10 Amazing Facts About the Double Bass!

All About That Bass!

The bass is often one of the most misunderstood instruments in the orchestra. If you are all about that bass, check out these 10 amazing bass facts, courtesy of the Oxford University Press!

1.   The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra.

2.   The origin of the name of the double bass stems from the fact that its initial function was to double the bass line of large ensembles.

3.   This hefty instrument has several nicknames including contrabass, string bass, bass, bass viol, bass fiddle, or bull fiddle.

4.   It is a hybrid instrument influenced by the gamba and the violin family.

5.   The double bass can be played using two different types of bows. The French or ‘Bottesini’ bow resembles a cello bow but is shorter and heavier. The second type is the German ‘Simandl’ or ‘Butler’ bow.

6.   It is commonly used in jazz, dance music, popular music, and folk music. Military and concert bands across the globe use it.

7.   In the orchestra, the double bass supplies power, weight, and the basic rhythmic foundation.

8.   Mozart wrote and published one of the first brilliant double bass works to appear in print, the aria Per questa bella mano.

9.   Many double bass players can also successfully play the electric bass guitar.

10.   The double bass was the most popular and most frequently used bass instrument in the 1950s despite the introduction of the bass guitar at that time.

Source: https://blog.oup.com/2015/05/double-bass/

A Premier Partner in NEMC

 A Premier Partner

We wanted to take a moment this morning to acknowledge a tremendous partner in the music industry and friend of Germantown violin Company: National Educational Music Company, better known throughout the land as NEMC.

We are honored to be associated with NEMC in their mission to provide quality band and orchestra instruments to every student that needs one. Working with their nationwide network of affiliate-partners, NEMC’s reach is extensive.

From the NEMC website:

***

Ray Benedetto was a trumpet player, public school Music Director and an Educational Director in a NJ music store, in charge of renting musical instruments.  Over time, he became increasingly dissatisfied with the poor quality of musical instruments being offered through rental programs.

With his knowledge of the industry, he founded the New Jersey Educational Music Company in 1957, and began visiting schools and establishing relationships so he could provide top-quality, teacher-approved, premium-band instruments to all students.  He changed the name of the company to National Educational Music Company and began developing a national affiliated program, established through community music stores across the country, that was unprecedented in the music industry.

Now more than 60 years later, our trusted brand, always known for quality and reliability, is becoming known as an innovator of school band and orchestral instrument rentals, sales and service, nationally distributed through this network of community locally-owned music stores or directly through schools or parents.

***

The driving force behind NEMC’s success continues to be the core mission of high-quality instruments that will allow a child to have a positive experience in band or orchestra. Combined with their top-flight Educational Representatives and a full-service repair shop, NEMC offers a combination that is hard to beat. We at Germantown Violin Company are proud to supply instruments to such a fine organization.

Learn more about NEMC here: https://www.nemc.com/

Learn more about Germantown Violin Company here: https://www.germantownviolinllc.com/

Finding a quality instrument

Welcome to Music!

Great news! Your child has decided that they want to learn how to play a musical instrument. This is fantastic news! Many studies have shown over and over again that learning to play music has a myriad of positive effects: children who play music do better in school, have alrger social groups, score better on standardized tests, and develop the skills that will serve them in all aspects of like as they grow up.

But wait, you already know all of that…that’s why you signed them up!

So now you need to come up with an instrument. Yikes. You’re not a musician yourself, but you want to make sure that your child has the best possible experience. But, holy cow, have you seen  the cost of musical instruments? Several hundred dollars!! I want my kid to have a great time, but this is a really high cost of entry! And what if they try it and decide they just don’t like it? I mean, that happens, right? I don’t want to be out that much cash on a whim.

Luckily, your local music store understands this problem, and is all set to help you out. They usually have multiple options to help you decide how to obtain an instrument for your budding musician!

Choose your dealer!

First, you need to choose a retailer that you can trust. Many local music stores have a history of working with the music teachers and schools in the area that they serve. Often, the owner and employees are musicians themselves. It’s important to locate a store that can provide you the proper type of instrument, and service it as well. Your child’s music teacher undoubtedly has a store or stores that they recommend, and you would be wise to go with their recommendations.

A word about instruments.

A quick internet search of any instrument type will turn up hundreds of instruments across a huge price range from $50 to well over $1000 (or much much more!). What’s a parent to do? They all look alike! Again, this is where you should follow the recommendations of your teacher and local store. In general, an instrument for a beginning band or orchestra student will cost between $400-$700. Large instruments like cello, bass, and saxophones will cost more, but this is a good starting point.

Rent or Buy?

You can, of course, purchase your instrument outright. This will be the least expensive option, but it also offers the least flexibility. If your student decides that music is not for them (it happens!) then you will still be the proud owner. Most educator-approved branded instruments depreciate in value, but not rapidly. If you decide to sell a gently used band or orchestra instrument, you will be able to recoup about half of its value. As an example, if you purchase a new violin outfit for $600, and resell it when it is about one year old, you could reasonably expect to sell it for about $300. Your monthly cost would then be about $25/month for the time that you owned it.

