Printable Version of Topic

Posted by: Absolutely-Absurd Jan 19 2009, 04:29 AM

Hmm ... I went to a music shop recently and decided to shred nonsense on a violen and upon hearing the nonsense ... I realized just how beautiful the instrument sounds ... I'm definetly going to explore further and might actually integrate it to my metal band haha but I was just wondering ... Does anybody here in GMC know how to play violen ... and How possible is a series lesson on violen ... or cello ... or classical instruments?

But guitar remains my love hehe back to my mistress haha

Posted by: Enucleation Jan 19 2009, 04:31 AM

I think violin strings are tuned to 5ths so it's different than guitar but that's all I can say... Not sure how accurate that info is though.

Violin is cool though, it would be nice to learn.

Posted by: utak3r Jan 19 2009, 08:29 AM

Listen to My Dying Bride - you'll get the catch how it could sound with a really dark and heavy sounds...

Posted by: Dejan Farkas Jan 19 2009, 11:21 AM

You are right, violin is tuned in perfect fifths

And it's not an easy instrument to learn, since you need to develop good relative pitch.

Posted by: Mrblomme Jan 19 2009, 11:23 AM

If you want great violen music just listen to Korpiklaani.

Posted by: Vasilije Vukmirovic Jan 20 2009, 12:20 AM

I used to play violin when I was 9, pretty hard to play. I played it for 2 year. All we did in that time was just first position, and there are 7 positions. So, it's way harder then guitar.

But!

Because of its short neck and 4.5 octaves on 4 strings it gives you tremendous technical capabilities, you can do unimaginable things, crossing the strings is easier, you don't have those wide stretches(With one big stretch you can cover whole neck:) I mean one octave in a stretch)
All that of course when you learn to play it.

It's kind a limited to classical and jazz, doesn't fit in anything else maybe some Irish folk:)

Posted by: Trond Vold Jan 20 2009, 12:35 AM

I've always wanted to learn to play the violin .. especially after being a My Dying Bride fan for ages
Methinks i will grab one if i see a cheap one

Are there violins with frets?

Posted by: utak3r Jan 20 2009, 08:50 AM

that's exactly what I said above, MDB mastered composing violin into their songs to the limits...

Posted by: Mrblomme Jan 20 2009, 09:04 AM

Also flogging molly uses violin but that's like Vasilije says Irish folk.

Posted by: Toni Suominen Jan 20 2009, 08:33 PM

Nothing but love for the violin from here too, I've always wanted to learn to play one.

Posted by: Oxac Jan 20 2009, 08:37 PM

I find violin ridicolously easy to play... I dunno but I started a week ago and I can play Hungarian Dance by Brahms and a couple of swedish folk songs already...

Posted by: Toni Suominen Jan 20 2009, 08:40 PM

You don't find it very hard to "find" the notes on the neck? I've always wondered how hard that really is

Posted by: Mandos Jan 20 2009, 09:03 PM

The problem with the violin is that in most cases it sounds horrible unless there's a really talented person playing. Just my 0.02$

Posted by: Oxac Jan 20 2009, 09:36 PM

No not really, I find it very easy. There are two things that are pretty hard though, finding the exactly right pitch instantly (which is done with muscular memory, so my ear can't substitute years of training ofc.) and playing very clean.

Well, I wouldn't be able to sightread using a violin... I just play what I hear in my head and since it's such of a new and marvelous little hobby of mine, I don't really care if I'm going to be able to sightread or not

Posted by: utak3r Jan 21 2009, 12:06 AM

Isn't that what Toni asked you?....

Posted by: Vasilije Vukmirovic Jan 21 2009, 12:06 AM

I think that you are talented Oxac, congratulations. I still recommend you to take some lessons, it will improve your playing fast, it's still tricky instrument to play, there are lots of rules, there are no frets and you have to be very very precise, if you don't want to sound out of tune or something!

Yes, I agree that violin fits in metal music, but there is no such a thing as "metal style" for violin, it's still classical!

Posted by: David Wallimann Jan 21 2009, 03:29 PM

I got a violin on ebay a couple years ago.. Just anted to pick it up and teach myself. Never did much out of it...
I found it really hard to master, you need to be super precise!
But this thread kind of motivated to try again.. :-)
Thanks!

Posted by: Oxac Jan 21 2009, 03:36 PM

No he didn't, he asked if it was hard to find them, I think not. I just believe that it's hard to find the exactly right frequency instantly. But it's like that with guitar as well. Check how often you play exactly in tune, you'll be surprised by the result!

@ Vasilije - I'm thinking about going to a music conservatory, I might as well date a violin student *grins*

Posted by: David Wallimann Jan 21 2009, 03:57 PM

haha! :-)

Posted by: utak3r Jan 21 2009, 04:23 PM

So my English understanding doesn't help me to see a difference... for me it's the same Maybe try in Polish ;p

Posted by: Absolutely-Absurd Jan 21 2009, 05:24 PM

HAHA... I'm glad there's a lot of violen fans here! alright ... There's a cheap violen floating around in a super market (don't have a clue why haha) ... I think I can spare 75$ to doddle on it for the heck of doddling. I'll use it on my band for some eerie effects if nothing else haha,

WAIT A SEC ... what about a chromatic solo on the 4 stringer haha

I really am not respecting my "no buying anything until I can afford the vetta II" haha

On a scale from 8 to 10 ... how awesome is the violen haha?

Posted by: Dreamcatcher Jan 21 2009, 08:32 PM

I'm thinking about picking up the violin myself...always wanted to learn how to play that instrument

Posted by: Enucleation Jan 21 2009, 08:56 PM

People here saying that violin is harder to play than guitar. I don't really think any instrument is harder than another, I think it depends n the style of music you play and how much you put into it.

Of course this is coming from a guitar nerd...

Posted by: Matt23 Jan 21 2009, 09:20 PM

I would like to learn the violin someday also.

Posted by: sidewas lightning Jan 21 2009, 09:36 PM

yeah, I play cello and it is hard just because there are no frets, meaning it's a lot more out of tune all of the time, and it takes a lot of practice to remember where the (invisible and nonexistent) frets are.

Posted by: Vasilije Vukmirovic Jan 23 2009, 12:22 AM

That's what I am talking about, no frets. I mean, they can draw them that would help:)
So, different kind of problems then on guitar.

Posted by: rokchik Jan 23 2009, 12:51 AM

I've always wanted to learn how the play the violin... or fiddle as I grew up call it (I fall into that Irish category LOL!) Where I'm from there are many great fiddle players but I never did attempt it, always regretted it.

Here is some of my favourites...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsU9zmnZ37g&feature=related (his playing on the theme from Schindlers list ALWAYS reduces me to tears. He is amazing, playes with such feeling)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f91bsvEXHG0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdHR12lPcgI&feature=related (A good Nova Scotian girl like myself )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BJSnP2NpW8&feature=related (some more Nova Scotians for ya )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8yEqco39T8&feature=related

Ok so a bit heavy on the irish yes but all good imo LOL! Hope you enjoyed.

Posted by: Rain Jan 23 2009, 01:00 AM

Is it possible to play a fret-less guitar? If so - that would make it harder to play than violin - then we would be superior in our ability to play (if we wanted to be). - Especially for all those 26 fret guitars