By ear I find the sound more similar than I would like to admit. But when the vibration and personality are considered, B was clearly the nicer violin. It gave me chills, whereas A simply sounded good. Great review, thanks!
I can't even notice that there's a difference with my earphones that cost less than $1usd. The problem with the cheap ones is that sometimes the bridge doesn't even come cut.
Once you get into the $1500. range, the Chinese violins sound very good. All these "comparison" videos use ultra cheap $50.00 violins compared to $10,000. European hand -made violins. The fact is, an excellent, commercially made violin can be bought for $1500.-$2000. Unless you are planning to play in Carnegie Hall, they'll suite your every need.
I'm amazed at how it was very easy to hear the difference with only certain of the notes. The cheaper ones have this missing quality to it. Almost like the note wants to stay steady but it kind of wavers off a fraction of a semitone.
There's always these "cheap vs. expensive" testing. It would be a great help for beginners and intermediate students to test several violins in the $500, $1000, $2000 and $5000 range to show that also WITHIN on price range instruments can sound very different!
Nicely played Bach and the music seemed to flow beautifully. The notes were more defined and articulation better on the antique violin. From what I can hear, projection seemed better as well. The 1st note on violin A was a bit wobbly, whereas on B it sounded fine. For the price, Glarry is quite good though.
Cheaper is A. You are very good so the difference will be less apparent to the listener. I don't think it shows thru youtube very well anyway, especially my speakers. I have around $270 violin, but I tried an individually hand crafted violin they were selling for $9000 and even after just a few notes there was a easily noticeable difference without even trying, just so much better. But whether that would of been as big a difference to the listener, I'm not sure.
Zenik Torres Yes, it’s definitely harder to hear online. A more expensive violin and bow can make it easier just for yourself and give you more possibilities or makes things easier. For an audience it’s hard to differ skill and gear.
nice video, thanks for letting us listen. I'm 100% sure A is a cheap violin and B is the expensive one. I listened to it with a good monitoring system here, and the expensive one resonates nicely and this particular model have a warmer sound, while the cheap one has that kind of a plastic-like resonating character. I would definitely prefer to listen to the B recording as it's much more pleasant to the ear.
I think B is the expensive one, it seems to resonate more but Zlata made them both sound great. The beautiful melodies have her glowing too. Wish I could play an instrument.
I am a Julliard music major, Theory and Composition and Classical Guitar. I have several guitars, both acoustic and electric that cost thousands of dollars. Like wise I have a couple cheap ones $150 range. But 2 of the biggest things I look for in a guitar is neck construction and the type of wood that is used. I favor mahogany in electric and Koa or maple in acoustics, In electric guitars, I have certain pickups that I use so I do have control over that as I will more than likely change the pickups. I have always told people, especially my students that it is not the guitar but the person playing it. I have my students focus on precision and discipline. I am just starting to learn to play the violin. In your video, I am really having a hard time telling which is the expensive and the inexpensive one which is a great testament to your talent.
Wow, did I just wake up and see a Julliard major say I have talent? You made my day! And you're absolutely right. Once I had a beginning student who spent hundreds of euro's on fancy wound gut strings to replace her already very decent strings and then said she didn't have money for lessons.
I think A is the cheap one, but to be completely honest, that might only be because I heard it first and was listening for harshness in the sound, and I thought B sounded very slightly warmer. There does not sound to me like a 200x difference, to be sure! I do wish I could hear them together with more sound dampening in the room, because I wonder if the slight echo might have disguised the harshness of the cheap one. Very beautiful playing, Zlata, and thank you for showing us this very affordable option! I have my violin but if one of my kids wants to learn I'll know where to look first!
Lol, so I came here with an excuse. 'My $150 violin is why i sound bad... has to be... Then I watched this and was like, okay, it's me. I need to practice haha." FYI, just started like a month ago. haha
A. I chose before reading the comments in case it was actually told. I was happy after choosing then reading to see I was right. It makes me happy that even as a beginner I was able to tell the difference!
Thank you for this video! I'm buying my 15 yo DD the Glarry right now and your video helped me decide. I didn't want to spend good money in case she doesn't like it but I was still worried that if it wasn't an expensive one it wouldn't sound any good at all and she'd quit immediately. Clearly the other is the best but as others have said, you made them both sound great in my brand new to this opinion!!
Apart from the difference in the quality of sound produced by either the violin or the bow , are there any advantages of expensive violin over cheap violin in terms of its ease of playing different techniques, or any person can do exactly the same with a cheap violin before getting a very expensive one , especially for students
Great video. I think THE most incredible thing about this is, that a few dollars worth of fiddle can sound so good, as always the funk's in the fingers as bass players say😎
I would guess A is the cheaper violin due to (very) slightly off pitch notes - I do think it may simply be finger positions are so slightly out of place for your preferences vs the antique instrument quite simply because the finer instrument would be what you're (more) accustomed to.
I have to admit the instrument in such a talented musician going to sound fantastic , of course the expensive sounds better but as already told you the musician gives live to instrument , thanks for sharing
Violin A sounds brighter. Violin B sounds more mellow. If you were to look at the waveform of their sound, violin A would appear more like a saw tooth or square wave and violin B would appear more like a sine wave. So, violin A sounds cheap. In my junior high school days, I played on 13-year-old violin and a 6-year-old violin and I can hear the difference.
