Hey everyone! Thanks for watching my new video! I forgot to mention a couple things that I put in the description, but let me know if you have any other questions!
This is great, thank you for making this! If you wouldn't mind sharing who that luthier is that can work on frets, that would be awesome! Especially if you have a good experience. 🙂 My Cantini frets are far too tall, hoping I can get them shaved down.
If you are pluged Into a Mixer with your Violin Then you can Just buy a Wireless small earplug to Connect to the Main Mixer on an Output This way you can hear the Violin You can adjust the Sound so that you can hear the Violin and the whats going on around you
Your explanation is what I try to tell people about playing the fretless bass. It’s difficult for me because I’m use to putting my fingers where the fretless bass is. The frets actually get in the way. I prefer the fretless bass over a fretted bass. Considering that I started out on the double bass, switching to electric fretless was easy.
Sad that it's kinda useless in modern rock bands, for example, because guitars and keys are all tuned using equal temperament. So your just intonation does not really make you more in tune with them.
fretless bass is far from useless. they are used a lot, especially in extreme metal. Check out bands like Obscura, Cynic or Beyond Creation and players like Dominic Lapointe@@TehDuckOfDoom
@@boundinstinct7205 yes but op said that he prefers fretless because "frets get in the way". Which makes no sense if you're playing with piano, for example.
When frets were first developed for guitars, lutes, mandolin, and viols, two of the primary purposes for frets were 1) simply to enable stopped pitches to ring as clearly as an open string and 2) facilitating performance of chords. While Viper frets are more subtle and are intended to be stopped atop the fret rather than behind it, they can have a similar effect of increasing clarity and facilitating multiple stops and tapping. GREAT video, Mia!!
I've experienced not being able to hear myself on stage. It was a nightmare-and I'm a keyboardist! I've also played bass, so your explanation makes perfect sense. Thanks.
As a keyboard player in a "hobby level" death metal band I've become used to playing without hearing myself or much else besides the cymbals (I'm usually located next to the drums at the rear of the stage) clearly as we rarely perform in real professional venues with good sound equipment and monitoring. For some reason even if you can hear yourself clearly in the sound check you often won't during the actual performance. It's annoying but as said, you get used to it. But playing a violin without hearing yourself, that's a different thing entirely.
@@Kylora2112no, not the same As a bassist you will ALWAYS hear the guitar unless your deaf or if the drummer has a serious problem with not being able to play without smashing his entire drumset
They also have never played a fretless instrument and dont understand why youd use one. I play bass guitar and use a fretless jazz bass, and while it is harder in some aspects, you cant get the same tone on a fretted instrument, and vice versa. Theres a reason microtonal guitars exist, its to capture the exact pitch youre looking for that you couldnt on a normal guitar, and theres its own art and difficulty to it. Anyway, fretted instruments and definitely easier on some level, but like, who cares
Hi Mia, I always wondered how you are able to walk around with your violin without holding it in your hands. Now the riddle has beed solved. Btw, I was at the concert in Düsseldorf. Best concert I've ever been to. Although I have to admit I haven't been to that many concerts. LOL
I remember being obsessed with the original Mark Wood album. It’s interesting to see the evolution of his original electric violin evolve, especially from using dimarzio guitar pickups. I do believe he had his own reasons for frets and it also offered a gateway to guitar players. Fun fact I got to meet his brother Steve as he instructed a lot of my friends on violin.
Voodoo Violince is my soundtrack to the summer of '94. maybe '93 too. I listened to it every day when I biked from the high school in Mequon to Summerfest and got in free with the pin, usually making it by only minutes to get in free.
I love my Viper, Mark and I worked together on and off from 2005 to 2010. I only have 2 videos on my channel and they're ancient. You're amazing, thanks for representing the Viper family!
I totally empathize. I'm Deaf and I play electric guitar as a hobby. Since I don't hear at all, I rely heavily on seeing the frets so that I know where to place my fingers to form chords or play notes. I have a hard time with soloing type things. Recently I've been working on "Fly By Night" by Rush. Such a fun song!! Keep doing what you love doing and thank you for videos like this one!!
If you don't mind me asking, what was your motivation for choosing to play guitar and what do you find enjoyable about it? I would have guessed a deaf person would naturally gravitate towards a bass or drums, but I also have no frame of reference for what it's like to be deaf so I'm just curious.
Hi@@bassboi5052and thank you for your response. I was born hard-of-hearing and with the deafness going to happen. We believe it is an effect of having been exposed to "cytomegalovirus" (CMV) while still in the womb. All kinds of things are thought to result from CMV infection, so you could say I got lucky. So, I was born with my right ear totally deaf, and my left ear hard-of-hearing, it progressed until I was fully deaf in my early 20s. Today I experience music any way I can, chiefly through watching videos and occasionally cranking my tv if I don't bother the neighbors with it! :)
Wow. I love your violin. If I was still a young gal, I would totally rock this! You have amazing talent. You give me inspiration to keep playing my acoustic violins even though I’m 69. I’m still learning & growing in my playing. I’ve learned as an adult & have been playing for about 17 years.
