Guitars (acoustic) are a pain if they develop a shrinkage crack in either plates, but at least violin family of instruments can be opened to deal with it.
I have seen the same bent bridge on the violin. I think on viola it is even more dangerous - bigger instrument, more tension on the strings, more energy when bridge snaps.
Man, you should have seen the bridge on my first violin. It was a junker someone gave me one day that had been beaten to hell and had a bridge at least three times worse than that. I loved that violin and learned on it anyway, lol. When I could afford a violin that was playable, a sweet Bellafina Corelli ML10, I had to relearn because I had been used to playing on a horrendously warped bridge lol. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes.
Omg putting your thumbs together, that's genius! Other videos I've watched, they use their thumb and pointer finger on just one side of the bridge and it's a lot less controlled. Top-notch advice once again! Wish I had known this 11 years ago when I first got my current violin, well I know now!
One time I was playing viola with a piano quartet. The cellist was very... well, mediocre.. or bad really. I mentioned to her one rehearsal that her bridge was leaning and needed to be straightened out. I offered to assist her with this as I've done it multiple times. She didn't trust me with her instrument. So she went and de-tuned her cello, straightened the bridge, and started to tune it again. Of course as she tuned it back up, the bridge started to lean again, but she wasn't bothering to straighten it out as she tuned it. By the time it was back in tune, the bridge was leaning just as much as before. I wonder if she ever did get her bridge straightened out.
I recently had my bridge changed. Based on the makers mark on the bridge and when it last passed through the maker's workshop, I estimated it to be about 65 years old. Unbeknownst to me, the bridge had developed a crack that spanned its entire width, nd I have had the violin for about 15 years! With a new bridge, adjustments to the tailpiece position, the violin sounds significantly better.
I don't play any string instrument but I love to see your videos. I will save money to buy one of yours even that means 10 years (I need to work first).
I am not sure how feasible this would be but I think it would be great to see a video series where you go through the full production of a violin. I think it would be very interesting and insightful to see a violin come to life from its most basic building blocks.
For those who don't know, the graphite acts as a solid lubricant, the carbon atoms arranged in sheets have weak attraction between sheet layers and therefore slide over each other.
My guess: it is original baroque viola with original baroque bridge. Only slightly used. Original strings attached. Bridge was never straightened. Maybe some ghosts live inside 👻 . I hope Olaf knows what is he doing. I'm a bit worried.
I was using the square wrong.. I had it literally where the bridge goes, which is one long constant curve from scroll to endpin. Only after I watched this did I realize the square / card / whatever measuring tool you're using goes on the purfling. Compared to my eyeballing method.. this was spot-on. I get the same results either way, by eyeballing against my blinds or using a business cards. Thanks for showing us how it's done, Olaf!
Thank you Olaf for showing me how to check for and prevent this! I found my bridge bent on my 20+ yr old violin last week! I had my luthier heat and straighten the bridge, and picked it up yesterday. Thankfully it wasn't so bad that I needed a new bridge yet.
I had no idea you had you own channel! Love your way of explaining really simple, I enjoy classical music and I've learning thanks to TwoSet and You! Lets hope the best for that poor instrument you just fixed! Have lovely day, Saludos desde Venezuela!
Take care of your bridges. If they snap, ti's terrifying. Trust me. And no, mine wasn't crooked like that, but it was a cheap bridge and I suspect cracked or already weak because it snapped at the narrowest point without any warning mid playing. 0/10, would not recommend.
One time a double bass one time during class exploded! The. Tail gut and brige were not well taken care of so yeah. Edit: spelling ps thanks for the like it reminded me to edit it
Thank you as always - I learned more about caring for my instrument from you in the last months than in all the years before.... wouldn’t have dared to touch the bridge before.... The nice little paper bags new strings come in are also very handy for checking the right angle of the bridge, just in case no lovely tree lopping card is at hand say after changing a string... 😄
I straigthened my cello bridge thanks to your last video on bridge adjustments. It straightened out even more on its own after sitting in the new position for a bit. They should have really taught us proper instrument care in school. We learned how to wipe the strings that's it... and our school was good enough to win the local competitions. Now as an adult I am learning all the essential elements to playing they skipped - like audiation :P Thank you for the video Olaf, please more :) . You are one of the few cello luthiers who make videos too - most are violin videos ... so many violin videos. Haha the word luthier is not even in the default browser dictionary and it said it was misspelled. See how the world is missing a good luthier teacher? The word is even forgotten ...
Although I am not a musician, I appreciate music so much. This video makes me appreciate the strings more especially the efforts to maintain a good sound.