A is definitely the cheap violin. But I didn't like the sound of violin b, too. Especially if you have a look at the price. I've heard instruments for 2000 which have a fuller and more intensive sound.
the 10k didnt hurt my ears on the initial pitches there were some resonances and frequencies i was hearign on the cheep one that jsut hurt. with that alone i think a was the cheep.
I do not play violin. But I think most people choose Violin B because the performance in Violin A was a little bit out of tune compared to B. There is also a possibility that you played the Violin A with lesser bow control consistency than B, hence some people say that the Violin A is more scratchier, which I don't think has nothing to do with the quality of the wood. It's also possible that it has something to do with the rosin, or inferior strings but not the violin itself. But I am amazed with the sound quality of the Violin A. I will probably choose it over B if played equally well. I will say it's a tie for now. You proved that the skill of the player is more important than the quality of the material, as long as the instrument has a proper setup and is comfortable to use. I am amazed the way you made the cheap violin sound like a pro. Give me those skills! x)
The thing is, and you'll notice this as soon as you start playing, that on the Glarry it was WAY more difficult to play in tune... almost impossible. The bow that came with it, was wobbly, so almost impossible to control. I took a lot of effort to make it sound good and in tune, but of course this cheap instrument has limited possibilities.
@@violinlounge I see so that's why. It probably needs a serious setup from a luthier to match the playability of the expensive one. Thanks for the additional information about this. Cheers!
I recently started playing the cello again after a long break, and recorded a video comparing 15 year old cheap strings with brand new expensive strings. On the video, there was very little difference, but in the room the difference was *huge*. Worth bearing in mind!
Both sound great as you play them 😺👍. Though I didn't like the scratchy sound at violin A. It was "scratchier" somehow at some parts. The notes (several notes in the beginning) were not similar with the violin B, I think it is better call it the color of the tone. At the first several notes they were a little bit "stingy", while violin B is more "warmer" and "calm" with "some degree of roundness sound". But the rest were just fine. Your playing techniques just blurred my perception then 😹😹👍👍🎻🎻. I think also Violin B has rich tone colours, it's like it has layer of many sounds, especially when you drop the note to the lower string after playing the higher tones at A/E string. I didn't get the same impression at Violin A. Matching the character from the first presentation, I think Violin A seems to be the cheap one. I think we need to "customize" the cheap violin to reduce the "stingy" and "scratchy" sound. 😺👍
@@violinlounge Ah, I see. The wood :) . Anyway, do you think it is influenced also to the string quality? Since I assume you played Violin A with the same string as you purchased it. And what is the song's names? I like the melody. :)
Fighter Cat it’s a combination of many factors amongst which the wood, craftsmanship, set up etc. The piece is the Meditation from Thais by Massenet. I’ve got a tutorial video on it right here: violinlounge.com/how-to-play-meditation-from-thais-by-massenet-on-the-violin/
B sounded a bit cheaper to my bose headphones; the trick to find out is on the first position on the D string i think; that's where it'a bit more obvious
The first comment of mine watching you played the cheap one is that you can make a cheap violin sounds like more expensive one. It's rather hard to distunguish the two but for the B sounds better. It must be the expensive one. I think in term of playability, the expensive one is far more comfortable and easy to play. Thanks for great video as you always make.
Yes, I used the cheap bow that came with the violin. I pushed the pegs inside with some force so they would stay there. Although they don’t fit according to the book, the tuning stability was quite all right.
I saw on another site they sell a tapered drill bit that you can use to HAND DRILL the hole using the drill bit. Made sense to me. Won't put the sites name here. Wouldn't be cool.
I could see how smooth the expensive one sounded and I can tell it feels good playing it. To be honest Zlata made both sound great, but I could see the difference.
I believe that violin B is the more expensive violin. A 🌻sounds pretty close to B in my opinion. I wish you could find more budget violins like A, the Glarry.
Well I don't play violin but I can hear the difference B one has a smoothness in it's sound but the A one was also good ... The sound quality is little bit different the A one is little bit sharp but good and B one is smoother than A .... Well both are really nice I also want to learn violin but I can't because in my family there are no one is musicians and the may won't allow me and second thing I don't have any teacher and environment for this ....
If you really want you can learn with my free beginner course :). I now publish new beginner lessons every Monday in addition to the lessons on Wednesday.
Violin A was the cheap one. But you can see that in the un-blinded comparison, you play the expensive violin differently than you do the cheap violin. The bow strokes are slightly longer, the vibrato is more pronounced, and you are slightly more animated. Presumably you did this in the blinded comparison as well. So, while the expensive violin sounds a little better, some of that may be due to the better play it got from you. It’s quite amazing, really, how the difference in sound between these two instruments is far more subtle than the difference in price. It takes an incredibly cheap violin to produce a sound that is noticeably inferior to that of an expensive violin. It seems to me that once you get above $3000 to $4000, the sound quality between violins of all prices is pretty much the same.
The violins both respond very differently, on the cheap one vibrato doesn’t come out that easily and the bowing doesn’t speak, so I couldn’t do the things exactly the same or the difference would be bigger. But yes: the difference is not 200 times better and in higher end violins the differences in quality are more subtle although they can be very different in character.
VIOLIN LOUNGE by Violinist Zlata Your statements that the vibrato “doesn’t come out” as easily and the bowing “doesn’t speak” are unclear. They can mean anything you want them to mean. Comparisons need to be a bit more concrete. Cheaper strings may not be as easily vibrated by the bow, much the same way synthetic bow hairs may not vibrate the strings as easily as horse hairs. Vibrato may be more difficult if the strings of the cheap violin are too high off the fingerboard, requiring more effort to rock your fingertip back and forth. I’m just offering some examples. These would be the kinds of clear, concrete, comparisons that everyone can see and demonstrate for themselves.
