I missed my Schmaltz! (or: virtuoso violin music on a 4-string)
I missed my schmaltz!
For fun I have started to play some schmaltzy (and flashy) violin concertos, stuff I used to play on trumpet (usually arranged by Rafael Mendez), a long, long, time ago.
I started with Czardas (by Monti), and I can play it, it needs to be worked up a bit, but it feels within reach.
Zigunerweisen is a little out of reach, and "the" Mendelssohn concerto is approachable for many parts. Those requiring only a little "reach" I will start working on.
But the slower melodic parts (I am calling them the schmaltzy bits), were pretty dead on an acoustic mando, tremolo doesn't do those phrases justice. It's like a partially decomposed corpse washed up on a beach, hard to even tell what species it was originally.
So I tried playing them on a 4-string electric, complete with BB-King style vibrato and bends, and its a lot better, wow, I didn't realize this was even possible, and it was so much fun!
At this point I went off the deep end and considered buying an actual violin, it's tuned the same right?
Further research suggests that violin is one of the hardest instruments there is, and mando skills don't give you much of a leg up there, how depressing. But I still entertained myself with exploring electric violins for a bit, as my apartment likes things quiet, not sure a screeching violin would fly. I liked the Viper, for a mere $4k (cheap for a violin). But learning on an electric seems to be panned by everybody who claims to know anything. They say bow technique won't develop properly as electrics are less demanding than acoustics.
And worse still, I originally switched from guitar to mandolin because it was too hard, 6 strings were too many for my tired old brain (and fingers), so violin is likely a non-starter given it's difficulty. And the $$ involved are staggering if you want to become even a semi-serious violinist. And I'm still working on my 10,000 hours on mandolin, hah.
So, back to reality, using BB-King style vibrato on Czardas (on my trusty $399 Eastwood) actually kind-of works ok, and with a compressor to increase sustain, really helps bring those melodic lines to life.
I guess I am making a kind of music that few mandolin players do, but I am enjoying it hugely. It feels like a more rounded instrument, it can do rhythm and make melodic lines sing (this is my dream for an ideal instrument).
So I ordered an out of print collection of Mendez arrangements, but I imagine going back to the original violin parts will be better. Mendez jazzed things up with some extra cadenzas though, so I am intending to include them when possible. He has a great opening one for Czardas for example.
In conclusion, I missed my schmaltz more than I realized, feels good to get some of it back. 4-string electrics aren't as expressive as a violin, but some goodness is possible.
But... That Viper is still out there gnawing at my subconcious ($1k for just a bow? really? still trying to talk myself out of this).
Davey Stuart tenor guitar (based on his 18" mandola design).
Eastman MD-604SB with Grover 309 tuners.
Eastwood 4 string electric mandostang, 2x Airline e-mandola (4-string) one strung as an e-OM.
DSP's: Helix HX Stomp, various Zooms.
Amps: THR-10, Sony XB-20.
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