I do a lot of long bows in front of a mirror, don't know if that would help?

I have my first lesson for 6 weeks today at 4.30pm -ish!! I'll update later...

I have Joggers and do use it as supplementary material, but not as a main text. We use Essential String Method as a main course.


Forget the gadgets, you'd only become reliant on them. My theory is with like learning to ride a bike - you'll learn faster without stabilisers!!

Watch your bow on the strings as well as in a mirror. It will come with time, practice and increasing strength and stability. Let's face it, no-one is any good to start with! Actually, I've been learning only 3 days short of 2 years and I'm still no good!!!

Back again, after a great lesson (except the bit where my teacher told me she was moving to York in the late spring and can only teach me until the end of the school year ).

Big 'No' to the bowing 'scaffold'. My teacher told me she would only consider using something like this for a 3 year old or someone like that, definitely not for adults. I agree with her.

So, we're doing more on Viola Time Scales now - one double page per fortnight and may even get to finish the whole book by the time she has to stop teaching me. So, that's all scales and arps for the whole Grade 1 and 2 syllabus. I can do the G1 ones already and 2 of the G2s as I managed to 'find' the lower octave of D OK by myself already. We're doing a bit of work on low 2nd finger for now and also should be moving on to Essential String Method Book 3 soon. I hope we can finish both before she moves on and she's also OK with my plan to take Grade 1 in June.

After that? Well, I guess it'll be back to the plan I had before meeting her - joining Sylark and some of the other local forum members at the Yorkshire College of Music and Drama. At least I shouldn't have too many probs getting an exam accompanist there and may even get to be in one of the College concerts one day. So, there is hope, but I am SOOOO disappointed at losing such a great teacher.

I know

Yeah, even worse for you as you go to her place and she has to finish those students earlier! Any ideas what you'll do afterwards? Gonna try for the Yorks Coll as well? Or perhaps someone in the School of Music could help out? (One of the viola students, I mean)

Hey Elisabeth and Claudia

That's really bad news about your teacher. Is there someone else she can recommend? Just out of curiosity how long were you learning before you considered taking practical exams?

You'll find someone else - don't worry

Spark

Does she come to your house then? I wonder if she would come to mine for my last few lessons, I only live a few minutes away

I don't know what I'm going to do yet. She said she will speak to people and stuff, so I'll guess I'll see if owt comes of that. Might try the college, hadn't thought of that.

The first thing I need to do is practise driving so I can drive myself wherever I need to go to

The reason E comes to me is twofold:
a) I live several suburbs away with no direct bus and I don't drive; and
b) on Thursdays she teaches all day at a school very near me and takes me in on the way home.
As she's keeping up the school work for the rest of the school year, she can also carry on coming to me on the way home. I think she only agreed to come to me in the first place as it would have made a half hour lesson into a 2-3 hour trek for me and, when we first met, she was just starting out and I was her first pupil - certainly the only viola one for a while and she didn't want to let that one pass!!

To answers Spark's question:

I've been learning 2 years on Sunday!! I took my Prep Test last June and hope to take my Grade 1 this coming June. I would have made it much faster, but I've had a brush with burn-out/exhaustion and a number of secondary health problems, so my progress has been very slow really. I suppose I ought to be working on (or past) Grade 3 stuff by now really. They say a grade per year is an average sort of speed.

What are your plans viola-wise, Claudia? Beyond sorting a new teacher, that is!! Oh, I looked on musicteachers.co.uk and there seems to be a chap in the Hyde Park area with a reasonable rate. You might want to look that up as well.

I've been looking through much of my achievable sheet music this evening seeing what I can hope to master whilst I still have such a good teacher to hand. Got high aims, so let's just see how they pan out....

I can really join this thread now because I don't even know where the open strings are on the Alto clef!!!

I tried to work it out last night and scrambled my brain (I'm a bit thick... well not really but I have the world's most shocking memory so it will take a loooonnng time to sink in )

I think that for the moment I'll just see how it goes and see how far I can get while E is still teaching me She phoned me up after my lesson and told me to being the First Repertoire for Viola book, so I guess we'll be looking at that for the next few lesssons (all my tutor books have turned into Xmas music )

I've looked at that teacher too, guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. E said she would ask a few people too

You could easily find that on-line somewhere! Whilst you're looking up 'viola' on Wikipedia, I'll tell you that they are C-G-D-A. The Wikipedia article shows them on the alto clef, if my memory serves me correctly.



