Hey, how's it going? Welcome back to another episode of TwoSet Violin. And today, as you can see, we have ten violins in front of us. And this is kind of like a violinist's paradise because five of these violins are super, super, like elite, right? Their historical, famous makers. And they're very expensive. The other five violins are still expensive because violins by nature are just expensive. - If they are good.
- Yes. But they're not as expensive. So like, what would be the comparison? Like, I think five of these are about, like, between $10,000 - $100,000. Yes, which is expensive. And the other five are... - over $1,000,000 each.
- Yeah. - One or two... Yeah.
- Some of them may be even up to $10,000,000. So the idea of today's video is we wanna see if we can hear the difference between the Stradivarius... the million-dollar violins with the not-so-but-still-expensive violins. Before we start the game, just a quick thank-you to the Rin Collection for providing the violins that you see here today. The Rin Collection is based in Singapore, and it started from the Rin family. They collected these instruments since 1980s actually. They're very generous in terms of the instruments because they also loan these instruments to young students at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory here. They also support competitions such as The Singapore International Violin Competition, where the winner gets the chance to play these amazing instruments for three years. And as a violinist, that's super exciting. - Yeah.
- Because... when you play a really good instrument, you also learn a lot. Round one. Oh, I'm so nervous. Whoa. I'll play both, then you play both? Maybe you play both. And next one, I'll play both. - Ah okay, yeah.
- To save time, right? Whoa! Can you tell? I think so, but I'm so scared I'll get the wrong one. I think I know. But that 1% doubt I got the wrong one is just kinda scary. - Oh, what do you think...playing them?
- Oh, I don't know. No, I wanna- Let me play it actually. - Yeah, I think you should play it.
- So you can hear as well. Yeah, I think I know which one...I think. Okay. It's very hard 'cause they were very close. I'm thinking this. Really? Nah, I'm just joking, I'm just joking. He was like... - "Here we go again!"
- No! - Thinking this.
- I think this is it. - I think so.
- I'll tell you why though. Why? I feel like when I'm playing this one, especially in higher register, you can hear the... It's trying really hard to get the sound out. But I don't know. Alright. Answer reveal! Did we get it right? - It's kinda scary.
- Yeah. I'm like, a bit scared. Damn! Guadagnini! Guadagnini, you know... was an admirer of Stradivari once upon a time. He was an alumni, right? - Yeah, exactly.
- Something like that. He named his instruments later down the line on behalf of Stradivarius. Kinda like... - signaling his inspiration from the great masters.
- Yeah. - It's like the lineage.
- Yeah, the lineage! Yeah. Round two! - I think it's this one.
- Tsk, yeah. I think so, too. Yeah, bro. Yeah, what- Alright, bye. I'm taking this home with me. - That sounded really nice. Yeah.
- Do you wanna try and play? Oh my god. It's pretty nice to me. Mm! Sounds like... ...millions of dollars. Sounds like a... Like... It sounds like a good instrument, but after that, it sounds like a cardboard box. You know what I mean? Yeah. It's like, it's more one-dimensional, I think. Like, it sounds good though, but just after that... If we get it wrong, - I'm officially playing the viola.
- Yeah. - It will be TwoSet Viola.
- So I think we've agreed, right? - These are the... No!
- It is this one. Nah, I'm just kidding. - Is that right?
- Did we get it right? Yeah! - Guarneri.
- Ohhh! You know, growing up as a kid, like... Guarneri del Gesù was like...my favorite. 'Cause I used to read about it. I remember thinking like... Stradivari was like the mainstream one. - Ha ha! Yeah.
- But Guarneri was like the...more rarer. They're known to be more like... powerful and rich and darker than Strads, right? Heifetz? Strad. Whoa! - Yeah, Guarneri is known to be a powerful sound.
- Yeah. - Really powerful sound.
- I mean, that sounded very powerful. But it's rich-powerful. Sometimes you get a violin that's like... really loud under the ear. And it's just like... you know like, "Ugh!" But this one doesn't. It doesn't sound loud. But you can tell it's like... Like, it'll project in the hall. Alright, so this is the third round. Now, just based on the varnish itself. Brett: It's very hard not to judge which one is which. Eddy: Yeah, it's a- - This one is quite obvious even just visually.
- Yeah. Brett: Never know! You never know. Maybe this...the varnish... ...they decide to trick us. Maybe... - One of us... You can play.
- Yeah. And I'll guess. I'll just face this way. - So I won't even know which one you're playing.
- Oh, that's true, that's true! Okay. You don't know what I'm getting. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Let me just... *Luo Wei chuckles* - Brett: Let me just...
- Eddy: Ha ha ha ha...! - Brett: No, no, no! Let me just, a little warm-up.
- Eddy: Ha ha ha ha...! - Brett: I'm not ready yet!
- Eddy: Ha ha ha ha...! Eddy: Okay. Eddy: Other one. Eddy: Bruh. Just, just... Eddy: Dude, it's harder when you can't see it. - Really? Okay, nice.