A more flexible option is renting. Nearly all music stores offer some type of “rent-to-own” program. Typically, these programs offer a trial period for a relatively small amount of money (3 months for $25 is typical), with larger monthly payments starting later, once a level of commitment has been achieved. A reputable rent-to-own program offers the following advantages:

• You only pay as long as you have the instrument. If you return the instrument, the payments stop and the contract is cancelled.
• Your payments apply towards the purchase of the instrument, which you can buy at any time.
• Maintenance and repair of the instrument is included in the rental price, or available for a small fee.
• If you decide to purchase the instrument early, a discount is usually offered.
• If your student decides/needs to switch instruments, an exchange is easy to do. The payments that you have already made usually apply to the new instrument.

Most teachers recommend renting from a local music store, as it provides the most flexibility to beginning students.

A final word about costs

When it comes to purchasing anything, the faster that you purchase something, the less money you will spend. A cash purchase will always cost less than renting-to-own over several years. The higher overall cost of a rental provides you with the flexibility to change your mind and/or instrument that a cash purchase does not. The “extra” money that is spent on a rental is purchasing this flexibility and peace-of-mind. Many music stores will let you start with a rental, and sell the instrument for you at the “cash price” if you make that decision early. It’s the best of both worlds!

Welcome to music!

We are thrilled that you have decided to start this musical journey. Working closely with your music teacher and local music store, you will find the solution that works best for YOU!

Oh $#&%! my bridge fell down!

“My bridge fell off!!”

 

This exclamation could be heard from nearly any beginning string player from coast to coast. It’s usually accompanied with a tone of sheer terror: the student is convinced that they have irreparably damaged the very valuable instrument that they have been told several times is “very expensive!”

Turns out, this really is not that big a deal. It often happens when a student has loosened all four of the strings on their instrument, and discover that in fact, the bridge is NOT glued on! As long as the bridge is intact: no cracks or chips, no missing parts, it can usually be stood back up with very few problems.

First take a close look at the bridge: There is usually printing on one side, and this lettering should be visible to the player when the instrument is held in playing position. You should notice that the curvature of the bridge is not symmetrical: the right-hand side is much lower than the left-hand side. This will help in the orientation of the bridge: the thin “E” string is on the lower side, while the thickest “G” string is on the highest. If the bridge is damaged or cracked, STOP. It is time to head to your repair shop for a proper repair.

Second, take a close look at the instrument. The soundpost inside the instrument should still be standing. It sometimes falls, because the release of all of the string tension will allow the top and back to expand, and the post will fall. If the soundpost is down, STOP. Head to your repair shop!

Continuing with the instrument, take a close look at the top. Are there any cracks or warps that may have caused the bridge to slip and fall? If so, STOP. Off to the shop you go!

Assuming that everything is A-OK to this point, look at the two “F” holes in the top of the instrument. Notice the two small “notches” in each hole. These are directly across from each other and create the line that the bridge will rest on. There may also be small marks in the finish that will also show you where the bridge should go.

So, loosen the strings (but do not remove them!) so that you have enough room to stand the bridge up. Holding the bridge with one hand, turn the pegs so that there is enough tension to hold the bridge in place without it falling. Don’t worry about the exact position of the bridge just yet. Now apply tension to the other three strings.

By this point, the bridge should be standing unassisted. Take a moment to make sure that it is oriented properly: printing facing the player, and the low side on the right when viewed from the chinrest end of the instrument. Now, gently move the bridge into the correct position: centered on the instrument, and between the notches in the F-holes. Make sure the feet are standing flush on the top of the instrument with NO gaps. Once you have the bridge in the correct position, make sure that each string is seated in the notch designed for it. Now you may tune the instrument to pitch.

If, during the tuning process, the bridge slips and falls, you may reset it and try again. There is tremendous pressure on the feet of the bridge, so it MUST be flush to the top. If it continually slips out, there may be another issue that a luthier will need to adjust. Take it to a reputable shop to have a new bridge cut and fit to the instrument.

A final note: you CANNOT buy a ready-to-play bridge from a music store. Each bridge must be custom fit to the unique curves of your instrument. It is not a hard or costly job, but it is something that only a trained luthier can accomplish. A new bridge is NOT a DIY opportunity!

Now that you are all set…go practice!

Rosin Explained

 

“What the heck is rosin anyway?” 

This is a question that many new musicians and their parents may have. If you rented your instrument from a local music store, chances are that you received an “outfit” that includes the instrument, a case, and if you look inside the little pocket inside the case: a small square thingy, either yellow or brown, and often in a wood holder. What is this anyway, and why do I need it?

Simply put, rosin is tree sap or resin. It usually comes from pine trees and other conifers. It is heated and then cooled until it becomes solid and develops a rich, colored, glassy look.