Do you mean that the stuff in the tutor books is all Christmassy where you've got to? Sorry, I couldn't quite follow that!!

Have a care with 'First Repertoire' - I don't want you charging ahead of me...



Another new teacher idea is to advertise in our School of Music and also the College of Music to see if one of the students is interested. Scheerers have adverts too. Lots of ideas, but none as good as keeping E, I know. Isn't there a smiley for 'passionate sobbing' on this forum??

I don't think there is but it'll be ok

I'll get in touch with Chevin Music too I think. And I'll keep in mind the colleges and stuff too

Yes, the stage I'm at in my tutor book wants me to play lots of christmas songs and it's not happening
What have you played in First Repertoire? I had a look at the first few bits and they didn't look too hard



And just for lottie

I think that, with enough prac, I could play pretty much anything in 'First Rep' book 1. I know the first piece already as I did it ages ago and could do the next few easily enough. I'll let you know later on actually as I intend to have a go at those pieces today! I really mean in when I say I intend to get my mileage out of my top quality lessons now! I want to:
* Complete 'Essential String Method' book3
* Complete 'Viola Time Scales' (so all scales and arps in G1 & 2)
* Complete 'Superstudies' book 1
* Learn all the G1 level pieces in 'First Repertoire' and 'Time Pieces' book 1s
* Take and pass my G1 prac exam E said she'd accompany if she can. (Oh yeah, she's actually moving when she stops her home teaching, so that's why I'm getting a bit longer as well.)

I'd be pleased to get on a bit with the rest of the G2 stuff as well such as ESM book 4 and so on, but that will remain to be seen.

Will report back later.

PS, we must do lunch some time soon. I'm applying for a little job in your School this w/e, so maybe our paths may cross more closely.

Oh, nifty alto clef graphic! You added that in whilst I was writing!! What does the 2nd half mean with the treble clef and so on? It's not corresponding notes, that I know, but what is it??

You mean the school of medicine? Good luck

I think it's the range of the viola

Yup, and yeah, good point! I never thought of that - duh!

I had a look at Cheavin Music just now. There are a few others like that that do class teaching, including one in the Horsforth area, but I want individual lessons, not a class, so I didn't take it too seriously.

Oooof, I really ought to get on with something more productive than playing around on-line.....

Chevin Music does individual lessons too (according to their website, at least )

Oh rght! Missed that bit!!

They're a bit far for me though.

About a 15 minute drive me for me I'd say. Would be a good incentive to get back in the driver's seat

And, just having had a closer look at their site, on the same evening as you're used to, although a bit more pricey. Yorks Coll is £13 and just one short-ish bus ride from me, so I'm going to contact them and give that a try. I'll have at least one full term with them and see if they'll let me go for half a term this time next year, as we'll be in Taiwan from Mar-Aug, all being well. I'll have to see if I can buy/rent a 2nd hand viola out there to keep it up, won't I?

I'm sure you'l be able to get one easily

Yorkshire college of music is ok-ish for me, either by car or by bus (well, the 97, not the most frequent bus of all )

Yes, I remember that bus when my hubby used to work in Yeadon. When I went up for lunch with him on occasion, the 97 I needed would often miss....

It is also the reason I got to my exam about half an hour early either that, or get there too late

Much like my experience with the no.38. One of the most useful buses, (even now when they've chopped the service in half), but not very reliable. The drivers are lovely though and will often wait if they see you running - unlike 13A drivers who play cat and mouse with you, then drive off!

OK, enough about buses!!

I had a go with 'First Rep' book 1. I already knew piece #1, so that was more or less of a cheat, but I had a go at #2 and it wasn't bad for a sight read. Needs some polishing, but I reckon I should be able to get one of those under my belt most weeks. What with that and 'Superstudies' alongside my normal course (and I also want to get my money's worth from my 'Essential Elements' books...), I have quite a lot to keep up to, but I feel really motivated at the mo.

Any news from anyone on this thread? (Yes, Teigr, you are most welcome to post here and I don't think, from what you told me in your PM, that you wouldn't qualify!!)

I had my 2nd viola-versary yesterday and, just as with my first 367 days ago, I didn't play on it!!! So, I am now officially a 3rd year viola learner. Starting to expect something of myself now.....

