+Iazzaboyce That was a good one! I'm going to use that next time!

His name is Stradivari

wow,that is wise

Hah, I get it!

I don't get it?

It is my understanding that these instruments are periodically taken out of their showcases and played in order to maintain their tonal qualities. Any acoustic instrument will go tone-dead if it sits idle for too long.

Is there any measurable reason for why this would happen? or is it just superstition?

Well, on oboe, if you leave it unplayed for several months, you have to undergo the break-in process again before it's safe to play without serious risk of cracking (playing it 10 min. a day for a week, 15 for the next week, etc. until you get to around 45-60 minutes). So, there's definitely some precedent for the idea that the wood acts differently when it's used to the vibrations of playing than when it's not.

Ashley ...Also moisture contained in the player's breath is absorbed into the wood, which then dries out while the instrument is idle. This causes swelling and shrinkage of the wood fibers. If done to extremes, like adding a lot of moisture to dry wood or quickly drying out damp wood, stresses develop that can result in warping, cracking and splitting. That is why the break-in process has to be done gradually and a reasonable moisture level maintained in the wood continuously thereafter. That is also why the carrying cases for very fine stringed instruments are often equipped with humidifiers to maintain a constant moisture level to preserve the structural integrity of the wood, especially when rapidly transitioning a broad range of climates.

It's a shame that people still believe these instruments sound better. I get the antique fetish, but when they say old wood sounds better or absurd shit like "loses it's sound and integrity when not played" I cringe: www.thestrad.com/blind-tested-soloists-unable-to-tell-stradivarius-violins-from-modern-instruments/ I find it hilarious though when people spend so much money on snake oil, like vintage wine, high end liquor and such, which all have been proven to be bullshit in blind tests. We have science now, and the internet, we no longer need myths. Yes, they always self perpetuate, but one should only have to be told they are myths once. My guess is you won't accept this and will try to fight it.

I completely agree with you about the effect of playing an instrument on the enrichment of its sound quality. The most it's played the more alive it sounds. In my opinion, the grains in the wood are meant to conduct vibrations and make sound. If unplayed, the instruments sound quality starts to diminish.

I'm not a pro but I understand

Dustin Shreve I agree 100%!

I've been playing about a year and a half and recently found a violin in a shop. It was old, really old. All beat up and scratched, chords were all caked with rosin, the glue was coming off and the varnish was worn out in all the common places. This thing looked like it was played every day for 50 years and never knew a case. But my god. I picked this thing up and it was light; so light and delicate. I actually got taken aback by it, as compared to my violin It felt like air in my hands. So I held it on my chin, and it was the single most comfortable violin I have ever held, and it gave off an energy in my hands I have never felt. It was an immediate connection. Now I have been a musician all my life, I have owned plenty of instruments of different types and this is the first time anything has made me think of them as anything but that; this wasn't an instrument, it was different, and it was unhappy on that shelf because all it wanted to do was sing. I think that's what sets the great instruments apart from the others, I touched this thing and held its soul.

Ive played strad and del gesu violins. They are great. yes. but not that, they are THE violins. there are some great modern violin makers, which instruments are much better then strad or del gesu. They are that expensive because of their name.

It's the same with 60's strats, they still sound alot better than the most expensive ones you can find today and it's more because of how they feel while playing than how they sound. I had a Korean Squier that sounded amazing and I gave it way because I knew I will never reach the musicianship this instrument deserves to sing.

I own a violin that is almost 200 years old. It is passed on to new family members.

I own from jesus.

I own a 50 year old violin and it does sound noticeably different. They work like a finely aged wine I tell you. Everything just resonates more cleanly. It's like the various parts of the violin got to properly know each other through the decades and now everything resonates as one, as its meant to be, like it has not been made that way, but born that way.

@@gregorycomey You know a crap violin becomes $0 after 200 years. Only good violins increase in value.

@@dustintsai1839 A violin is only good or bad to the player. That lady's expensive Stradivarius does not sound outstanding to me. If uber rich, I would not pay so much money for it.

Porschen Hund pretty sure Paul McCartney could afford it

Most musicians. Not any musician. There are definitely plenty who can afford it.

@@hughjaness1041 Classical musicians

No! Technique matters the most. You can play a Strad horribly as a begginer or even intermediate. But if your technique is good you can even play a wooden plank with strings attached to it divinely. It's like an old saying,don't blame the tools for being a horrible craftsman.