😊cool vlog. I really appreciate the look and sound presentation that the electric violin 🎻 produces. And you’re definitely very versatile and talented. Keep rocking 🎉🎉👌✌️🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
i have played guitar for many many years and never seen a 7-string violin that is a wild instrument man .....much like your wild awesome playing !!!! never even knew a violin could sound so wild and wicked .....
Cool to hear about the frets - I ended up going with a fretless Jordan when I bought a 7 string. How do you feel about the Bb string? Dunno if its just mine but I've found it varies a crap ton in pitch depending on how hard you bow it vs the other strings, took a while to kindve get used to
Getting that note out of a string that short really pushes the extremes of string engineering. I have the same issue with my six string NSDesign cello's low F string.
I'd love to see the fretless Viper too! 😁 Sounds like an ideal combo indeed. I tried someone's fretted Viper two years ago and was slightly disappointed it was no easy intonation fix, haha!
Hello, I am new to your music. I LOVE the electric violin, 7 strings WOW, I just bought my family a violin and we ALL are going to be learning how to play, I played when I was in school some 40 years ago. but with HARD work we will be playing, I will be buying more violins as I can find them, I LOVE your VOILIN
Very cool. I learned a lot. The frets get in your way? You make it look so effortless anyway. Of course, I know it took 18 years of hard effort to make it look effortless. Mad respect!!
I listen to two steps from hell everyday at work, on the bus yeah actually all the time. I saw the video of impossible at wacken and again two steps stunned me with their music and most important every artist had their own way of expressing their love for this kind if music while they are playing i love that. I always liked violin. Its inspiring to know young people as yourself have such talent actually one of the best :). And you are absolutely right , violin on easy mode doesnt exist
Interesting! I did not notice that it has frets. I guess I was so focused on trying to figure out how many strings it had I overlooked that ... My younger brother tried to learn Viola when we were MUCH younger, but he gave up on it. Friend of mine since High School is a Bass player and a few years ago got a fretless one. Said it took a LOT of getting used to! He was also an extra in a movie (I forget which one) and they had him play an upright Bass (and made him cut his long hair and shave his beard). The band is in the background of a scene, and they had to appear to be playing along with the soundtrack (a production detail easily overlooked). I saw the clip and if I didn't KNOW the Bass player was my friend I wouldn't have recognized him! I watched it several times and it still looked like they all were actually playing!
I love that you did this. Been a fan for years but don't remember many times where you sat and chatted to us. Can you play the fretless version some time in a clip? I'd love to see a dueling violin video between the two to see if I can pick out the intonation differences
having the right pitch is mostly about having the right wavelength, so if the frets are "getting in the way" it most likely because of wrong measurements, maybe the length between the nut to the bridge, or positions of the frets? i do play traditional violins too, and prefer fretless ones, but frets are supposed to make things easier and add some limitations as well
I get it. I play Trombone with a slide (fretless) and Euphonium with valves (frets). The playing techniques are very different for playing in tune. And even with a slide, you have to compensate to stay in tune.
That is the MADDEST VIOLIN I'VE EVER SEEN AND HEARD YOU ARE A VERY GIFTED VIOLINIST AS I WATCHED YOU PLAYING ALONG WITH THE GUY ON THE GUITAR AT THAT BOARDWALK OVER THE OCEAN ARE THESE MODEL VIOLINS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET OR WAS THIS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU
One thing that frets make possible, that would be especially helpful with the extended range, is the possibility to bar across multiple strings (as a guitarist would when playing power chords). It's pretty much impossible to bar on a fretless instrument and have all the strings in tune, So, it opens up chord/harmony possibilities with the violin beyond double stops.
You could likely find a violen that has fret marks more like inlays. There's a number of Electric Bass guitars that are frettless. But they basically have wooden inlays that look like frets. These get sanded with the board creating a seemless board. This would solve your intonation problems & give you a visual guide. Lots of guitarist also get special inlays that set between the fretboard & neck to help them see where there fret hand should be. #DontFretIt
You so gorgeous and so well informed, I could listen to you talk all day. Congratulations on the success of your tour. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving 😊
I am not a violinist but would love the tonal flexibility of a violin for recording. the idea of fretted violins and cellos sounds like it would be easy to pick up as a folk instrument. I wish fretted bowed string instruments were more regularly available.
Hi Mia, I have a question. I don't play violin: I'm mostly a guitarist, but I have repaired violins, cellos, basses, etc. I recognise that you get used to positioning the hand by where the heel would be on the acoustic instrument, whereas guitarists like unimpeded access right down the neck - so - my question is: why don't you have the heel on the electric one further down the neck and, perhaps, just have a bump/knobble/stud/indentation to indicate where the heel would normally be? Wouldn't that be more efficient? 'Tis just a thought. LOVE your playing and thanks for that video about the frets. You seem like a refreshingly nice lady. LOTSALUKANLUV.