Thanks, Marty, it shows that a decent violin can be affordable for everyone and investing in skill pays off more than investing in gear to a certain extend.
Compared to the horrible violins you normally get when you buy cheap violins, the Glarry violin actually sounds amazing for the cost. Would be an excellent violin for starters.
Notwithstanding the fact that you probably made A sound as good as it possibly could by your expert playing technique, it sounds flat. B has much nicer tone clarity and some lovely overtones. But A is not sounding bad at all, considering the price point. I would imagine though that it must be tiring to get A to sound that nice, and if you were to play a very fast and technical piece on it, it would probably end up sounding muddled because its sound-projection appears slow and stagnant.
4theRun yes, exactly that, it takes a lot of effort and work arounds to make it sound good, that’s why less complexity and speed is possible, but still I was positively surprised. Some even got the test wrong.
Thank you very much for sharing this. Also curious to know which was lighter or easier to play; the one which is easier to play may be better from ergonomics and musculoskeletal perspectives, so I feel. Even if sound may not be as sweet, please could you suggest if there are any cheap or cost effective violins, but lighter and with low string height, easy to play, good for the thumb design? (I recently stopped using shoulder rest, then observed that the violin I was using had string height of around 1 cm near the high end of the finger board. Being an amateur I had not noticed till now and was using a 600g violin suited perhaps for the seated position (another style, perhaps more ergonomical when compared and where players rarely go beyond the 5 th position) but like a western one
Wow, what a difference! And you'd hope so too when you invest so much in such a beautiful antique handcrafted instrument! A is definitely the cheap one. And I imagine you would likely hear the difference even more when a beginner plays...
Ik denk dat A de goedkope viool is. Hij klinkt alsof het meer moeite kost om er een mooi geluid uit te halen. Viool B heeft meer resonantie en ook meer, hoe zal ik het zeggen, een eigen geluid van zichzelf. Helemaal zeker ben ik niet omdat het best een kort stukje was.
@@violinlounge O ja, dat geloof ik direct! Dat kon je ook goed horen: de klank van A was steeds hetzelfde, a.h.w. stabieler, maar daarmee is er natuurlijk uiteindelijk minder expressie mogelijk. Pleit toch ook weer voor B.
Am I dumb or there's really huge difference. B sounds a bit more pleasant to my ears. 🤔 I think a comparison between a violin around 200 with one which worth 2000 would be more helpful
I already have several violin reviews on my channel for different price points, but will see if in the future it's possible to have lots of them together to compare.
@@violinlounge ah super for the game !! 😊 oh that's a very nice question and I'm very afraid to disappoint you, because I'm a poor little "violinist" adult beginner self-taught, sorry 😥! I have too much esteem for this art that I do not consider my 150€ violin as a violin, just as I do not consider myself a violinist ! But technically speaking, my violin is a beginner pack, brand Gewa, model pure monnich ! I find his sound really brilliant, cold, clear and sharp. But I'm thinking of taking another as a Christmas present, a Stentor model Verona (in the 450 €). I do not know if it's a good idea (but I registered in a concervatory for next September and I have no luthier before 3h of road ) !
DS gewa isn’t bad at all. I don’t know if the Stentor would be a big upgrade or if it’s better to save some more. Perhaps there’s a possibility to try it and some other options out.
God I hope there's a difference, with that kind of price difference. I don't understand why there are so many of these $100 violin vs $10K, 100K, $10M violin. It's rediculous. Why can't someone do a comparison between a $50 or $100 violin vs a $200, $300, or $500 violin? My feeling is that most shoppers of a beginner violin might make a jump from $100 to a few hundred. No way are they going to be looking at $1000+. Who in their right mind is going to shop for a $100 to if they're good and wealth enough to even be looking at $1K + violins?
I've got reviews on my channel of violins below $ 100, around $ 200 and around $ 500 showing and demonstrating exactly the difference and what to look out for. Here are some: violinlounge.com/article/5-best-violin-brands-for-beginner-violinists/ Also there are many other channels who have done reviews of the price ranges you mention :).
To me A violin sounds brighter and more metallic. Also the sound isnt as clear, the sound being somewhat dirtier. Mind you, in your hands even a tin of tuna would sound like a Stradivarius! 😉 It goes to show that a good violinist can make the best out of a poor instrument. Youre an inspiration to us all😊
I can't hear the difference. I think B is the most expensive one, but I'm not sure. The sound was fuller, perhaps, with more overtones. But I'm not sure. I had to listen twice, trying to understand the sound. Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise to have such bad ears as mine, since my violin is a cheap one. I want to believe that if it was live, I'd be able to hear the difference. I can definitely hear the difference between my bad violin and better violins I hear in the Queen Elisabeth Competition, or even from street musicians. But my violin is really bad and I only ever hear it played by myself, making it even worse. I'm sure if you played it, it'd sound expensive!
@@violinlounge Hi, zlata. Always nice to watch your videos . I ended up buying a Chinese violin from a local seller here in Miami. His name is Emmanuel Berberian and has a business called Allegro music center. He sells several types of violins inspected and setup by by them. It cost me $295. It's a beginner's violin and probably not the best one. This is my first violin ever and I never played another one to compare but for the price I think it does the job.