@@enealiviu4797 The quality of the instrument matters a lot for soloists and professionals though. A good quality instrument is also easier to play on.

Who can afford good strings when you've just forked out $15 million?

@Robertson Thirdly Yes but there was a clear difference in quality. The g string even changed pitch when Ray played on it.

The quality of the bow is also extremely important

+peter withers hahaha

+peter withers I know you're probably being sarcastic, but stringed instruments only get better with age.

+BreakMyViolinHeart Some string instruments... Violin has too much high frequencies, with time the sound gets sweeter losing high frequencies. You can throw away a guitar that's 30 years old. It does not sound anymore like when it was new, it becomes without brilliant sound and loose high tones.

I'm not claiming to be a know-it-all or anything, but I'm a violinist. That may be true with some lesser instruments, but usually the handmade instruments made by those who are experienced are ones that do improve with time. That's why violins that are hundreds of years old are so highly valued, and why you can't get one without paying so much or getting one on loan from a museum or something.

+Marco Minervini old guitars are fine you just need to refret them and make sure everything is undamaged or they go rattly get hard to play

The reason for that is not that they can't be duplicated, rather than flaws in the way of testing. A good instrument, even or maybe even more so a Strad, needs years and years to get accustomed to and to play it to its full potential. Even a Heifetz couldn't have just picked up any Strad and made it sound like heaven. Stop saying these instruments are not special, just because there's no original maker to defend them anymore. They ARE induplicable, and people who call themselves serious musicians and think they can judge the quality of a violin on a one-day or one-week "study" in completely unnatural circumstances, should seriously reconsider why them call themselves professionals. Have you ever played such an instrument like a Strad? I have, it didn't sound incredibly good, because I wasn't good enough as well as I didn't know the instrument. But I certainly felt the infinite possibilities with that masterpiece, of which the wood has breathed and loved for over 250 years.

+kritischbiszumschluss That's just poetry... what you say can be also with a fine modern instrument, which also need to be known and can be also shaped by the sound requests of the player to give more and more...

David Marzoli I am not saying that modern instruments cannot sound special and beautiful. It just bothers me that so many people try so hard to "debunk" a myth that is none, saying that Strads and del Gesus are just like any other instrument. They are truly not. Also the reason why these old instruments have a special sound is due to their degree of decomposition of wood. They are very likely to be at their peak right now, not necessarily producing the same sound in a hundrer years. New instruments have freshly dried wood, which just sounds different to a sensitive year. Again, not saying that they can't produce a beuaitful tone, but these old masterworks are truly worth their praising.

I disagree with your assessment. Yes a modern violin maker can produce a violin as good or better but they cannot do that consistently as the old masters have. Out of a hundred they might hit on a few that shine. My 4th year instructor had a Stradivari and I did get to play it. The way the wood vibrated and the sound that could be expressed far surpassed my German copy's ability. I also have played an Amati that I fell in love with. Needless to say neither of those 2 violin's even to this day are for sale.

its no different to vintage acoustic guitars, and even electric guitars. the problem here lies in the person's ear and exposure. i also believe in what i personally call the "ownership principle" - one may think that the difference between a good modern instrument and a good old instrument is 5 to 10 percent, or even less than 5. but that's because many do not own or are deeply exposed to vintage / old instruments. their ears have not grown accustomed to the nuances and the character of very old wood. once you've owned an old instrument, and have played it every day for years, comparing new and old will be easier than before. ive also noticed that people will "hate" or "dislike" but when presented with such an opportunity to have one, they change tune. also, youtube doesnt do justice to the quality of sound, just like any instrument or even the human voice - you have to hear it live.

I agree about violines collecting dust in museums. Also don't agree the capital owner giving this violine to whoever he wants. Best violines should be in hands of best players.

I can't play. I would make it sound awful.

P Heart it won't, as violins deteriorate if not played, which is why they are lent to world-class players.

As a self proclaimed decent violinist.... I would LOVE the opportunity to have some UBER RICH person let me play their priceless violin. Just to ensure the wood is constantly agitated.

@@stevekim2160 You can accomplish the same by putting it in a cabinet while playing violin music.

Prokofiev violin concerto number 2 👌

Engga Dallion. EW prokofiev violin concerto n2

Yes! Specially violins that are built in 17th centuries ~~ they should be played once or twice a week so it would not lose its unique and soulful sound

She only paid just over 3 minion dollars.

16 Billion dollars 💰 😂 DR EVIL is new owner

Pretty sure the preservation process for these million dollar instruments is highly advanced.

