TEN REASONS why I (as a professional musician) changed to a carbon fibre viola
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- Two years ago I made a UA-cam video with the title „are carbon fibre string instruments good enough for professional use“?
Here is the link to that video: • Are Carbon fibre strin...
Since then I really changed my opinion towards carbon fibre string instruments, using it daily in the state opera.
Here I give you ten reasons for using a carbon fibre viola instead of a traditional wooden instrument.
Of course most of what I say is also the same to carbon fibre Violins or Celli.
1. Small but big tone
2. Light weight
3. Less problems with shoulder and left hand
4. Environment friendly (no use of tropical wood, no ebony
etc.)
5. Easy traveling
6. No sensitivity against change of temperature and
humidity (you can even leave it in a car during winter)
7. Less costs for repair (nearly no follow up costs for a
lifetime)
8. Super for touring and especially open air concerts
9. No big danger of stealing (still very rare)
10. Extremely solid
And here is the link to the full video of the Glasunov Elegy, played by me and Paul Johannes Kirschner at the piano • Alexander Glasunow, El...
I am NOT payed or sponsored neither from Luis & Clark nor from Dolfinos. The opinions in this video are only based on my personal experiences.
He is exactly as jolly and expressive as you would expect from a German.
I whole heartily understand. I used to play a Gretsch Country (Gentleman) Classic which was very heavy. I now play fully hollow body Gretsch 5400 series guitars due to the weight. Enjoy your viola ! Remember, "You've go to make your own kind of music ..."
Finally us viola players get the respect !!!❤
it's also lighter and can do 0 to 60 in 2.4 seconds on racing viola.
What about carbon fiber bass? Thanks
Maybe I should try getting a carbon fiber violin because of my epilepsy I have damaged my violin and am afraid to play on my antique violin.
I'm sorry, but a million viola jokes immediately popped into my mind xD no offense though, I play violin myself in an orchestra and frankly I prefer the viola sound.
Being an orchestra musician, you tend to see your instrument really as a workhorse rather than "your precious" as maybe soloists do. Practicality wise carbon fiber for sure is the better, more reliable and sturdier material.
But if you are a snob and traditionalist, which most professionals are; if you remove all your fine tuners because they impair your sound l, then carbon fiber would just be a ridiculous proposition for you
Honestly, you had me at "no pain." When what you love to do (or have to do) becomes a discomfort then it's time reevaluate one's choices. Here the progress of technology has afforded a suitable option. Bravo.
How do you keep the orchestra warm in the winter?
Just pile up all the violas and make a bonfire!
The only thing with carbon fibre violas is, do they burn as well as wood?!
@@PreservationEnthusiast Not funny and degrading!!
Wow! I like this musician's attitude about innovation especially superior ergonomics for a first-do-no-harm ethic. This is well done with all excellent reasons.
Landing on your viola and only having to replace the bridge is powerful reason. If you just carry a spare bridge in your case, you're protected against disaster. Fantastic!
@@mal2ksche can rent another car if the viola breaks the first ;)
I played on a L & C cello for 4 years. I liked that it served as an outdoor instrument so that I didn’t have to be concerned about my wood cello and the elements. The carbon fiber cello was easy to play and fit most ensemble situations. That said, it wasn’t satisfying playing intimate chamber music indoors, as it became very clear that there was basically one color, one sound it made so the actual music the musician wanted to make just never really came out. It always left me feeling like I didn’t really just play an amazing Trout quintet or Brahms quartet. So, I sold it. Luckily it sold fast. So, I think it’s good for some situations and not for others.
I can coax some nice sounds out of my Luis and Clark viola for chamber music, I think my bow makes it much better, I have a nice wooden one, but if I use my coda bow it's harder. I play quartets weekly for reading usually a Haydn but then something interesting like late Beethoven, Verdi, Ravel, Shostakovich, etc. I've recorded for UA-cam a Concerto for String Sextet by Roy Harris you could probably find. Maybe the cello isn't as suited for it, but a professional cellist plays one around here. From what I've heard the full size viola is the most successful of the Luis and Clarks. I have a Luis and Clark violin I recently bought used but I haven't really played it enough to judge it. I've never played a cello :(
Mio maestro di violino (ho studiato in Belgio) mi disse che Eugene Ysaye avesse studiato con un violino fatto in alluminio , e sembra sia al museo , non ricordo se del conservatorio di Liegi... anche pizza surgelata si può mangiare , ma fresca fatta a mano is better😊
The great comic pianist Victor Borge used to talk about how he initially was a viola player. He asks if you know what the difference is between a violin and a viola. His answer, "A viola burns longer."
