Re: playing outdoors

"Harold F. Evans" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in news:yRbxb.318292$Fm2.331970
@attbi_s04:

> Most wood responds well to cold temps.  As an experiment try taking an 
> inexpensive violin outside on a cold day.  Or, you could even try 
> placing it in a freezer and see what happens.  I doubt you will have any 
> difficulty with it at all.  Put the same violin next to a radiator or 
> leave it in a hot car in the summer, though, and you'll likely destroy 
> it

The luthier who built my wife's violin strongly suggested not letting it 
freeze. He said if it did freeze, to carefully thaw it in the case before 
trying to play it.

He also didn't think that high outdoor temperatures would be a problem, 
although direct sun might eventually alter the finish. But then again, he 
made it in Dallas, Texas, where summer temperatures hit 110F (43C); my wife 
plays outdoors in the summers here with temps around 95F (35C) common. Our 
humidity is always high in the summer. 90% to 95% RH is typical. 

Don't take that to mean that many instruments wouldn't have problems in 
weather like that, (especially older instruments with iffy (loose))  
joints, byt not all of them do.

Bob

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