Olaf, I have a sort of off topic question - do a series of string instruments made from the same piece of wood, or even the same type of wood, sound better together, e.g. in the context. of a string quartet?
this has been the most helpful. ive been told that it needs to be at a right angle and i mean i do what i can but actually showing someone how to judge what its suppose to look like or how to look at it. my viola needs a new bridge (a whole set up honestly). i dropped it off at a luthier in jacksonville FL. as it is 2 hours from me i told him id leave it with him for a week because he was currently working on other things and i knew it needed a bridge and sound post adjusted or even just a new one. also pegs need to be properly fitted but he had an issue with me leaving it with him for a week so he rushed the bridge and it works but it looks terrible. even my viola teacher (at the time) said something about it. the next closest person to me to do anything is 4 hours away. kinda hate that im in the US when such good luthiers are so far from me.
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker i hate hearing that. i need to get my viola setup and restringed as its well past due and i havent had time to even touch it because i am a vocal major about to start my secondary in the fall. its just money i dont have. i hope that i can talk to my teacher and he can get the instrument to his luthier when he goes down.
This drove me nuts for a while but when I first heard your character’s (Hubert) voice it reminded me of someone. Finally after 6 months I figured it out. Hubert’s voice sounds like Stewie’s voice, the baby from the animated show Family Guy. Specifically his voice in the first couple seasons. His voice changed a bit in the later seasons.
New to violin, just got to the point of not sounding like a crime against nature... i have been scared to play it since i noticed the bridge has quite a lean and i wasnt sure if it was from it hitting the case or something else i was doing. Glad to see its normal, but just something i have to watch for in the future. Ill take it to this old bearded guy who smells like wood and see if its past the point of no return. Thank you!!
Thank you, Olaf, appreciate your sense of humor. I first found out about you from those two Asian guys. They are also a hoot. Sometimes string (orchestra) players take themselves way too seriously. Today I'm installing a Viola bridge from a blank on a 5 string acoustic electric similar to a Zeta. Do you ever use a bridge jack for this task? I live in the western side of America, too far away to visit your shop and meet you but thought I would say "Hi, and thanks."
I would love to get a viola centric video. Especially antique related. I've been looking to stop renting and buy a really good quality one and I was told that they were quite rare by the luthier I saw.
Olaf, how does this adjustment affect the intonation of the instrument? Can the bridge be incorrectly positioned on the soundboard, requiring that it be repositioned to achieve correct intonation AND be perpendicular to the soundboard? Oh, and thank you for the entertaining and informative videos. ☺
Great content as always! 🙌 Just wondering how do you clean a cello that has had stickers on the fingerboard? It leaves that with sticky residue behind. 😒 Thanks! 😄
I have a question; maybe you could consider it a video suggestion? Entirely up to you, of course. What (if any) structural differences are there between violins, violas, cellos, etc. which make it so they're not just different-sized versions of the same instrument? I've been wondering because, like, there's miniature versions of various instruments for different ages of players and whatnot, so there obviously has to be something that makes it so a miniature viola, for example, can't be considered/used-as a mini violin-with-different-strings or something. Or something that makes it so you couldn't just put cello strings on a smaller-sized double bass and use it that way. Or could you do that? Could you put violin strings on, like, a 3/4 size viola, or 3/4 viola strings on a regular violin? (I know the size difference between violin and viola is probably not 3/4, but I'm not sure how else to phrase my question to make it clear what I'm asking.)
Borrowed a viola with a bridge almost as bent as the first viola in the video earlier this year. It sounded amazing even though the bridge looked as it did. I'm curious how it would've sounded w a fresher setup
Master Olaf, in warped bridges like the viola shown I have seen some luthiers re-straighten the bridge using the steam method, I even did this once to a friends cello bridge. Would you recommend this method or would you suggest having the bridge replaced?
All you have to do to determine that is find out how many pressure all strings combined exert when tuned to standard tuning. That's the amount of pressure the instrument was designed to take with maybe some extra breathing room.
Hi Olaf, I have a question to ask you... Sorry that's it's not about today's video... My violin's sound post have a little bit crack on it, I'm wondering how much do a good soundpost usually cost? (AUD is fine) And also how do we choose a soundpost that suits my violin? Because my violin is a new violin (maybe made for about 6 years I think), and there is also no label in the violin so I don't know how to choose the soundpost.... Please help me!!!
Is it actually crack or is it just normal cut from soundpost tool ? if it is some 2-5mm long cut in the center of the soundpost it is perfectly normal.
I guess it is a mark of soundpost tool as well. Soundpost usually don't crack, especially on relatively new instruments. Sometimes marks after soundpost tool may look ugly or in the worst scenario the soundpost can be chipped by soundpost tool from the factory. Better to consult with local luthier.
@@luborkloda8903 Yes, I think I'll go to a music workshop after the exam... But there's really rare luthier, or no luthier in my city... This is the worst. Thank you!
I always tune down a bit before straightening the bridge. I worry that grinding the bridge against a string at full tension will damage the windings on the strings.
