It’s a Match: Finding the Right Instrument ♥

Finding an instrument is deeply personal. For a developing musician, it can become one of the most important relationships in their musical life.

Choosing a violin, viola or cello is a deeply personal thing.

For a serious musician, an instrument is not simply a piece of equipment. It can be something they spend several hours with every day, often more waking time than they spend with members of their own family. They practise with it, rehearse with it, perform with it and, over time, learn to understand every strength, weakness and individual characteristic it possesses.

That relationship can last for years. As a young musician develops, the relationship becomes more sophisticated. They learn how the instrument responds under different bow pressures, where it produces its best sound, how far it can be pushed and where greater care is required. They become familiar with tiny differences in response and resonance that another player might barely notice. Eventually, much of this becomes instinctive.

The instrument also becomes part of the musician's identity. It is the means through which they turn a musical idea into sound. When the relationship works well, the musician stops thinking quite so much about the mechanics of producing that sound and starts concentrating on what they actually want to say with it.

So choosing an instrument for a developing musician is something we take seriously. At YSF, we do not think about placing instruments according simply to grade, age or monetary value. A Grade 8 violinist does not automatically need the most valuable violin available, and two musicians of exactly the same standard may have completely different requirements.

The important question is whether the characteristics of a particular instrument complement the musician who is going to play it.

And that is where matching fun begins!

No two musicians are quite the same

By the time a young musician reaches a more advanced level, their playing has usually developed recognisable individual characteristics. Some naturally use considerable bow weight and draw a broad, powerful sound. Others develop a lighter and faster bow technique. Some players want an instrument that responds almost immediately, while others prefer a little more resistance and something they can work against.

Physical characteristics matter too. Hand size, strength, posture and the way the player naturally interacts with the instrument can all influence what feels comfortable.

Then there is musical personality. One player may instinctively look for warmth and depth. Another may be drawn towards clarity and brilliance. A musician playing extensively in orchestras may increasingly value projection, while somebody developing through chamber music may be particularly interested in tonal colour and responsiveness at lower dynamics.

None of these characteristics is inherently better than another.

They simply mean that the instrument has to suit the musician, rather than the musician being expected to suit the instrument.