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When I recently received a loan of a 1714 Antonio Stradivari violin from Carriage House Violins in Boston, I discovered something unexpected: getting used to a new instrument isn’t just about adaptation — it’s an opportunity for a complete technical reset.
This particular violin, from Stradivari’s golden period, carries remarkable history. It belonged to Franz Kneisel, founder of America’s first professional string quartet, and premiered Dvořák’s ‘American’ Quartet, along with works by Debussy, Ravel, and Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht.
But beyond its illustrious past, this instrument became my teacher, forcing me to recalibrate every aspect of my technique. Whether you’re adjusting to a new violin or seeking to refine your current playing, the exercises and ideas in this video can transform your approach as well.
The three dimensions of intonation
In my view, every note exists in three dimensions: how it sounds, how it feels, and how it looks. When adapting to a new instrument, let’s recalibrate these elements:
Sound goes beyond simple pitch accuracy. Each violin has unique resonance patterns — certain notes excite sympathetic vibrations, air modes and body modes differently. I practise slow scales, listening not just for pitch but for how each note activates these acoustical phenomena. When the violin suddenly ’lights up’ at certain frequencies, you’ve found its sweet spots. This Stradivari, with its slightly different string length compared to my personal violin, required me to rediscover where each note truly resonates.
Feel involves developing a physical map of your fingerboard. In fourth position, does your hand touch the instrument’s rib? Where does your palm contact the bout in high positions? These tactile landmarks become your GPS system. On the Strad, my usual reference points shifted slightly — what was a perfect fourth-position F on my violin was now slightly sharp. These millimetre differences matter.
Visual checkpoints might seem unconventional, but they work. Looking with my right eye, I can see where my finger intersects with certain visual markers to find specific pitches. It’s one more tool in the accuracy arsenal.
Shifting without a safety net
Most violinists rely heavily on ‘preparation notes’ — that quick moment where we touch the destination note before vibrating it. But practising ’air shifts’ removes this crutch entirely. You lift your finger, shift in the air, and land directly on the target pitch. It’s terrifying and transformative.
My favourite shifting exercise is single-finger arpeggios, moving through all positions, strings and fingers. The pattern I use to do this is quite simple, and doesn’t take long. The exercise also doubles as expressive training – treating each shift as a musical portamento rather than a mechanical motion.
Sound production reset
We know that sound production operates mainly on three interdependent variables: contact point (where the bow meets string), bow speed, and pressure. Many players get stuck treating these as separate parameters to adjust independently. Instead, I use an exercise called ’waves’ to integrate various parameters into a ‘feeling’ that one can manipulate.
Using consistent bow speed, you create rhythmic indentations with your index finger, naturally adjusting weight and contact point in a pattern. The bow moves closer to the bridge with increased pressure, then retreats — like waves! This organic approach reveals the instrument’s pressure limits and optimal sound points without intellectualising the process.
This Stradivari surprised me — it accepts tremendous pressure without cracking, yet also produces that legendary golden, ethereal sound with the lightest touch. Each instrument has its own personality in this regard.
Chord playing as diagnostic tool
In the video below, I use Bach’s Sarabande from the Cello Suites (sorry, cellists) as a perfect vehicle for recalibrating chord playing and coordination. Every instrument has a unique threshold for how aggressively you can ’carve through’ multiple strings. Some require a gentle roll; others, like this Strad, allow you to drive through with remarkable depth as long as you maintain momentum.
I also discuss the importance of careful finger placement – especially for 5ths! Even high-level players naturally default to more pressure to ’push’ the 5th into tune. This is counter-productive and not reliable!
The broader reset
What struck me most about this experience wasn’t just learning a new instrument — it was how the process revitalised my fundamental technique. When everything feels slightly different, you can’t rely on muscle memory alone. You must return to conscious, deliberate practice.
This recalibration opportunity doesn’t require a Stradivari. Any change — a new bow, different strings, even returning to playing after a break — can serve as a catalyst for technical renovation. The key is recognising these moments not as obstacles but as invitations to rediscover and refine your craft.
For violinists at any level, the message is clear: embrace change, and keep things fresh.
Listen to the 1714 ‘Kneisel’ Stradivari violin live in concert in the video below: