Yes, of course, that's why I said "I think..." Anyway, what you said wasn't too far out from what I imagined, only the start positions you were talking of were far further forward than I would have expected and, yes, one would have touble getting in full whole bows there. As Claudia and I have the same teacher though, I knew she wouldn't be allowed to put her viola anywhere but the best position for her - our teacher really knows her stuff! I used to be taught by a pro violinist and, believe me, when it came to teaching, she had nothing on my current teacher!

So, neither of us is daft as we might appear!!!!!!!

You'd better not be. I've got the AA following you, you know






Lesson last night was fab. Actually did the double stopping IN my lesson and apparently it's sounding pretty good. So yay. Relaxing makes so much difference. = "duh"

The AA??? Lost me there... No matter, it's easily done.

Glad to hear things are going OK. It's amazing how quikcly a problem can be overcome once it's recognised, faced and action taken. Keep up the good work.

Another viola lesson last night My work for this week is to practise the left hand hold/support, and more open strings, especially upper and lower halves.

I'm probably starting fingering next week

Sounds good. I couldn't have my lesson today owing to yet another cold! Don't think this one will last long, but it's a nuisance having 3 back to back.

Aww I'm sorry you're poorly. If it helps, I'm sick too (tonsilitis, which put paid to a singing audition I had yesterday)



I've been doing a lot of work on bowing lately, and it's really been helping me out. I'm feeling so much more confident and relaxed, it's amazing.

Ugh! Sorry to hear about the audition getting scuppered! At least your playing is improving and you're feeling much better about it, so that's just great!

I still have that nasty cold, but I also have a day to rest today, so hopefully I can just chill out and that will help. Can't really bow well when you're coughing, can you???

I did first finger on D and A strings today pizzicato only at the moment

Have you had a go at the E and B bowed??

I haven't touched my baby for ages since I've had this lousy cold, but I really must get back to it now.

I'm bowing them this week

Good-oh. Done any little tunes?

I did some sight reading yesterday which went remarkably well. I like sight-reading anyway, enjoy the challenge. Don't seem to have suffered too much violisitically ( ) from my prac break, which is a pleasant surprise. I must be making progress......

Anyone any news or updates??

Had a lesson on Wed. Learnt to use 2nd finger

My homework is to practise 2nd finger on all strings How's your viola playing going?

Found 5th position this week (by accident - should probably have been in 3rd with the little finger, but I had no idea where I was going, so I just leaped for it).

Coming to the conclusion that any time I start to feel like I'm not /completely/ out of my depth, I'll get something new and scary thrown at me.

Yip, my fourth finger is a bit of a struggle as well

Some days my playing sounds really awful, but then others it sounds quite nice. There's no consistency like there was when I was learning the flute and piano. My viola seems to be more sensitive to my moods and tiredness level and the subsequent playing reflects how I'm feeling that day - I'm not used to that. I have to take a different approach to practising than when I was learning the other instruments.

I love my violin


But that's not really *news* hehe.

Going well I think. Absolutely swamped with Uni work so my practice time is lacking at the moment, but I'll get there eventually...

How are you getting along?

Nothing to tell from my end, I'm afraid. Will let you know when there is....

We had a bow hold breakthrough last night. I'm thrilled! It was such a good lesson and I'm really glad I stuck with it overall


By bow hold breakthrough, I mean we finally worked out what wasn't quite right- the difference in intonation is amazing!!


If I could just get my left shoulder fixed now (still sore boo) then all would be well...

Had a lesson yesterday learnt to use 3rd finger on the D and A string, so that's what I've got to practise over the next two weeks

It's true, having a good bowhold makes a world of difference to the sound you're making!

I did harmonics today for the first time and would pleased to get the right 'spot' quite quickly. As with you, Claudia, no lesson now for 2 weeks, but I'm mostly to consolidate Book 2 so far, (sections 1-4 of 6) as I don't feel familiar enough with it to move on with confidence next month. Also to work on the first 5 scales in 'Viola Time Scales', which covers 2 octaves of C, and 1 octave each of F, G and D majors. I feel happy with that as prac etc has been so limited of late owing to illnesses and being flat out at times.

So yeah, feeling like a real viola learner again now, instead of a pretend one!!

I have that book but I've never looked at it. Might do later

Which? 'Tune A Day 2' or 'Essential String Method 2'? I have the really old 'Tune A Day' series 1-3 which I picked up for 50p each when I did my Prep Test at the Yorks Coll of Music and Drama. Got ESm 1-3 as well, of course!!

Whoops, haven't done any prac the last 2 days, but will tomorrow.

I meant Viola Time Scales

Ah! I see. Well, you certainly will use that one then as E is quite keen on it. I can do the first 5 sections, which I'm quite chuffed about.

Just wondering now how long it will be before you overtake me!!

I've practised on each of the last 3 days. I'm stunned!

Well done I didn't practise on Friday or Saturday, but did on all other days last week Plenty of third finger stuff, I can really hear myself getting better which is nice

I'm never sure on how long to practise for. I always to an hour at least for flute, but there's no way I can do that on viola. My arms would drop off

I shouldn't think you'd have enough material at that level to prac for an hour! They say 10 mins a day is enough for beginners, but if you're doing 15-20, that should be easily enough.

