08/06/2013
Hér eru nokkrar ráðleggingar við kaup á fiðlu;
Buying a new instrument is as much about rigorous auditioning as it is about falling in love.
Violin maker Guy Rabut recommends a step-by-step approach to finding the ultimate partner
The search for your ideal instrument can be an exciting and rewarding journey. It’s a process that takes time and patience, and one in which you will have to learn to identify your needs as a musician and also fine-tune your perceptive abilities. The match must work both ways so that you are right for the instrument and the instrument is right for you. If you follow the right steps and stay connected to the process,however, the right instrument will almost select you.
Often, the focus of a search is simply to find a fabulous instrument, when instead it should be a quest to discover the instrument with which you can make a wonderful sound.
Although each instrument has distinctive characteristics, the voice that we celebrate in the concert hall is primarily that
of the player rather than that of the instrument. It has been demonstrated many times that two different players with the same
violin and bow will sound as if they are playing two different instruments.
It is best to establish a systematic approach when you are auditioning instruments for consideration.
Start by listening to as many great players as you can in order to develop your taste for what constitutes a great sound.
Recordings are helpful but are no substitute for a live performance. Begin to identify th e characteristics that you find attractive and that speak to you as a musician.
As you listen to your own playing, start to formulate the
qualities that you require in order to create your individual voice.
A mental checklist containing as many observations as possible will be a great tool in your search.
Most players are extremely familiar with one or two instruments that they have owned or borrowed. At first, all new instruments are compared to those. In order to expand your listening experience, it is important to try several different types of instrument so that you understand better the range of tonal possibilities. It is much easier to eliminate instruments you don’t like first, rather than trying to find your favorite immediately.
Use this approach and you will quickly reduce the number of choices, making it easier to concentrate on the final decision.
Some players find it helpful to take notes about each instrument as they try it. These notes usually include some information about
the maker, age, price and condition, as well as any relevant impressions regarding the sound. After a long day of s
hop visits, it can be very helpful to have some reflections to
help sort out which instruments stood out and should be revisited.
Sharpen your listening skills and your powers of perception and you will have all the tools you need to make the right choice.
Two questions should be at the front of your mind as you proceed on your journey: ‘Is it good?’ and ‘Do I like it?’ The first question is of a more mechanical nature. It concerns the structural soundness and construction of the instrument.
An instrument with unrepaired cracks, serious worm damage and a falling neck will only lead to problems in the future. Instruments that are too thick or too thin, have non-standard set-up measurements, or are made from sub-standard materials should be avoided.
My advice is to work with a maker or shop that you trust. Remember that the process of finding the right instrument shouldn’t be antagonistic, but rather a collaborative effort to
find the instrument that suits you the best.
Word of mouth is a very powerful force and
when you choose to shop with good establishments it helps to elevate standards throughout the market.
The second question, ‘Do I like it?’, should always be considered after you have determined that an instrument is good. You don’
t want to fall in love with something only to regret it later.
If the instrument doesn’t pass the first test, it doesn’t matter how much you like the sound: don’t buy it!
After you have played a number of instruments you will
become more attuned to the process of determining which one is right for you. In the best circumstances, one or more instruments will begin to seduce you and you will not be able to stop playing them. Don’t force the attraction. Let it happen. If you are not getting a clear message to continue playing, move on to the next instrument. Make every effort to avoid being attracted for the wrong reason. Some common mistakes include an attraction
to the famous name of the maker; your friend, teacher or a famous player you admire playing an instrument by the same maker; or a romantic story being associated with a particular instrument. Let the romance enhance, not cloud your vision. You will be creating your own incredible story with your instrument, no less romantic than Napoleon’s spur marks in the side of the ‘Duport’ Stradivari cello or a violin that lay hidden in a castle for a hundred years.
You may find that after several weeks of looking, you become
confused or frustrated.
Take a break and resume your search at a later date. Different instruments may become available in the meantime and you will return with renewed energy and fresh ears. It is agood idea to bring a musical friend or colleague along to help when you are trying instruments. It doesn’t even have to be another string player; a singer or a wind player can provide very insightful comments and be tremendously helpful.
Musicians are often uncomfortable discussing the financial aspects of shopping for an instrument.
If you are in a shop, give the salesperson an accurate idea of your price range so that you won’t waste your time or the shop’s by looking at instruments you can’t afford.
Once you have identified one or two instrument
s that are particularly interesting, take them home to audition for a week. Show your teacher or colleagues and try to get into as
many different playing situations as possible to find out how the instruments perform.
Play in a trio or quartet, and with a piano and orchestra if you
have those opportunities.
Each of these situations will reveal different strengths and weaknesses of the instruments and will help you to narrow down your selection. In my own experience, I find that by the end of the first week you will know if you don’t like the instrument. If you find that you are attracted strongly at the end of the first week, use a second week to arrive at a final decision. More time is rarely helpful and more often than not it is counterproductive. If you are still unsure at the end of the second week, it is better to return th
e instrument and keep looking.
Love at first sight can happen, but I recommend a blend of reason and feelings to guide you in the instrument selection process. Allow
these forces to work together in order to achieve your goal. Only once in 30 years have I actually had to ask a player to slow down
and take a bit more time before he made his final decision to buy. He arrived at the shop on a Friday and selected an instrument that he said he wanted to buy. I suggested that he take it home and call me after trying it for a week. The following Tuesday he called and asked, ‘Now can I buy the instrument?’ I agreed:
in this case it was love at first sight.
The physical comfort of any instrument is also very important.
In the case of violins and violas, the instrument must be a comfortable size and the neck must be properly shaped.
You will be holding your instrument for several hours a day as you play and any discomfort will be magnified over time, possibly leading to injury. With cellos, try to determine if you feel at ease reaching around the instrument to play, and if you can shift
comfortably from fourth position to thumb position.
Testing the sound of an instrument should be a thoughtful process guided by intuition.
Put the bow on the string and begin playing over the whole range oft he instrument. If you find the voice pleasing and the instrument
generally responsive, move on to more specific questions. Avoid becoming preoccupied with particular notes or small details too
soon. If you don’t find the voice attractive or if the instrument is hard to play, put it aside and move on to the next one.
Sometimes a simple adjustment can ease a playability problem if you find the voice pleasing. Test the instrument as you would in an adjustment session. See if the voice is open from the lowest
register to the top of the first string. Make sure that the sound has a good balance between the focus or core and the harmonic
richness around the sound. The ideal is to look for a combination of desirable characteristics in balance. As you test the sound further, use selections from therepertoire that reveal different qualities of the instrument to help you make your decision.
In a chamber setting, the ideal instrument is one that is
complementary to the group, not one that blends. The best chamber musicians perform together as one while still retaining
their discrete and identifiable voices. To this end, violas and cellos
in particular should have a clear and powerful quality to ensure
that their lower and mellower voices are not lost in the sonic soup. In a string quartet, the high, pure sonority of the violins allows them to be heard clearly but it is still important to maintain the individual identities of the first and second violins.
I hope that this short tour through the process of finding your ideal
instrument will give you the confidence to make this exciting journey. If you follow the steps and listen to
your heart along with a healthy dose of reason and common sense, you will make a choice that will bring you tangible rewards each time you pick up your instrument and play.
