Comments for Music and Beyond

Comment on My Mariachi Vihuela by Claude

Claude — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 04:11:38 +0000

You should try playing melodies on your vihuela. Both baroque guitars and ukuleles use re-entrant tuning and have a wide melodic repertoire.
Campanella, where the succeeding notes are played on adjacent strings rather than along the same string, gives an effect of chords hanging in the air as you play. The effect is charming but very difficult with standard tuning. Re-entrant makes it, if not easier, at least less difficult.

Comment on How Sheet Music can change: Going from the printed page to a tablet computer like the iPad by Paul Olson

Paul Olson — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:53:47 +0000

I’m getting ready to write a grant for choir tablets. Your blog helped open my eyes to the issues. I would like to add the ability to broadcast a music quiz or some kind of notation test, have them take, score it immediately and have their grades end up in my electronic grade book. For my junior high choir this would be amazing.

Comment on Thoughts on crossover guitars by tyrone s millsaps

tyrone s millsaps — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:06:26 +0000

Yes,the intonation is incredible on the Ibanez 10N and not just for a cheapo but for any nylon string!Lots of tinkering I’m afraid though after re-radius but maybe not.I have discovered in my 55 playing years that as far as intonation goes there’s them that is and them that ain’t and not much one can with some gits intonation.The players touch can affect intonation as much as setting up with a meter!!

Comment on Thoughts on crossover guitars by tyrone s millsaps

tyrone s millsaps — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:56:13 +0000

I’m radiusing my cheapo Ibanez 10N($299.00)nylon string to 14o radius!Can’t wait as this git is loud,not much character though(plywood top).Glad you mentioned arched back and more midrange as this puppy is loud even with low action!!Yes they should radius the fingerboards and put some neck angle on ‘em also(tradition dies hard.Thanx for great article! Ty Millsaps

Comment on My Mariachi Vihuela by Luis Guzman.

Luis Guzman. — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:19:30 +0000

Hi to all,
Just to comment on your vihuela and the beatiful inlays it has, it has very inusual features; the long scale and the frets on her,I am asumming this was a special order instrument.I have a vihuela made in Leon, Guanajuato(another mexican state) by a guy with the surname morales and it also have metal frets(six to be precise) and a six string, but with a short string scale,I think this was a experimental instrument falling in between a vihuela and a requinto but with the tunning on E as any standar guitar, it sounds very nice and after 30 plus years of service, still holding out pretty nice.

Comment on My Mariachi Vihuela by Saul Sanchez

Saul Sanchez — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 06:19:34 +0000

There are the “Morales” vihuelas, guitarrones, guitars, and harps specially dedicated to the mariachi genre. These instruments are generally top quality and very expensive. They are made in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico by Roberto Morales and,since a pair of decades ago, his son Ruben. It is pretty much generally accepted that vihuelas come in three sizes being #1 the smallest and brightest. Any mariachi musician from Jalisco might know how to contact these luthiers.

Comment on My Mariachi Vihuela by Andres

Andres — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:37:31 +0000

Hello i have also been looking to by a vihuela like the one you own so i was wondering how much you paid for that one. its a really nice one and since im planning on taking a trip to that part in mexico i wanted to have an idea of how much they are worth.

Thanks,

Comment on My Mariachi Vihuela by David Aldana

David Aldana — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 01:55:31 +0000

Hi there, my name is David Alejandro Aldana, I came across this article and i found it really amazing that people take interest in the vihuela, an instrument of my culture. I play many instruments such as piano, drums, guitar but I am a vihuela player at heart. Its been my main instrument of about two to three years now or so(ive been playing guitar for about 6, but its basically the same thing the only real big difference is that the vihuela is missing the low e string) and i play in a professional and school mariachi so i have a pretty good amount of experience to these wonderful instruments.I currently have 3 of them, my first one, Lucida, my second a Reyes Standard, and 3rd a Reyes Deluxe.If you want to know more about them i will gladly answer.
Your vihuela is really nice, it has the looks, and it seems like it has a loud bright tone, and lots of frets which is really good.
Here i will, inform you more of the vihuela you have. Yours looks like its made for professional use. Most professional vihuelas have a headstock like yours, they have more than three frets, and they look and sound nicer. Standard and cheaper vihuelas usually only have 3 or 4 frets and they sound and look ok.Nowadays vihuela players use more than the usual three frets, we dont play everything in first position anymore, we are evolving our capabilities you could say, haha. But yes your vihuela isnt ment to be hung on a wall,it is something of fine quality with elaborate designs so you can show it off when you play gigs or concerts, it really is a fine instrument. What is unusual is the frets ,my Lucida is like that, but i prefer the plastic frets better.
Thank you,
David Aldana

http://www.youtube.com/user/DavidAA1964?feature=mhee
heres my youtube channel with videos of me playing my vihuela so you can check out what an instrument like yours can do.

Comment on My Mariachi Vihuela by Wheat Williams

Wheat Williams — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:32:35 +0000

Perhaps you are referring instead to the European Renaissance instrument called the vihuela, which is not the same instrument as the Mexican mariachi vihuela at all. Search for information on web sites devoted to “early music” or “historically-informed performance”.

Comment on My Mariachi Vihuela by Wheat Williams

Wheat Williams — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:30:12 +0000

No, I have never heard of a Mexican mariachi vihuela with six strings.