I am late to this party, but I have a question if you don’t mind. The bridges all have a taper. Do you like to use a centerline of the bridge to find the perpendicular to the top plate, or use the rear surface of the bridge? In the latter, of course the bridge will be leaning backwards by 1/2 the amount of taper. If the back side of the taper is used, should the feet be re-finished so they are flat on the top plate? I hope this question is clear. Thank you for taking the time to produce all your TH-cams. Really marvelous. Cheers!
Get a humidistat/hygrostat, so that you actually know your relative humidity, and try to keep your it consistent. Usually around 50% is best, but avoiding big swings and extremes is the most important. When to start/stop running it depends on where you live. In temperate climates, you'll usually only need to run it in the winter, since the air indoors will be a lot drier. If you live in a dry desert you might find it you need it year-round.
Hi Olaf, can you comment on playing with a protective earplug (with a music filter) in the ear that's against the violin? Since your ear is so close to the sound and you don't want to get hearing damage, but is it possible to play like that?
Nikki van Zanen Hi I play in an orchestra with musical earplugs in. It works perfectly well, I can hear just fine. The only problem you might experience is not being able to hear others or yourself talk very well. Otherwise 10/10 would recommend, just get music specific earplugs, they don’t have to be that expensive to start of with. I think it’s a great idea to protect your hearing for the future. I’ve only been playing in orchestras for 5 years, yet I already feel like my hearing has decreased. (Not because I’m getting old) So, yes to hearing protection!!!
For violin, viola, and cello, the distance between the fingerboard/tailpiece and the bridge is small enough for the hand and thumb to span, but what would I do if I wanted to straighten a bass bridge? The distance between the tailpiece/fingerboard and bridge is just barely too big for my hands to span.
I had my violin in storage for a long while somewhere humid and it bent nearly to the point of breaking. Being very far from a violin repairer (both geographically and personally) I soaked it in boiling water, let it dry under weights and put it back. Then I spilled tea on it and had to do it again. The strings are chewing through the bridge a bit quick now, but in about a year I should be able to get a proper professional repair. I'm so sorry Olaf. I repent for my violin sins 🙏
HI Olaf I need your help, I was tunning my violin and my bridge collapsed now my bridge is slightly cracked should I take it to a Luthier and change it ?
Olaf: "I am really sorry, I am going to have to replace this bridge" Customer: "Well I trust you." Olaf: "How about we start by replacing the viola with an instrument?"
If the bridge is snapped, you need a new one. I'm no luthier, but if the bridge is just bent and you're poor as hell (like me) and can't always afford a luthier, you can put the bridge on a flat surface and put a brick on top of it for a week or two and it straightens out a bit (I've done it). That's the ghetto solution lol. I've done it and it works, but it's only a fast fix and you have to get a new bridge as soon as you can because that bridge has already gone bad once The problem with a bridge snapping is that it often causes the soundpost to come loose as the soundpost is kept in place by the tension of the strings on the bridge which causes tension on the soundpost, keeping it in place (which is why they tell you to change your strings one at a time). Without special tools and intimate knowledge of the instrument, having an extra bridge would be pointless unless you can reset the soundpost yourself.
@@diegoserrato4016 well problem with bridge is that it is super light super perfectly shaped piece of wood. I don't know, it weights some 5 grams and it is supporting 25 kilos.. I think a crack in this structure will probably have impact on vibrations but hide glue is very good sound carrying material. I already tried it and the bridge tone quality is as good as new, I have only worries that hide glue could separate during hot and wet weather :)
IMHO crooked viola bridge can be repaired easily. Just boil it 5 minutes in hot water, then bend it to opposite direction, let it dry and put it back. Better then new :)
I'm sure this question has been asked, and please forgive my small bit of knowledge about bowed string instruments, but why doesn't the bridge get a light coat of varnish to protect it from humidity? I assume it negatively affects the proper vibration transfer through the wood somehow, or is it just a matter of being traditional not to varnish bridges? I've seen bridges on more modernized instrument designs, like the beautiful Luis & Clark line of carbon fiber instruments, and they are wood bridges (naturally,) and are not varnished either. I wonder, if carbon fiber can make such good sounding, durable, and easy to maintain instruments, could a functional bridge be made out of tightly compressed carbon fiber sheets, and resin, or some other type of composite materials? I love your very informative, and entertaining, videos. I would love to learn the science of instrument design, construction, and function from you. Thank you for your videos.
Another quick question I had, that's a bit off the subject of bridges, but I was curious if using a two piece sound board is acceptable, or the mark of a cheaper instrument? I always thought that all sound boards were one piece, to make them better handle the weight of the bridge under string tension, but I found out that some have two piece sound boards. Personally, I like a solid sound board, and back, to these beautiful instruments. I also like non pernambuco or ebony bows, and non ebony finger boards or pegs, since the woods are endangered, and stocks of them are going down. White wood covered in a thin sheet of ebony wouldn't be bad for me, as long as it's made right, with the proper curvature and spoon, so no planing would be necessary to correct it, but I don't know if a thin layer of ebony would properly conform to, and bond properly to, both the curvature and spoon shapes. Man, what I would give to be able to afford one of your fine student violins, and cellos, but caring for my Mother's needs, after her strokes, takes up most of my budget.