It's has a nice rich sound. I haven't heard many violins to compare to so I don't how to to describe it but it's definitely not a cheap sound! It sounds great
By ear I find the sound more similar than I would like to admit. But when the vibration and personality are considered, B was clearly the nicer violin. It gave me chills, whereas A simply sounded good. Great review, thanks!
Well said! Thanks for watching!
I can't even notice that there's a difference with my earphones that cost less than $1usd. The problem with the cheap ones is that sometimes the bridge doesn't even come cut.
Yes, playability is also an important difference. I had to do a lot of effort to play on the Glarry violin, but it still is a good bang for the buck.
I have 2800 dollar headsets
But honestly they both sounded amazing!! ❤️😃
Thank you, it shows that a decent violin doesn't have to be expensive!
@@violinlounge So true :)
It’s who plays it makes it sound good.
Certainly, although the instrument helps a lot too!
VIOLIN LOUNGE by Violinist Zlata yes it does thank you for your videos.
More expensive violins have better resonance.
Once you get into the $1500. range, the Chinese violins sound very good. All these "comparison" videos use ultra cheap $50.00 violins compared to $10,000. European hand -made violins. The fact is, an excellent, commercially made violin can be bought for $1500.-$2000. Unless you are planning to play in Carnegie Hall, they'll suite your every need.
That’s very true!
I'm amazed at how it was very easy to hear the difference with only certain of the notes. The cheaper ones have this missing quality to it. Almost like the note wants to stay steady but it kind of wavers off a fraction of a semitone.
Exactly!
There's always these "cheap vs. expensive" testing. It would be a great help for beginners and intermediate students to test several violins in the $500, $1000, $2000 and $5000 range to show that also WITHIN on price range instruments can sound very different!
Great suggestion. I already did so for bows, but I'll what's possible with violins.
Yes please do it please! 🙏
Yes, I can hear the difference. B has a more sound density.
vl_3 you got it! What kind of violin do you play yourself? 😊
Ooh, I am beginner - playing with Stagg Student violin.
Nicely played Bach and the music seemed to flow beautifully. The notes were more defined and articulation better on the antique violin. From what I can hear, projection seemed better as well. The 1st note on violin A was a bit wobbly, whereas on B it sounded fine. For the price, Glarry is quite good though.
Cheaper is A. You are very good so the difference will be less apparent to the listener. I don't think it shows thru youtube very well anyway, especially my speakers.
I have around $270 violin, but I tried an individually hand crafted violin they were selling for $9000 and even after just a few notes there was a easily noticeable difference without even trying, just so much better. But whether that would of been as big a difference to the listener, I'm not sure.
Zenik Torres Yes, it’s definitely harder to hear online. A more expensive violin and bow can make it easier just for yourself and give you more possibilities or makes things easier. For an audience it’s hard to differ skill and gear.
I really really hear the difference.
Stick with the $10,000.00 one !!!
It sounds much better .
B IS THE EXPENSIVE ONE!
You got it! Just gave the other one to a beginner.
@@violinlounge I cringe listening to the first. It‘s like fingernails on a chalkboard. Who buys cheap, buys twice.
nice video, thanks for letting us listen. I'm 100% sure A is a cheap violin and B is the expensive one. I listened to it with a good monitoring system here, and the expensive one resonates nicely and this particular model have a warmer sound, while the cheap one has that kind of a plastic-like resonating character. I would definitely prefer to listen to the B recording as it's much more pleasant to the ear.
You got it! 👍🏻
I think B is the expensive one, it seems to resonate more but Zlata made them both sound great. The beautiful melodies have her glowing too. Wish I could play an instrument.
Thank you, Rebecca, you can definitely learn! I offer a free beginner course for the violin right here: www.violinlounge.com/beginnercourse
I am a Julliard music major, Theory and Composition and Classical Guitar. I have several guitars, both acoustic and electric that cost thousands of dollars. Like wise I have a couple cheap ones $150 range. But 2 of the biggest things I look for in a guitar is neck construction and the type of wood that is used. I favor mahogany in electric and Koa or maple in acoustics, In electric guitars, I have certain pickups that I use so I do have control over that as I will more than likely change the pickups. I have always told people, especially my students that it is not the guitar but the person playing it. I have my students focus on precision and discipline. I am just starting to learn to play the violin. In your video, I am really having a hard time telling which is the expensive and the inexpensive one which is a great testament to your talent.
Wow, did I just wake up and see a Julliard major say I have talent? You made my day! And you're absolutely right. Once I had a beginning student who spent hundreds of euro's on fancy wound gut strings to replace her already very decent strings and then said she didn't have money for lessons.
I think A is the cheap one, but to be completely honest, that might only be because I heard it first and was listening for harshness in the sound, and I thought B sounded very slightly warmer. There does not sound to me like a 200x difference, to be sure! I do wish I could hear them together with more sound dampening in the room, because I wonder if the slight echo might have disguised the harshness of the cheap one. Very beautiful playing, Zlata, and thank you for showing us this very affordable option! I have my violin but if one of my kids wants to learn I'll know where to look first!
Great, Katie, I hope one of your kids will get started on this beautiful instrument. It will be a gift for life to teach them music :).
Lol, so I came here with an excuse. 'My $150 violin is why i sound bad... has to be... Then I watched this and was like, okay, it's me. I need to practice haha." FYI, just started like a month ago. haha
Yes and no, because it certainly is important to get a good instrument.
