I blame Paul Mercer for this...
So today I picked up my viola from the shop. I had brought it in to have it fixed up because it's been nearly 10 years since it was last played. Now it's got new strings, a new chinrest, a rehabilitated bridge and a new Kun shoulder rest. It still kinda sounds like hell, but that's when comparing it to my nice new violin.
I should be tolerant of how it sounds though. As I said, it's not been played in ages and it was never a 'fine' instrument to begin with. It was just a cheap student quality instrument when I got it, oh, those many years ago. I can't imagine it's gotten any better sitting unused in the closet for the past 10 years.
I figure I'll give it 6 months or a year or so and then go find myself a nicer viola to use in it's place. As for what I'll do with this one when the time comes ... who knows? I may give it away or donate it to a school or something. I'll just have to see. Maybe I'll take it out back and put it out of it's misery. :p
As far as my playing the thing goes, I'm finding that my fingers really like it. The slightly longer scale feels right and it has a much mellower tone than my violin. Not nearly as nice as some of the violas at the shop, though. I have always liked a good viola tone. It's very musical and generally warmer than the violin tone. I'm told that a viola burns longer than a violin, too.
I'd probably not have gone to all the effort to resurrect this old thing if it hadn't been for hearing Paul Mercer play his viola in Portland. I'd had the opportunity to play it in Atlanta last year at Dragon*con and remembered how nice it was. Hearing him play it at Convergence a few weeks ago brought it all home again. I just had to get myself into shape to play viola again.
We'll see how it goes...
I should be tolerant of how it sounds though. As I said, it's not been played in ages and it was never a 'fine' instrument to begin with. It was just a cheap student quality instrument when I got it, oh, those many years ago. I can't imagine it's gotten any better sitting unused in the closet for the past 10 years.
I figure I'll give it 6 months or a year or so and then go find myself a nicer viola to use in it's place. As for what I'll do with this one when the time comes ... who knows? I may give it away or donate it to a school or something. I'll just have to see. Maybe I'll take it out back and put it out of it's misery. :p
As far as my playing the thing goes, I'm finding that my fingers really like it. The slightly longer scale feels right and it has a much mellower tone than my violin. Not nearly as nice as some of the violas at the shop, though. I have always liked a good viola tone. It's very musical and generally warmer than the violin tone. I'm told that a viola burns longer than a violin, too.
I'd probably not have gone to all the effort to resurrect this old thing if it hadn't been for hearing Paul Mercer play his viola in Portland. I'd had the opportunity to play it in Atlanta last year at Dragon*con and remembered how nice it was. Hearing him play it at Convergence a few weeks ago brought it all home again. I just had to get myself into shape to play viola again.
We'll see how it goes...