Ebony comes from Africa, not the Amazon. But agree about the concern, there are abundant Australian timbres in with very similar properties to Ebony, e.g Gidgee, Cooktown ironwood, jarrah
There are multiple types of Ebony, many of which are not endangered at all.
@@eduardobenassi3072the completely black ones are.
If musicians could accept fingerboards which are not completely black, then there would be less of a problem.
@@vonnikon It's not about the color, educate yourself. NONE of my fellow musicians at uni are worried about their fretboards being a particular "completely black" Ebony species. It's about the grain molecular structure, its greater consistency AND last, its aesthetic appeal.
You said Ebony tree in amazonas?! Really??!! (@05:31)I "thought" that ebony is an african tree... Well, I believe you were thinking of mahogany, _not ebony_ , when talking about amazon. OK, a small mistake, but still, I believe that the mahogany used industrially in the furniture and luthier industry in Europe is extracted from India, Venezuela or Honduras, since in Brazil the extraction of mahogany is a very serious and non-bailable environmental crime. The Brazilian government even managed to create a DNA test to verify which region of its forests an illegal tree was felled. Environmental actions in Brazil are not exactly what the noble European leaders have so eloquently stated...
What a thorough review! Hard to argue with that. Easier to play, temperature resistant, and nearly crush proof is amazing. Actually amazing. My only issue with these instruments is the sound quality doesn't have enough colours or nuance for my taste. It isn't a bad sound (his playing is some of the warmest and nicest sounds I have heard from a Luis and Clark viola), but it doesn't do it for me. If that isn't a deal breaker then this is a fantastic solution.
Hi! I am principal cellist in National Opera from Bucharest and I play my Luis&Clark cello since the spring of 2013 so for over 10 years. 🎉 Still sounds amazing as always! Oh! I forgot to tell you, I have the only L&C in Romania. No other cello, violin, viola or double bass were sold to Romania unfortunately.
Would love to see some of your content here on Yt .! I love cello music .! Cheers .!
@@ukestudio3002 Sure! You can listen to some of my performances using L&C Carbon Fiber Cello here on Duo Cell’Arpa Channel. ua-cam.com/video/5G082zs8lzM/v-deo.htmlsi=6h81hu-W0na5DfqT
Aloha (as we say around here in Hawaii). I think I own the only L & C Cello on Hawaii island -- though there may be others on Oahu (the most-populated island). I own #265, which I've had since 2008. I LOVE my cello!
I am only an amateur, but I really like my 5-string Luis&Clark cello, even if I‘d generally prefer the sound of gut strings and my first try of gut strings with my L&C cello failed …
I think in time the polyester resins or plasterers will eventually dry out and become brittle. I have experience with fiberglass resin and cloth of which I am allergic. If carbon fiber is anything like fiberglass eventually it will dry out and crack and or fatigue will set in. Because of the way carbon fiber is laid up it will only have strength in one direction. That is why the Titan failed. It did not have the required structural integrity to hold the 13,000 pluss pressure in the abyss. I can only wonder under the tremendous pressure on the bridge of a viola or its neck and tailpiece what a failure would result if an air pocket in the carbon lattice gave way it might be like holding a cross bow at yourself. Even wooden violins are not immune to cracks and desalination. While I wcome technology and innovation I work with my hands and love. Am wood.
I really like your rationale/list for the carbon fiber viola. Good, solid , practical information based on experience and evidence.
Good video. All of them are reasonable points and I appreciate the tropical forrests part in particular. As much as I love wooden instruments, as much I think we should keep us open to new inventions and research them as unbiased as possible.
time for some viola jokes:
How do you get two violists to play in tune with each other? Ask one to leave.
What's the difference between the first and last desk of the viola section? About half a bar.
What's the similarity between lighting and a violist's fingers? They never strike the same place twice.
How do you keep your violin from being stolen? Put it in a viola case.
What's the difference between a violist and a dog? A dog is able to stop scratching.
Why don't violists play hide and seek? Because no-one would look for them.
What's the only thing a violinist can do better than a violist? Play the viola.
What's the difference between a pizza and a violist? A pizza can feed a family of four.
What's the difference between a viola and a coffin? Coffins have dead people on the inside.
What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians? A viola player.