Hi, thanks for the feedback 🙂 I apply a little bit of oil to the bridge to protect it. A lot of Stradivarius instruments are joined and still sound amazing. So no it just doesn't matter either way for sound.
Need a good setup but for guitar. Paid a "tech" to do it but the result wasn't good. I dont think hes been doing it for 35 years. Trying to do it myself and I feel the general principles should be the same. Any tips? Thanks for sharing.
Acoustic or electric? I know I've seen at least one channel that focuses on electric guitar have videos on setting them up. I would do a search of TH-cam for *guitar setup* and check out some of the channel's other videos to see if they seem to know what they're talking about first.
We need a olaf master class
*an Olaf offered for learning
@@WhatAboutTheBee ...
@@allegrovivace6806 was thinking same thing but some people have to be grammer natzi
nazi*
An olaf
Olaf must be so rich to be able to hire so many different high quality actors
'Violas and Violins are the same'
-Olaf the Violin maker, 2020
Violas are an alto violin ; )
Olaf the Viola maker 😅
S A C R I L E G I O U S
Well, tbf Violino just means small Viola.
@@TheVoitel no, violin is a treble viola 😆
You are a genius Olaf I would love to study with such a great professional, plus the sense of humour is brilliant.
Hekavalon 1 day ago?
@@TheAsianTree wHaTTTTTT
_illuminati_
lmao 1 day ago
No I'm a professional magician and for sighting the future is my business.
I was wondering if I client ever walked on you recording those skits.
I have had people walk past... And neighbours walk on on recording 😀
But no clients yet...
I get a few strange looks
Im curious about Olaf's wig collection hahahah
Olaf's musician characters are great!
I'm a guitar luthier. Really incredible how different our techniques are.
I guess guitar luthiery is just such a comparably new field
Guitars (acoustic) are a pain if they develop a shrinkage crack in either plates, but at least violin family of instruments can be opened to deal with it.
*_the way that bridge was bent looked horrendous_*
I have seen the same bent bridge on the violin.
I think on viola it is even more dangerous - bigger instrument, more tension on the strings, more energy when bridge snaps.
Man, you should have seen the bridge on my first violin. It was a junker someone gave me one day that had been beaten to hell and had a bridge at least three times worse than that. I loved that violin and learned on it anyway, lol. When I could afford a violin that was playable, a sweet Bellafina Corelli ML10, I had to relearn because I had been used to playing on a horrendously warped bridge lol. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes.
ling
Yep, Any worse and it would have fallen over, which could have damaged the top-plate
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker how long dose it take for a brige to bend like that!? Did thay not see it was bending!
Omg putting your thumbs together, that's genius! Other videos I've watched, they use their thumb and pointer finger on just one side of the bridge and it's a lot less controlled. Top-notch advice once again! Wish I had known this 11 years ago when I first got my current violin, well I know now!
One time I was playing viola with a piano quartet. The cellist was very... well, mediocre.. or bad really. I mentioned to her one rehearsal that her bridge was leaning and needed to be straightened out. I offered to assist her with this as I've done it multiple times. She didn't trust me with her instrument. So she went and de-tuned her cello, straightened the bridge, and started to tune it again. Of course as she tuned it back up, the bridge started to lean again, but she wasn't bothering to straighten it out as she tuned it. By the time it was back in tune, the bridge was leaning just as much as before. I wonder if she ever did get her bridge straightened out.
I recently had my bridge changed. Based on the makers mark on the bridge and when it last passed through the maker's workshop, I estimated it to be about 65 years old. Unbeknownst to me, the bridge had developed a crack that spanned its entire width, nd I have had the violin for about 15 years! With a new bridge, adjustments to the tailpiece position, the violin sounds significantly better.
I don't play any string instrument but I love to see your videos.
I will save money to buy one of yours even that means 10 years (I need to work first).
I am not sure how feasible this would be but I think it would be great to see a video series where you go through the full production of a violin. I think it would be very interesting and insightful to see a violin come to life from its most basic building blocks.
For those who don't know, the graphite acts as a solid lubricant, the carbon atoms arranged in sheets have weak attraction between sheet layers and therefore slide over each other.
Oh, today we will improve the sound of a viola! :D
My guess: it is original baroque viola with original baroque bridge. Only slightly used. Original strings attached. Bridge was never straightened. Maybe some ghosts live inside 👻 . I hope Olaf knows what is he doing.
I'm a bit worried.
@@luborkloda8903 The next video could be how to straighten my viola bow :D Only slightly used (as a garden stick).