I think the frets might help the violin to fit in with guitars onstage or when playing adapted guitar parts, too. Traditional straight guitar frets are a compromise and every note on the fretboard actually plays slightly out of tune, so a violin with perfect pitch sounds wrong when played alongside them, while putting frets on the violin should make its notes match the guitars' tuning and sound much more cohesive when played together.
Dude this is awesome. There's the violin/guitar candy of just playing sweet stuff, but this video is like the grungy stuff that's fun to hear about. I played flute in college music school. I always get to hear about Jethro Tull. Yeah. Or Ron Burgundy.
I have a Gold Tone fretless u-bass, but it has inlays where the frets should be. I think that's more common in fretless instruments these days as a visual aid. 👍
That’s interesting what you said about how how the frets can make it hard to hit the notes right because of how much a difference a little distance makes I’m an adult learner of the viola - I removed my finger tape because I realized I was using my eyes and not my ears and my eyes were not good enough to pinpoint exactly where my fingers needed to be
I’m a guitarist who invented my own version of a fretted fiddle (more like a lyra or erhu). I haven’t learned to play bowed instruments without frets, so I would say that the frets help me to stay in tune. However, it’s far from easy and I still had to develop the technique and learn how to play it.
Earl Scruggs, who developed the modern banjo finger-picking style, learned to play on a poor violin which didn't have the frets in exactly the right places. He compensated by bending the neck and stretching the strings while playing. Amazing how people can learn to compensate. You likely get a clearer note on a violin with frets. If your finger gets "meat" past the fret on a guitar, it greatly dampens the note.
You are quite amazing. I recently saw you for the first time on one of Dovydas's videos....would love to see you duet with the young violinist from Ukraine some day - Karolina Protsenko - Have you heard of her ?
its so obvious now, idk how i didn't know it was fretted, i guess i was too distracted by the musicing. also what you said makes perfect sense, but as a listener, unless you're showing your skills to a music school of job opportunity, i dont care if you're playing "on easy mode" (edit: also, just remembered, we have seen you play on fretless violins, like acoustic), i come here to rock out to fun music and idc really how we get there. i do happen to be a beginning violinist myself though, so i appreciate the conversation about how the frets and concert playing impacts the violin playing and hearing your instrument in real time.
if you want perfect intonation with frets, take a look at True Temperment frets. Personally, I do think a violin with frets is kinda easy mode, but the way you use the instrument is so far from what classical violinists are doing that it doesn't really matter. Also, frets help you play your natural harmonics without having to mentally section out the fingerboard on the spot. Who knows tho, I'm just a guitarist.
I played cello and violin (not super well) and I would love frets. At least I would know after set up it would have proper intonation (maybe?). I play guitar, so frets are welcome for me.
Mia Asano Music I've used the Suzuki Violin Method w/ Mandolin & it even works great on the 7 String Fretted Viper because the frets help w/ finger placement. Having the frets is kinda like going back to your basics in Violin & playing w/ tape.
How do you get round, the tuning, in the suzuki books you are playing in pythagorean tuning, you would be plaing in equal temperament, and would therefore be slightly out of tune, not running you down, genuine question how do you get round the tuning problem
I do not know the violin and so what I am about to say is based only on observation. It seems like a violinist slides on the fingerboard a lot. With frets, you do not get smooth transitions between notes - you jump from one note to the next (and hope you don't get any buzz). In other words, without frets, you get microtonal capabilities that you cannot get with frets. It's interesting that there are fretless guitars specifically to overcome this limitation.
From my observation most violinists play as if they have frets anyway, rarely if ever sliding or using quarter notes. Oud players would have the same reason to tie on some frets if they didn't slide so beautifully so often
I think violins should have tied frets instead of metal Inlayed frets, equal temperament isn't ideal for a melodic instrument in my opinion. Guitars can get away with it because they're chord machines most of the time, much like my balalaika and ukulele. But still I think movable frets would greatly benefit guitar players, and I wish my balalaika and ukulele had movable frets.
Would be cool if the folks at true temperament could make you frets that let you play more in tune even with frets. Should be possible! :) Edit: Read the info box under the video just now and realised that it may not mater :P
I think the real question for me would be, why don't violins have frets in general? How can you tell where to place your fingers when you don't have exact positions like on a guitar or piano? As someone who has absolutely no sense of music, this has always confused me.