A sounds like the less expensive one. I’m not sure how to describe the difference but A sounds like it is missing frequencies.
Yes, you are right, less overtones!
I also think That A is the sheap violin 😉💝💐
You got it, Marleen!
Marleen Jamers Cheap*
A. I chose before reading the comments in case it was actually told. I was happy after choosing then reading to see I was right. It makes me happy that even as a beginner I was able to tell the difference!
Congrats!
Thank you for this video! I'm buying my 15 yo DD the Glarry right now and your video helped me decide. I didn't want to spend good money in case she doesn't like it but I was still worried that if it wasn't an expensive one it wouldn't sound any good at all and she'd quit immediately. Clearly the other is the best but as others have said, you made them both sound great in my brand new to this opinion!!
Great, Lisa, however I recommend upgrading quite soon as you notice she'll keep playing :).
As long as you put in hard work, any violin will sound great! (Except for violins u buy on ebay thats costs $30
Barnabas certainly
Apart from the difference in the quality of sound produced by either the violin or the bow , are there any advantages of expensive violin over cheap violin in terms of its ease of playing different techniques, or any person can do exactly the same with a cheap violin before getting a very expensive one , especially for students
Yes, there's definitely a difference in how it plays, how heavy it is for the hand and how secure intonation can be. Same goes for the bow.
Great video.
I think THE most incredible thing about this is, that a few dollars worth of fiddle can sound so good, as always the funk's in the fingers as bass players say😎
Haha, yes, exactly! Funk in the fingers... I'm going to remember that one! :)
I would guess A is the cheaper violin due to (very) slightly off pitch notes - I do think it may simply be finger positions are so slightly out of place for your preferences vs the antique instrument quite simply because the finer instrument would be what you're (more) accustomed to.
It’s actually the nut and the plastic fingerboard that make the pitch change while putting down the fingers.
I think B is the expensive one, but you make the cheap one sound so great anyway! :)
Thank you! In Holland we say 'a bad carpenter will always blame the hammer'.
I have to admit the instrument in such a talented musician going to sound fantastic , of course the expensive sounds better but as already told you the musician gives live to instrument , thanks for sharing
You're welcome!
Thanks Zlata. I was planning on buying a violin for myself for the first time. This is going to help me not to spend a lot on my first violin :)
Happy to help!
Violin A sounds brighter. Violin B sounds more mellow. If you were to look at the waveform of their sound, violin A would appear more like a saw tooth or square wave and violin B would appear more like a sine wave. So, violin A sounds cheap. In my junior high school days, I played on 13-year-old violin and a 6-year-old violin and I can hear the difference.
RaymondHng you got it!
A is definitely the cheap violin. But I didn't like the sound of violin b, too. Especially if you have a look at the price. I've heard instruments for 2000 which have a fuller and more intensive sound.
Yes, we all have a different taste. What kind of violin do you have yourself? Just curious... :)
@@violinlounge I play the viola 😉 it's a "normal" handmade one from a violin luthier in Germany, big, with kind of "dark" sound, wich is very full.
I love it when a viola sounds a bit like a cello. The big ones sound best usually. I have a German violin too :).
the 10k didnt hurt my ears on the initial pitches there were some resonances and frequencies i was hearign on the cheep one that jsut hurt. with that alone i think a was the cheep.
you got it!
I do not play violin. But I think most people choose Violin B because the performance in Violin A was a little bit out of tune compared to B. There is also a possibility that you played the Violin A with lesser bow control consistency than B, hence some people say that the Violin A is more scratchier, which I don't think has nothing to do with the quality of the wood. It's also possible that it has something to do with the rosin, or inferior strings but not the violin itself. But I am amazed with the sound quality of the Violin A. I will probably choose it over B if played equally well. I will say it's a tie for now.
You proved that the skill of the player is more important than the quality of the material, as long as the instrument has a proper setup and is comfortable to use. I am amazed the way you made the cheap violin sound like a pro. Give me those skills! x)
The thing is, and you'll notice this as soon as you start playing, that on the Glarry it was WAY more difficult to play in tune... almost impossible. The bow that came with it, was wobbly, so almost impossible to control. I took a lot of effort to make it sound good and in tune, but of course this cheap instrument has limited possibilities.
@@violinlounge I see so that's why. It probably needs a serious setup from a luthier to match the playability of the expensive one. Thanks for the additional information about this. Cheers!
cyrudejesu 🥂
I recently started playing the cello again after a long break, and recorded a video comparing 15 year old cheap strings with brand new expensive strings. On the video, there was very little difference, but in the room the difference was *huge*. Worth bearing in mind!
Yes, it's always hard to catch these things on video!
@@violinlounge How does the video compare to what you heard playing them?
@@RobManser77 I think the difference is bigger ‘in real life’
Yes
These comparison videos are always fund to watch. I wonder how a beginner sounds on both of them.
bang mon might invite someone in the future...
More expensive Im learning on a $30 dollar one I find I need to compensate too much for a better sound.
I'll tell you how a beginner sounds!!! he plays the shit out of either one. Every note sounds like shit!!!!
both almost the same, but if im not wrong. its actually got abit deference. B sound more rich and and nice than A, so B its the expensive violin.
Thanks for sharing!
I think A is the cheap one! Although you make it sound pretty darn good, there is still a harshness that comes through.
You got it, Elizabeth, had to put a lot of effort it to make it sound decent.
