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David Finck
Приєднався 6 бер 2009
Selecting a Professional-Level Violin or Viola
Purchasing a professional-level violin or viola is an important, costly, time-consuming, and possibly stressful task. Luthier, David Finck, offers an efficient, straightforward strategy to help you zero in on the best candidates and have confidence in your final decision.
The Playing Program:
1. Slow bows, open strings
2. Rapid, 1st position, 2-octave, G-scale
3. 1-1/2 octave scale up each string
4. Match pitches between strings
5. Spiccato passages
6. Concerto opening
7. Excerpt from Bach (Chaconne or fugue)
"First Look" - sign up for David's occasional newsletter and keep up with the latest instruments coming off his bench: davidfinckluthier.com/contact/
The Playing Program:
1. Slow bows, open strings
2. Rapid, 1st position, 2-octave, G-scale
3. 1-1/2 octave scale up each string
4. Match pitches between strings
5. Spiccato passages
6. Concerto opening
7. Excerpt from Bach (Chaconne or fugue)
"First Look" - sign up for David's occasional newsletter and keep up with the latest instruments coming off his bench: davidfinckluthier.com/contact/
Переглядів: 17 084
Відео
A Simple Gesture
Переглядів 4454 роки тому
When is enough enough? Soaring possibilities may be released by the humblest of acts. Some video, some poetry, and some music to illustrate the point as it relates violin making and music. (This is a shortened version of a similar video, no longer available)
Sarasate Caprice Basque, Ledah Finck Violin
Переглядів 1,1 тис.9 років тому
Ledah Finck plays Pablo de Sarasate's Caprice Basque with piano accompaniment by Hanna Kim. From her junior year Peabody Conservatory recital, March 27th, 2015. Ledah plays the 2013 violin "Gelibt" made by her father, David Finck.
Kreisler Recitative and Scherzo, Ledah Finck Violin
Переглядів 5239 років тому
Ledah Finck plays Fritz Kreisler's Recitative and Scherzo from her junior year recital at Peabody Conservatory, March 27th, 2015.Solo violin performance vb Ledah plays a violin built in 2013 by her father David Finck
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Ledah Finck Violin
Переглядів 6229 років тому
A performance of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto by Ledah Finck, accompanied by pianist Hanna Kim. This was part of Ledah's junior year recital, March 27th, 2015, a degree requirement at the Peabody Conservatory.m, Ledah plays a 2013 violin made by David Finck
Ledah Finck "Afternoon Elegy" Solo Violin
Переглядів 7149 років тому
Ledah Finck composed this piece for solo violin in the spring of 2015, completing it the week before premiering it here at her junior year recital, a degree requirement at the Peabody Conservatory, March 27th, 2015. She plays a 2013 violin made by David Finck
Making and Mastering Wood Planes
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An introduction to "Krenov-type" wood hand planes and my book and video, "Making and Mastering Wood Planes," which describe the process of making and using these wonderful tools along with a healthy offering of supplemental fine woodworking know-how. You can purchase a video version of the book in both streaming and DVD formats at www.davidfinck.com. The book, first published in 2001 is now ava...
Sibelius Violin Concerto 1st Movement
Переглядів 1,6 тис.11 років тому
Violinist Willa Finck performs the Sibelius Violin Concerto first movement accompanied on piano by Allison Gagnon, January 17th, 2014. Willa is a high school senior her violin was made by her father David Finck (www.davidfinckviolinmaker.com)
Duet for Two Violins -- Ledah Finck Composer
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Ledah Finck completed composition of this duet for two violins in late 2013. This is the premiere performance, November 22, 2013, featuring Ledah Finck and Jennifer Curtis. Ledah is a sophmore at UNC - Chapel Hill. Jennifer Curtis is a lecturer in the UNC Department of Music and Ledah's violin instructor. As she states in the opening, Ledah has written and performed fiddle tunes, this is the fi...
Willa Finck Year-End Recital May 17, 2013
Переглядів 1,1 тис.11 років тому
Willa played Bach, Brahms, Paganini, Sarasate and Debussey. She was aided by piano collaborator Dr. Allison Gagnon. Willa is playing the violin "Neshomeh" made by her father David Finck.
Willa Zapateado 30 sec
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Willa Finck plays final 30 seconds of Sarasate's Zapateado performing on a violin built by her father, David Finck. Piano collaborator, Dr. Allison Gagnon
Ledah Finck Solos with Durham Symphony Orchestra Playing David Finck Violin No. 1
Переглядів 1,3 тис.11 років тому
Ledah Finck performed the Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto No 5 in A minor on April 14th, 2013 with maestro William Curry conducting the Durham Symphony Orchestra Durham, NC. Ledah gained this honor as winner of the symphony's young artist competition. She is playing violin No. 1 made by her father, David Finck. The relative success of this instrument along with the next one made for Ledah's sister, ...
