If you have classical chops how about recording something and let us hear how versatile the 5 string can be in a genre that is not normally accepting of the 5 string.
Here is a link I stumbled across with a little Baroque on a 5 string. http://www.archive.org/details/BaroqueFantasiaFor5StringViolin
If I read it right, that Fantasia was improvised... it certainly sounded like it (that's a good thing). As for established classical music, there isn't much written for 5-string yet. I know someone wrote a concerto or solo piece of some kind for 6-string electric, but I don't know of anything new for 5. The Arpeggione sonata would probably work well.
You found me out...That's me playing my $9.00 (40.00 shipping) 5 string violin from a certain auction site! The strings were not of the quality I desire, but they worked to their purpose.. It is a Berkeley Instrument. I can't really find much about their violins and I think it was made in China. I was pleased with the exceptionally fine workmanship,and the overall sound, at any rate. The recording was made using Adobe Audition 1.0. I was testing the program. I also used a Baroque violin bow. I will post some more music in the future, God willing, as I sometimes suffer from severe arthritis and gout in my bowing arm. As for improvization, it is truly a lost art today, Jazz may be the only exception. When I play what comes to my mind in those instances and have had to literally make up parts when I was working with bands. I've noted, on many occasions, that many very talented classical violinists, when asked to improvise anything,just off the top of their heads, often find it impossible to do so ,which in my experience, is due to the strictness in which their teachers place upon them during their training. It is a gift that comes in handy for jazz and popular music musicians, and a necessary knowledge for any Baroque musician. I hope to post a few more videos in the near future both on the Internet Archives and my YouTube channel(Jerald1610)utilizing the 5 string violin. For those who would be interested, I shall compose some solo pieces for the 5 string and post them on www.8notes.com (Jerald1610) as MIDI files.
Tartini, is that you playing the Baroque Fantasia? I enjoyed listening to the piece and wish you would post some more Classical type ditty's. If they are improvs that great!
I just added some more music last night from my archives. It is my method to usually improvize my tunes before I commit them to notation. The Internet Archives is a wonderful site in and of itself, but there is really very few people, strangely enough, that has posted anything pertaining to 5 String Violins or the rich music made with them...I hope you enjoy the new works. My doctors may have found the proper medication for my gout/arithritis in the right arm and both feet. They administered a steroid shot that should last for 3 or 4 months at a time,(It also gives me energy as well) so I should attempt to take advantage of precious time and create some more music while I can.I was afraid that I may never was going to be able to play again..Thank God I can play again as well as if I never had before.
(This is where you can access my complete online public domain works)
http://www.archive.org/index.php Then type in their search box: jerald franklin archer
choose all media types, then click go... ------------------------------------------------- or this....
(this will list any files that pertain to the 5 string violin)
http://www.archive.org/index.php Then type in their search box: 5 string violin
choose all media types, then click go... ------------------------------------------------- Videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/jerald1610
------------------------------------------------- Free original compositions: http://www.8notes.com/members/Jerald1610/ ------------------------------------------------- A Google (or other web search engines) search under Jerald Franklin Archer will give several results of the various web addresses I can be seen on.
Pardon my technical computer ignorance....and my somewhat shameless self promotion... Enjoy my works and I encourage others to share their constructive criticisms, opinions, knowledge and talents!