Rosin is sticky when warmed. This rosin, once applied to the hair of a bow, is what allows the bow to “grip” the strings of an instrument and set them in motion as the hair is drawn across. This sets the string vibrating and produces the sounds that we are all familiar with.

In fact, if a student opens up their brand new violin and bow, and proceeds to play the instrument without applying rosin to the bow, the bow will simply slide across the strings with no friction at all, and no sound will be produced. It can be very frustrating for a beginner to experience this, as all the excitement of getting a new instrument evaporates when they cannot produce even a squeak!

The solution is simple: apply rosin to the bow hair. To start, the shiny surface of the rosin cake must be roughed up to expose the raw rosin. This can be done with a small piece of sandpaper or a coin scratched across the surface. In a pinch, I have even used a car key!

Then, with tension applied to the bow hair, the musician should simply rub the bow back and forth across the rosin until some of the rosin transfers to the bow hair. This is most easily accomplished by working in thirds: from the frog about 1/3 up the bow, the middle third, and finally from the tip down about a third of the way. A new bow will need a good amount of rosin before it will play as expected.

As the musician plays, rosin wears off the bow, and the dust flies everywhere! The dust should be wiped off the instrument and strings each time the student finishes playing, otherwise it will build up and deaden the sound of the instrument. Fresh rosin will need to be applied to the bow each time it is played, but not in the amount used initially.

Rosin comes in different sizes and colors: dark and light, hard and soft. In all cases the purpose is the same: to provide friction so as to create sound. It is highly recommended that you follow the advice of your instructor in the selection of rosin. (Basses for example typically use a much softer compound than a violin or viola.)

And that’s about it! Take care not to over-rosin the hair, don’t touch the bow hair, and clean the instrument each time it is played.

Now, go practice!

 

 

 

How to change your instrument's strings

Changing your instrument’s strings

 

With so many school systems going to an online/virtual model this fall, nearly all of the routine maintenance of musical instruments will be in the hands of students and their parents. Teachers often take care of small things like tuning the instrument, adjusting the bridge, and when disaster strikes…replacing a broken string!

The truth is, replacing strings is not hard, but there is a procedure that should be followed to make sure it is done correctly, and to make sure that the instrument doesn’t fall apart in the process! I am going to explore changing strings on a violin, but the same basics apply to all four string orchestra instruments.

 

Know how your instrument is constructed

Many beginners and their parents do not realize that there is no glue holding the bridge up, or the soundpost (inside the instrument) in place. In fact, there isn’t! The entire instrument is held together by the tension of the strings stretched across the top. If all four strings are removed, the bridge will simply fall off the instrument. Worse, with all the tension suddenly gone, the top and back of the instrument will move away from each other, allowing the soundpost inside the instrument to fall. Now you are up a creek: you usually need to take the instrument to a luthier (repair shop) to properly set the soundpost. This mess is easy to avoid: DON’T REMOVE ALL FOUR STRINGS AT THE SAME TIME!

Be prepared

The only equipment you need for this project is a new set of strings. There are no tools required. But, make sure you have the correct strings! Make sure your strings are for the instrument you have. Viola strings will fit on a violin, but it won’t sound right! Also, make sure that you have the correct size strings for your instrument. Finally, see how the strings are packaged. Sometimes they are in individual envelopes that identify the string inside. Other times they are all bundled together, but there is usually a code on the package that tells you which color is which string. Look for it and be prepared!

 

Study up

Take a moment and note how the strings that are currently on the instrument are wound. You should see that the strings don’t cross from one side of the pegbox to the other, and that the strings are wound neatly around the peg.

 

Time to start!

I usually start with the “G” string, on the left side as you look at the instrument from the top, scroll facing away from you. Trace the string to the pegbox to see which peg to loosen. (It should be the peg closest to you on the left-hand side.) Turn the peg towards the bridge to loosen the string and unwind the string from the peg. The peg may come out of the hole. That’s OK. Lift the string off of the bridge and slip the ball-end out of the fine-tuner/hole in the tailpiece. That’s it! One string off.

 

Replacing the string…

As I mentioned above, REPLACE the string you removed BEFORE you remove any more strings. This is critical to keeping the instrument together!!

Take the replacement string out of the envelope and unwind it so it is fully extended. Take the ball-end (so named because there is a little “ball” in a loop at the end of the string!) and carefully slip it into the fork in the fine tuner in the tailpiece. The ball pulling against this fork is what holds the string in place.

Then, pull the string toward the peg box. It’s going to flop around a bit because there is no tension on it yet. That’s OK. If the ball-end slip out as you start winding, just re-insert it. No biggie.

Place the peg into the pegbox, and locate the hole drilled into the peg. (Having a good light here is very helpful, as trying to find a black hole, in a black peg, in the dark pegbox is sometimes challenging!) Insert the string through the hole so that about a ¼” of the string comes out the other side. Then, start winding the string around the peg by turning the peg away from the bridge.