What's the difference between a viola and a vacuum cleaner? A vacuum cleaner has to be plugged in before it sucks.
How can you tell if a violist is playing out of tune? You can see the bow moving.
you re welcome
Why are violist jokes so short?
Because the violinists have to remember them
I read this ad in a newsletter for professional musicians: "World-famous string quartet seeking first violin, second violin and cello".
비싼 고가의 목재 악기를 대체하고 소리 음질을 보장한다면 일반인들은 탄소 카본 악기를 기꺼히 사용 할것이다. 리코드도 프라스틱 악기 음질이 좋다.
I have heard some carbon guitars in the $2k range that both really projected the sound and had superior tones.
My Emerald I bought used for $2500. Probably the highest fidelity and quality guitar I own.
Thank you for your video. I am blessed with having both the 4 and 5 string Luis & Clark violins. All your reasons resonate with my experience with them too. I am in absolute love with my violins and would never be without them. I am so glad to hear that your accident with your viola was such a great learning experience on just how strong these instruments are.
im juste a poor player. but a big collectionnor . im very happy to have a new project of buy.... A CARBON VIOLIN...or Viola.. a decent instrument...5 Strings if its possible.. Carbon and ebony are very good mariage.....
I’ve got a carbon fiber,five string,fiddle made by Fred Gayford and I love the thing. It’s louder than most wood fiddles and it needs very little care. Also very little tuning once your strings are broken in. I let a busker friend play it and he immediately ordered one so he could play in a drizzle or snow if he felt like. I’ve loved it,from the start. I also believe, contrary to everybody that it seems to hove broken in a bit in the first week or so.
Very interesting.....I'm a listener only and wonder about the 'warmth' of its resonance.....I'm sure it is a reactionary thought...wood =warmth, carbon, solid without wood fibre to resonate as a hard sound. I would love to hear a Brahms quartet of carbon instruments... Brahms, evokes in my experience, the complexities of harmonics where instruments can 'sing' their distinctive voices to make the Brahms voice very engaging to the listener. But in all, I liked and enjoyed your very experienced voice of reason on all levels. Now....to fool the eye...carbon fibre that looks as if the finest woods were at play! Thank you!!
Comparing wood vs CF is like comparing Paiste cymbals with Zildjian.
@@arapaimagold8088 i have a big collection of Music instruments and in winds, sometimes "cold Metalic sound " is for wood and " sweet warm vibes" is for other material. ex clarinet cristal mouthpiece Pomarico .. lot of Great saxs (Selmer/BC ...).. brain must sometimes forget this link only certain in ....Xylophon vs Metallophon.. in very hight Frequency (>660 hz E string , violin sound quality is on responsability of string itself at 95%.).more you fall in bass zone more nature of Soundboard is important... its an important thing..... for spot a bad string instrument,play it on all its possibilities,bass in first
I bought my Luis and Clark violin about ten years ago and have been absolutely delighted with it for all of the reasons that you highlighted. However, at the end of the day it's the quality and evenness of the sound that it produces that makes it so wonderful. The Luis and Clark instruments are quite easy to play. I think the only problem that I have had is that other musicians and teachers are so skeptical about it. The carbon fiber violins have been around for a number of years but not enough string players have had the chance to try them, and, thus they are inevitably dubious. I think my teacher nearly had a heart attack when I showed up to my first lesson with it after having sold my 150 year-old French violin to buy it. No regrets though.
Love your thinking on considering the effects on the environment of sourcing rare tropical woods for instruments. I recently purchased my second carbon fiber bow because of the minimal impacts in this respect.
Enough of this tropical-wood nonsense.
@@melvynobrien6193 This is the great r3tard era, sir. Nonsense is the norm.
your are disgustingly pseudo-virtuous
you guys are not aware??
carbon fiber is very bad for the environment in many more ways then wood will ever be!
This is what happens when people think they are doing environment a favor, but do more dmg.
same as with electric cars, they do far more dmg then fossil fuel cars ever will do
@@melvynobrien6193 Your brain is nonsense, nothing in it.
I'm principal violist of the Gulf Coast Symphony in Fort Myers, Florida for 28 years. I bought a Luis & Clark viola in 2016 and I only have used it since then, for symphony concerts, pops concerts, musicals, chamber music, outdoor concerts, church gigs. Everything from Bach to Mahler to modern pieces we commission. I used to have shoulder and neck issues but they are gone. I actually play without a chin rest or shoulder rest now. I have a carbon fiber bow but I prefer my good wood bow that cost more than the viola. I'm wondering what strings you have on yours?