The Forget-Me-Nots at the Holmes
Переглядів 52911 років тому
The Forget-Me-Nots opened for a performance by Garrison Keillor at Appalachian State University's Holmes Convocation Center on April 16th 2013. They played selections from their 2010 CD "blooming" featuring all original compositions and arrangements. Visit www.theforgetmenots.com for more information.
Mountain Home Bluegrass Boys
Переглядів 2,1 тис.11 років тому
On April 16th, 2013 The Mountain Home Bluegrass Boys opened for a performance by Garrison Keillor at the Holmes Convocation Center on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. The MHBB are the 'house-band" for the Mountain Home Music concert series hosted by Joe Shannon in Boone and Blowing Rock, NC. Of the series, Joe says, "our purpose is to honor the musicians, dancers, storyt...
First Notes on First Violin - Gelibt
Переглядів 2,7 тис.11 років тому
My daughter, Ledah plays some of the first notes to come from my first violin. I named it "Gelibt" (beloved) in honor of both her and my father. And I'm floored she has opted to play it in favor of the lovely (and highly valued) violin she has played for almost two years. That instrument came to her as a prize, on loan, from winning the Delaware National Strings Competition in 2011. Earlier, on...
Ernest Bloch: "Nigun" from Baal Shem Suite
Переглядів 17812 років тому
Ernest Bloch: "Nigun" from Baal Shem Suite
Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto No.5 Cadenza to End
Переглядів 1 тис.12 років тому
Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto No.5 Cadenza to End
Trailer for Making & Mastering Wood Planes - with David Finck, Woodworker
Переглядів 22 тис.13 років тому
Trailer for Making & Mastering Wood Planes - with David Finck, Woodworker
"The Forget-Me-Nots" at the Jones House in Boone, NC January 2011
Переглядів 1,5 тис.14 років тому
"The Forget-Me-Nots" at the Jones House in Boone, NC January 2011
Can you make and sell viola? My son got accepted to musical high school, and i wish to give him a gift. It is so hard to find a good viola... Living in canada
Congratulations on your son’s success. I make violas and cellos as well. The information is available on my website: www.davidfinckluthier.com. By the way, of course, these same concepts are applicable to auditioning all the bowed string instruments.
@djfwood thank you!
I'm quite sure that you're a grear teacher, and likely to be a good luthier. However, your tips and attention-to s, are way over my head. This video is geared toward someone who knows how to play and does do so. I am a non-knowing person, not even a novice. Thank you again for your hard work.
Thanks for watching. The video is geared towards advanced players, as the title suggests.
Hi, David! Excellent video. Thank you! I'm curious... How old is your daughter and how old was she when she started playing the violin?
I believe she was 26 at the time of the recording and had played for 24 years. You do the math!
I think all this advice applies equally if you buying student instruments. I recently bought a violin privately for £380. I applied much of your advice without seeing this video first. At that sort of money I couldn't expect to evaluate in great detail but I did play my own instrument before I set off, and took my own bow. Money well spent. Thanks for your presentation.
#1_Nov02_2024_TrueCredit_WhodahThunkLeafsCaught_ByWeb_CouldBeSew_So_WattsA_GoodWord🤔
thank you for the wonderful video!
Thanks for this excellent video, it was very helpful. The woman's Chaconne (excerpt) is as good as Milstein's or Hahn's!
Thank you, David. I like that you stress comparisons of candidate instruments against one's own with a familiar bow, especially in an unfamiliar room. In all, yours is a good pathway to choosing a Next Instrument. Many congrats to your daughter for gaining a position in the Philadelphia Symphony, a world-class orchestra benefitting from the Curtis Institute of Music just around the corner. The competition was certainly strong, yet she won a position. And congrats to your Opus 28 for helping her along her career path.
Thanks for your comments and congratulations, Steven. They are much appreciated.
Thank you, Sir, for sharing this video. May I ask, what's your take on buying online? How do you determine a good instrument? Thank you in advance for the reply. 😊❤️
For an upper level instrument, there must be a trial period. A week should be sufficient. It is a slow and inefficient way to try instruments and the possibility exists for the instrument to go out of adjustment in transit. But, sometimes, it is the only, or the most practical way to try an instrument.
I’m a beginner and I own a pretty nice student violin. I’m not shopping, but this was very interesting.
Thanks for the feedback. I am glad it was off interest to you.