- Eddy: Yeah, it's actually harder. Eddy: I think I know, but I wanna check again. Can you play the other one again? The first one. Eddy: I'm so scared I'll get it wrong, man. Eddy: 'Cause they look so different! Eddy: If I get it wrong, I would be like...game over. Eddy: Oh wait, you know what I should do? I should... Eddy: I should stand here, and then you play. The first on the G string sounded weirdly resonant, but then, it was like, kind of a flabby... sound. It sounded loose. I think I like the second more, but then, it's actually, in terms of projection, - it's not that much louder.
- Mhm. And that's why I'm confused... 'Cause I would've thought there'd be like, a big, distinct... - Difference in resonance.
- Wow! Play "Meditation" on both. Yeah, next. Alright. - My instinct is this one is that...
- (Brett) Huh?
- (Luo Wei): Hehehe. - Is that right?
- (Brett) Yeah. - Oh, thank God!
- Right? I dunno, I just... I guessed too! I just said, "Yeah!" - That's correct.
- Ahh, ahh! It's a lot sweeter, this- Yes. I feel like this one is also quite easy to play. - The G string is buff!
- Powerful. It's really powerful. I remember Amatis... I mean, I could be wrong, but one of their distinct features- - More... rounded, right?
- They're more rounded, right? - Yeah.
- And so they're very sweet in the sound. That's why it wasn't as loud... 'Cause it's Amati... but it's very sweet. - Alright, next one, you're doing blind.
- Oh no! Round 4! Your turn for the blind test! Hahahaha! Oh, I'm nervous! Stay calm, Brett. You gotta stay calm to... unlock... the hearing. Hmm... sounds expensive. This is very hard to tell. - It is, right?!
- They're very, very hard to tell. Oh no! 'Kay, play the first one again. Okay, play- play the second one... - I think I know, but I don't want to make a guess... on camera.
- I know what you mean. Oh, my heart's beating fast... I can't tell... Oh, do I have to guess? Play... on the G string. I can see my life flash before my eyes. I feel like you played the first one better. Can you just play- sorry, just play the E string. - Oh my God...!
- Just play the E string, haha! - This video's gonna be like, an hour long!
- Haha, sorry! It's okay! Just play the E string, and I'll guess. I'm gonna guess after this one. - I don't know it, actually.
- Okay, play the second one... Okay. Is this the expensive one? - (Brett) I thought this is the expensive one.
- Turn around. (Brett) Ohh... got it wrong. I should've trusted my intuition, it was the first one. (Lou Wei) Hehehehe! You did say I played the first one better. - (Brett) It sounded better straight away.
- I'll tell you what, though, this one does sound quite good. There's something to do with violins as well, with... How you play it. I feel like this one was a better sound, but then, that one, I could kind of do my bow changes better. And I think that's misleading, 'cause then, I end up making it smoother phrasing with that one. Ohh, can I... play it? When it's close, the other one actually sounds louder. - I think that's probably what was confusing, yeah.
- Threw me off. - (Eddy) But from far, the Strad's sound...
- (Brett) It's singing, right? - It- it sings further.
- (Brett) Ahh. I'll play that. You can hear... (Lou Wei) Yeah. It's louder under the ear, for sure. - (Brett) Yeah.
- Yeah. (Eddy) When I was standing there, I was like, "Holy moly, the Strad's actually softer!" - But then, when I walked there, the Strad carries a lot further.
- Can I try? Kinda wanna hear it. - (Eddy) Yeah, yeah.
- Can I try? Kinda wanna hear it. Yeah, holy s***. - Okay... yeah, okay, it's a big difference.
- (Eddy) Big difference now, right? Yeah. Wow! Arrrrr! - I'll play, you wanna guess?
- Yep. Yeah, I'll guess again. - Blind?
- Yeah. Oh, he wants to redeem himself! Let's go! Let's go! This one... - What did you say?
- This one sounds better. I played them both pretty badly, so... Yeah, that's why this one sounds better! Umm... Yeah. - I think it's this one.
- Commit? Yeah, it sounds... better... I think. I dunno! Oh no! The second one is the more expensive one. Am I right? - Yeah.
- (Eddy) Yeah. Ohh... ohh...! - (Brett) It just sounds more... refined.
- Yeah, the sound. (Brett) But in terms of volume, it's actually quite similar. I think it's a projection thing. I think in a big hall... Can I say, I feel like I don't know how to play Strads. (Eddy) Mmm! I noticed with the Guarneri... and the Guadagnini and... I could play... and immediately play better. The Strad, I'm like... I think I need to learn to play it. - Yeah... I think so.
- All bow sp- ohh. That's what they say. Stradivaris needs more bow speed. I need more bow speed. There you go! Four out of five! At least we still pass! Alright, everyone! Thank you so much for watching! Once again, we want to thank the Rin family for loaning us these amazing instruments for this video. And also thank you to YST for providing us this venue to play these beautiful instruments in! And once again, go practice. So you don't guess wrong like me.
