Violin Lessons
Saturday was my first violin lesson in about 27 years. I was nervous when I left the house. When I met my instructor, she and I spent a lot of time talking about my experience, what I wanted to accomplish, music theory, etc. She was very attentive and I feel is trying to come up with a plan for covering what I want to learn rather than put me in some organized program.
I don't think she has any real experience with electric violins. But then, neither do I. She liked the tone of my instrument though and is willing to work with me and that is all I really need.
My first assignment, all of Suzuki Book 1. That, and some major scales, A, D, and G. As an adult, she is letting me determine when I am ready to move on to the next piece, etc.
My vibratory tuner arrived. It's both good and bad. Good in that it works well in determining what note I'm playing and telling me if I'm sharp or flat. Bad in that it has a somewhat slow response time. Many of the pieces I'm playing are so quick it can't keep up with me. I'm using it to train my ear on the scales where I can play long, sustained notes as well as using it to check on notes when I think they sound wrong in a piece I am playing.
My instructor, Nancy, suggested a device called a "Don't Fret." It's a patented finger board overlay that has the notes on it. Back when I was a kid, we used tape across the finger boards for this purpose. This is supposed to be better. I couldn't find one locally so I had to order it off the web. It should be here soon.
I find I've been giving a lot more thought to music lately. I've been listening more closely to all types of music that I happen to hear. I've been trying to identify the individual instruments in any song, piece, etc. I'm hearing violins a lot in the background on even popular music. All of this has piqued my curiosity about music. I've started an online intro to music theory course I found on the web and it's explained a lot. I think Nancy will help to fill in the gaps and drive the concepts home.
Music and our society is very interesting. "The Sound of Music" is about a musical family. Lots of people play instruments just for fun. There probably isn't a garage band that doesn't dream of being discovered and making it big time. Almost everyone listens to music. Music seems to be connected to our emotional centers in a way that no other art form is.
I find I really enjoy practicing the violin. Something I didn't enjoy as a kid. My left arm doesn't know what's happening though. My forearm was aching from having my wrist rotated around so I could finger properly. My shoulder is sore from holding my arm up for so long. The good news is my fingers don't seem to be suffering very much if at all. Something I was concerned about with my history of a repetative stress injury. I've been practicing a lot more than I thought I would. I'd pick up the instrument and the next thing I'd know an hour had gone by already. Most of the time I stop so I can give my arm and shoulder a rest.
I'm over halfway through Suzuki Book 1. I don't think I'll finish it by Saturday, way too much there. I'm concentrating on hitting the notes correctly, fingering and bowing technique, rather than trying to master any given piece of music. Even though I played all of these pieces as a kid, I find that I am looking at them through new eyes. I appreciate the "craft" that goes into composition. They all sound wonderful in their own way. I never truly appreciated them as a kid. At the same time, I'm eager to move on to other pieces that I really want to play, pieces that have special meaning to me, such as "On Eagle's Wings."
At church on Sunday I went up and talked to the gentleman who plays the violin during Mass. I asked him some questions about wether he plays a special part when he plays with the choir or if he plays the melody that the choir sings. The answer was sometimes he plays the melody, other times he has a special part. I mentioned "On Eagle's Wings" to him and he gave me a copy of the flute part he plays on the violin. Wow! I think I'll start with the melody on that one. The part he plays has a lot of upper position work that I'm not ready for. He also gave me a copy of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," he said it'd be a bit of a challenge. That one was already on my list and I'd already purchased the sheet music on my own.
This has all been so exciting and fun, way more than I expected it would be. I started this hoping it would be a form of stress relief and self expression. I think it's going to accomplish that better than I hoped.
I don't think she has any real experience with electric violins. But then, neither do I. She liked the tone of my instrument though and is willing to work with me and that is all I really need.
My first assignment, all of Suzuki Book 1. That, and some major scales, A, D, and G. As an adult, she is letting me determine when I am ready to move on to the next piece, etc.
My vibratory tuner arrived. It's both good and bad. Good in that it works well in determining what note I'm playing and telling me if I'm sharp or flat. Bad in that it has a somewhat slow response time. Many of the pieces I'm playing are so quick it can't keep up with me. I'm using it to train my ear on the scales where I can play long, sustained notes as well as using it to check on notes when I think they sound wrong in a piece I am playing.
My instructor, Nancy, suggested a device called a "Don't Fret." It's a patented finger board overlay that has the notes on it. Back when I was a kid, we used tape across the finger boards for this purpose. This is supposed to be better. I couldn't find one locally so I had to order it off the web. It should be here soon.
I find I've been giving a lot more thought to music lately. I've been listening more closely to all types of music that I happen to hear. I've been trying to identify the individual instruments in any song, piece, etc. I'm hearing violins a lot in the background on even popular music. All of this has piqued my curiosity about music. I've started an online intro to music theory course I found on the web and it's explained a lot. I think Nancy will help to fill in the gaps and drive the concepts home.
Music and our society is very interesting. "The Sound of Music" is about a musical family. Lots of people play instruments just for fun. There probably isn't a garage band that doesn't dream of being discovered and making it big time. Almost everyone listens to music. Music seems to be connected to our emotional centers in a way that no other art form is.
I find I really enjoy practicing the violin. Something I didn't enjoy as a kid. My left arm doesn't know what's happening though. My forearm was aching from having my wrist rotated around so I could finger properly. My shoulder is sore from holding my arm up for so long. The good news is my fingers don't seem to be suffering very much if at all. Something I was concerned about with my history of a repetative stress injury. I've been practicing a lot more than I thought I would. I'd pick up the instrument and the next thing I'd know an hour had gone by already. Most of the time I stop so I can give my arm and shoulder a rest.
I'm over halfway through Suzuki Book 1. I don't think I'll finish it by Saturday, way too much there. I'm concentrating on hitting the notes correctly, fingering and bowing technique, rather than trying to master any given piece of music. Even though I played all of these pieces as a kid, I find that I am looking at them through new eyes. I appreciate the "craft" that goes into composition. They all sound wonderful in their own way. I never truly appreciated them as a kid. At the same time, I'm eager to move on to other pieces that I really want to play, pieces that have special meaning to me, such as "On Eagle's Wings."
At church on Sunday I went up and talked to the gentleman who plays the violin during Mass. I asked him some questions about wether he plays a special part when he plays with the choir or if he plays the melody that the choir sings. The answer was sometimes he plays the melody, other times he has a special part. I mentioned "On Eagle's Wings" to him and he gave me a copy of the flute part he plays on the violin. Wow! I think I'll start with the melody on that one. The part he plays has a lot of upper position work that I'm not ready for. He also gave me a copy of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," he said it'd be a bit of a challenge. That one was already on my list and I'd already purchased the sheet music on my own.
This has all been so exciting and fun, way more than I expected it would be. I started this hoping it would be a form of stress relief and self expression. I think it's going to accomplish that better than I hoped.