Mia, its amazing, you are too and i luv how you play the violin and its design. Im very interested in luthier skills, stringed instruments and i learnt to play at 11 years old but gave up at 14 until 39 years old as id only hired a violin from the school. You seem like me in that you play guitar and cello. I have secondhand accoustic guitar and old 1930s german chech border where they were traditionally luthiers and violin industry and associated skills. The ebony ring erboard is deeply dipped as its so worn over nearly 100 years of playing which i luv. I had to buy a bow but the luthier mr Claude Lebed in La Chaux De Fonds in n w switzerland where i lived 7 years was so kind and sold me a bow for 100 swiss ft ncs that had no nacre dot and restruung it wiuth a new bridge and rosin for another 100 francs so I paid 200 francs out of the local newspaper for a old damaged violin but it plays well and isnt bad and certainly the set up helped so much. Keep doing what you are doing so well. By the way who makes those lovely bespoke violins you play as i would like a secondhand one i can play as i love the versatility and possibilities on electric violin but i dont play any guitar violin or viola like you but it good fun trying to create beautiful sounds. Cheers❤
I learned by spacing my fingers wide or narrow doing major and minor scales as a kid. It was really good and i even still remembered after 26 years without a violin. Sadly i was taken the piss out of at school in the 1970s and the beatles, Stones and disco and pink floyd t rex was what was fashion. So i gave up. We had classical music lessons and now i appreciate it far more. ,
I forget many dont read violin music either but basic violin music is far easier than piano or guitar. Cant be bad but as a kid i read it singing in church. ❤❤
Look at some videos of semi-fretless banjo. They put a brass or other smooth surface near the nut but frets for higher notes. Very interesting sound and could be done with electriic or acoustic violin, viola. What do you think?
Thank you for this video! When I started watching your videos, I wondered if they were frets or lines. Having played fretless bass on and off, I figured they were lines, but kept flip-flopping - I think they're lines. Nah, they're frets. Did I go back to thinking lines? Well now I know! Do they make electric violins with lines?
Hello Mia, I'm a spanish violinist, My naves Paco. I live in La Antilla-Lepe (Huelva) I've buy a Wood Viper violin and I would like what amplifier can I buy. If you can help me, I'm very gratefull to you. Thank you very much
Cool. I’m a guitar player who is trying to learn violin. I’m sure I would find frets to be very helpful. It seems like it would be easier to wrap my head around. Don’t know about the seventh string though
This particular model also comes in a 4, 5, and 6 string version. I've also been considering one of these. I'm a pretty solid guitar player, so having frets on a violin seems super helpful.
Question ..why not then take the frets out , but still have white lines .. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds? Fretless , but you can see . And put your finger exactly on the line .. A friend of mine did that with a bass .. he's happy with it ..
Why ... the intonation should be correct putting your finger exactly on the line... Visually.. Also... it's hard to play any instrument if you cant actually hear it.. Thats a different problem really
Hey everyone! Thanks for watching my new video! I forgot to mention a couple things that I put in the description, but let me know if you have any other questions!
Mia Asano You're The Best
This is great, thank you for making this! If you wouldn't mind sharing who that luthier is that can work on frets, that would be awesome! Especially if you have a good experience. 🙂 My Cantini frets are far too tall, hoping I can get them shaved down.
I’m thinking of getting a viper. For a first, would you consider a fretted or fretless as a first?
If you are pluged Into a Mixer with your Violin
Then you can Just buy a Wireless small earplug to Connect to the Main Mixer on an Output
This way you can hear the Violin
You can adjust the Sound so that you can hear the Violin and the whats going on around you
Kawaii Mia❤
Your explanation is what I try to tell people about playing the fretless bass. It’s difficult for me because I’m use to putting my fingers where the fretless bass is. The frets actually get in the way. I prefer the fretless bass over a fretted bass. Considering that I started out on the double bass, switching to electric fretless was easy.
Sad that it's kinda useless in modern rock bands, for example, because guitars and keys are all tuned using equal temperament. So your just intonation does not really make you more in tune with them.
fretless bass is far from useless. they are used a lot, especially in extreme metal. Check out bands like Obscura, Cynic or Beyond Creation and players like Dominic Lapointe@@TehDuckOfDoom
@@TehDuckOfDoom I don’t play rock or pop
@@TehDuckOfDoom just intonation is relative anyways. And there's many big rock bands that use fretless basses
@@boundinstinct7205 yes but op said that he prefers fretless because "frets get in the way". Which makes no sense if you're playing with piano, for example.
When frets were first developed for guitars, lutes, mandolin, and viols, two of the primary purposes for frets were 1) simply to enable stopped pitches to ring as clearly as an open string and 2) facilitating performance of chords. While Viper frets are more subtle and are intended to be stopped atop the fret rather than behind it, they can have a similar effect of increasing clarity and facilitating multiple stops and tapping.
GREAT video, Mia!!
I've experienced not being able to hear myself on stage. It was a nightmare-and I'm a keyboardist! I've also played bass, so your explanation makes perfect sense. Thanks.
Same with electric guitar. It's terrifying when your monitor cuts out in the middle of a solo, especially an improvised one.
As a keyboard player in a "hobby level" death metal band I've become used to playing without hearing myself or much else besides the cymbals (I'm usually located next to the drums at the rear of the stage) clearly as we rarely perform in real professional venues with good sound equipment and monitoring. For some reason even if you can hear yourself clearly in the sound check you often won't during the actual performance. It's annoying but as said, you get used to it. But playing a violin without hearing yourself, that's a different thing entirely.
Been there. I play keys for a large church and occasionally I can't hear. I've learned to play by sight! Lol
@@Kylora2112no, not the same
As a bassist you will ALWAYS hear the guitar unless your deaf or if the drummer has a serious problem with not being able to play without smashing his entire drumset
Worst is when singing. You are just completely and utterly lost
Anyone who says you use it for an easy nose obviously hasn't watched you play
Wtf is an easy nose.
