by musicsorb | Jul 30, 2015 | Guitar talks, Violin talks, Wood Instruments
“Today I was playing my rosewood guitar in an air conditioned room (not a particularly good room for acoustic sound) and the guitar sounded really full and pleasant. After finishing up I took my guitar through to the porch where the door was wide open and left it... 
by musicsorb | Jan 28, 2015 | Violin talks, Wood Instruments
If you’ve ever wondered how a luthier manages to put together all of the elements that go into creating a perfect violin, then wonder no more. We’re going to tell you. First, you’ll need some aged wood: maple for the violin’s back, ribs and neck, and spruce for the... 
by musicsorb | Oct 6, 2014 | Violin talks, Wood Instruments
It could have happened to anyone. It happened to Mark O’Connor. As he prepared to play his Improvised Violin Concerto with the Augustana Orchestra during the Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Festival, he turned suddenly. His violin was resting on a counter, but its... 
by musicsorb | Aug 12, 2014 | Humidity Control for Musical Instruments, Violin talks
Temperature and humidity levels vary dramatically from summer to winter and there is nothing you can do about it. What you can do, however, is control the subsets of your environment such as your house, office etc. according to your convenience and comfort. You do... 
by musicsorb | Jun 24, 2014 | Curiosities, Violin talks, Wood Instruments
When a cynic wants to suggest that a situation isn’t as sad as it looks, he rubs his index and middle finger against his thumb. The gesture, intended to suggest the playing of the smallest violin in the world, is meant to show only the tiniest degree of... 
by musicsorb | May 10, 2014 | Curiosities, Violin talks, Wood Instruments
Could you tell a 300-year-old, seven-figure Stradivarius violin from a brand-new, five-figure instrument? If you can, you’ve got a better ear than a number of renowned soloists. In a recent study, ten professional violinists were given 75 minutes in a rehearsal room...