Might be Kaplan strings, they are black and white. I use them on my (wooden) cello.
Indeed, it’s Kaplan strings👍🏻
Thanks for your comment. Love a good recommendation!
I can absolutely understand. Why you would go with a carbon fiber viola. For instance.
My father was a highly accomplished, violinist, soloist, concertmaster. For some of America's greatest Symphony Orchestra's.
Before I was born in 1955. My father had gotten his hands on a Giuseppe Gaudinini, violin. From the late 1700s.
Years went by and the violin appreciated in value.
At one point. My father wanted to purchase a house. And so he put that violin up for sale. It got him a house. Conversely.
He had told me. He had replaced the instrument with a, new, $200, Korean, violin. And he was amazed. At its sound. How it felt. His intonation. The entire feel of the violin. He told me he liked a lot better. And I thought he had lost his mind.
But honestly. I was felt his violin was a bit tinny sounding. And it was. The new Korean violin. Had a warm lush sound to it. He sounded better on it.
So I can understand your carbon fiber desire. It is a unique material. It's incredibly rigid. Incredibly strong. And it offers up a great resonance. More than, wood. It's amazing.
And so you and your instrument truly sounds lovely. What an incredible tone. But listen up.
I'm a history making multiple major music award nominee. For my audio engineering expertise. And I make you this one suggestion.
The finest kind of a microphone to use. On stringed instruments. It is called a Velocity Microphone. That most people know as a Ribbon Microphone. As they sound incredibly lush and warm. And they hear, like your ears do. They can be much more true to life sounding than any, condenser or dynamic microphone. Mark my words. It's true.
Ribbon Microphones are available in a multitude of prices. From extremely affordable units from China. That work and sound great. And no reason not to own.
To the high-end luxury units. Costing many thousands of dollars each. Both are ribbon microphones. Both will have similar characteristics in their tonality. And the way they pick up sound.. As it's no longer from the pressure wave. But that of the velocity of the sound. Hence, it's accurate original name of, Velocity Microphone. As it picks up the speed or velocity of sound. Not so much the pressure wave, itself. It's a strange concept. You have to hear to understand.
And so I've seen the Chinese made Cascades, ribbon microphones. For as little as $159 each. And I've heard them. I was amazed. It's a fabulous bang for the buck. They might sound a bit tubby around 400 Hz? That is easily remedied. With any kind of equalization. The hardware or software. It does not matter. And you'll get this, sound. The likes of which you have only heard. An old radio shows and movies. From the 1930s-40s and 50s. And those were the RCA Ribbon Microphones. You can occasionally find on eBay or Reverb. As I still have 2 RCA 77-DX's. A, SHURE, 300. And a number of, German-made ribbon microphones. That sound, fabulous.
I love these things on female vocalists. On stringed instruments. As room microphones for drums. As room microphones for room microphones. For an old-fashioned flavor, voiceover narrative guy. They are amazing. Just do not subject them to powerful air blasts. It'll destroy them. And so?
I also recommend should you get a ribbon microphone. And you should. You want to purchase an oversized, gray foam pop filter. From, SHURE Inc. And will transform your $100,, SM-57. Into sounding a lot like a SM-7B. Because they use the exact same microphone cartridge capsule. And bozos who get the SM-7B's. Are just clueless bozos that know nothing.
I hope you guys figure out how to do this within your lifetimes?
RemyRAD
C fibre anything is IS a carbon fibre item. NON harmonics non vibrational effects. The instruments needs to RESONATE with the harmoincs going thru ti..do not see it happening with this item.
Thank you for describing the benefits of a carbon fiber viola. As a musician, I enjoyed your descriptions very much.. By the way, I love your city of Mainz. I was an American GI in Germany in 1976 where I met my wife in Wiesbaden where she was born and raised in Biebrich. Keep playing beautiful music.😊
That's great !! 👍👍
Lucky man !
Some people like jaguars others Porsche. Please don't foist carbon fiber on me. It has no structural integrity except in artificial finger nails.
I am sorry, I will never be fond of carbon instruments nor bows...if we think like that we could forget all the art and make everything from plastic. Regardless if the fact, that you have no artefact in your hands, playing something without a soul and craft mastership of all those fantastic violin makers.