Both sound great as you play them 😺👍. Though I didn't like the scratchy sound at violin A. It was "scratchier" somehow at some parts. The notes (several notes in the beginning) were not similar with the violin B, I think it is better call it the color of the tone. At the first several notes they were a little bit "stingy", while violin B is more "warmer" and "calm" with "some degree of roundness sound". But the rest were just fine. Your playing techniques just blurred my perception then 😹😹👍👍🎻🎻.
I think also Violin B has rich tone colours, it's like it has layer of many sounds, especially when you drop the note to the lower string after playing the higher tones at A/E string. I didn't get the same impression at Violin A.
Matching the character from the first presentation, I think Violin A seems to be the cheap one. I think we need to "customize" the cheap violin to reduce the "stingy" and "scratchy" sound. 😺👍
Fighter Cat yes, B sounds cleaner and has richer sound colours indeed, partially caused by the age and quality of the wood.
@@violinlounge Ah, I see. The wood :) . Anyway, do you think it is influenced also to the string quality? Since I assume you played Violin A with the same string as you purchased it.
And what is the song's names? I like the melody. :)
Fighter Cat it’s a combination of many factors amongst which the wood, craftsmanship, set up etc. The piece is the Meditation from Thais by Massenet. I’ve got a tutorial video on it right here: violinlounge.com/how-to-play-meditation-from-thais-by-massenet-on-the-violin/
@@violinlounge Thank you Zlata :) I'll try to play it
I think B for he subliem high tone.s,but it can be A to for the way the player lets sound it so wel
You got it! A is the cheap one.
B sounded a bit cheaper to my bose headphones; the trick to find out is on the first position on the D string i think; that's where it'a bit more obvious
A is the cheap one, but there are more people who were confused.
The first comment of mine watching you played the cheap one is that you can make a cheap violin sounds like more expensive one.
It's rather hard to distunguish the two but for the B sounds better. It must be the expensive one.
I think in term of playability, the expensive one is far more comfortable and easy to play. Thanks for great video as you always make.
Thanks so much, Muhammed, tell me about your own violin :).
Obviously the B is the better. But it is not good enough for a violinist for it is not strong enough around open A string.
A is the cheap violin. It's your fine playing that makes the cheap one sound ok; that and your warm personality.
You’re so welcome, Erle 🥰
A is cheaper, the sound in B is so sweet
You got it!
Definitely Violin A. Good video!
Thanks ☺️
what a good player! A sounds undefined between the notes and sketchy
Thank you!
Do you use a cheap bow with the cheap violin or not?
How did you fixed the cheap violin tunning pegs?
Yes, I used the cheap bow that came with the violin. I pushed the pegs inside with some force so they would stay there. Although they don’t fit according to the book, the tuning stability was quite all right.
I saw on another site they sell a tapered drill bit that you can use to HAND DRILL the hole using the drill bit. Made sense to me. Won't put the sites name here. Wouldn't be cool.
I could see how smooth the expensive one sounded and I can tell it feels good playing it. To be honest Zlata made both sound great, but I could see the difference.
Good!
playing in E string and higher position with that cheap violin is such a pain :(
It is!
Yeah, I could feel just how cluncky that Bruch opening sounded.. despite the quality of the violinist!
What is the name of that profoundly shaking piece of music
Do you mean the opening of the Bruch concerto I play?
@@violinlounge thanku
I believe that violin B is the more expensive violin. A 🌻sounds pretty close to B in my opinion. I wish you could find more budget violins like A, the Glarry.
Are you looking to buy your first violin? Maybe check out this more extensive review I made about the Glarry: ruclips.net/video/t115d05iUm4/видео.html
B is the cheaper?
Susan Kimberley nope, A is the cheap violin, but you’re definitely not the only one.
Well I don't play violin but I can hear the difference B one has a smoothness in it's sound but the A one was also good ... The sound quality is little bit different the A one is little bit sharp but good and B one is smoother than A .... Well both are really nice
I also want to learn violin but I can't because in my family there are no one is musicians and the may won't allow me and second thing I don't have any teacher and environment for this ....
If you really want you can learn with my free beginner course :). I now publish new beginner lessons every Monday in addition to the lessons on Wednesday.
Violin A was the cheap one.
But you can see that in the un-blinded comparison, you play the expensive violin differently than you do the cheap violin. The bow strokes are slightly longer, the vibrato is more pronounced, and you are slightly more animated. Presumably you did this in the blinded comparison as well. So, while the expensive violin sounds a little better, some of that may be due to the better play it got from you.
It’s quite amazing, really, how the difference in sound between these two instruments is far more subtle than the difference in price. It takes an incredibly cheap violin to produce a sound that is noticeably inferior to that of an expensive violin. It seems to me that once you get above $3000 to $4000, the sound quality between violins of all prices is pretty much the same.
The violins both respond very differently, on the cheap one vibrato doesn’t come out that easily and the bowing doesn’t speak, so I couldn’t do the things exactly the same or the difference would be bigger. But yes: the difference is not 200 times better and in higher end violins the differences in quality are more subtle although they can be very different in character.
VIOLIN LOUNGE by Violinist Zlata
Your statements that the vibrato “doesn’t come out” as easily and the bowing “doesn’t speak” are unclear. They can mean anything you want them to mean. Comparisons need to be a bit more concrete.