As opposed to a difficult nose?
@@iggymcgeek730 f'n phone lmao
Nah but what did you try to say
@@ThomasCornejo note
They also have never played a fretless instrument and dont understand why youd use one. I play bass guitar and use a fretless jazz bass, and while it is harder in some aspects, you cant get the same tone on a fretted instrument, and vice versa. Theres a reason microtonal guitars exist, its to capture the exact pitch youre looking for that you couldnt on a normal guitar, and theres its own art and difficulty to it.
Anyway, fretted instruments and definitely easier on some level, but like, who cares
"it ain't in tune but close enough" is so rock and roll statement I cry laughing ❤
Hi Mia, I always wondered how you are able to walk around with your violin without holding it in your hands. Now the riddle has beed solved. Btw, I was at the concert in Düsseldorf. Best concert I've ever been to. Although I have to admit I haven't been to that many concerts. LOL
Video well done, Mia! Thorough explanation of that axe and the frets! 💜👍🏽63
I remember being obsessed with the original Mark Wood album. It’s interesting to see the evolution of his original electric violin evolve, especially from using dimarzio guitar pickups. I do believe he had his own reasons for frets and it also offered a gateway to guitar players. Fun fact I got to meet his brother Steve as he instructed a lot of my friends on violin.
Mark Wood is awesome! I think that I first heard him around twenty years ago. 🤘
Voodoo Violince is my soundtrack to the summer of '94. maybe '93 too. I listened to it every day when I biked from the high school in Mequon to Summerfest and got in free with the pin, usually making it by only minutes to get in free.
@khzhak , I love these types of stories. So many of us have such great memories, due to good music! 🤘
I love my Viper, Mark and I worked together on and off from 2005 to 2010. I only have 2 videos on my channel and they're ancient. You're amazing, thanks for representing the Viper family!
I totally empathize. I'm Deaf and I play electric guitar as a hobby. Since I don't hear at all, I rely heavily on seeing the frets so that I know where to place my fingers to form chords or play notes. I have a hard time with soloing type things. Recently I've been working on "Fly By Night" by Rush. Such a fun song!! Keep doing what you love doing and thank you for videos like this one!!
If you don't mind me asking, what was your motivation for choosing to play guitar and what do you find enjoyable about it?
I would have guessed a deaf person would naturally gravitate towards a bass or drums, but I also have no frame of reference for what it's like to be deaf so I'm just curious.
You’re from California aren’t you?I hope all you dumb fucks learn to swim.. I’m prayin for tidal waves
how do you, as a deaf person, experience music? have you always been deaf? or is it like a beethoven situation where you lost your hearing
Hi@@bassboi5052and thank you for your response. I was born hard-of-hearing and with the deafness going to happen. We believe it is an effect of having been exposed to "cytomegalovirus" (CMV) while still in the womb. All kinds of things are thought to result from CMV infection, so you could say I got lucky. So, I was born with my right ear totally deaf, and my left ear hard-of-hearing, it progressed until I was fully deaf in my early 20s. Today I experience music any way I can, chiefly through watching videos and occasionally cranking my tv if I don't bother the neighbors with it! :)
Wow. I love your violin. If I was still a young gal, I would totally rock this! You have amazing talent. You give me inspiration to keep playing my acoustic violins even though I’m 69. I’m still learning & growing in my playing. I’ve learned as an adult & have been playing for about 17 years.
I have witnessed you in concert … a truly gifted musician !!
😊cool vlog. I really appreciate the look and sound presentation that the electric violin 🎻 produces. And you’re definitely very versatile and talented. Keep rocking 🎉🎉👌✌️🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
As a (beginner) guitar-player, this is super interesting! Keep up the great work!! ❤
Guitarist here, call it cheating all you want I need my frets
Frets aren't cheating. It really matters what sound you want. Frets give a different sound.
@@Nerotique frets give an exact note every time. Never flat or sharp unless I want it that way
You need frets to make chords. There is fretless guitars but you can't play extended chords with them
@@epsilon6516on fretless you use your ears and muscle memory to play the right note
@@teknoaddict9335 look “I” need my frets, I’m well aware that fretless guitars exist, they just aren’t for me
i have played guitar for many many years and never seen a 7-string violin that is a wild instrument man .....much like your wild awesome playing !!!! never even knew a violin could sound so wild and wicked .....
I'll have to show this to my daughters. Identical twins. 1 plays the violin, and the other plays the viola.. love your stuff!
The frets on a Fretted Viper are usually shaved down nearly flush w/ the fretboard so you touch the strings directly on top of those lines.
Cool to hear about the frets - I ended up going with a fretless Jordan when I bought a 7 string. How do you feel about the Bb string? Dunno if its just mine but I've found it varies a crap ton in pitch depending on how hard you bow it vs the other strings, took a while to kindve get used to
Getting that note out of a string that short really pushes the extremes of string engineering. I have the same issue with my six string NSDesign cello's low F string.