Thanks a lot. This is a very enjoyable video not only because the subject matter (a brand new type of viola) is interesting, but also the wonderful way of explanation given by the musician. His English is excellent with a rich vocabulary and clear, precise pronunciation of words.
Yes for me too ticks all the boxes except for the final one, the tone. Oh dear. Goodbye.
I got one, and am so happy with it! Huge volume, will pierce any orchestra, absolutely marvellous palette of colours in sound, so comfortable to play! And I bought it after watching your videos! Thank you so much!
Thanks that’s a very nice comment!
That makes me really feel that this was worth for something 👍🏽
@@solobratscherviola7335
Oh yes, i was doubtful between mezzo and L&C, you videos made me sure! I bought it mainly for busking, and now I find I play it most of the time!
For comparison would like to hear the same piece played on a wood instrument!
As a violinist who plays viola here and there, this is the instrument I must have!
They don't cut down forests to find one ebony tree. They plant the ebony trees
Actually I miss the warmth and depth of a wooden instrument. But you could probably prove me wrong in a blind audition. I think, the future will be a combination of wood and composite materials, for instance you do not need ebony, some luthiers use a synthetic material that has the same look and characteristics. But anyway, thank you so much for the video, there are many good thoughts in it.
I agree with you on the warmth and depth of wood. The UA-cam I watched where a pro compared them blindly (not showing which was which) it was immediately obvious to me which was wood v. cf. Even commenters here say they “grew to love” their cf. No one ever says that about a good wood one. You love it immediately. Mine made me gasp when I first played it.
I'd bet a hybrid where only the top is made of wood would sound mostly the same as fully wooden.
And I'd easily add a synthetic fingerboard to my wooden cello. Swapped in a new ebony one a couple years ago though, so that should last at least a couple decades of very intense playing, probably much more
Save the ebony for snares. That’s the only place it will stand out.
Interesting thought.
@@ericoschmitt Except the wood would expand and contract and the carbon fiber would not so that would pose some problems, but it would be interesting to hear!
Man, after your story about falling on the viola and your friend walking on it, it sounds like it's built like a Russian piano. Please play us some more music on that thing!
They don't cut down forests to find one ebony tree. Such a lie.... Lol. We know what ebony trees look like
And it's mostly from Africa and India
You dont actually know that do you?
The use of polymers and new products for instruments is a good thing,
I play harmonicas, and the old wood combs in harmonicas had so many problems of air leaks due to swelling, shrinking and cracking. The newer acrylic and bamboo hybrid combs are more airtight and comfortable to play.
My impression is that any instrument this man plays will sound great!
Do the orchestras accept these instruments generally?
Would depend on how they sound. As long as sounds like a quality viola why wouldn't they? Maybe the colour.
I don't think there are any major orchestras that dictate what players can play. That said anyone who thinks a carbon fiber instrument sounds equiv. to a quality wooden instrument is tone deaf. Apples and oranges. That said there are plenty of times CF makes perfect sense. Any kind of travel gig. Any outdoor performances. Any situation that could damage or even slightly alter a $7-figure irreplaceable 2-300 yr old instrument is a good candidate for bringing out the Luis and Clark.
@@HBSuccess I haven't had the opportunity to hear a carbon fibre instrument in real life yet, so I don't have a clear sense of what the sound differences are. But given that no two wooden instruments sound alike anyway, and that the sound of a single instrument varies with the choice of strings, the position of the sound post, the way it's played, etc., it would be interesting to see if people can consistently distinguish between carbon fibre and wooden instruments in a blind listening test.
Just paint it wooden color
I think the tonal quality lacks in many ways
Thanks for the video! I admire your courage and innovation!
Pfft! Put strings on a 16 inch TWO BY FOUR and it would sound as good as the average viola.
Brutal
Good one!!! ;-)
Thank you for all that information. Very convincing too. 🙂
I'm only playing (as amateur) on a 16" viola but still find reaching into higher positions less comfortable, having not played it for a number of years & also being a violinist originally.
I do use a carbon fibre bow though & there, the more one pays for it (usually), the better it is too.
Thank you for your post.. I am also growing to love my carbon fiber cello (different brand) and agree with your reasons. Your playing is so mesmerizing that I have to listen to it many times. Danke!