I might suggest that you record yourself playing the violins and spend a fair amount of time critically listening and comparing these recordings. Your assessment of each instrument may change over time, or perhaps you will notice something that can easily be changed that will substantially affect the overall performance of the instrument such as the choice and gauge of the individual strings or adjustment of the soundpost position. Violins sound very different on recordings than under your ear when playing them. The type of music and the venue where you play is also important in choosing an instrument; whether it be chamber music, soloist, or a string quartet may well affect your choice so if possible compare the instruments in your actual venue of use. An instrument can be a substantial investment and it is worthwhile to take the time and care to use the different available tools for evaluation
These are all excellent suggestions. Comparing instruments through recordings can be dicey though. True reproduction is very difficult to obtain through recording, so you end up comparing the recordings rather than the instruments.
I take another fiddler with me and we each take turns playing
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas and experience. This will be really helpful in my search for a professional level instrument.
Good information in general but you haven’t mentioned checking for wolf tones, and most importantly playing closer to the bridge (which pushes the instruments to their limits and reveal their overall responsiveness). Here’s how its done: ua-cam.com/video/X2q-rBADl7U/v-deo.htmlsi=aGewO6cTC5p6MG7_
Thanks for your comments although I don’t agree with you in the context of looking for a professional-level instrument. Wolfs are often associated with particularly resonant instruments. Professional players are adept at minimizing wolfs and see it as a trade off. There are many adjustments to the instrument and devices that may be applied that alter or mute the wolf, but often at cost of muting other desirable aspects of the instrument’s tone. In my experience, getting a strong, playable tone right next to the bridge is a function of a particular type of set up rather than an indicator of the resonant possibilities, or playability of that instrument. Your video features a fine player showcasing, a lovely violin, but it addresses neither of the points that you brought up in your comment.
@@djfwood what I meant was, that a lot of instruments can sound “nice” and “open” while playing mono string passages closer to the fingerboard (which is how most “professional players” play nowadays anyway) such as simple scales and/or intros to violin concerto’s, but they will crack and suffer (be almost unplayable) for a solo-like player and more advanced repertoire involving double-stops, chords etc. The criteria that you propose is for beginners and professional orchestral musicians and it doesn’t cover a lot of the requirements for higher-end players (which I think it should, even though they are a minority).
You raise good points! There is a lot of difference between a beginner and a professional orchestral player. I don’t think a beginner needs to consider, but a fraction of what it is addressed here. What is presented here is a distillation of experiences and feedback from a number of professional orchestral and quartet players. In personal talks, with a highest-level soloist regarding what they needed in an instrument, and referring to their own Strad, they described a narrow bandwidth, piercing quality that excels at projection. It was not necessary to play near the bridge to obtain this quality of sound, which is otherwise more often the case. I feel most professional violinists are not looking for this in their every day instrument. I have not found that an instrument’s ability to play very close to the bridge without cracking indicated it does other things well, only that it can produce that tonal color, and granted, that is important in itself, and should not be overlooked.
Honoured to have viewed your very fine violin choice parameters. Thank you for your guidance. Right now I just need to master and refine my bow grip. I am experimenting with bow hacks traction devices tuning methods. For example what rosin would you recomend? What bow hair cleaning substance is most safe and drys quickest? Thank you for any help.
"Blooming" - still one of my favorite albums! Saw them perform in Boone NC at the B&B where I was staying, and have been a fan ever since ...though I gather the girls have all gone their separate ways.
nice
Great video, very clear and understandable. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you! I hope it proves useful to you.
A really interesting and informative video. Thank you David. 👍
Thanks for watching John. I appreciate the feedback.
Very good
The violinist demonstrating is a very fine player, and her violin sounds great too.
Thank you for the kind comments. I am very pleased to say my daughter has won an audition with the Philadelphia Orchestra. She and her violin (my Opus 28) begin in the second violin section Fall of 2023.
Great spirit passed to me thank you , as an orchestral artist and a teacher. I need also to congratulate the performer in this video, very much beautiful position of hands and approach to sound production nicely smoothly in depth, and lastly the violin on which played sounds not only beautiful but also resonated rich in timbre and malleable , united and charming.
Thanks for the lovely comment. I’ll pass your remarks along to my daughter as well!
@@djfwood did not know she is your daughter , feel even greater joy .great family .great results.
The player is excellent!
A wonderful book I bought when I retired I since made other planes a thorough book with good instructions Bill
I've made one wooden plane from beech so far, a kerfing plane. There is something magical about making your own tools by hand. Thanks for this video and your book!