The string should wind tightly around the peg towards the side (not the middle!) of the pegbox. When done, the string should be closer to the side of the pegbox. As you wind, you will need to keep tension on the string with your other hand. As you continue to tighten, make sure that the string crosses the bridge in the groove cut for it. Continue to tighten until there is enough tension that you can tune the string with a tuner. When you reach the desired tension, push the peg firmly into the hole in the pegbox. The peg and the hole are tapered, and this “pushing” action “locks” the peg in place so it won’t turn until you want it to.

 

Continue with the other three strings

Repeat the above procedure with the other three strings, moving left to right across the instrument and finishing with the “E” string. Again, make sure to change only ONE string at a time! Also, take special care with the “E” string as it is very thin and the most prone to breaking.

 

Success!!

That’s all there is to it! You have successfully changed your strings! Now get them tuned up, and tune them constantly for the next couple of days. The new strings will stretch, and it will seem like they are ALWAYS flat. As the strings stretch and adjust, this problem will subside.

 

Now, go practice!

Does instrument size actually matter??

Why does size matter?

I have spent over 20 years in the music industry, and during that time I have worked with countless music educators as they recruit beginners into their band or orchestra programs. One of the biggest differences between string programs and band programs is the size of the instruments. In band programs, it is literally one size fits all. Or more accurately, one size fits most as best as we possibly can when they are in fifth grade! Some students may not be able to play certain instruments at all because of their size!

In the orchestra, instruments come in different sizes to accommodate all different size players. A question I sometimes get is “Does the size of the instrument really make that big of a difference? After all, I have my dad's old violin that he can use, and we don't have to pay to rent another one!”

The short answer is: YES! Correct size is critical when it comes to stringed instruments. With violins and violas instruments range in size from very small to what is typically called full sized. Sizing a child for an instrument is especially important. If the instrument is too large, they will not be able to reach the proper string positions and will have difficulty playing the instrument. If the instrument is too small, their left arm will be folded up tighter than it should be, it will still be difficult to reach the correct positions, and fatigue and discomfort will set in quickly. Both will discourage a smaller player from practicing their instrument. Learning a new instrument is difficult enough already, adding these additional complicating factors just makes it that much more difficult.

“But how do we know what size instrument we need?” parents often ask. This is can be a simple to answer. Your child’s string teacher has the skills to measure your child to make sure that they get the correct size instrument. Often, teachers will hold events at the school, and will measure their child at that time so that when it is time to get their instrument, they already know exactly what size they need.

It is always important to rent your instruments from a reputable music dealer, but especially so with stringed instruments. Most major retailers offer rental programs, and when it comes to stringed instruments, exchange programs as well. This way, your child can rent a smaller instrument that fits them properly, and when it comes time for them to move up to a larger instrument, they can exchange it with no difficulty. This allows your student to have the correct size instrument throughout their career, without tying up unnecessary funds.

But what if you are in a situation where your teacher can't get you measured, and you're nowhere near a music store to measure your instrument properly. Measuring a child for an instrument is something that you can do yourself, if you take your time and make sure that you do it properly. The first step is to determine how long your child's left arm is in inches. Using a yardstick, place one end of the yardstick at your child's neck, and lay it flat against the inside of their arm such that it crosses the center of their palm with their hand outstretched. Note the measurement in inches in the center of their palm.

Then, using the chart below (thanks to Yamaha.com), determine what size violin or Viola your child needs. Assuming that you were measuring your child yourself because you are not near a music store where you can get this done by a professional, you can then order the proper sized instrument.  If the number is right on the boundary, it is usually OK to go with the larger of the two sizes, but make sure to check with your teacher! 

When your instrument arrives, one of the first things you should do is take the instrument and your child to your child's teacher, so they can check for proper fit. If the fit is not correct, then you can you have a chance to exchange your instrument before classes start.

Measuring properly for cello is a bit more difficult, and a bit more subjective. It is nearly impossible to measure properly without an instrument on hand. Generally, with the student seated in a chair and the instrument in the proper playing position with the peg about halfway out, the pegbox should be just about level with the student's ear. There is obviously some room for error here, and with cellos and basses it is very highly recommended that you work with your private teacher school teacher or music store to get the correct fit.

If your child is just starting out an orchestra, getting a properly sized instrument is something that's just too important to leave to chance . Make sure to work with your teacher and music store to get the properly sized instrument before you start. In that way your student can have the right equipment in hand to maximize their chances of success!

 

As you continue your internet research, here are some great resources regarding proper instrument sizing:

https://www.mencheymusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2015_violin_sizing_chart-1.pdf

https://www.lashofviolins.com/useful-measurements.htm

https://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/20138/14944/

https://www.stradviolin.com/rentals/measurings.html

Get that instrument in tune!

Some information about Germantown Violin Co. student level violins

Some information about Germantown Violin Co. student level violins

 

What is a “student instrument?”