Brand of strings and good tuning is the most important. true carbon is not unpersonal or mettalic (lol its cheap plywood violin or cello default). carbon have fibers and give good vibes . especially in bass frequency .
last month ,i try a Double Bass in composite (same field of price than my massive Romanian a few under 4K$ ) song was really deep and full of great harmonics . except German 5 strings giants 4/4 ..i never know this strenght of projection. I imagine for Cello its ideal solution ? because if its easy to found great Violin Alto or DB under 4K...lot of Cello in theses price are weak .... sweet..accurate but sadly WEAK (i have a good Chinese but with improving expense it exceed 6k ).. several friends assure me than carbon Cello are often better in song strenght than 2 times more expensives wood instruments.
The instrument's voice seemed to have, on all strings except perhaps the G, an "acidulé", tart candy aftertaste. Is something wrong with the recording setup?
Look at the room. All hard surfaces is a poor recording setup.
Thank you. The Viola is my favorite stringed instrument. I must be broken because the English horn is my favorite wood wind and I play the Sax.
Your speech is wonderful to hear and convincing.
I have played Luis & Clark's magnificent cello since 2007, and will probably never give it up❣😁
Maestro, we need to hear your beautiful instrument! Please point us to examples of this viola in chamber music or what have you. As a clarinet player, I can attest to how unimportant the material is to the sound of a woodwind, despite centuries of 'wisdom' to the contrary. Clarinets and oboes have been made of dense Dalbergia melanoxylon (called African Blackwood, or M'pingo, or Granadilla, but not 'ebony', that's another species) for more that 100 years. Before that, they were made of Boxwood. It became commercially extinct to continue, so what with colonization of Africa in the 19th century, new materials were found. Dalbergia's real advantage is in the fact that its density means that it machines well. But it too is becoming unprofitable to use. For some 25 years now, the sawdust collected from this wood has been mixed with epoxy and the most renown maker (Buffet of France) has been milling clarinets from this waste material, generated from milling and boring out clarinets, etc. from this wood. They are now turning (unfortunately) to other rare hardwood species from the Amazon, as even this stop-gap substance runs out. I am a player of the clarinet, saxophone and bassoon, though am employed as a recording engineer. At a recent session I was surprised to see a professional and renown oboist with a plastic(!!) instrument from one of the world' finest makers. We who played cheap plastic woodwinds as school children assumed that it was the material that made those instruments so atrocious. Not so.
Clarinets have been made of metal, raw rubber, plastic, other woods, even crystal or acrylic. (I would like to form an Eb clarinet from a baseball bat!) What is critical to the quality of sound is the shape of the bore and quality of workmanship, not the material. Work on the cheapest materials go to the least experienced craftsmen; they're the ones making student instruments. Costly materials go to the pros. The great and innovative bassoon maker, Wilhelm Heckel of Wiesbaden, more than 100 years ago lined the bore of the Maplewood instrument with a plastic material to prevent moisture from cracking the wood, a serious problem for all woodwind instruments. If the material were indeed so critical,, Herr Heckel would have stuck with wood. Heckel bassons are sill made that way (and all the others in the marketplace, too), and also are the most highly regarded of any bassoon in the world! So clearly the material is not relevant, especially in a woodwind; the walls of the instrument do not substantially transmit sound. The sound all comes from the bore; the instrument itself does not resonate like a soundboard. It's the air column that does.
I cannot speak to stringed instruments, as it is outside the scope of my (limited) expertise. But it nonetheless comes to me as no surprise that a carbon fiber viola can meet professional artistic demands. Jascha Heifitz had a violin made of aluminum made for him. It is on display (last I checked) at The Colburn School in Los Angeles. Wood is merely a material of historical fact and tradition; it was the most abundant material and most easily tooled material available in times past. Sound quality is incorrectly ascribed to it. It is build quality and the musician's concept of tone that really matter.
Thank you for posting this interesting video, and please point us to performances on it!
How about the fact that you don't get as much resonances and higher harmonics with a carbon fiber instrument?
My L&C carbon fiber cello has so much resonance, that I sometimes think it may have a built-in reverberation effect…
But for Mezzoforte instruments you may be right.
Never have I been so happy that I went CF on my violin. Yesterday I broke a rule and put my violin in my chair. As one would expect, I sat on it. It was fine.
Well done , it takes courage to embrace chance in such a stuffy environment .
It sounds lovely, and looks stunning. I am not a bowed instrument player, but in the Guitar world Carbon Fibre acoustics are very highly rated, and I think they will become more prevalent as more manufacturers start to produce them in larger volumes.
