Nicole! What a fun question to answer! First of all, let me address your last concern. I play ... | |
| fiddle camp | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: My sisters and I are professional musicians and we are going to have a 3-day fiddle camp for our ... A: Julie! When I teach fiddle music in general, I don't use any method books because I have found that ... | |
| violin and bow | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: i have a violin that says copy of a Antonio Stradavarius made in Germany inside with a rattlesnake ... A: Kevin! As it says in my profile, I cannot answer any questions about an instrument's manufacture, ... | |
| How many Finger positions are there in total? | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: I have beeen learning violin for about a month.I am getting help from some local violin books. I ... A: Chauhan! To answer your initial question, there are technically 15 positions on the violin, ... | |
| Vibrato | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: can you recomemend any exercises to develop vibrato on the violin ? I play bluegrass mainly and ... A: People often don't recommend using fine tuners for synthetic or gut strings because the non-metal ... | |
| Vibrato | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: can you recomemend any exercises to develop vibrato on the violin ? I play bluegrass mainly and ... A: Let's answer the easy question, first: fine tuners. I always install fine tuners on all of my ... | |
| student violins | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: I teach in a public school and sometimes a parent will purchase an "inadequate" violin for their ... A: Believe me, I know exactly what you're going through. The big-box retailers found a new way to ... | |
| A question about the left hand 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th violin hand positions. | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: This is a question about changing positions on the finger board with the left hand when readying ... A: Most of the time you'll hang out around III-position and reach up into IV every now and then. ... | |
| A question about the left hand 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th violin hand positions. | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: This is a question about changing positions on the finger board with the left hand when readying ... A: Knowing when to shift or not depends on several factors. This can be a little difficult to explain ... | |
| Violin | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: When should I have my violin bow re-haired? I'm a beginning student and have taken lessons for ... A: The textbook answer to your question is, "As soon as you get your bow." The manufacturers of ... | |
| Beginning Violin | 2/15/2009 |
| Q: My daughter will be starting violin lessons within two weeks. Her instructor will be teaching her ... A: As I say in my profile, I'm not very good with brand names. There are just so many! However, I can ... | |
| Intonation | 2/14/2009 |
| Q: I've been playing the violin for 14 years and I'm having trouble with the intonation on the E string ... A: I'll answer your question as best I can without having a look at the instrument. It sounds like a ... | |
| Transfering across the strings... | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: When i was in elementary school, I played violin for probably two years and just a few years ago, I ... A: Believe it or not, guitars, violins, and cellos all actually belong to the same instrument family ... | |
| double stops? | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: I hear a lot of people use the word double stop when they're talking about fiddle music. What does ... A: A "double-stop" is simply the term for two notes that are played at the same time. Three notes ... | |
| Difference | 2/9/2009 |
| Q: What is the difference between a fiddle and a violin? A: To dispell any rumors you may have heard, there is no difference between a violin and a fiddle, and ... | |
| Electric violins. | 2/9/2009 |
| Q: Are electric violins built any different than acoustic ones? A: As far as the strings, notes, size, and how the instrument is played, there is no difference between ... | |
| tuning and broken strings | 2/9/2009 |
| Q: I am a beginner. Every time I try to tune my violin I break a string. What am I doing wrong? A: Don't be alarmed. Most beginners break their strings when they first try to tune their violins. My ... | |
| strings | 2/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm fairly new at playing the violin. How do I know when I need new strings? A: Good question! Many people are under the impression that their strings only need to be replaced ... | |
| playing violin with your fingers | 2/8/2009 |
| Q: what is the word used for this i think it begins with pizz? A: The term "pizz" is an abbreviation of the Italian word "pizzicato" (pronounced 'pitzi-KA-toe'). ... | |
| child's violin | 1/31/2009 |
| Q: Could you tell me if there is any value of a copy of Stradivarius that was made in Czecho-slovakia.? ... A: Arthur! I'm sorry but I cannot tell you much about your particular violin without actually looking ... | |
| Purchase options for a voilin | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: When I selected a violin, I was given options of 1/2, 3/4, etc. What does this mean? A: Sue! The fractions you are describing represent the different sizes that violins are made in. The ... | |
Violin
Answers by Expert:
Jessica Vaughan
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer general questions about the performance of and history of country, bluegrass, rock, swing, dixieland, folk music, and early jazz, and also more specific questions pertaining to classical and non-classical-music fiddle and violin playing such as: technique; music theory; style; ear training; feel; tradition; culture; authenticity; execution of various types of fiddle tunes; improvising solos, fills, and breaks; minor repairs; general maintenance/upkeep; and violin/fiddle lessons. I CANNOT ANSWER questions about instrument worth, value, name, brand, age, authenticity, maker/production, major repairs, restoration, or anything to that affect.
Experience
As a fiddler, I am currently 3rd in the State of Ohio. I am also a session musician who is hired by the local recording studios to play on the cds of recording artists, such as cowboy poet Mike Moutoux, as well as many others. Though classically trained, I have a preference for country, bluegrass, rock and swing. I am also a guitar player and vocalist. I have a college degree; however, instead of pursuing a career in law, I have been a fiddle teacher for six years. I play by ear, I read music very well, and I can also improvise. I have played my fiddle and sang in a bluegrass band, and I play rock and country fiddle and sing in my church's band.
Publications
Check out my music blogs!
www.RockRemembers.com
www.Thumbline.blogspot.com
Education/Credentials
For my actual fiddling education, I began my classical instruction at the age of 9 and studied under Mr. Keith Holliday (currently of the Akron Symphony Orchestra, the Ohio String Quartet, and the Divertimento String Quartet) through high school. I studied privately, for many years, under Mrs. Simma Korostyshevsky, former Master Violinist with the Toledo Symphony. My education in musicianship is in that I have also played the piano since the age of 5 (of which I play ragtime, stride, and pop/rock), the trumpet since the age of 10 (of which I am a member of Bugles Across America), guitar since the age of 16 (country and rock), and electric bass since the age of 16. I also received instruction from my mother, Ms. Shirley Ann M. Walker, M.M., conductor for the Historic Medina Symphony Orchestra.
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