Cheaper strings may not be as easily vibrated by the bow, much the same way synthetic bow hairs may not vibrate the strings as easily as horse hairs. Vibrato may be more difficult if the strings of the cheap violin are too high off the fingerboard, requiring more effort to rock your fingertip back and forth. I’m just offering some examples.
These would be the kinds of clear, concrete, comparisons that everyone can see and demonstrate for themselves.
Honestly both sound good with you playing them both.
A -- its tinny. Also the good one B is cleaner in sound
You make the Chinese violin sound so good! I vote A is cheap & B is $$$$. 👍😁
Thanks, Marty, it shows that a decent violin can be affordable for everyone and investing in skill pays off more than investing in gear to a certain extend.
Compared to the horrible violins you normally get when you buy cheap violins, the Glarry violin actually sounds amazing for the cost. Would be an excellent violin for starters.
Yes, it's definitely a good choice in the price range, I go a bit deeper into that right here: ruclips.net/video/t115d05iUm4/видео.html
The tone quality of B gave it away for me, it is the antique violin.
You got it, Monique, what kind of violin do you play yourself?
You could make any violin sound good. I think violin B is the expensive one though.
You got it! 👌🏻
Notwithstanding the fact that you probably made A sound as good as it possibly could by your expert playing technique, it sounds flat. B has much nicer tone clarity and some lovely overtones. But A is not sounding bad at all, considering the price point. I would imagine though that it must be tiring to get A to sound that nice, and if you were to play a very fast and technical piece on it, it would probably end up sounding muddled because its sound-projection appears slow and stagnant.
4theRun yes, exactly that, it takes a lot of effort and work arounds to make it sound good, that’s why less complexity and speed is possible, but still I was positively surprised. Some even got the test wrong.
I say b is the pricey one. But a cheap one sounds great in the hands of a master! Thanks for your videos!
Thanks for watching!
Seems about same to me. Maybe the the expensive one sounded a little melo
Thanks for sharing!
c
B definitely sounds better to me, whether it's the cheaper one or not.
Its the player not the violin... cheap violin still sound best in the hand of master....
I couldnt hear the different in two... it sound the same...
zombabeger thanks for the compliment 😊
@@violinlounge thanks for the ♥️... i really like violin, eventhough never play one😄
Thank you very much for sharing this. Also curious to know which was lighter or easier to play; the one which is easier to play may be better from ergonomics and musculoskeletal perspectives, so I feel. Even if sound may not be as sweet, please could you suggest if there are any cheap or cost effective violins, but lighter and with low string height, easy to play, good for the thumb design? (I recently stopped using shoulder rest, then observed that the violin I was using had string height of around 1 cm near the high end of the finger board. Being an amateur I had not noticed till now and was using a 600g violin suited perhaps for the seated position (another style, perhaps more ergonomical when compared and where players rarely go beyond the 5 th position) but like a western one
Here are some beginner violins I recommend that are well adjusted: violinlounge.com/article/5-best-violin-brands-for-beginner-violinists/
@@violinlounge Thank you so much
I really don't have a good ear. So far others say it is A that is the cheap violin and I think B is the cheap violin.
You got it! Tell me about your own violin! :)
After serious review I MUST SAY...A was better than B when B wasn't plying and visa-versa. My opinions sustain!!
A.
You got it! Tell me about your own violin... just curious!
The sound is way fuller on the expensive and the more expensive seems a lot easier to play?
Definitely
What is the name of the song that you played for the blind test?
Meditation from Thaïs by Massenet.
Violin A sounds more 'hollow' so I think that is the cheap one. B sounds much more resonant.
You got it! What type of violin do you play yourself?
@@violinlounge Ah thanks! I play a student quality violin actually, since I only started 3 months ago :)
Congrats on getting started and welcome to my channel? Did you check out my free beginner course at www.violinlounge.com/beginnercourse
@@violinlounge Ah yes I did, and I have downloaded the book. Thank you so much!
@@violinlounge You play really really well btw! You're so talented 💕
Wow, what a difference! And you'd hope so too when you invest so much in such a beautiful antique handcrafted instrument! A is definitely the cheap one. And I imagine you would likely hear the difference even more when a beginner plays...
Oh yes, however my violin wouldn't be so forgiving to a beginner, so perhaps the outcome could surprise you.
@@violinlounge Interesting!
Ik denk dat A de goedkope viool is. Hij klinkt alsof het meer moeite kost om er een mooi geluid uit te halen. Viool B heeft meer resonantie en ook meer, hoe zal ik het zeggen, een eigen geluid van zichzelf. Helemaal zeker ben ik niet omdat het best een kort stukje was.
Klopt helemaal, Anka, maar eigenlijk best bijzonder dat veel mensen twijfelen of juist B zeiden.
@@violinlounge Ik denk dat het komt omdat je uit A een heel mooi geluid wist te halen. Niet iedereen hoort dan dat dat best moeite kostte.
Anka Voskuilen wat wel gek was, is dat de opname met mijn eigen viool vaker over moest... reageert fijner, dus het komt nauwer om iets goed te doen.
@@violinlounge O ja, dat geloof ik direct! Dat kon je ook goed horen: de klank van A was steeds hetzelfde, a.h.w. stabieler, maar daarmee is er natuurlijk uiteindelijk minder expressie mogelijk. Pleit toch ook weer voor B.
The $10,000 sounded far better... still didn’t help the wallpaper look any better though...