We often hear the phrase “student instruments.” What is that? What does that even mean? Often the term student instrument is used in opposition to “professional instrument” or “step-up instrument.” In general, a student level instrument is an instrument designed for someone just getting started as a musician, and/or an instrument that can be played as a student progresses through middle and high school. Obviously, the difference between a brand-new string player and someone who's played for five or six years can be pretty large, so the meaning of this term may not always be easy to understand. In our case, we use the term student instrument to describe instruments that are designed for beginners or players in their first and second year of playing.

Lots of choices!

When you do a Google search for student level violin you will find that there are a lot of instruments out there, and choosing an instrument for a beginning violinist or violist can be a daunting task. If you will indulge a small amount of self-promotion, I would like to take a small bit of time today to talk about the two instruments from Germantown Violin Co that are in the student level instrument category: the Wilhelm model 85 violin and viola, and the Gafiano model 105 violin and viola.

Fully carved construction.

These instruments are both fully carved instruments. That means that both the top and the back are made from one single piece of solid tonewood. This is a critical element of creating an instrument, as this single piece of wood is going to resonate much better than a laminate product will. Laminate construction definitely has its advantages: laminate is stronger and will tolerate getting beat up a little bit better than solid wood construction will. However, it is widely accepted that solid carved wood produces a much better tone than laminate construction. And after all, tone is what we're going for when we're trying to get new musicians off the ground.

The “Gafiano” instruments.

Let’s start with the model 105 Gafiano violin and viola. As I mentioned before, this is a fully carved instrument. This is a hand-built instrument with a hand-carved top and back. It is finished with a lightweight spirit varnish. Spirit varnish is lighter weight and allows the wood to resonate more freely. It allows the sound to project a little bit better. All the fittings on the model 105 instrument are solid ebony including the fingerboard and the pegs. Solid ebony adds a little bit of cost to the instrument, but it is absolutely vital to having an instrument that will last and perform for a long time. Many economy violins and violas have fingerboards made of pine or other white woods that have been painted to resemble ebony. These softer woods simply cannot tolerate the pressure from a player's fingers over time and will often warp and dent and make the instrument impossible to play correctly. Ebony is the standard material, and we make sure that all of our instruments have Ebony fingerboards. The pegs are also made of ebony and are custom cut to each individual instrument. It sometimes comes as a surprise to nonmusicians that pegs are not interchangeable between instruments. On a properly constructed string instrument, the shaft of each peg is tapered. This taper allows the peg to “lock” into the holes in the peg box and hold its tune. The holes in the peg box must be custom cut to fit the shape of the peg. Our luthier spends time on each instrument making making sure that the peg fit is perfect for each instrument.

The “Wilhelm” instruments.

The model 85 Wilhelm violin and viola are essentially the same as the Gafiano with two key differences: First, while the instrument is fully carved, it is more machine carved than hand carved. You still get all the advantages of a carved instrument, but the sound quality isn't quite as perfect as a hand carved instrument would be. Second, the 85 model has an oil-based varnish as opposed to a spirit based varnish. The advantage to an oil-based varnish on a student instrument is durability. The darker, reddish-brown lacquer finish tolerates bumps and dents more easily than a thinner spirit based varnish would. This makes the Wilhelm a perfect choice for fractional instruments designed for smaller players that are still learning how to handle the instrument properly. The oil-based varnish on the Wilhelm can tolerate these bumps and bruises more easily.

Set it up!

Finally, we need to talk about setup. All of our instruments are professionally setup here in the United States in our shop in Gaithersburg MD . This includes cutting and fitting of the bridge, shaping and fitting the pegs as mentioned above, and stringing the instrument with Preludes strings from D’Addario. The instruments are then test played an packed in lightweight cases with an accompanying brazilwood bow. Once the outfit is together it is ready to send off to your local music store for you to take a test drive!

We're extremely proud of our instruments. We take pride in selling instruments that, while affordable, are still genuine instruments that will help musicians from beginner to experienced along their musical journey. We invite you to visit our website at www.germantownviolinllc.com, or visit one of our local dealers where you can play the instruments in person. We are certain that you will be impressed with what you hear!

Now you can HEAR our Wilhem VLN-85 Violin!

We have been talking about our newest instrument, the Wilhelm VLN-85 violin and viola for the past several weeks across all of our platforms. Now you can have a chance to hear it played! Diana Traietta, an accomplished violinist, plays and discusses this wonderful instrument for beginners. It would also make a wonderful addition to any music store's rental inventory. Learn more here: germantownviolinllc.com

See the video here: VLN85 demonstration video

Recruiting is the MOST important thing you do as a music teacher!

Recruiting is the MOST important thing you do as a music teacher!

If you are a music teacher in any capacity where your class is an elective, then recruiting is possibly the single most important responsibility that you have as a music educator. Teaching music is incredibly important and, as we have all come to discover in the last 3 months, vital (along with the other arts) to sustaining our soul as we move through difficult times. If you are a fabulous educator, but you don’t have students to educate…..do you see where I am going here? Every time an administrator considers cutting back on a music class, every time a guidance counselor moves someone into “Tech Ed” instead of your class, every time a parent asks, “what is this good for anyway?” You can overcome nearly all of it with a recruiting program that excites students and encourages them to get themselves into YOUR music program!

