A solo violin option...

[slideboardouts]

The solo violin option that I've opted for is to actually learn how to play the violin

Obviously not an option for most people, but if you're a pretty good guitar play I'd recommend giving it a shot. You can get a decent student violin that is perfectly suitable for recording for less than $500 these days, and while it is a difficult instrument its really not too bad if you're a somewhat accomplished string player. I've just been goofing around with it for a few days and can already play scales, arpeggios, and green sleeves fairly well. In a few months I should be good enough to record basic violin parts for my compositions.

Just something to keep in mind for any guitar playing composers out there who want to learn violin but are deathly afraid of a bow like I was. Plus, I think chicks dig dudes who can play violin

-Steve

It's funny - At one point I thought of learning to play the viola or cello for the exact same reasons. I asked a friend - an accomplished violist who is in the top tier of film score musicians - how long it might reasonably take for an experienced musician like myself to learn how to play viola well enough to record my own string parts. He said that, with diligent practice, it would take about 5 years to learn how to hold the bow correctly. I decided to leave well enough alone.

R

I'm pretty sure you could learn to play enough for your recordings within a year if you have experience on a string instrument. You might not ever be a Heifetz or Paganini, but to be able to play some nice melodies shouldn't take you that long.

Technically you're always learning your instrument of course. And the bow thing is interesting to me... there are essentially 2 main ways to hold the bow that I've seen so far. Right now I prefer the old Russian style. Most violinists don't use that hold anymore and some might even say that that is an incorrect way to hold the bow. But Jascha Heifetz, considered one of the greatest violinists of all time, held his bow exactly like that and would play circles around most people who hold their bow differently. So what really is "correct"?

If you want to learn violin you should do it! Its fun! Come on Remmet... start learning with me and we could each post our painful renditions of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on the TAXI forums

-Steve

[remmet]

If you want to learn violin you should do it! Its fun! Come on Remmet... start learning with me and we could each post our painful renditions of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on the TAXI forums -Steve

Wait - we should aim MUCH higher. How about the Bach double violin concerto, say by the end of February? I mean, how hard could it be?

R

[mikeymike2000]

Matto, that is a GREAT point!

It's funny - At one point I thought of learning to play the viola or cello for the exact same reasons. I asked a friend - an accomplished violist who is in the top tier of film score musicians - how long it might reasonably take for an experienced musician like myself to learn how to play viola well enough to record my own string parts. He said that, with diligent practice, it would take about 5 years to learn how to hold the bow correctly. I decided to leave well enough alone.
R

Yes, I thought the same thing! And even rented a violin several months ago. While I can sometimes play a long sustain note, a short legato pass (of 2 or 3 notes only) and I am REALLY good at a single note tremolo Learning any instrument takes time. At least if you want to be able to play it like you write it to be played.

Even though I am about to return it soon (but maybe after I make a few samples of my own for later use) for anyone really interested in making realistic sounding strings I would recommend getting one even for a month. It has changed the way I program because I imagine the physical things that happen while playing and how the sound comes out and the various bow techniques.

Totally worth the agony of a new world to broaden your spectrum.

[CHuckmott]

Granted I don't do much in the way of strings but if I did before I bought this for $168 I would be saving and looking for the best high end bang for your buck complete orchestral library instead...up to and including LASS or Hollywood strings which seem to be standard mention here.

[CHuckmott]

Ah, didn't see the other posts....you might be able to pull off something recordable within a year. My experience with keys is that my intro to it was to play midi parts basically, but I don't have the time to become greatly proficient at it, and still steadily rely on midi correction on most parts after five years of noodling. But my stuff at least sounds passable, although not up to "performance" standard. WHat I would love to do is play other instruments fairly proficiently. What my goal is now is though is to pull off professional sounding parts in the world of midi. Probably more efficient in the long run to build up keyboard skills and cover the programming/midi subtleties to cover a wide range of instruments. My opinion only, feel free to correct, flame, etc. ANd my standards are high- I was thinking , well, I already have a real good handle on theoretical knowledge, actuall been playing guitar 35 years and performing 25 of those, my playing the instrument should be just a matter of getting my fingers to work properly playing this one. Didn't take long to realize not quite so easy. ANd my guitar playing was starting to slide a bit in my cover band....point is you also not have to learn the new instrument, but keep practicing it to maintain a level of proficiency. My two cents .....STill enjoying learning more on the keys though. MAybe if I wasn't doing the cover band as guitarist now. Writing for taxi listings...working full time. The curse of the music obsessed.

[Kazak]

As a violinist and half baked guitarist I agree with Richard totally. It is actually better to
hire a professional violinist from a local symphony orchestra or college level student.
If you live in Nashville you are fortunate, there are many top notch players and they are
very reasonable.

Now back to packing for Kazakhstan

Alicia

[mojobone]

I went the 'buy a fiddle' route, and after three years was able to perform a reasonable facsimile of Bile Them Cabbage Down. The thing that tanked the experiment for me was my complete inability to get any sort of vibrato working on the instrument. I can convincingly emulate horns, reeds and flutes just fine on a keyboard, (using my left hand to control pitch bend and modulation, natch) cuz I'm used to using both hands and at least one foot to play wah-wah guitar, volume swells and steel-guitar licks, and limb independence is the inheritance of a natural drummer. (just don't make me play left hand bass on the keys, heh; I'm too much a guitarist for that) Your mileage may vary.


As to the best solo violin VI options, is there any hope that Garritan and Samplemodeling will resolve the feud that's keeping Gofriller Cello and the cool violin version whose name escapes me in limbo?