So sorry littlelady, look after your finger and it shall get better in no time, wishing your finger a speedy recovery

On a related note, I have sprained my wrist each winter for the last two years by falling over in snow. I'm dreading the colder weather! Injuries can really wreak havoc with your practise regimes and plans for the future, can't they?

Oh yes. On a short-ish time scale, I fractured one of my left hand fingers back in the summer and so had to cut down on practice completely - I was not impressed!

Here's hoping you manage to remain injury free this winter Ste! Hope it gets better soon littlelady .

No probs hun, you just do whatever works best for you and whatever gives you the most enjoyment in your musical life.

Viola is a FAB instrument so have lots of fun playing with one. Perhaps you could rent one for a bit and see how you like it??

Cheers. :-)

Renting one isn't an option, for the same reason that violin lessons aren't. I'm a student and I have hardly any spending money and it's all going on music stuff (lessons, sheet music, workshops, etc.) already.

I've had a go on a viola before and got a tune out of it and I like the sound it makes. So borrowing one at some point would be cool. But it's not going to be soon as I don't have much time or effort available for violin as it is. My "serious" instruments have to take precedence (not saying that the violin isn't a serious instrument, but it's not one that I study formally or put serious time/effort into, it's a "fun" instrument).



Anyone able to recommend a book on basic violin technique? I don't really want a typical tutor book (the sort that explains what a minim is and takes half the book just to introduce the first dozen or so notes). I can already play in tune in first position and I've done basic theory before. So, I'm after something more like the Trevor Wye Practice Books for flute or Arban for cornet.

T.

mmmm I could ask my teacher, but I won't see him for 17 days so if by that time you're still 'searching' I shall ask him

T - I sympathise with the 'no cash' problem. We're doing OK at the mo, but there have been v tight patches..... I've had a go on a couple of violins and could scratch a scale out of them too! Not my instrument as I don't like high notes at all and I literally jumped when I moved onto the E string! However, it was fun to have a go. Loved playing on Meerkat's cello at last year's Leeds concert day too and I hope she's there this coming one so I can have another try....

You could get wrist guards. A skateboard shop will have them, or an inline-skate shop, or possibly a kite shop (for kite-boarding).
If you live somewhere that only has a few days of ice and snow in a typical winter, it wouldn't be a dreadful nuisance to wear them anytime you had to walk on icy pavements.
I've got some (just for boarding - it's awkward to hold a stick while wearing them, though I have seen someone wearing some at public skating sessions at my local ice rink).
You can also get elbow guards (again, from a skateboard shop or similar).

I've broken my elbow and my wrist (not at the same time!) from falling on ice. Or, more accurately, from being knocked down by other people on ice. When I just plain fall over I don't tend to land as awkwardly or as hard, but I always wear elbow guards when I'm on the ice, even when I'm not playing.

Wrist in particular really messed up my musical life for quite a long time. And one of my flute teacher's other pupils has had to withdraw from an exam this term because of a broken finger (not ice related).

T.

It's a possibility certainly, although I'll probably just avoid going out on snowy days or walk very carefully. The only reason I fell over last time was because I crossed the road to avoid a massive dog

So, the only way to avoid a repeat is to buy an even bigger dog, huh?

Oh dear. My finger has healed now, so I can play again (yay) but now I am finding I can only practise for about twenty minutes before I start getting dizzy and tired.

AND my intonation has gone right down the pan. But on a better note, my violin has really opened out now and the sound is lovely.

Anyone up for explaining how and why violins change their tone with playing?
Also, is it like a recorder where you have to 'play it in' all over again if you don't play for a while, or is it a permanent thing?

T.

I can't really answer the first part of your question with any degree of scientific accuracy, sorry.

As for the second part violins do 'die' if left unplayed for any length or time.
Yes they need playing in all over again to open them up.

Which is why in an ideal world violin shops would make sure all the instruments they have in stock are played regularly. (If any violin shop owners are reading I'm available for employment)

The town hall in Cremona which houses some historically important instruments from the likes of Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri emply someone to play the instruments regularly, not just for the benefit of visitors but for the wellbeing of the instruments themselves.

I bought a new violin last week and over the first couple of days playing the sound changed quite a lot, I'd expect it to keep improving for the next 6 months or so. (Which is a tantalizing thought as it sounded great to begin with).


The whole idea of collectors and financial institutions buying old master violins as investments and locking them away in vaults is such a shame, violins are made to be played and it is a tragedy that many are left to lose their spark of life.
I'll make an exception for the Stradivari ' Messiah' which is in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Much of the rarity and great value of this violin come from the fact that it has rarely been played and is in virtually pristine condition. Yes it's a shame it isn't making music but it has a good deal to tell us about how these fine instruments looked when they were new.

I violin

I viola!!!



Couldn't resist adding that one in.....

How's it going Elisabeth?

Not half bad, thanks LL! Only one week to go and I'm officially on holiday from work for almost 7 weeks, so I can do LOADS of prac, for a change. After that, I won't be actively teaching or doing lesson planing/couse materials writing, so that will mean a good deal more free time for the more fun things in life and I plan to press on with my viola and music studies.

Forward diary is:

March: Take G1 or G2 theory and viola Prep Test
June: Take G2 theory, if not done in March (or G3 if I get really keen) and G1 viola.

I think I might just do the exams after all as it's something to work for and is both a useful benchmark and a great personal achievement. My mum will be dead proud too!!!!!

Now then, after all this talk, I've remembered that I need to make my next installment on Violette (£$£, not prac!!), so I'll be off to the Internet bank now.....

I love my grade 3 pieces, I am trying to get them to be as good as they can be now....at the moment I am practicing a lot Canon by Pachebel, the last note would sound better with vibrato but I really 'don't' want to add that strain on top of everything else My teacher confirmed that I am doing 'ok' with shifting, getting it ok most of the times.

Sounds like things are going well, Jo!

Even I'm making some progress. I hadn't had a lesson for 3 weeks and not done a *great* deal of prac, but my teacher said she could discern a real difference in my playing - like a huge weight had been lifted. Could have something to do with giving up teaching???

Excellent Elizabeth!
by the way: my teacher convinced me to 'try' to practice vibrato!!!!

Streuth! Vibrato! Actually, I have a natural flair for it you know. I just do a whole down bow and it wobbles just perfectly in the middle part of the bow. Vibrato with no effort at all!!!!!!!!

Getting the hang of staccato now, I think. It's much easier on the piano!

definitely easier on piano !