So get cracking! Here are six ways that you can up your recruiting game. How do you recruit? What works for you? Let’s start the discussion and help each other out.

 

#1: CONTACT YOUR ADMINISTRATION NOW.

With all of the craziness that COVID-19 has brought to school districts and their calendars, making sure your plans are known to your administrators is absolutely critical. Whatever plan you have formulated to recruit this fall, reach out NOW to your admins and get them into the loop. They can help you get the resources you need to make recruiting a success.

If you will normally travel to schools to recruit, contact those administrators and their music teachers now as well. You may not be able to visit in person, but you may be able to set up remote sessions. In any case, not communicating with the schools involved will lead to disaster in the fall.

If you have not already, please reach out NOW to everyone that will be involved: principals, admins, cooperating teachers, custodial staff to get them involved in your plan. Once you are all on the same team, your chances of success increase exponentially!

#2: PICK YOUR DATES!

Now that you have chatted with your admin, and gotten their blessing to recruit this fall, you have to get on the calendar. School calendars fill up incredibly quickly, and with all of the additional uncertainty that COVID-19 had brought to our lives, there is little doubt that they will get all the more crowded! Whether you will be able to recruit in-person or virtually, you need to select the times and dates now, and get on the master calendar. There are several dates that you will want to make sure are secured:

·         Date(s) of the in-school / virtual presentation for EACH school you will visit

·         Date that you will need a response from each student as to whether they will join your program

·         Date and location of your parent meeting, either virtual or in-person

If you are not on the calendar, you don’t exist! Make sure you are there!

#3: SELECT YOUR STUDENT PERFORMERS.

As you continue to plan your recruiting for the fall, hopefully you will be fortunate enough to be able to recruit in person. If you are able to do so, I highly recommend that you use student performers to demonstrate the individual instruments. As music teachers there are some instruments that we are just better at than others! 😁 It is a great idea to use student to demonstrate these instruments for a couple of reasons:

·         They are probably more proficient on the instrument than you are. After all, they play it every single day!

·         They will be thrilled to be entrusted with such an important function. It is a great way to reward you high performers.

·         The students that you are recruiting will be better able to relate to the students demonstrating the instruments. After all, your students were recruits themselves just last year! Many of the students that you are recruiting will know your performers. It creates a more relatable demonstration and will increase participation in your program.

If you are going to use student performers, reach out to them and their parents now to secure their participation and permission. Send them some music you would like them to work on. You’ll have a fabulous demonstration! 🎻🎺🎷

#4: GET YOUR MATERIALS TOGETHER!

Now that you have your admin on board, your dates set, and your student performers all lined up, it’s time to get your stuff together!

Seriously. Get your stuff together.

Start gathering your materials now. You will need more stuff than you think you will need, especially if you are taking the show on the road! 🚗🚗 Some things that you will need are:

·         Instruments 🎻🎻

·         Instrument stands

·         Student information cards

·         Letters to send home to parents

·         Posters promoting your program

·         And many more. Here is a pretty comprehensive list of items you may need: https://bit.ly/recruit_checklist

Be Prepared!

#5: DEVELOP A SCRIPT!

Now it’s time to start preparing for your presentation. You have a lot of material to deliver in a very short time. When I have recruited I have had as much as 50 minutes and as little as 25 minutes! You still have to get ALL of the information out there. I highly recommend developing a script and practice, practice, practice!!! You would never give a concert without hours of rehearsal to make sure that it’s right. This is no different! Develop a script and put in the time to get it right. It will make a HUGE difference in the outcome! Here is a good example of a script that I have used many times: https://bit.ly/recruiting_script

#6: CALL IN THE PROS!

Recruiting is arguably the most important thing that you do you to sustain your program. After all, you won’t have anyone to teach music to if there is no one in your class. Believe me when I tell you that this is YOUR responsibility. Your administration, your guidance department, and your students’ parents may all be very supportive, but recruiting into your program is all on you.

Because of this, I recommend calling in the professionals to help: your local school music dealer. Your dealer is often the best resource for recruiting. It’s in their best interest, just like you, for you to have a robust instrumental music program. Often, an educational representative will recruit for 10-20 programs each and every year. Multiply that by 10-20 years of experience (or more!) and you can quickly see that your local ed rep may have recruited successfully over 100 times! It’s not unusual for a good ed rep to do more recruiting in one or two years than an educator does in their entire career.

Many of our dealers are also excellent recruiters! I encourage you to reach out to them today. Also, please leave a note in the comments and we can connect you to your local ed rep.

Happy Recruiting!! May you have an incredibly successful 2020-21 school year!

 

String Theories!

When it comes to setting up your instrument, one of the most critical choices that you will make is “What kind of string should I choose?” Different types of strings are suited better for different skill levels of players, as well as the type of music that you will be playing. While the decision is ultimately a very personal one, you should absolutely consult with your teachers(s), as they will have insights and experience to further guide you in proper string selection.