I'd love to see the fretless Viper too! 😁 Sounds like an ideal combo indeed. I tried someone's fretted Viper two years ago and was slightly disappointed it was no easy intonation fix, haha!
The bridge needs to be slanted to fix that
Hello, I am new to your music. I LOVE the electric violin, 7 strings WOW, I just bought my family a violin and we ALL are going to be learning how to play, I played when I was in school some 40 years ago. but with HARD work we will be playing, I will be buying more violins as I can find them, I LOVE your VOILIN
Very cool. I learned a lot.
The frets get in your way? You make it look so effortless anyway. Of course, I know it took 18 years of hard effort to make it look effortless. Mad respect!!
Really good job how you explain the fretted violin . As a person who doesn't play violin, I got more understanding of it, thank you mia ❤ya
that's the sickest looking violin ive ever seen it looks metal as hell
I listen to two steps from hell everyday at work, on the bus yeah actually all the time.
I saw the video of impossible at wacken and again two steps stunned me with their music and most important every artist had their own way of expressing their love for this kind if music while they are playing i love that.
I always liked violin.
Its inspiring to know young people as yourself have such talent actually one of the best :). And you are absolutely right , violin on easy mode doesnt exist
Interesting! I did not notice that it has frets. I guess I was so focused on trying to figure out how many strings it had I overlooked that ...
My younger brother tried to learn Viola when we were MUCH younger, but he gave up on it. Friend of mine since High School is a Bass player and a few years ago got a fretless one. Said it took a LOT of getting used to! He was also an extra in a movie (I forget which one) and they had him play an upright Bass (and made him cut his long hair and shave his beard). The band is in the background of a scene, and they had to appear to be playing along with the soundtrack (a production detail easily overlooked). I saw the clip and if I didn't KNOW the Bass player was my friend I wouldn't have recognized him! I watched it several times and it still looked like they all were actually playing!
This makes perfect sense to me..
I love that you did this. Been a fan for years but don't remember many times where you sat and chatted to us.
Can you play the fretless version some time in a clip?
I'd love to see a dueling violin video between the two to see if I can pick out the intonation differences
having the right pitch is mostly about having the right wavelength, so if the frets are "getting in the way" it most likely because of wrong measurements, maybe the length between the nut to the bridge, or positions of the frets? i do play traditional violins too, and prefer fretless ones, but frets are supposed to make things easier and add some limitations as well
I get it. I play Trombone with a slide (fretless) and Euphonium with valves (frets). The playing techniques are very different for playing in tune. And even with a slide, you have to compensate to stay in tune.
That low Bb string is such a flex. Playing all parts of a string quartet on one instrument
That is the MADDEST VIOLIN I'VE EVER SEEN AND HEARD
YOU ARE A VERY GIFTED VIOLINIST AS I WATCHED YOU PLAYING ALONG WITH THE GUY ON THE GUITAR AT THAT BOARDWALK OVER THE OCEAN
ARE THESE MODEL VIOLINS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET OR WAS THIS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU
One thing that frets make possible, that would be especially helpful with the extended range, is the possibility to bar across multiple strings (as a guitarist would when playing power chords). It's pretty much impossible to bar on a fretless instrument and have all the strings in tune, So, it opens up chord/harmony possibilities with the violin beyond double stops.
That Low Bb1 string is the Bassoon's lowest Bb, some Bassoons have an extra key so you can play one more note lower than that down to A1
You could likely find a violen that has fret marks more like inlays. There's a number of Electric Bass guitars that are frettless. But they basically have wooden inlays that look like frets. These get sanded with the board creating a seemless board. This would solve your intonation problems & give you a visual guide. Lots of guitarist also get special inlays that set between the fretboard & neck to help them see where there fret hand should be. #DontFretIt
You so gorgeous and so well informed, I could listen to you talk all day. Congratulations on the success of your tour. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving 😊
Never apologize for innovation.
You were badass with TSFH in Wacken. 🤘
I am not a violinist but would love the tonal flexibility of a violin for recording. the idea of fretted violins and cellos sounds like it would be easy to pick up as a folk instrument. I wish fretted bowed string instruments were more regularly available.
Hi Mia, I have a question. I don't play violin: I'm mostly a guitarist, but I have repaired violins, cellos, basses, etc. I recognise that you get used to positioning the hand by where the heel would be on the acoustic instrument, whereas guitarists like unimpeded access right down the neck - so - my question is: why don't you have the heel on the electric one further down the neck and, perhaps, just have a bump/knobble/stud/indentation to indicate where the heel would normally be? Wouldn't that be more efficient? 'Tis just a thought.
LOVE your playing and thanks for that video about the frets. You seem like a refreshingly nice lady. LOTSALUKANLUV.
I've never wondered these things. I've wondered if/ how much the action differs from fretless.