Done any scales yet?

I haven't touched my baby today yet, but I hope to get her out for fun with scales later on, (actually, I don't mind scales in the least and, although I have to correct intonation all the time, I know they're really good for me). Have a lot on with college work this week as a module is due on Thursday and I still have quite a lot of work to put in. And I'm pooped.... I just wanna

I tried the D major scale the other day, that was quite fun

I've not played viola today yet either. But then I've been at uni all day and never play instruments during the day on weekdays

15-20 min sounds about right- thanks

What are you studying at Uni and are you at Leeds, LMU, or one of the others in the area? I work at Leeds in Modern Languages. One of the ladies who does admin in the Centre for Translation Studies is a violist in the same orchy our teacher is in!! Must pop in chat viola with her soon, esp as I want to ask some questions about their programmes.....

I'm at Leeds too, at the School of Medicine. Doing a PhD in cell biology-type-stuff (I don't even know myself, see )

This is my first posting on the forum and will apologise in advance for the likely length of my message! I also must start by saying I know NOTHING about string instruments. I as a mature adult wanted to learn a string instrument. I liked the mellowness of a cello but the lyracism of a violin, so was advised to go for the viola. However I lost enthusiasm for this idea when I discovered it used an alto cleff (I play the piano and decided that my poor memory would make learning a new cleff difficult, added to this I'm teaching myself the Euphonium!)) Recently I was given the gift of a second hand violin, however when my partner picked it up, was told that it had been strung as a viola! What do I do - be brave and learn the alto cleff & play it as a viola or have it restrung as a violin? I don't think it is too small for me - I'm only 5'4" with shortish arms and fingers. I'd appreciate some advice.

Hi Little Sparrow! Welcome to the party!

Oh, go for viola! The alto clef will no problem at all, esp. as, as a complete string beginner, you'll be starting with v basic stuff and you'll learn the notes on the page as you learn them on the strings. You'll be used to it within no time. It's one of those things that people worry unnecesarily about, so don't let it give a seconds more bother and jump right in!

Oh another bird to join the flock! Welcome Little Sparrow!


hello elisabeth, I'm interloping again Glad to see that it seems to be going well for you and Babybird

Going good here, although the shoulder injury keeps flaring up and is making it so frustrating.I can do ten mins at a time, tops, then need a break to loosen it up. It's starting to drive me mad now. Am having a physio assessment and I just want to be able to PLAY without it hurting now...


Glad to hear everyone else is getting on ok.

If you go for violin, changing the srings around to turn it into a violin is really a very very small job, take it to a local uthier and they'll probably do it for free, though you would need to buy and E string.

If you go for viola, you really need a 'viola' sized instrument, violins and !4", viola's are bigger, normally 15"-17". That inch really does make a difference (especially to how ar apart you need to stretch your fingers), so if you start it would be worth investing in or renting a student viola.


xxx

Yes, I must say I agree with this. Learning viola on a violin isn't really a good long-term option.

Lots more 3rd finger work for me - especially on the C and G strings

We did the whole of one section of my coursebook yesterday, which was lightening fast, but we missed out all the non-manuscript type of stuff. I've to do as much as that as I can by myself over the week, but with the headache I've woken up with today, I don't hold out too much hope of serious prac today and tomorrow.

We did some stuff on moving from 4th finger on one string to 3rd on the next and it's HARD! So, lots of tough stuff like that to be working on as well as doing a bit of prep for the last section in ESM Book 2, which is slurs. I've done a little bit of them before, but this will be the first serious work on them. After that, it's Book 3! WOW!

It sounds as if you're making really good progress!

Hi Skyers!

Yes, it sounds like it!! (Except when you hear me, that is!!)

Chance would be a fine thing

You reckon?

Are you still up for that duet?

Wish I could, Claudia, but it turns out that I'm not free on 3 Jan - thus Skylark's comment about chance to hear me would be a fine thing! Sorry! Still, there'll be another chance late May/early June for the summer Leeds concert and we can do something then, do you think?

Yes, definitely

I'm certainly not in any rush to inflict my viola playing on the general public

Saturday 30 May 2009!


Rest assured that the general public won't be there - just supportive friends and families of the performers, who will be all levels from beginners to advanced

Honey, that's public enough!!!

Anyway, the date seems OK thus far. My usual May events are the 2 weekends before, but that doesn't mean that something won't get put on 30th.... I'll try though, promise!

how's everyone doing?

I've had to take some time off, my left arm is so painful at the moment and physio and I are no closer to working out quite what's wrong. I'm starting to feel quite miserable not being able to play, and when I do try (I've not been stopped completely) I can only manage ten mins or so before it's too painful.

Ugh. Hopefully it'll be sorted soon though. So how are we all?

I'm getting on ok. No lesson this week as my teacher is ill

Plenty of 3rd finger stuff to practise though

I played in my first concert and didn't mess it up!
Have also been doing some more stuff way up the fingerboard and starting to use harmonics.




I know it's frustrating when you can't play, but it really is better to get things sorted out so you don't risk permanent injury. When you're feeling really fed up with not being able to play, try to think of it as something that will help you play better in the long term. Playing through an injury could mean you eventually end up in a position where you have to give up completely and that would be far worse than having to take a break for a while.
Hope you can get back to it again soon!