Well that ain’t gonna happen
ONE DAY AGO?!
STOP
THIS IS ANAMALOUS
SOMEONE GET SOME OFFICERS FROM THE SCP FOUNDATION HERE
Some interesting folks live in Olaf's village. Must be a family, they all have the same hair.
"violas and violins are the same"
*twoset has left the chat*
100% accurate depiction of Twoset right here
"Violas and violins are the same" :-D
Not quite - a viola will burn longer
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I was using the square wrong.. I had it literally where the bridge goes, which is one long constant curve from scroll to endpin. Only after I watched this did I realize the square / card / whatever measuring tool you're using goes on the purfling. Compared to my eyeballing method.. this was spot-on. I get the same results either way, by eyeballing against my blinds or using a business cards. Thanks for showing us how it's done, Olaf!
This channel deserves more support, it's really educational, I'm really learning from you Olaf, greetings from México!
Cello bridge straightening very helpful. Thanks
The cello part was very helpful.
Undoubtedly one of my favorite channels!
Omg this Channel deserve more subscribers!!!!! I would love to have someone like Olaf to be my neighbor
Thank you Olaf for showing me how to check for and prevent this! I found my bridge bent on my 20+ yr old violin last week! I had my luthier heat and straighten the bridge, and picked it up yesterday. Thankfully it wasn't so bad that I needed a new bridge yet.
.... And funny intro aside... very helpful! Thanks Olaf! 🎻😃
I had no idea you had you own channel! Love your way of explaining really simple, I enjoy classical music and I've learning thanks to TwoSet and You! Lets hope the best for that poor instrument you just fixed! Have lovely day, Saludos desde Venezuela!
Aw! I love the humor in this video, Olaf!!
Take care of your bridges. If they snap, ti's terrifying. Trust me. And no, mine wasn't crooked like that, but it was a cheap bridge and I suspect cracked or already weak because it snapped at the narrowest point without any warning mid playing. 0/10, would not recommend.
One time a double bass one time during class exploded! The. Tail gut and brige were not well taken care of so yeah. Edit: spelling ps thanks for the like it reminded me to edit it
@@liamthoralexanderspencer4684 Oh dear.......oh my........oh no.......oh
@@liamthoralexanderspencer4684 did you already correct the spelling?
Snapped one on a 100$ vso... I just placed it together w NO glue and restrung the vso... played just as good as it ever did...😄
Olaf, youre a treasure but you absolutely overestimate my bravery in handling an instrument
Thank you as always - I learned more about caring for my instrument from you in the last months than in all the years before.... wouldn’t have dared to touch the bridge before....
The nice little paper bags new strings come in are also very handy for checking the right angle of the bridge, just in case no lovely tree lopping card is at hand say after changing a string... 😄
I straigthened my cello bridge thanks to your last video on bridge adjustments. It straightened out even more on its own after sitting in the new position for a bit.
They should have really taught us proper instrument care in school. We learned how to wipe the strings that's it... and our school was good enough to win the local competitions.
Now as an adult I am learning all the essential elements to playing they skipped - like audiation :P
Thank you for the video Olaf, please more :) . You are one of the few cello luthiers who make videos too - most are violin videos ... so many violin videos. Haha the word luthier is not even in the default browser dictionary and it said it was misspelled. See how the world is missing a good luthier teacher? The word is even forgotten ...
Shared this with my cello playing daughter
Although I am not a musician, I appreciate music so much. This video makes me appreciate the strings more especially the efforts to maintain a good sound.
You should give music a shot. It changes your life completely and it's hard to get started, but it always pays off and it's fun as hell
Viola gang represent!
Thanks! I have the same problem. Now i know how to prevent it! Thank you!
Thank you for this very well normative video from a timid beginner violinist
Thanks for the tips!! Now I can straighten my bridge by myself. :)
"sometimes I just need to take my own advice."
-Olaf, 2020
I love your vids! Keep making awesome content!
Olaf, I have a sort of off topic question - do a series of string instruments made from the same piece of wood, or even the same type of wood, sound better together, e.g. in the context. of a string quartet?
Premiering at 5:30am PST? I'll still be sleeping :'(
Will watch when I wake up!
And I need my violin bridge to straighten up too, dang it
This is so helpful! Thanks for sharing...
Thank you! I have a sligthly croocked bridge on my cello! Gonna correct it as soon as I get home! 😁😁
I would like to see that bridge after it is removed from the viola, to see how much of the warp remains after removing the string tension.
You've mentioned the weight on a violin from the pressure of the strings. Do you know what the weight is on the top of a cello?