You are so talented and explained that so effortlessly ❤ you are absolutely adorable
I think the frets might help the violin to fit in with guitars onstage or when playing adapted guitar parts, too. Traditional straight guitar frets are a compromise and every note on the fretboard actually plays slightly out of tune, so a violin with perfect pitch sounds wrong when played alongside them, while putting frets on the violin should make its notes match the guitars' tuning and sound much more cohesive when played together.
Dude this is awesome. There's the violin/guitar candy of just playing sweet stuff, but this video is like the grungy stuff that's fun to hear about. I played flute in college music school. I always get to hear about Jethro Tull. Yeah. Or Ron Burgundy.
I have a Gold Tone fretless u-bass, but it has inlays where the frets should be. I think that's more common in fretless instruments these days as a visual aid. 👍
Beautiful honey. I love that you explain your electric violin you play so well and why it is made the way you wanted it. ❤❤❤❤
That’s interesting what you said about how how the frets can make it hard to hit the notes right because of how much a difference a little distance makes
I’m an adult learner of the viola - I removed my finger tape because I realized I was using my eyes and not my ears and my eyes were not good enough to pinpoint exactly where my fingers needed to be
I’m a guitarist who invented my own version of a fretted fiddle (more like a lyra or erhu). I haven’t learned to play bowed instruments without frets, so I would say that the frets help me to stay in tune. However, it’s far from easy and I still had to develop the technique and learn how to play it.
It has frets and fret markers like you see on a Guitar, Electric Bass (which I see peaking on the side), or even a Mandobanjo
Earl Scruggs, who developed the modern banjo finger-picking style, learned to play on a poor violin which didn't have the frets in exactly the right places. He compensated by bending the neck and stretching the strings while playing. Amazing how people can learn to compensate. You likely get a clearer note on a violin with frets. If your finger gets "meat" past the fret on a guitar, it greatly dampens the note.
You are quite amazing. I recently saw you for the first time on one of Dovydas's videos....would love to see you duet with the young violinist from Ukraine some day - Karolina Protsenko - Have you heard of her ?
its so obvious now, idk how i didn't know it was fretted, i guess i was too distracted by the musicing. also what you said makes perfect sense, but as a listener, unless you're showing your skills to a music school of job opportunity, i dont care if you're playing "on easy mode" (edit: also, just remembered, we have seen you play on fretless violins, like acoustic), i come here to rock out to fun music and idc really how we get there. i do happen to be a beginning violinist myself though, so i appreciate the conversation about how the frets and concert playing impacts the violin playing and hearing your instrument in real time.
if you want perfect intonation with frets, take a look at True Temperment frets. Personally, I do think a violin with frets is kinda easy mode, but the way you use the instrument is so far from what classical violinists are doing that it doesn't really matter. Also, frets help you play your natural harmonics without having to mentally section out the fingerboard on the spot. Who knows tho, I'm just a guitarist.
I do wonder how left hand pizz would sound.
I played cello and violin (not super well) and I would love frets. At least I would know after set up it would have proper intonation (maybe?). I play guitar, so frets are welcome for me.
Loved this!!
Awesome FAQ thingy. Thanks.
I play the Nyckelharpa which has Keys to change the pitch of the strings.
Mia Asano Music
I've used the Suzuki Violin Method w/ Mandolin & it even works great on the 7 String Fretted Viper because the frets help w/ finger placement. Having the frets is kinda like going back to your basics in Violin & playing w/ tape.
How do you get round, the tuning, in the suzuki books you are playing in pythagorean tuning, you would be plaing in equal temperament, and would therefore be slightly out of tune, not running you down, genuine question how do you get round the tuning problem
@@traditionalirishmusic9550 Actually today's suzuki violin books are recorded in Equal Temperament.
I do not know the violin and so what I am about to say is based only on observation. It seems like a violinist slides on the fingerboard a lot. With frets, you do not get smooth transitions between notes - you jump from one note to the next (and hope you don't get any buzz). In other words, without frets, you get microtonal capabilities that you cannot get with frets.
It's interesting that there are fretless guitars specifically to overcome this limitation.
The strap is really cool the way you can hold the violin
I’ve seen Mark Wood play this at NAMM several times … beyond amazing!
That was fascinating. Thank-you for explaining it all.
The frets are cool. and I looked up the company. I am guessing they can make a fretless fret-marker version (if I wanted to buy one) :P
Awsome Mia, i have the 6 string Wood Violin and i must say i love it but still can not give away my Yamaha without frets.
Great answers.
You rock and I am a fan.👍👍
I know little music but I'd like listen you and your violin. Hi from Italy.
gives the flying-V a whole new - more accurate meaning :D
From my observation most violinists play as if they have frets anyway, rarely if ever sliding or using quarter notes. Oud players would have the same reason to tie on some frets if they didn't slide so beautifully so often
I think violins should have tied frets instead of metal Inlayed frets, equal temperament isn't ideal for a melodic instrument in my opinion. Guitars can get away with it because they're chord machines most of the time, much like my balalaika and ukulele. But still I think movable frets would greatly benefit guitar players, and I wish my balalaika and ukulele had movable frets.
