I have on a couple of occassions reminded those who asked how important it is to remain relaxed and tension-free when playing the violin. I had a real good reminder of this last week.
It was the day before I was to play Eruption on my Viper in public for the 1st time. I'm always a bit anxious with brand new repertoire, and anxiety is mental tension which easily translates into physical tension. As I practiced the short solo over and over, it was not sounding or feeling better and my fingers and hands were getting sore. I assumed it was just all the fast repetitive motions, but then I thought of how Mark plays everything, even the hardest-rocking, fast and furious stuff. He just tosses it off effortlessly, with abandon and almost delicacy in his hand and arm motions. He may dance, grind and jump like the most manic rocker, but he always handles the instrument with finesse and complete ease.
So I strapped the Viper back on and cranked the volume up really high, so high that I had to play really delicately and precisely not to bust my eardrums and make all kinds of horrid scratchy noises. Eureeka! It felt like I was barely making any effort at all, yet everything came out with greater clarity, precision, control and speed if I wanted it. It felt exactly like those times when I really got in a groove on my acoustic with something difficult like Sarasate's
Carmen Fantasy; the complexities just melted away and the fiddle seemed almost to play itself. All I had to do was know exactly what I wanted in my "inner ear" and ask for it; my body seemed to obey like magic.
This experience also drove home to me what an amazing instrument my Viper is. Like a fine acoustic violin which could easily cost ten times as much, the Viper rewards good playing and keeps on rewarding you the better you get. It really picks up subtleties in your bowing and responds to the smallest of inputs with immediacy and finesse. So many people poo-poo electronic instruments because they assume that they cannot respond with the colors and expressiveness that a good acoustic does. Maybe that's true with Yamahas and Zetas, but as Antonio said, "The Viper is the Stradivarius of the 21st Century." I will 2nd that and add that there is no hyperbole in that metaphor. Great instruments bring out greatness in their players; my Viper is definitely bringing out the best in me!
All you diligent and patient people, saving up for your Wood Violins--you will be abundantly rewarded!! I know I often sound like an ad for Mark's products, but really, I just get all excited by it!
. (The paint itself to do that costs $500/quart! 
) Or if I go with what Mark offers at this time, I'm thinking sky blue pearlized. I still love the dark blue, but I've found out that on stage it basically looks black. Going for a bit more pizazz, now that I need a repaint anyway..
What did you have done and why? 