The earliest violins (and other stringed instruments) used strings that were literally made from animal gut that was stretched, dried, and twisted to form a string. The term “catgut” is often used to describe this type of string, but no evidence exists that cats were ever used as the raw material. The most common animal used for string material was sheep. The first major technological advancement in string production came when luthiers began winding gut strings with thin layers of metal, often silver. The combination of metal and gut made the string denser and allowed it to be thinner while still increasing tonal production. 

The “G” string was the first to be commonly wound, but violinists shifted to wound and all metal (often steel) “E” strings soon thereafter. Then (as now!) the “E” string was very prone to breaking, and the added strength of the wound “E” string was a significant advantage.

In modern instruments, there are three basic types of string available today: gut, synthetic, and steel. Nearly all modern strings are wound with a thin layer of steel. These terms refer to the core of the string.

Steel core strings are the thinnest type of string available, and provide a simple, focused sound, with quick response. Steel strings holds their pitch quite well and are the least affected by changes in temperature and humidity. Because of these characteristics, they are well suited to beginning players, and often found on rental and/or “student” level instruments. Musicians who play rock, jazz, and country, as well as “fiddlers” often use steel-core strings as well. At Germantown Violin Co, our Wilhelm and Gafiano model violins and violas are setup with D’Addario Prelude steel-core strings. Our Patricio celli and basses are set up with Helicore steel-core strings, also from D’Addario. Other common steel core brands include Red Label Super-Sensitive and Chromcor by Pirastro.

Synthetic core strings have a core of synthetic material, often nylon and other composite fibers, wound with steel. The overall purpose of a synthetic string is to attempt to blend the tonal qualities of gut strings with the durability and reliability of steel. As such, they tend to produce a richer, fuller tone and are capable of more subtle tonal effects than steel. They hold their pitch quite well but need more adjustments than steel strings. Because of this combination of desirable tonal qualities and stability/durability, synthetic core strings are the most popular type of string sold today. At Germantown Violin Co, our Alfredo violin is setup with Thomastik Dominant synthetic core strings, while the Maestro is setup with Evah Pirazzi from Pirastro. Other popular strings include Infeld Blue & Red from Thomastik, and Pro-Arte from D’Addario.

Gut strings provide a very warm and rich tone quality. They also produce a very complex tone producing many overtones when played. Because gut strings are the “original” violin string, they are viewed as the gold standard, and their tone quality it what synthetic strings strive to achieve. Gut strings are available as pure (unwound) or wound with various metals. Gut strings are often used on instruments with Baroque setups, as that was the period when gut strings were in use. Because they are literally made from organic material, gut strings are extremely sensitive to environmental changes, and require constant tuning and adjustment. They also take the longest to “play in.” For these reasons, gut strings are usually not recommended for beginners and school-aged musicians.

Popular brands of gut strings include Chorda, Eudoxa, Oliv, and Passione, all produced by Pirastro.

While there is a dizzying array of string brands, packaging, colors, names, etc., it is important to remember that all commercially available strings fall into one of three broad categories: Steel, synthetic, and gut. I Make sure to work with your instructor to help you match the right string to your skill level and literature preference, and you will be sounding your best!

Sources:

https://www.violinstringreview.com/history.html

https://www.johnsonstring.com/resources/choosing-strings/

MUSIC STANDS!

Music Stands!

Today, I thought I would explore something fairly simple and easy to talk about: music stands! These are so ubiquitous that it hardly seems worth mentioning. However, having the right equipment can make practicing and playing that much easier and even convenient! And when it’s easy to play, you play and practice more. Let’s take a look!

The Manhasset Model 48

Here it is folks, the Cadillac, the standard by which all others are judged. Seen across the land in band and orchestra rooms nationwide, the Manhasset 48 is what we all learned to play on. There are lots of things this stand taught us:
• Pencil writing is visible on the desk itself!
• You can cross out various letters in the brand name to spell a dirty word!
• It can rise or sink magically, while you are performing.
• It wobbles, but you can fix that easily by tightening the greasy nut at the bottom
• The metal shop is capable of welding broken stands back together for another 20 years of service!

Seriously, it’s a great stand if it’s taken care of. It’s also perfect for home use, if you have the space. Standing at attention with your music ready to play at all times (and with your instrument stored on a stand as well), it only takes seconds before you are playing. Excellent for spontaneous performances! But, it’s not very portable, and that leads us to:

The PortaStand Minstrel

Seriously. I LOVE this stand. It has a solid desk that holds all of your music and pencils, but the base folds into a nice portable package that is easy to tote around. Once set up, it accommodates heights from super low (think saxes in the jazz band) to tabletops, to standing. It looks professional too! Highly recommend, and you can find more info here: https://portastand.com/

