Talk:Violin octet

First section
I'm making a very small change to this article; The Soprano Violin tunings given were actually a perfect fifth higher than the regular violin tuning, not a "fourth" as mentioned, which at any rate could refer to a diminished, augmented, or perfect fourth. I am assuming that it is meant to be a perfect fifth, however, since violin and viola are a perfect fifth apart.

With due respect, I think that is incorrect. I think that the correct wording should be "perfect fourth" because C-G-D-A, the tuning of the soprano violin according to the external link, would be a perfect fourth above a standard violin tuning G-D-A-E, not a perfect fifth. RosinDebow 00:11, 28 June 2006 (UTC)


 * That is correct. I'd also contend that "fourth" and "fifth", if unqualified, are generally understood to mean the perfect intervals.  Hopefully some links should clarify that. &mdash; Miles&larr;&#9742; 03:38, 28 June 2006 (UTC)

Infobox
Discussion of the infobox that just showed up is at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Musical Instruments. __Just plain Bill (talk) 23:42, 18 November 2007 (UTC)

Fifths tuning
It's interesting to note that various bassists have in recent years started to tune their basses in fifths, as Hutchings originally recommended for the small bass and contrabass violins - see fifths tuning and Joel Quarrington. It's probably original research to note this unless any published source has noted the connection between the two, but it's interesting all the same. TSP (talk) 03:58, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

Bows
Sorely lacking is information about the bows used to play these instruments, especially for those instruments (treble violin, soprano violin, tenor violin, small bass violin) that have no equivalent in the usual violin family or for the alto violin that does but which is played differently. I've looked for information on the sites specifically dedicated to the New Violin Family but could find nothing. If you come by information regarding bows please add it to the article. Contact Basemetal   here  16:16, 13 May 2013 (UTC)

A picture for this article
A good picture that would show the whole violin octet at a glance would be this one: Picture of the New Violin Family at the New Violin Family Association website. I asked Joe McNalley, the artistic director of the the Hutchins Consort/New Violin Family Association, in email, if I could use that picture and he said I was welcome to use it.

However as you know it's not that simple. You've got to go through several hoops before you can upload an image and be sure it complies with Wikipedia policy.

I do not have, at the moment, the time to go through all the documentation in order to figure out what to do.

If you already know these things and it would be an easy thing for you to do, please go ahead, contact Joe McNalley (you'll be emailing to him when you go this contact page: Contact Page), secure his permission the way Wikipedia needs it and upload the file (preferably to the Commons).

Note this image is already uploaded to the Hungarian WP: The Violin Octet. But there they have it under "Not for commercial use" and apparently that's not good enough for the English WP. You can take a look at that page on the Hungarian WP and try to decipher what it says with Google Translate. But apparently you can't transfer that image to the Commons.

Good luck.

Contact Basemetal   here  21:39, 13 May 2013 (UTC)


 * It's been nearly 7 years and there's still no photo in this article? Talk about underachieving. If the photo is okay to use, use it. 173.88.246.138 (talk) 03:59, 26 March 2020 (UTC)


 * It's been nearly 7 years and there still isn't a free photo of the subject? Talk about not understanding. If the photo were okay to use, we would use it.


 * The photo is copyrighted. For us to use it, it would need to pass our "fair use" criteria (it doesn't) or be "free" (it isn't). We either need the owner of the photo to release it from copyright or to find another photo. - Sum mer PhD v2.0 15:55, 26 March 2020 (UTC)

Instrument count
Does anyone know how many of these instruments have been made?

Thanks Tfdavisatsnetnet (talk) 02:20, 19 March 2024 (UTC)

Regarding the piano
I would be interested if someone would create a graphic of the note ranges of the violin, viola, cello, and double bass overlaid on the piano keyboard, so we can see which notes the traditional instruments cannot play but which these instruments can. I'm musically illiterate so I can't do this.

Thanks Tfdavisatsnetnet (talk) 23:36, 19 March 2024 (UTC)

Performing groups
The article states:
 * Currently, there are three performing groups which play and record on the instruments of the violin octet...the Hutchins Consort...the Albert Consort...the New Violin Family Orchestra...

As of March 19, 2024, it appears that only the Hutchins Consort is active.

Thanks Tfdavisatsnetnet (talk) 00:26, 20 March 2024 (UTC)