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Stringed Instruments “In the Air”
The Violin “Hickey”
 Vibrato
Wolf Tones: What they are and what you can do about them
 Longer articles of interest

Stringed Instruments “In the air”

Violin and viola players should always carry their instrument on board and stow it in the overhead luggage bin. There is adequate space for it there. Do not under any circumstances allow airline personnel to persuade you that your instrument can survive being checked only in its regular case. This is asking for disaster! As with anything of value carried on an airplane, your biggest problem then becomes remembering that it is there once you arrive at your destination. Don't forget to check the overheads, especially if you must change planes and are in a hurry.

Taking a cello on an airplane is much more problematic. The safest - and of course, most expensive - way to transport a cello is to purchase an extra seat for the instrument and carry it on with you (some airlines will give you a break on the ticket price). Otherwise, you will be forced to check the instrument along with the rest of your luggage. If you must check the cello, your only safeguard lies in the care with which it is packed. There are heavy-duty shipping cases available; however, these are quite expensive. A cello packed in a box will stand a much greater chance of arriving intact if it is enclosed in a hardshell rather than soft case, and stuffed with a great deal of packing material both within and without so that it will not shift. Be sure to inquire about the availability of extra insurance.

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The Violin “Hickey”

Just about every violin and viola player is familiar with it: the dark, sometimes itchy, blotch that marks the upper left part of a player’s neck. Also known as the “violin hickey,” this ugly sore can become so irritated that it bleeds, and makes practicing and performing an uncomfortable experience. For the very young string player, the painful or infected “violin hickey” might even discourage practice time. Although many string players insist that it is impossible for the serious violinist to avoid having a hickey, below are some suggestions that might help you cope with or alleviate the problem:

  1. Try different chin or shoulder rests to find the one that fits you best. A more comfortable fit might help to solve a painful hickey problem.
  2. Keep the chin rest and your neck clean to reduce the risk of bacterial infection. It might be a good idea to keep a plastic, re-sealable bag in your case filled with cotton balls and a sample-size bottle of witch hazel extract to wipe off your neck and chin rest (don’t get any on the instrument’s varnish!).
  3. Use hot compresses in combination with aloe vera to help soften the rough spot. Known for its healing properties on cut or burned skin, aloe vera can also soothe a chapped or irritated neck. Apply it several times a day to the inflamed area to help the healing process.
  4. There are various products on the market designed to increase playing comfort, and many have the added benefit of alleviating the redness and irritation associated with the hickey. The Wolf Chin Rest, for example, is a regular chin rest but its black, leather-looking foam cover can help reduce irritation. Strad Pad, a washable, shaped-foam pad that fits directly over the chin rest, is another option designed for comfort with the added benefit of reducing the hickey. For young students, the Kinder-Chinder is a washable fabric cover that fits over the chin rest and under the violin, and comes in several sizes. Its foam interior can be adjusted for comfort.
  5. Some less expensive suggestions for dealing with the problem are all geared towards creating a cushion between your skin and the instrument. Many players use a clean handkerchief or washcloth over the chin rest and under the instrument to cut down on friction. The downside of this solution is that it can also muffle the instrument's sound. A small six-inch square of bubble wrap folded in half and slipped into a cloth sleeve also works for some players. Or, if possible, simply wear a turtleneck or dickey when practicing.

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Vibrato

As any string student will tell you, learning vibrato is not easy. Vibrato is a complex and personal tool of musical expression, and it takes practice and experimentation to master the technique and its use. Students often have questions about when, how much and at what amplitude vibrato can or should be used. Although there is no single or correct kind of vibrato, and what you do depends upon the type of music you are playing, there are a couple of simple guidelines to keep in mind when employing vibrato as an expressive sound. First, initiate vibrato below the intended pitch. Given that the highest tone draws the most attention, vibrating up to the note will support that tone. Conversely, if you vibrate down to the intended pitch—or above the note—you will sound sharp. Also, remember that some musical sections are expressed best with no vibrato (the so-called "white tone").

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Wolf Tones: What they are and what you can do about them

You’ve heard it on all types of cellos, from a basic student model to a beautifully crafted Forester: the booming and “woo-wooing” vibration of a wolf tone. What causes this sound and what can be done to eliminate it? Although its exact cause has been debated for decades, it is known that the wolf is a product of the natural resonance of your instrument and therefore a necessary part of the cello’s design. Every bass, cello, violin or viola has a fundamental pitch: the pitch at which the air cavity resonates. When you reach the resonant pitch, the instrument will respond noticeably, resonating with that note. It is often an F on many cellos, but it will be lower on a larger instrument that has a correspondingly larger air cavity, and higher on a smaller model.

Unfortunately, the fundamental pitch on the cello is usually very close to the fundamental pitch of the top and the back. What this means is that when that note is played, a synergy is created—the top, back, and air cavity produce an excess of vibration that cannot be sustained, leading to the characteristic fluttering or wailing of the wolf tone. What can be done to eliminate the problem? Because the tone is a product of the resonating chamber, nothing can completely get rid of the offending vibration. However, the wolf can be moved around from note to note by screwing a small brass slug known as a “wolf eliminator” to the G or C string. Unfortunately, it has the additional effect of dampening the vibration of the string over its entire spectrum. There is another device called a Lupus Ex that works well, although some cellists complain that it alters the timbre (tonal characteristics) of the instrument. The Lupus Ex is tuned to the wolf tone, and glued inside the instrument near the left f-hole at the nodal point of the vibration. It then absorbs most of the excess vibration that produces the unpleasant wail. See the available wolf eliminators for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Bass.

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