Heavy-Duty Wire Stand

This type of stand is available from several manufacturers, but the gold standard is from K&M. This provides the best combination of stability and ultra-portability. It folds down completely so it will fit into a (large) backpack, but it can be wobbly, and there are literally instructions on the internet showing you how to open  and close it. The desk is open, meaning things can slip through it, and flimsy paper has a hard time standing up and may need to be clipped into place. Available in many colors, it’s a great choice if you are on the go a lot, and need to economize. See the K&M version here: https://www.k-m.de/en/products/music-stands/music-stands-with-collapsible-desk/101-music-stand-black

The basic wire stand

This music stand is available from MANY places and brands, and usually costs less than $15. The main advantage here is price: It’s cheap. It accomplishes the task of putting music a the right height for practice, but it very limited in how it can be adjusted. It also becomes extremely unstable if it is disturbed in the slightest. Super-portable, it breaks down into a very small package so that students can take it back and forth to school if necessary. It serves it’s purpose well, but an upgrade to any of the above stands will provide an immediate and noticeable improvement in quality an usability.
All of that said….ANY of these stand is better than no stand at all! Trying to play with music spread out on a bed or table will promote terrible posture, and having it on a piano will be too far away to be able to read. It is critical for all musicians to have a music stand available to them where they practice!


Which stand is your favorite!!?

Recruiting in difficult times

Recruiting. 

It’s an intimidating process, and can be difficult (or at least logistically challenging) in the best of times! Now, with everything closed and most folks under some kind of mandate to stay at home, recruiting will be that much harder.

But it is STILL a critical part of your program. Hope springs eternal that school will start normally this fall, and when it does, orchestra will be there. The question is: will there be any students to fill those seats in your beginning strings class. One thing that I have learned after many years of doing this, is that it won’t happen just by luck, or the fact that you are a fantastic teacher, or that their parents/brother/crazy uncle plays the violin. YOU will have to put in the effort to get those kids, and this year, you will have to be extra creative!

I have done instrumental recruiting in one form or another for over 20 years, at many schools, mostly in the Tidewater, VA area. During that time I have learned many things that work well, and some others that don’t! When you boil it all down, a successful recruiting campaign consists of three main components:

(1)    A successful in-person demonstration of the instruments, with flair, personality, and music that younger students will recognize.

(2)    Solid communication between the recruiting and an upcoming parent meeting to ensure high attendance and enthusiasm!

(3)    A parent meeting during which:

a.       you can speak to parents about the expectations of you and your program

b.       Parents and student can inspect instruments

c.       Students can register for strings, and in some cases:

d.       Rent an instrument to be delivered in the fall

As I mentioned earlier, this is a time-consuming process that requires careful attention and planning under normal circumstances!

I have put together a guide to help a director with no experience in recruiting carry out a successful program, and you can take a look at it here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1APyZ3KTGYyojBrrg3i2Gr-G1YTEZKnb4/view?usp=sharing

It is the product of many years of knowledge, and I am happy to share it with you! It has a “bare-bones” look to it, and I am in the process of revamping and redesigning it. However, the “meat” is all there, and I am sure you will find it useful!

The guide consists of six large steps:

(1)    Choose your schools, and set your dates

(2)    Confirm dates, Confirm performers

(3)    Gather materials, Reconfirm dates

(4)    Rehearse presentation

(5)    Student presentation

(6)    Parent meeting: class registration and instrument rentals.

Well, as we all know, these are anything but normal circumstances! With all of the restrictions in place, we must now convert this very successful, in-person model to one that can be accomplished online. Here is one way that I think this could be accomplished:

Six NEW steps:

(1)    Choose a platform that will allow you to be successful

a.       Google Meet and Zoom allow multiple “windows”

                                                               i.      Check with admin / school district policies

b.       Choose schools and set dates for virtual recruiting

c.       Coordinate with ES principals

d.       Coordinate with ES music teachers

                                                               i.      They are LOOKING for lesson plans at the moment. You may be their savior! 😊

e.       Find time when you can the es music teacher can present together

(2)    Find student performers who may be able to help demonstrate instruments

(3)    Gather your materials and make sure everything works!

a.       Software

b.       Instruments

c.       Reconfirm dates

(4)    Rehearse the presentation

a.       Use a script, and PRACTICE a couple of times so that you are comfortable doing this in front of the camera! Remember, this is salesmanship!

(5)    Host a virtual presentation for your prospective students! Remember to integrate your student performers, and HAVE FUN! Enthusiasm is contagious here!!

(6)    Host a virtual parent meeting, with virtual registration

a.       Send registrations to admin/guidance

b.       Work with music dealer to secure rentals

c.       Pick delivery date for instruments

I STRONGLY recommend enlisting the help of your local school-music dealer to assist in this process, if you aren’t already! They are the local PROS at recruiting, and will be able to provide you with additional resources to help you out. If you are relatively new to your district, they will know all of the inside tricks and procedures that are unique to your location, and know how to work around them. They are INVALUABLE!

In the next few days I will be putting out more information regarding recruiting, so stay tuned!

Thanks!

Chris, at home