Olaf, omg thank you for posting I was in need of your advice about bridges!
thanks for the tip Olaf :D I fixed my violin bridge that was slightly tilting
this has been the most helpful. ive been told that it needs to be at a right angle and i mean i do what i can but actually showing someone how to judge what its suppose to look like or how to look at it. my viola needs a new bridge (a whole set up honestly). i dropped it off at a luthier in jacksonville FL. as it is 2 hours from me i told him id leave it with him for a week because he was currently working on other things and i knew it needed a bridge and sound post adjusted or even just a new one. also pegs need to be properly fitted but he had an issue with me leaving it with him for a week so he rushed the bridge and it works but it looks terrible. even my viola teacher (at the time) said something about it. the next closest person to me to do anything is 4 hours away. kinda hate that im in the US when such good luthiers are so far from me.
We have the same problem in Australia... just that there are even less luthiers...
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker i hate hearing that. i need to get my viola setup and restringed as its well past due and i havent had time to even touch it because i am a vocal major about to start my secondary in the fall. its just money i dont have. i hope that i can talk to my teacher and he can get the instrument to his luthier when he goes down.
Your videos are great Olaf! Keep up the good work! !!!
This drove me nuts for a while but when I first heard your character’s (Hubert) voice it reminded me of someone. Finally after 6 months I figured it out. Hubert’s voice sounds like Stewie’s voice, the baby from the animated show Family Guy. Specifically his voice in the first couple seasons. His voice changed a bit in the later seasons.
sir Olaf can you give us some advice for broken rosin please, thank you for sharing your luthier wisdom with us.
Thank you!! Your videos are so informative and easy to follow 😊 Take care!
New to violin, just got to the point of not sounding like a crime against nature... i have been scared to play it since i noticed the bridge has quite a lean and i wasnt sure if it was from it hitting the case or something else i was doing.
Glad to see its normal, but just something i have to watch for in the future. Ill take it to this old bearded guy who smells like wood and see if its past the point of no return.
Thank you!!
Your shirts keep getting better!
Thank you, Olaf, appreciate your sense of humor. I first found out about you from those two Asian guys. They are also a hoot. Sometimes string (orchestra) players take themselves way too seriously. Today I'm installing a Viola bridge from a blank on a 5 string acoustic electric similar to a Zeta. Do you ever use a bridge jack for this task? I live in the western side of America, too far away to visit your shop and meet you but thought I would say "Hi, and thanks."
Olaf, this is so funny and fun to watch thanks for the laugh.
Hello Omar,
Thank you for your vidéos.
My bridge was bent.
I steam iron it on a flat table.
It is perfectly flat by now.
Did you try this ?
I would love to get a viola centric video. Especially antique related. I've been looking to stop renting and buy a really good quality one and I was told that they were quite rare by the luthier I saw.
I need this so much!
Brilliant
Good one Olaf, on the 444442. Really funny hahaha.
Olaf, how does this adjustment affect the intonation of the instrument? Can the bridge be incorrectly positioned on the soundboard, requiring that it be repositioned to achieve correct intonation AND be perpendicular to the soundboard?
Oh, and thank you for the entertaining and informative videos. ☺
Great content as always! 🙌 Just wondering how do you clean a cello that has had stickers on the fingerboard? It leaves that with sticky residue behind. 😒 Thanks! 😄
When he moved the bridge so easily it gave me anxiety
I have a question; maybe you could consider it a video suggestion? Entirely up to you, of course.
What (if any) structural differences are there between violins, violas, cellos, etc. which make it so they're not just different-sized versions of the same instrument?
I've been wondering because, like, there's miniature versions of various instruments for different ages of players and whatnot, so there obviously has to be something that makes it so a miniature viola, for example, can't be considered/used-as a mini violin-with-different-strings or something. Or something that makes it so you couldn't just put cello strings on a smaller-sized double bass and use it that way.
Or could you do that? Could you put violin strings on, like, a 3/4 size viola, or 3/4 viola strings on a regular violin? (I know the size difference between violin and viola is probably not 3/4, but I'm not sure how else to phrase my question to make it clear what I'm asking.)
I'm a Flutist watching this at 3am 😂. Welp, the more you know I guess 🤓
im a pianist trying to fall asleep but i just found olafs channel from autoplay from ray chen so i will be watching tjis for the next hour
Borrowed a viola with a bridge almost as bent as the first viola in the video earlier this year. It sounded amazing even though the bridge looked as it did. I'm curious how it would've sounded w a fresher setup
I adore the concerned alter ego Olaf. XD What a bold hair choice.
Master Olaf, in warped bridges like the viola shown I have seen some luthiers re-straighten the bridge using the steam method, I even did this once to a friends cello bridge. Would you recommend this method or would you suggest having the bridge replaced?
He wrote to a different guy that once it bends once, it will bend easier in the future. Plus the sound transfer isn’t as good
Some viola player disliked the video before releasing ROFL
I just love the wig skits. Great sense of humor.
What if your having this problem on a bass would you do the same process or no?🤔🤔
What about double bass? Is it more or less the same as the cello?
