Nathan Weiss

Whether for the violin, cello, viola or string bass, knowing proper string maintenance can reduce the chances of a mid-performance break. Few violinists consider their music to be a contact sport...

They don’t make the music but ensure the instrument gets to its audiences. This London violinmaker created some of the most beautiful cases ever made.When is a package or container almost as valued as...

Music study can lead to a rewarding career. But simply learning how to play a violin (or tuba or oboe) can positively affect development in many ways. We go to a concert hall and see virtuoso...

As the first chair of one of the world’s great orchestras, the LA Phil concertmasters often extend their credits by working on great cinematic scores.The casual fan of orchestral music knows the...

Despite the difficulty thieves might find reselling famous works of the master luthier, history shows that Stradivariuses hold enduring attraction to thieves.The story of the stolen Stradivarius...

Both rosin and music produced by strings go back thousands of years. When the two came together is uncertain, but it’s easy to understand why.It’s somewhat challenging to identify when rosin met its...

The A note changed over the centuries due to concert hall architecture, instrument innovations, and the globalization of Western music.Violin strings are typically tuned by setting the A string to 440...

The thick neck of this obscure stringed instrument speaks to the double duty it and its players serve to produce its rich tonality. Barytons are quite rare.The baryton, a member of the viol family, is...

The violin Joshua Bell can’t let out of his sight has twice, and for many years, been in the hands of thieves. Yet it helped save the lives of 1,000 people.The French poet, dramatist, novelist...

The "Swedish fiddle" is not purely a product of this Scandinavian country. But its biggest fans are probably in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmo and Uppsala.To understand the history of the Nyckelharpa...

Violinists are split on if the shoulder rest helps or hurts their play. Medical professionals recommend it for people with sore necks and shoulders.The sound a violinist produces, as well as the...

Here’s to thinking outside of the (string peg) box. But from a 21st century perspective, covering the aluminum with faux wood was a poor aesthetic choice. Perhaps one of the more curious aspects of...

Bringing music to Los Angeles’ most disenfranchised people isn’t just a do-good project. It’s about summoning the best in all of us, the core of our beings.What does it mean that accomplished...

Double-blind tests in 2014 found newer violins have a preferred sound, shocking many. But it’s music to the ears of violinists with smaller budgets.If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and taste...

Neither a musician nor a maker of musical instruments, this deeply shy writer traversed America to meet luthiers face-to-face and describe their work. It was published more than 30 years ago, and all...