May 06
Fiddle players get a lot a lot of flack for being lazy violinists while violinists get teased for being snobby fiddle players. There’s even a joke: “What the difference between a violin and a fiddle? A fiddle is fun to listen to.” So, what is the difference between a fiddle and a violin? At it’s …
Apr 22
As a luthier at Kennedy Violins, I spend hours a day staring at fingerboards–sanding them, smoothing them down, looking for the scoop (see below). As you can imagine, a stringed instrument would be impossible to play if there were no place to put your fingers. So, naturally, one of the most important parts of a violin is …
Apr 01
In “The Musician’s Résumé – Part 1: Getting Started” on our Kennedy Violins blog, we brainstormed ideas on how to get started with a musical résumé. Now that we know the direction we’re headed, it’s time to put it all together. ____________________ WHAT TO INCLUDE Keep in mind that your résumé should include a combination of …
Mar 04
Founder Joel Kennedy in front of our the new Kennedy Violins store in Vancouver, Washington. For over a decade, Kennedy Violins has been one of the nation’s premiere sources of affordable string instruments through kennedyviolins.com, an online store for instruments, accessories, sheet music, and more. Kennedy Violins is now opening its first retail store serving …
Feb 12
With Valentine’s Day less than 48 hours away, you might be sweating bullets trying to come up with some way–any way–to impress that special someone. Well, I’m going let you in on a little secret. There is nothing that wins someone over like MUSIC. Sure, you could always gift your sweetheart a violin. But it’s …
Feb 04
Instrument, bow, stand, music, pencil–that’s all you need when you sit down (or stand) to practice, right? Wrong. One of the most essential and useful tools for the wise, efficient practicer is this marvelous, magical machine: the metronome. The timekeeper. That thing that clicks. As a string bassist who grew up classically trained, I was …
Jan 18
Happy Friday! This is no time for serious business. Here are a few original poems by yours truly, pulled off the shelf and brushed off just for you. ______________________________ The Vegan Violin I’d like a violin please, that doesn’t involve the murder of trees. No spruce, no maple, no ebony, or use of animal gut …
Dec 28
Below is a continuation of my previous post, Stereotypes & Misconceptions Part I: Classical Music is for Rich People. 6. Classical music is relaxing. Sometimes, when I’m washing dishes, I’ll turn on one of three things: talk radio, classical music, pop, or Broadway music. Interestingly enough, while I do find most pieces on the classical …
Dec 21
Some strange kind of stigma has become associated with classical music, and I want to get to the bottom of it. It isn’t unusual for stereotypes about classical music and its listeners or performers to exist; after all, there are similarly plenty of opinions out there about Twilight-loving teenagers, Bronies, Trekkies, band geeks, and people …
Nov 26
The debate continues. The tension increases. Individuals and societies pit themselves against each other over THE question, yes, that question: when is it too early to start listening to Christmas music? Whether you crank up tinsel-tunes before Thanksgiving, after Thanksgiving, or sometime in July, one truth remains: music brings meaning to the holidays. Unlike any …
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