I was thinking the same thing and I found some very helpful videos by googling it
Simon Vazquez-Carr Thanks man!
Ooof, that’s a massive bridge! Probably can’t sit it on the lap. Maybe he would have to sit over the bass, like a horse. 🐎
What's the graphite in the string grooves for?
Vid idea: how many pounds of pressure to break a viola
I think viola can't be broken. I think it is made from solid wood like a stump.
ro fo yeah but it’s hollow just like a violin, so with the weight the top plate will get crushed
@@TheAsianTree oh, I'm dissappointed now :)
ro fo wait, you weren’t joking?
All you have to do to determine that is find out how many pressure all strings combined exert when tuned to standard tuning. That's the amount of pressure the instrument was designed to take with maybe some extra breathing room.
Hi Olaf, I have a question to ask you... Sorry that's it's not about today's video... My violin's sound post have a little bit crack on it, I'm wondering how much do a good soundpost usually cost? (AUD is fine) And also how do we choose a soundpost that suits my violin? Because my violin is a new violin (maybe made for about 6 years I think), and there is also no label in the violin so I don't know how to choose the soundpost.... Please help me!!!
Is it actually crack or is it just normal cut from soundpost tool ?
if it is some 2-5mm long cut in the center of the soundpost it is perfectly normal.
@@rofo2107 I don't think it is a cut as it is not cut beautifully. I think it's around 1-2 mm? I'm not good at estimating
@@rofo2107 Anyway thanks for your help!!!
I guess it is a mark of soundpost tool as well. Soundpost usually don't crack, especially on relatively new instruments. Sometimes marks after soundpost tool may look ugly or in the worst scenario the soundpost can be chipped by soundpost tool from the factory. Better to consult with local luthier.
@@luborkloda8903 Yes, I think I'll go to a music workshop after the exam... But there's really rare luthier, or no luthier in my city... This is the worst. Thank you!
hi olaf is it the same process on a double bass? om a beginner
I always tune down a bit before straightening the bridge. I worry that grinding the bridge against a string at full tension will damage the windings on the strings.
I am late to this party, but I have a question if you don’t mind. The bridges all have a taper. Do you like to use a centerline of the bridge to find the perpendicular to the top plate, or use the rear surface of the bridge? In the latter, of course the bridge will be leaning backwards by 1/2 the amount of taper. If the back side of the taper is used, should the feet be re-finished so they are flat on the top plate?
I hope this question is clear.
Thank you for taking the time to produce all your TH-cams. Really marvelous.
Cheers!
any tips on when to use a humidifier? when to start during the year when to stop?
Get a humidistat/hygrostat, so that you actually know your relative humidity, and try to keep your it consistent. Usually around 50% is best, but avoiding big swings and extremes is the most important.
When to start/stop running it depends on where you live. In temperate climates, you'll usually only need to run it in the winter, since the air indoors will be a lot drier. If you live in a dry desert you might find it you need it year-round.
Hi Olaf, can you comment on playing with a protective earplug (with a music filter) in the ear that's against the violin? Since your ear is so close to the sound and you don't want to get hearing damage, but is it possible to play like that?
Nikki van Zanen Hi I play in an orchestra with musical earplugs in. It works perfectly well, I can hear just fine. The only problem you might experience is not being able to hear others or yourself talk very well. Otherwise 10/10 would recommend, just get music specific earplugs, they don’t have to be that expensive to start of with. I think it’s a great idea to protect your hearing for the future. I’ve only been playing in orchestras for 5 years, yet I already feel like my hearing has decreased. (Not because I’m getting old) So, yes to hearing protection!!!
So if I’m constantly changing my tuning a step down and then step up there’s a good chance my bridge would get bent in the process
For violin, viola, and cello, the distance between the fingerboard/tailpiece and the bridge is small enough for the hand and thumb to span, but what would I do if I wanted to straighten a bass bridge? The distance between the tailpiece/fingerboard and bridge is just barely too big for my hands to span.
I know!
I would loosen the strings to straighten the bridge.
1000 likes to 1 dislike? I've never seen such a great ratio!
What's the chinrest on the bent viola?
I wish I had seen this earlier. The bridge on my cello and violin are bent to a worrisome shape.
I had my violin in storage for a long while somewhere humid and it bent nearly to the point of breaking. Being very far from a violin repairer (both geographically and personally) I soaked it in boiling water, let it dry under weights and put it back. Then I spilled tea on it and had to do it again. The strings are chewing through the bridge a bit quick now, but in about a year I should be able to get a proper professional repair.
I'm so sorry Olaf. I repent for my violin sins 🙏
HI Olaf I need your help, I was tunning my violin and my bridge collapsed now my bridge is slightly cracked should I take it to a Luthier and change it ?
Yes, unfortunately if a bridge is cracked it needs to be replaced.
Hope everything goes well and you can get back into playing again quickly.
Should I loosen my instrument's strings before moving the bridge? If so, how loose should they be?