I'll try different wall paper next time :P
Am I dumb or there's really huge difference. B sounds a bit more pleasant to my ears. 🤔 I think a comparison between a violin around 200 with one which worth 2000 would be more helpful
I already have several violin reviews on my channel for different price points, but will see if in the future it's possible to have lots of them together to compare.
A is cheap violin because it's sound quite hard and strong. B is expensive violin. the reason is that its sound is warmer.
EstherWong ThuyNguyen 👍🏻
A is the cheap one - the high tones don't resonate as much as on the antique one.
You got it!
@@violinlounge
The violin that is more cheap is A I mean the other violin is okay but a just takes the cake
nina gammar66 yes, tell me about your violin, Nina!
A is the cheap violin, but honestly it's hard to tell. I personally second guessed myself on the blind test
Yes, weird, isn't it?
A
You got it, tell me more about your own violin!
sounds the same to me. If anything, B sounds little better.
For shure!
You got it!
A is the cheap violin (nasal sound) ! The sound of B is so sweet so "full" and round !
DS you got it! Tell me about your violin! 😊
@@violinlounge
ah super for the game !! 😊
oh that's a very nice question and I'm very afraid to disappoint you, because I'm a poor little "violinist" adult beginner self-taught, sorry 😥! I have too much esteem for this art that I do not consider my 150€ violin as a violin, just as I do not consider myself a violinist ! But technically speaking, my violin is a beginner pack, brand Gewa, model pure monnich ! I find his sound really brilliant, cold, clear and sharp. But I'm thinking of taking another as a Christmas present, a Stentor model Verona (in the 450 €). I do not know if it's a good idea (but I registered in a concervatory for next September and I have no luthier before 3h of road ) !
DS gewa isn’t bad at all. I don’t know if the Stentor would be a big upgrade or if it’s better to save some more. Perhaps there’s a possibility to try it and some other options out.
God I hope there's a difference, with that kind of price difference. I don't understand why there are so many of these $100 violin vs $10K, 100K, $10M violin. It's rediculous.
Why can't someone do a comparison between a $50 or $100 violin vs a $200, $300, or $500 violin?
My feeling is that most shoppers of a beginner violin might make a jump from $100 to a few hundred. No way are they going to be looking at $1000+. Who in their right mind is going to shop for a $100 to if they're good and wealth enough to even be looking at $1K + violins?
I've got reviews on my channel of violins below $ 100, around $ 200 and around $ 500 showing and demonstrating exactly the difference and what to look out for. Here are some: violinlounge.com/article/5-best-violin-brands-for-beginner-violinists/
Also there are many other channels who have done reviews of the price ranges you mention :).
In the hands of an accomplished violinist, they both sound extremely close. The main thing is how it feels to the artist.
Yes, indeed, and the cheap violin has limits in it's possibilities.
B
Oops, nope, but it does indicate that they were quite close :).
To me A violin sounds brighter and more metallic. Also the sound isnt as clear, the sound being somewhat dirtier. Mind you, in your hands even a tin of tuna would sound like a Stradivarius! 😉 It goes to show that a good violinist can make the best out of a poor instrument. Youre an inspiration to us all😊
Aran L thank you Aran! 🙏🏻
No matter how cheap the violin is Zlata can make it sound beautiful any way.
Amanda Saunders 🥰
its always man behind the machine 😎
Exactly!
I think the cheaper violin is A. To me, the expensive violin doesn’t sound 200x better...
Exactly right, Dawn, investing in skills pays off more than investing in gear to a certain extend.
Violin Lounge by Violinist Zlata I think it’s because you can make any violin sound wonderful!
Dawn Healey 😘
a
I think A is the cheap one.
You got it!
Wedden that you are Nederlands?
Inderdaad!
I can't hear the difference. I think B is the most expensive one, but I'm not sure. The sound was fuller, perhaps, with more overtones. But I'm not sure. I had to listen twice, trying to understand the sound. Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise to have such bad ears as mine, since my violin is a cheap one.
I want to believe that if it was live, I'd be able to hear the difference.
I can definitely hear the difference between my bad violin and better violins I hear in the Queen Elisabeth Competition, or even from street musicians.
But my violin is really bad and I only ever hear it played by myself, making it even worse. I'm sure if you played it, it'd sound expensive!
Yes, you got it, Diana!
Bons violinos
night and day!
I think the cheap violin was A
Passed! :) What kind of violin do you play yourself, Abelardo?
@@violinlounge Hi, zlata. Always nice to watch your videos . I ended up buying a Chinese violin from a local seller here in Miami. His name is Emmanuel Berberian and has a business called Allegro music center. He sells several types of violins inspected and setup by by them. It cost me $295. It's a beginner's violin and probably not the best one. This is my first violin ever and I never played another one to compare but for the price I think it does the job.
@@Lalo1 Yes, if it's a good beginner violin, that's a very decent price!
Скрипка А, тому, що скрипка Б - дає більш м'які переходи на верхніх нотах... я так вважаю)
You got it!
I prefer the cheap one... 🙃 It was B!
haha, oh dear ;)
I think A is the cheap one
You got it! Tell me about your own violin...
@@violinlounge I've got the Stentor Conservatoire 2, that's what my violin teacher recommended
ringmann97 ah, I’ve indeed heard some positive things about them. How would you describe it’s sound?
It's has a nice rich sound. I haven't heard many violins to compare to so I don't how to to describe it but it's definitely not a cheap sound! It sounds great
ringmann97 ah ok, I might review it one day 😊