That is one cool violin with a nice colour.
that's an amazing looking instrument that would make me actually interested in trying to learn a violin :)
Cool!
Keep playing and enjoy🎶🎵🎶🔥
Cool! I really enjoy it when you talk about your instrument and your music. You have a great voice. Do you sing or do voice over work?
Mark Wood is a beast on electric violin. 🍻
Nice overview on the violin frets 🎻 👍
You can use your favorite guitar strap
This is really interesting!!! 💚💚💚Thanks for sharing 😊😊😊
that thing sounds amazing. my question is what pedals n shit are you using cause im sure it aint always clean.
I've been so tempted to get a Viper, but the whole thing with it having a TWO YEAR wait list really scared me off.
I waited two years for this one hahaha it was so worth it but the wait was intense!
I couldnt play a fretted violin. Both of mine are around 100 years old and played and enjoyed even with once having dips in the ebony fingerboard
can you play some meshuggah with that thing? with the extended range, getting the low chuggy chords would be sick!
Beautiful music and cool looking violin
Would be cool if the folks at true temperament could make you frets that let you play more in tune even with frets. Should be possible! :)
Edit: Read the info box under the video just now and realised that it may not mater :P
I think the real question for me would be, why don't violins have frets in general? How can you tell where to place your fingers when you don't have exact positions like on a guitar or piano? As someone who has absolutely no sense of music, this has always confused me.
Muscle memory. Also you listen yourself while playing.
Mia, its amazing, you are too and i luv how you play the violin and its design. Im very interested in luthier skills, stringed instruments and i learnt to play at 11 years old but gave up at 14 until 39 years old as id only hired a violin from the school. You seem like me in that you play guitar and cello. I have secondhand accoustic guitar and old 1930s german chech border where they were traditionally luthiers and violin industry and associated skills. The ebony ring erboard is deeply dipped as its so worn over nearly 100 years of playing which i luv. I had to buy a bow but the luthier mr Claude Lebed in La Chaux De Fonds in n w switzerland where i lived 7 years was so kind and sold me a bow for 100 swiss ft ncs that had no nacre dot and restruung it wiuth a new bridge and rosin for another 100 francs so I paid 200 francs out of the local newspaper for a old damaged violin but it plays well and isnt bad and certainly the set up helped so much. Keep doing what you are doing so well. By the way who makes those lovely bespoke violins you play as i would like a secondhand one i can play as i love the versatility and possibilities on electric violin but i dont play any guitar violin or viola like you but it good fun trying to create beautiful sounds. Cheers❤
I learned by spacing my fingers wide or narrow doing major and minor scales as a kid. It was really good and i even still remembered after 26 years without a violin. Sadly i was taken the piss out of at school in the 1970s and the beatles, Stones and disco and pink floyd t rex was what was fashion. So i gave up. We had classical music lessons and now i appreciate it far more. ,
I forget many dont read violin music either but basic violin music is far easier than piano or guitar. Cant be bad but as a kid i read it singing in church. ❤❤
Look at some videos of semi-fretless banjo. They put a brass or other smooth surface near the nut but frets for higher notes. Very interesting sound and could be done with electriic or acoustic violin, viola. What do you think?
You are awesome and amazing mia and very talented mia ❤❤❤❤❤❤
You are an incredible musician
I love your videos ❤
Wow thanks for the great info.
Thank you for this video! When I started watching your videos, I wondered if they were frets or lines. Having played fretless bass on and off, I figured they were lines, but kept flip-flopping - I think they're lines. Nah, they're frets. Did I go back to thinking lines? Well now I know! Do they make electric violins with lines?
thats why there is monitor on every member band
Hello Mia, I'm a spanish violinist, My naves Paco. I live in La Antilla-Lepe (Huelva) I've buy a Wood Viper violin and I would like what amplifier can I buy. If you can help me, I'm very gratefull to you. Thank you very much
Cool. I’m a guitar player who is trying to learn violin. I’m sure I would find frets to be very helpful. It seems like it would be easier to wrap my head around. Don’t know about the seventh string though
This particular model also comes in a 4, 5, and 6 string version. I've also been considering one of these. I'm a pretty solid guitar player, so having frets on a violin seems super helpful.
Question ..why not then take the frets out , but still have white lines ..
Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?
Fretless , but you can see . And put your finger exactly on the line ..
A friend of mine did that with a bass .. he's happy with it ..
best idea i can think of is because your intonation would be more off then it would be if you had frets if you couldnt hear yourself
Why ... the intonation should be correct putting your finger exactly on the line...
Visually..
Also... it's hard to play any instrument if you cant actually hear it..
Thats a different problem really
You'd probably be amazing in a heavy metal band.
Tapping… adapting the late Eddie Van Galen’s technique to the violin
you need to install the new wireless(?) tremolo arm on that bad boy...
if you can figure out where....
Interesting thanks for the lesson I really learned something
i predict its likely just a violin shaped guitar tuning? its pretty neat though
lol dang, i was wrong lol interesting tuning though
Try to do something similar with a _regular_ violin and the cost of a single violin could reach nearly six figures.