Great video! Thank you for your useful insights on the use of Carbon Fibre instruments. Very informative!
Great video. Thank you
Common misconception: these instruments are not made out of carbon fiber, but instead out of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. They are thin carbon fibers, embedded in a plastic "surround". Which is actually what you feel, when you touch it. A 2 component epoxy plastic resin. And that is the problem:
No matter how well you take care of plastic, it will literally disintegrate over time. In other words, the lifetime of plastic, no matter which one, is limited by its nature. That ist the main reason, why microplastic is all over the place. The plastic literally loses ist molecules, dispersing them into nature.
Don't get me wrong. I like the instrument, it looks amazing, also it sounds pretty. And 9 of those reasons are right on the money to me. But on the "green" one, i guess you are wrong.
The environmental aspect is a two-edged sword. Yes, exotic tone woods are being over-harvested. But carbon fiber is not biodegradable. We will need to develop means for recycling that material because we all know not every instrument remains in service.
You'r not professional violist if you did that.
Ok, I played in the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra and in the Bamberg Symphony orchestra before becoming principal viola in Mainz, if you think these are no professional ensembles, it’s your very personal opinion 😉
Das Video ist sehr überzeugend. Êrfreulicherweise werden auch andere Instrumente wie die persische Setar heute aus Carbon hergestellt.
making me want a cf flattop guitar now
Very relevant I take my carbon fiber guitar anywhere and leave my old high quality at home. Why? The carbon guitar is not sensible to temperature changes.
I'm a professional musician all my life; while I'm not familiar with carbon-fibre violas, I've had experience of c-f guitars. Wood sounds better. Anyone who thinks otherwise must be tone-deaf.
I'd suggest an eleventh reason - or maybe eleventh and twelfth: comparative cost of purchase and cost of insurance. A professionsl soloist grade wood cello would surely cost $100,000 and up wheras your Luis and Clark is in the $5000 range. Being low in replacement cost and virtually indestructable, annual insurance premiums would be correspondingly lower.
Dare I suggest a thirteenth? Selling your treasured soloist wood violas would recover a large capital investment.
Given the power of the instrument, do you have problems with timbre in quiet passages?
No problem at all! My L&C cello can play soft as a Clarinet and loud as a French Horn with the right handling. It’s all about the bow and more importantly about the player.
I heard a story about a cellist with the orchestra in New Orleans who had to flee her house during Katrina, and she left her cello. It was submerged for two weeks under swampy water, but it was a CF one from Luis and Clark, so all she needed was new strings, a new bridge, and a new soundpost and some cleaning and she was ready to go.
If I were to play a bowed string instrument, I'd absolutely get a Luis and Clark. I wouldn't even bother looking at a wooden one.
Wow,
Wow, survived Katrina. That's amazing!
Twoset fans: “hey that’s sackeelirgoos”
Forgive me if it was already on your previous video, but I kept waiting to hear a comparison on sound? It's very hard for me to imagine that such a hard mono surface would produce the organic subtle tones a wooden instrument might? Or have a personality like a wooden instrument does? Perhaps that's not important when playing with a large group, but as a solo instrument, I would think there would be a deficit there?
I'd be interested, too. I play symphpnically and as a fiddler.
Pleasure to see professional musician open to the progress and innovations!
Beautiful sound¡ Of course the player is outstanding the instrument seems very responsive. Do you have to play it kind of different from wooden ones because sometimes you can here the instrument fighting the sound and I can barely here this.
Few years ago I bought a Lava Me Pro carbon guitar. Nice tone and stays in tune. I was told you can use your carbon violin as a paddle (if there are no electronics involved)... but why would you do that! But in the past they made guitars out of turtle shells as well (now forbidden).
Thank you. I‘m not a musician but found the topic very interesting nevertheless.
Thank you for your sharing.How big is your Viola?41cm?or 43cm?
very informative and -.I wonder if lower instrument insurance costs (contrasted with the frequently increased appraisal values of traditional wooden instruments) would benefit CF owners.(?)
I'm using a cheap chinese carbon fiber guitar. Huge frequency range, strong bass and no problem with moisture, heat. But wood retain "personality", something irrational that make you say "this is my istrument" ...
Awesome. I have a Rainsong carbon fibre acoustic guitar. It is a delight to play, and certainly it sounds as good to me as a high-end Martin or Taylor guitar. I was not aware that anyone was making high-end orchestral stringed instruments in carbon fibre. Enjoy!