Maybe 1 to 2 tones lower if you are worried.
No more though, because the soundpost can fall over
Great, thank you for your help!
Olaf: "I am really sorry, I am going to have to replace this bridge"
Customer: "Well I trust you."
Olaf: "How about we start by replacing the viola with an instrument?"
RIP Violists
The viola is the banjo of the symphony world. What’s the difference between a banjo and an onion?
No one cry’s when you cut up a banjo.
*_"london bridge is falling down, falling down"_*
CELLO bridge is falling down, falling down...
Olaf, please can be snaped bridge glued with hide glue as an emergency fix ? Or just kept as spare bridge for an emergency backup ?
If the bridge is snapped, you need a new one. I'm no luthier, but if the bridge is just bent and you're poor as hell (like me) and can't always afford a luthier, you can put the bridge on a flat surface and put a brick on top of it for a week or two and it straightens out a bit (I've done it). That's the ghetto solution lol. I've done it and it works, but it's only a fast fix and you have to get a new bridge as soon as you can because that bridge has already gone bad once
The problem with a bridge snapping is that it often causes the soundpost to come loose as the soundpost is kept in place by the tension of the strings on the bridge which causes tension on the soundpost, keeping it in place (which is why they tell you to change your strings one at a time). Without special tools and intimate knowledge of the instrument, having an extra bridge would be pointless unless you can reset the soundpost yourself.
@@diegoserrato4016 well problem with bridge is that it is super light super perfectly shaped piece of wood. I don't know, it weights some 5 grams and it is supporting 25 kilos.. I think a crack in this structure will probably have impact on vibrations but hide glue is very good sound carrying material.
I already tried it and the bridge tone quality is as good as new, I have only worries that hide glue could separate during hot and wet weather :)
IMHO crooked viola bridge can be repaired easily. Just boil it 5 minutes in hot water, then bend it to opposite direction, let it dry and put it back. Better then new :)
Cut bridge straight. Flat bridge viola have four times better probability hit the correct note.
It won't be the same... It will bend more easily once it has been crooked. Also it won't sound the same... but it is a good emergency fix
@@rofo2107 or just remove. viola without bridge as zero probability of hitting wrong note.
I'm sure this question has been asked, and please forgive my small bit of knowledge about bowed string instruments, but why doesn't the bridge get a light coat of varnish to protect it from humidity? I assume it negatively affects the proper vibration transfer through the wood somehow, or is it just a matter of being traditional not to varnish bridges? I've seen bridges on more modernized instrument designs, like the beautiful Luis & Clark line of carbon fiber instruments, and they are wood bridges (naturally,) and are not varnished either. I wonder, if carbon fiber can make such good sounding, durable, and easy to maintain instruments, could a functional bridge be made out of tightly compressed carbon fiber sheets, and resin, or some other type of composite materials?
I love your very informative, and entertaining, videos. I would love to learn the science of instrument design, construction, and function from you. Thank you for your videos.
Another quick question I had, that's a bit off the subject of bridges, but I was curious if using a two piece sound board is acceptable, or the mark of a cheaper instrument? I always thought that all sound boards were one piece, to make them better handle the weight of the bridge under string tension, but I found out that some have two piece sound boards. Personally, I like a solid sound board, and back, to these beautiful instruments. I also like non pernambuco or ebony bows, and non ebony finger boards or pegs, since the woods are endangered, and stocks of them are going down. White wood covered in a thin sheet of ebony wouldn't be bad for me, as long as it's made right, with the proper curvature and spoon, so no planing would be necessary to correct it, but I don't know if a thin layer of ebony would properly conform to, and bond properly to, both the curvature and spoon shapes. Man, what I would give to be able to afford one of your fine student violins, and cellos, but caring for my Mother's needs, after her strokes, takes up most of my budget.
Hi, thanks for the feedback 🙂
I apply a little bit of oil to the bridge to protect it.
A lot of Stradivarius instruments are joined and still sound amazing. So no it just doesn't matter either way for sound.
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker Oh ok, I didn't even think about a light oiling to protect a bridge. Thank you for your quick response!
When and why do you use the pencil in the holes of the strings?
Lubricant - I use the same on my wooden clocks
Viola gang 🤟
No.
Need a good setup but for guitar. Paid a "tech" to do it but the result wasn't good. I dont think hes been doing it for 35 years. Trying to do it myself and I feel the general principles should be the same. Any tips? Thanks for sharing.
Acoustic or electric? I know I've seen at least one channel that focuses on electric guitar have videos on setting them up. I would do a search of TH-cam for *guitar setup* and check out some of the channel's other videos to see if they seem to know what they're talking about first.
"Yes, I've been expecting you!" :D :D :D
Olaf getting in on the viola jokes too haha
Olaf :
Makes this video
Me :
Instantly goes and get my violin and a set square