I recently attended the Metzler Contemporary American Violin Exhibition in search of a violin I might fall in love with.
There were many good instruments. But I left with a lot of thoughts — ones I’m still working through as I replay my recordings from the exhibition.
Here are some reflections.
Can I find a violin that sounds good under the ear and from afar?
This can be a challenge — even after feeling like I’ve begun to understand what to listen for, having tried many instruments and made my share of “mistakes” in the past.
In writing this, it helps to first define what a “good sound” even is — which is not so straightforward. Sound is subjective and often a matter of personal taste. Of course, we can assume the fundamentals – such as an even, healthy sound across all four strings, including the upper registers.
Beyond that, the analogy I would use is: a violin with great sound is like someone with good kung fu (for context, my dad is a kung fu sifu).
It’s not about constant power — or stiffness — but controlled power. The sound should feel relaxed and fluid by default, but when you want power, it can be released immediately, naturally, and with some sizzle. It’s always intentional.
In that sense, it reminds me of Roger Federer at his best — effortless and fluid on the surface, yet capable of producing power instantly, without strain.
And by power, I don’t mean just volume — it’s the core behind the sound.
It’s the fluid combination of power, response, and dynamic range that brings an instrument to life. The best violins have reserve — capable of real power when needed, but flexible and open otherwise. They don’t give you everything upfront — they give you access to it.
This is, of course, an oversimplification. There are many other characteristics to consider — smoothness/ texture, darkness or brightness, and more. But it’s a starting point.
So how do you actually identify a violin like this?
From my experience at the exhibition — it’s not as simple as playing a few notes under the ear.
In fact, that’s where it’s easiest to be misled.
Even this time, I found myself drawn to instruments that felt rich and powerful under the ear — only to realize later, through recordings, that they didn’t quite match the sound I had in mind.
Recordings are always a reminder: what you hear under the ear and what others hear can be very different. It’s a constant learning process — and I’ve found that the more instruments you try and analyze, the better you become at identifying what you’re truly looking for.
There are exceptions, of course — and great instruments can still surprise us.
Violinist Nathan Cole wrote about his “speed dating” experience with the 1716 Milstein Stradivari, which illustrates this perfectly. Under the ear, the G string sounds muffled and disappointing. Yet in the hall, it works beautifully.
It does make me wonder — before recordings were easily available, how did players like Nathan Milstein settle on an instrument that would become a lifelong partner? Was it love at first sound, or something that revealed itself over time?
Back to the exhibition.
During the tonal comparison, a violinist played multiple instruments back-to-back. Sitting farther away, it was surprisingly difficult to distinguish between many of them. A few stood out, but most blended more than expected — including both the ones I initially liked and the ones I didn’t.
What proved more helpful was hearing someone else play up close, where articulation, response, and color are much easier to perceive.
Here are some takeaways when evaluating a violin:
Record yourself
This gives you an objective reference. Many instruments sound very different on playback — and can even vary depending on whether you’re listening through speakers or headphones.
Have someone else play it (and listen up close)
This is one of the best ways to really hear a violin.
Try different environments
Rooms, distance, and context all change how an instrument sounds. Compare violins in the same environment, but also switch up environments after.
Note: for the exhibition, I tried all violins on the same bow. You want that for consistency. Trying different bows on a violin will inevitably produce different sounds, and that’s for another day.
Even with experience, it’s easy to misjudge a violin based on first impressions.
It’s a constant learning curve.
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