Tried the rainsong when it first debuted at a custom guitar show, here in California. Had almost no volume nor good tone. I’ll have to try them again per your recommendation. Thanks.
@@ukestudio3002 Mine is a BI-WS1000N2, and I played half a dozen much more expensive high-end brand guitars in a session before settling on it. But I also played some other Rainsong models which sounded too "brittle" in my clumsy hands. So I think they've come on a long way since the early days, and they have several very credible artists regularly using them for performance & recording, but each to their own etc. If you can find a decent stockist with a range of models then definitely worth investing an hour to try a few and see if any gel with you.
My friend has a carbon fiber ukulele, I think it's a blackbird, sounds amazing and we have some very high end ukes to compare it too.
Thank you for this great information ime glad you like your instrument and it is a viable alternative to tropical wood best wishes from Ireland
Die Panzerbratsche!
What a fascinating discussion. Thank you. 🙌🏽
When Ovation guitars came out a friend told me that if God
had imagined plastic guitars
He would have made plastic
trees. I play old guitars not
only for the fine and varied sound but because old wood
has SOUL.An old friend in a
high school class of innocent
boys witnessed a buddy just in
after the holydays rushing into
the room yelling " Guys I was
in bed with a woman, it is not
like by yourself, it is totally
different" Y'all catch my drift?
switching to carbon fibre viola so salty violinist can't say "viola is a good firewood" joke anymore/j
Не знаю.... Мне звучание института не понравилось... Звук мертвый, нет в шёпота нежности в дыхании звука инструмента, как резиновая баба или безалкогольное пиво... Это не имеет смысла в создании. Не то...
So tone is just fine, obviously. That is great because musicians can be superstitious and hear with their eyes and preventing deforestation of rare trees is sad and not needed. Like Rhino horn. I remember reading a study where professional violinists played some instruments blindfolded. The most popular instrument was a Yamaha, not the Stradivarius.
It has a hook like a pirate instead of a scroll. Jokes aside every handmade wooden musical instrument has a unique character; they have an identity of their own instead of just a serial number. Modern materials and manufacturing techniques can make traditional luthiers obsolete. Likewise modern sound production techniques can make the orchestras and the concert halls obsolete. Where do we draw the line?
I can't see from the video at the end, but can I infer that your bow, too, is made from a carbon composite or other non-wood material? As are mahogany and ebony, pernambuco is also seriously endangered. If a non-wood substitute can meet the standards for a high-end bow, other string players purchasing a wooden instrument could at least contribute toward this embryonic movement, partway, by pairing it with one or more of those.
I play a Lewis and Clark. Yes, the sound is identical to wood. I use it outdoors, no problem.
Hello, could you please write what shoulder rest do you use, maybe store where i can buy it?
Thank you!
Im a master luthier and I have been making carbon fiber instruments since the 1980s I find it hard to convince people of its superior attributes especially classical musicians. Im glad to see you understand.
No much idea about orchestras or classical music ect, interesting video to pop up though. Cheers.
Ok so my next question is do you play with synthetic bows and hairs too? Which maker?
the downside is the price, for that price unless you live on a high income country you will always get a wooden with way better sound
Why put it the whole movie so forward. Not good for perspective. I thought it was a cello at a certain point.
🙂That's convenient! if a burglar breaks into your home at night, you don't need to defend yourself with a heavy frying pan any more. Just always have your viola in reach in your bedroom, and you'll be safe 💪
I have played fretless bass for 45 years, and had several solid wood basses (as well as a Double Bass).
The basses were mainly by WAL, a pro 1E and a Custom.
This year I bought a Status S2000 from 1986, which is made from a single piece of solid Carbon Fibre, except for the Phenolic fingerboard.
It is by far the best bass that I have ever played in every conceivable way.
I cannot fault it and it has changed my view on 'synthetic' instruments.
thinking about the same thing here - did you get the new style or the older ones that they (he) no longer make?
Wood is better…so is choice…we can grow all the Trees needed in our life time..save your self.
I totally agree with each and every point he makes in favor of the carbon-fiber viola. I play a professional cardboard tuba, which is much much lighter and easier to fold.
The standard violn industry has made so much money off of the students with high price for student to intermediates to pro instruments the need to keep the Grift going. Dont get me started on the reluctance to use geared pegs too .
I do not like the sound. It reminds me plastic recorders from basic school.
Who are the idiots who actually have to cut down a whole forest to find an ebony tree????