@@mle1872 but not as advanced as actually having them played.

They are as biased as the rest of us.

Stam Lim The one which starts in 1:09? I think it is Winter (from The Four Seasons), first movement, by Antonio Vivaldi

That instrument he used sounds scratchy compared to this, and hes an amazing player in his own right. There is definitely a difference. The 'worth' of an instrument in the millions is determined by scarcity for the most part.

prokofiev violin concerto no.2

its not a strad its a del gesù ! different maker than stradavari

@@joekelly9369 thank you, for correcting a 14 year old me :)

+Kira The Musical Nerd I'm studying music education. Good luck with your studies! I've played a Stradivari violin worth $3.5 million and it was so glorious. Don't knock it until you try it! It's so different. :)

BreakMyViolinHeart I'm pretty sure the sound quality of the intrument is heavenly! I bet it's amazing. But I'm not changing my mind. I would rather use that much money on more important matters

You don't have to. :) But a professional musician will have a handmade instrument, not a factory made one, at the very least. Several thousand dollars, but a worthy investment for your career. :)

Exactly....Or that it was made by such and such in the year blah blah.

The power of suggestion is very powerful. You can cause yourself to believe anything.

Winter from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons 1st movement I think

same exact coment in an other video of a viola. wtf? are you a robot or smth?

@@chaostade4087 Just a viola hater, I imagine.

that is only due to placebo.

It's not the player that makes it expensive, it's the craftsman who makes it. Stradivari was a godsend and made it hundreds of years ago, violins are supposed to age over centuries to sound anywhere near as magnificent as this

Plus the fact there are only about 50 del gesu's in existence and so many people want to get their hands on one!

Alex Rivers agree

I agree. It's only worth that much because Stradivarius made it. I wonder how much Stradivarius sold it for after he made it 300 years ago, adjusted for today's currency and inflation of course. Not to mention that, due to modern science, they've been able to figure out what gives it its sound and recreate it.

No they haven't.

Hello Robert , Kindly define what is a 'vintage' guitar? ... A cello , violin or viola from 200-300 years ago I can appreciate , however 'when' and 'which' guitars can be classed as 'vintage? ...

@@donaldcook3112 For my mind any used guitar of at least 35 years old or older. Perhaps even older since I bought guitars new 35 years ago. My Explorer was purchased new in 1984 and it is considered "vintage" although it still feels like a newer guitar because of perspective. I'd have to say 50's Les Pauls and Strats for certain. I don't play Jazz but any Super 400 from the 40's would certainly be considered vintage. They are still relatively young when compared to 200 to 300 year old instruments such as these types. But give them time.

+Nicholas Brands ?????????

+NicholaslovesMC It takes time and experience to truly hear and understand the differences. :)

+NicholaslovesMC I think that says more about you than about the violin. LOL!

+NicholaslovesMC HAHA YOUR A FUCKING LOSER WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOUR EARS! RIGHT GUYS! AM I RIGHT? LIKE WHAT A FUCKIN LOSER! JESUS FUCK!

+Corncob Jenkins You've never heard my violin. Maybe if you did you would realise how wrong you are

"Winter" from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi. What she played was just a part around the middle of the 1st movement.

Thank you so much. I knew it was Vivaldi.

Vivaldi 4 seasons

Summer

Have you listened to Stainer violin videos? One of them I saw showed the highest notes he could play. I was surprised that he went almost to the bridge end of the fingerboard. The notes were crisp, clear, and clean.

Most violinists tend to fall into the Strad or Del Gesu camps; very different characteristics generally speaking, and so players tend to develop a preference for one or the other.

That's what she said....when she saw my tiny wiener and grabbed the keys to her car

So obvious. What you say is so true.... There is nothing superior about it except age...

Depends on who's wearing it.

no it can't be

That would be insane.

No the strings only purpose is to create vibrations, those vibrations travel thoroughout the instrument and through the f-holes which makes the sound. its the construction of the wood that makes the sound beautiful. of Course you can buy nice quality strings that vibrate better but thats not my point

Well yeah, there are differences in the sound according to the strings used, but the true wonder of old violins is the resonance of the wood, which actually improves as time passes. Think of it as the resonance of a room when you clap; while the claps can be different, what really makes a difference is wether you do it in a huge church or a stadium or your bathroom.

lol, much more then that

make one so

Andrew Byrne lol, ikr

diamonds are just carbon.. it's all in the value you place on it

Troll much?