Going over Viohazard's trial lesson with new teacher yesterday (Viohazard told him he'd be taking lessons with him, so I guess that is what is going to happen, though it was news to me )...

...the guy told him he should *never* play on an open string. Is that unnecessarily old-fashioned and restrictive, and should I take that as a warning sign and keep looking for a different teacher, or is that just one valid approach and all OK??!

Ditto, "never use the e string" because it doesn't match the others in tonal quality - not so sure if this was really "never", or whether it meant "not in this piece by Borodin, where you want a slightly restrained and darker melancholic tone"...

Help!!! I'm more or less hamstrung, since Viohazard has given his OK already to the new teacher, but also full of doubts about whether I should go ahead and finalize the switch today, and whether I've done the right thing encouraging him to switch teachers, and particularly to this teacher, who is not a full-time teacher but rather works in music production, but who on the other hand has more experience with western music education and wider musical interests (he transferred from a well-known Japanese univedrsity to Berklee half way through his degree).

Of course you play on open strings sometimes - it's a matter of the style of the piece. As for not playing on the E string - that can't possibly be a matter of "seldom" let alone "never" . I think the teacher is over-exaggerating to make a point.

Liz

I don't know if I dare to reply not being a violinist. I have been talking to one about a composition. I already recognised that even if the violin tone should sound roughly homogenous, each string has a characteristic tone so the e string is no different. Surely professionals use the e string when they have to? Aren't you meant to "stage manage" the difference in tone?

I think I understand about open strings. They sometimes sound out of place in a slow piece but in a rapid figure like (eg) a fast D major scale it seems better to start on d (open) not g with little finger? Could the teacher be trying to develop the little finger and stretches?

kai.

I'm inclined to agree with Liz - definitely there are times when he'll *have* to use the e string (unless he wants to do a Max Vengerov and play in the rosin!) and similarly there are times when one uses open strings. (there are times, too, when an open string *doesn't* sound right) - can only assume the teacher was either talking about a specific situation, or exagerating for effect. After all, if we were never to use an E string, why have one??

I agree with all these replies here. Sometimes it is appropriate to use an open string (fast passage, baroque style piece etc.) while on other occasions it is more appropriate to keep the same tonal quality and therefore staying on the same string for a particular phrase.

Plain steel E strings sound wirey compared to their gut counterparts, but there are lots of different E strings on the market these days and some blend better than others. To cut down on that really harsh edginess I use a soft Hill E string. Lessens the whistling noises too!!

NEVER use the e string??????

Might as well get a viola then!

Exactly!

Yeah! This reminds me of those loonies who think they people can live on light and not eat. If we were meant to do that, why have a digestive system??

So, if you're not supposed to use the e string, why aren't 3 stringed violins the things with pros? Or do they just have the redundant 4th to make the rest of us feel better??????

Come on guys, I bet you all got taught NEVER to start a sentence with "and" when you were 4 or 5. Point was that it's not a good habit to get into unnecessarily. Same with open strings, particularly open E. But maybe you should ask the teacher *exactly* what they mean to be sure. No E string at all is stupid. How are you going to play high passages without it? There are so many pieces I could name which simply cannot be played without the E string. Tonal quality...well yes, if your strings aren't matched.

I defer to AmandaL.

I thought I would add a post just to say "good luck". Reading your post I get an impression of how hard it must be trying to find the best violin teacher for Viohazard when you yourself have less knowledge of violin playing than any potential teacher you are likely to speak to. It must feel a bit like prodding about in the dark at times. However you have managed to steer Viohazard safely and happily this far, well beyond the "early years psychotic teacher" episode. I am sure with your usual careful consideration and research (including on here) you will reach the best decision in the end!