Not only is it satisfying to make things with tools you made, but it opens the door to the powerful notion that you can make tools to accomplish things you might not otherwise be able to do or do so well. I am glad you like the book and video.
Great video; I'll definitely refer to it in a year or two when I've saved up for a step-up viola. ...Though violas specifically have extra issues in the ergonomics department; I've played a 16.25" comfortably, but then tried out a 15.75" viola that felt way too large because the fingerboard was placed differently. So it's not all about sound, and I'm glad you brought up other things people can look for and evaluate; in addition to aesthetics, the tactile nature of the trial experience can hardly be overemphasized.
I am glad you found the video useful and you are right on to mention ergonomics, especially with respect to viola (and definitely cello too, which I can state with certainty after just finishing making my first!). There is even enough variation within violins, especially the shaping of the neck, to be a source of either ease, or unease, although sometimes it can simply be a case of what one is used to.
Great point! Violins are very standardized compared to violas, which can be all over the map: body size, body shape, vibrating string length (a biggie), even the depth of the sides has a big impact on playing comfort.
First have over $25,000+
Hah! The transaction will definitely involve some real money, but I'd never give a figure like that. You can definitely buy a not very good instrument for that much or a lot more; and you can definitely buy a very fine instrument for considerably less! Mine fall into the latter category.
Go sell a kidney. Good thing pianists don't have to go thru this. We can practice on a clunker at home and they'll have a grand piano waiting for us at the event. What I paid for my Piano gear is a fraction of what I paid for my violin gear. Not to mention constantly buying new strings and bow rehairs.
@@djfwoodactually my favorite sounding violin was $2500. I regret not buying it now.
True enough, but to be fair, most pianists have to pay to move their instrument, or to have it tuned, not something string players have to pay out for 😊!
@@djfwood 🙂I play both so there's pros and cons for both. I just get bitter sometimes but I do love violin.
Excellent video. Thanks. Your violins look beautiful.
Thanks very much John. If you are searching for a new instrument a wish you success.
David, thank you, i live in brazil and quality planes are beyond expensive. Your book is a golden resource
Thank you for the comment. I am glad you have found it useful!
super helpful, Thanks, David!
Thanks Irene! Let's hope the cello I am making for you ends your search forever!
Nicely done!
Thanks Pete!
I ended up here because I loved your planes book. I thought "this guy should make an instrument", and here we are. Amazing. You should make a how to make a violin book. I'd buy it.
Is this book only about making Krenov style planes ? I'm wanting information on traditional style planes. Thanks
The book has critical information on making any sort of bench plane work well, but it is specifically geared to guiding you through the process of making a laminated (Krenov-type) plane
Hi David...I'm from Brazil...how can I buy your book?
Hi Alcides -- I am out of books so I suggest you purchase it used or inquire with Lost Arts Press. They will be publishing it soon in hardcover. Thanks for your interest!
Danger violin player.. 😳 very amazing !
Clear writing, great photos and detail. And yes, more than just making hand planes.
Thankyou
I have your book. A great help. Is myrtle a good wood to make planes? Thanks
Myrtle, aka CA Bay Laurel, is sufficiently hard to perform decently as a plane, however with a T/R ratio of 2.9, I consider it too unstable. For the unacquainted, this means that for any change in humidity, expect the tangential direction of the the growth rings to move nearly 3 times the amount as the radial direction -- that can lead to planes that don't stay flat! The point is moot if the wood is acclimated to your shop's ambient humidity and the shop is climate controlled.
David I read your book last year and I think it is an excellent resource. Thanks for this video and I hope you continue to share your expertise with us!
Good playing and nice tights!! haha
Hey! This is really ingenious thanks! I had already downloaded Hyezmar's woodworking book from his site, it's cool and free, but I think this can help me too :)
master Finck. Thanksss
I bought the original book in black and white.
Lovely and well done thank you for sharing.
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I bought the 1st edition book. Excellent book, not just on handplanes.
I have your book on making wooden hand planes. Early on, there is a photo of a toddler using one of them. Is this the same person, now grown up?
Yes indeed -- the photo in the book is of Ledah camped out on top of our dining table (being made) wielding a hand plane. She began violin lessons the next year. 16 years later...
WOOOOOTT!!!
So pleased, proud, amazed and happy for the treasures... this first violin, Ledah's ability, and the memories of your dad's love of this instrument, and his family... all were in my heart as I watched this. The violin, btw, sounds incredible. Great work David ~ !!! Beautiful playing, Ledah!
Amazing work, David. I remember meeting your daughters when I attended a workshop several years ago. They do grow up quickly.
sounds really good, even on a tablet