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This week from Strings Daily…
Get the Most Out of a Master Class
A master class is a lesson under a microscope. It’s not like playing for an audience, when everyone claps at the end of the recital and no one talks to you afterward about that F that was slightly out of tune. In a master class, it’s all about that out-of-tune F. That’s the point, and honest scrutiny is what you require in a master class. A great way to prepare for coping with the honest scrutiny is to sit in on a master-class audience before your big day.
How to Select the Best Mic for a Home Session
Once you’ve narrowed the playing field to one or two categories of microphones, it’s time to compare individual models. Just remember one important point as you compare mics: make sure all the settings on the rest of the equipment in the testing scenario are identical (or as close as possible), so you can make a true A/B comparison. In other words, conduct the comparison in the same room, using the same instrument, and the same preamp or interface and speaker monitors, with the same volume settings applied on each channel.
Caring for Your Violin or Viola Strings
How Often Should You Change Your Strings? There is no simple answer to this question—it depends on the particular type of string, the player, and even the climate. Some types of strings (such as titanium wound strings) last much longer than average, while other types have fairly short lives. The largest factor is probably the amount of playing done by the player. In addition, physically larger strings tend to last longer than smaller strings. Therefore, cellists and bassists don’t need to change their strings as often as violinists. Professional violinists may change their strings every couple of weeks or months, while others may not change their strings for a year or two.
Grounded and Crazy in October: Rock Originals for String Quartet
“Grounded” is a sweet, simple rock ’n’ roll piece for strings. Composer Anna Stafford says, “I was grounding myself in regard to form, rock ’n’ roll styles, and classical-meets-pop phrasing—hence the title.” This piece utilizes simple rock motifs, as seen in its 16th-note disjunct cello figure, ample use of harmonics and occasional open strings, the long glissando in the first violin (mm. 88–89), and quarter-note ostinato syncopations in the lower voices (viola, mm. 13–14, for example).
Detroit Settles Strike (Sort of); Weekend Concerts Planned
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra and its musicians have reached a tentative agreement that enables concerts to resume as early as April 9–10. Conductor Leonard Slatkin will lead the ensemble in free performances of Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”). Over the weekend, representatives from both sides of the labor dispute holed themselves up for 27 hours in negotiations. The DSO has not released the terms of the agreement at this time. dso.org
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