Hey Viola Kingdom, it’s been a while! Sorry if anyone was worried about me-I got a few messages checking in to see if I was alive lol. Since I last posted in June, I’ve had more career stuff going on than at any other point so far (mostly with my quartet, The Dolphins) and I have been playing an incredible amount of viola every day. I have also been deeply entrenched in writing more music. The biggest composition project of my life so far will be premiering this Thursday: String Quartet 1 in F# minor “Grunge”-I think you will all love it! It is also the year of my master’s degree auditions so that’s been a whole other thing to worry about. Anyways, I love making RU-vid videos but this year has been especially demanding of my time and energy so RU-vid very sadly had to take a back seat. It takes me a very long time to make content that I am proud of, especially the editing part. For example, this video alone took me three weeks to edit when I had time (in between preparing for a competition, sitting principal for an orchestra cycle, traveling to a quartet seminar, finishing composing my quartet, preparing for a solo recital, and classes). That being said, I can’t promise any kind of uploading consistency for now-but I can promise that every video I do publish will be something I’m truly proud of creating. Thank you all for sticking with me through content gaps-your continued support keeps me coming back to make more videos no matter how much other stuff I have going on.
Hey, James! I’m glad to see you post a video again! I understand the stress and time consumption, I’m currently applying for college for music education and have had to work on viola auditions as well, alongside school work and my personal life. But you got this! Don’t worry about consistency, we enjoy seeing your videos any day! Keep up your hard work and dedication to music, and thanks for being an inspiration to violists everywhere!
What a coincidence! If the strings are as high as they are on the one I tried, I recommend getting the bridge shaped by a luthier as well. The height makes it a lot harder to play
We want low action for efficiency. Strings as close to fingerboard as possible. The more height/ action it’s gonna be a lot different. A completely different game of inefficient space there’s no room for. 😂 I love you guys ❤
You inspire me as a Violist to keep on going. Not just for Viola, but Double Bass. Because I want to be a professional at those instruments one day. Yes, I considered you a professional Viola King lol.
As an oboist, this was actually some acceptable sound for an oboe (even more acceptable, especially since it comes from this thing ) even if I for my part couldn't identify the note played 😆😅😅
I played clarinet, so I can admit this this to you... before I bought a violin, I always assumed under the bow was a giant reed 😅 I have no idea why I thought that 😅😅
Thanks for exploring this, I've always wondered about those inexpensive instruments as well. Other than the bridge being a hot mess, it seems you found a serviceable viola.
Glad to see a video from you again! I guess others have touched on it, but I wonder if that bridge wasn't so much a ready-to-use one as it was a bridge blank. But, then, I play trumpet, so I should just stay in the corner eating my popcorn, lol. Fun to watch you get this playable.
I think it would help to take an instrument like that to a luthier and get it properly set up. Sure, that will add to the cost, but it will save a lot of aggravation. Beginners don't know what they don't know, and wouldn't have any idea the strings are too high or how to compensate for it.
Luthiers won't touch these instruments. These instruments are so poorly made with such poor quality materials that the cost would be more than getting a quality instrument to begin with. Strings need to be changed, peg need to be replaced, bridge needs to be fit or replaced, fine tuners get stuck and make it hard to tune, bows are terrible and would need to be replaced as well. I've seen necks made from plastic, which do not hold up to the tension from the strings. As a music educator, I can't say enough, I detest these cheap instruments.
@@amandakippen9208It depends. I've seen at least one video where a luthier put a $69 violin into working order. The inconsistency in the manufacture of these cheap instruments makes their quality vary widely. But you're not wrong that it would be far, far better to buy (or rent/lease) a higher quality instrument in the first place--and that goes for wind instruments as well. Most music stores have affordable payment plans, and that's a much better way to go than to buy an instrument that doesn't really work and will make playing it an exercise in frustration.
The feet on the bridge coould be sanded down by a luthier it would probably help with the string hight. There are videos out there that show how to do that. Just sayn'
I wonder how it would sound if you took it to a luthier to set up properly. Also if you added the price of the setup (which I would imagine would include cutting the bridge, maybe a soundpost adjustment) and a price D'addario preludes so your strings can actually hold a pitch you'd probably be in for about $250. I wonder how that professionally set up $250 viola would compare to a $500 beginner instrument.
3.5 out of 5? I think that's way too high. Whatever the luthier is going to charge to replace the bridge can be put toward a little better quality instrument bought at a music store. Add to that the cost of a new set of strings - I think Daddario Preludes are available for viola, the money spent there can be put toward the new instrument. When it comes to music and instruments, don't buy from the 'A' company, instead buy from your local music shop.
Lol this made me laugh. Realistically you could actually get some sandpaper and shave some wood off the bridge from the top. I bet it would sound 10 times better. Would be interesting to see how it sounds as you get closer and closer to a real bridge shape. You'd also want to re notch it where the strings go I guess.
at 7:52 when u said that the viola was "only 79 dollars", were you misrepresenting the cost of the instrument intentionally to make your review more critical? why are you misleading consumers.
You must not have paid very close attention to the beginning where I write very clearly that it had gone on sale since I filmed the video so it’s now $69. SMH come informed before you get so critical
Oooh, I bought a cheap (electric) violin, but that E string! I began to long for a deeper sound and discovered the viola. A cheap viola might be the fix I need. It's also fun to imagine my scrabblings would magically sound better on a more quality instrument 😅
I just got a 15 inch, much smaller than my old 16.5 inch, and I MISS the really deep tone. I'm thinking of going back and getting a 15.5, even though it's a bit harder to reach my c string stuff, do you think it's worth it?
Take a moment to reprofile the bridge, that should improve the treble stopping problems, I'm learning folk fiddle but my last set of strings cost more than your whole set up, a case a bow and a viola that plays for £ 69 is dirt cheap, think how much the Chinese workers would get paid to produce that , we worry about slavery going on 300 years ago.