Want to practise but sick with labyrinthitis. Not happy about that and it's meant I'm having to take time off placement as well....

*wry grin*
Well, I'm still not taking lessons or doing any quantifiable practice. I'm probably pre-beginner, if such a thing exists. But I'm scraping along in an ensemble once a week and having an absolute blast with it.
I'm learning quite a bit just from ensemble stuff, but it's just happening by accident rather than by my trying to learn.

I take a couple of other instruments fairly seriously and work quite hard at them, so violin is something I'm doing just for fun.

No news as such except that I am seriously rusty

I did a quick 20 minutes on Friday and haven't played since then and I sounded awful. How come you lose so much in 2 days? Anyway it got better after about 40 minutes.

Currently working on reading and playing notes in third position - just on D string so far and that's about it really - nothing exciting to report.

Oh and I chopped all my nails off so need to sort them out know as they are very angular - don't think I'd make it as a manicurist. Poor fingerboard is starting to get a few dints in it now.

Time for a Lottie viola update?

I've played viola for four days now and still don't know where the open string are on the alto clef

Weird, isn't it? You don't play for 2 days and feel like you can't play a note afterwards. You go on hols and don't play for two weeks and everything seems to drop into place nicely and you can play quite well!!!

Hope you're feeling better soon, IM! As someone who has way more than her fair share of illness, I really do sympathise.

Lottie, you'd better print out several copies of the graphic that ffliwt posted for you on a previous thread and stick them all over your home!! Perhaps it may also help to change the internal track from, 'I'll never remember this, my memory is awful' to 'Of course I can remember! I'm not stupid, even if it takes a little bit longer, I can do it just fine, thanks!' Henry Ford quote coming up: 'Whether you believe you can, or you believe you can't - you're absolutely right!'

Lottie, have you thought about getting a really basic book that will start off with the open strings and stuff? I know that might feel a bit silly given that you can already play the violin pretty well, but it might help you get into viola "head space" a bit easier..?

elisabeth, I am feeling a bit better now and am determined to get on with stuff despite the wobbliness. I'm fed up of being sick and can identify with the "more than my fair share" of illness because I feel exactly the same way.


I have a lesson this evening and I can't wait but I'm a bit nervous as well due to aforementioned wobbliness. I seem to go from one extreme to the other eg one really good lesson, then a not so good one and so on...

My teacher gave me the phone number of a local teacher but I'm way too scared to even think about phoning him.....

phone him!

I DOUBLE dare you

I've not got a lesson this week and having been getting frustrated with my left hand now (notice a theme developing? - when does it stop being frustrating and becomes fun?).

Having not played for so long I had got into the habit of playing with my thumb under the neck of my viola so last week my teacher tried to correct this. Now i find I'mpressing against the joint on my 1st finger to counterbalance my fingers pressing the strings down (does that make sense?) I haven't got a lesson until next week, but have found a solution - beg my daughter's teacher to sort out the proble,! And bless him, he happily gave me the time and some ideas and I even got to hold his beautiful violin (not actually play it though)

It was a bit cheeky really - but my viola teacher is his wife - i wonder if he will report back to her?

I am beginning to think 'I'm not supposed to squeeze with my thumb, I'm not supposed to squeeze with my chin, I'm not supposed to push down on my 1st finger joint - how on earth is the thing supposed to stay up?!!!

Any wisdom on this matter gratefully received!

I do this, and it's a heck of a habit to try and break but yeah, you need to try and sort it as it's causing me all sorts of difficulties now.

My teacher says that it's basically the weight of the head that will hold the violin (or viola, in your case) in place. Basically the left arm is just there to support, but if you take your hand away, it should still stay in place, but not through gripping with your neck. It's a difficult thing to describe, and I'm only really getting it now (just a year after I started learning) but all these things that feel so alien do fall into place after a while, I promise.

Is it the Hyde Park one? If so, report back as I'm interested in that too, esp. as his rates are the same as E's and he's nice and near to work, plus is a viola specialist, not a violinist teaching viola on the side, (which is all they have at the Yorks Coll, plus I'd have to pay a whole term's fees in advance there. )

Nope, it's someone else. Apparently he's really good. E said I should ring him and if he ahs a vacancy I should start with him right away

But as I can't see myself phoning him anytime soon ... She's actually not sure if he teaches beginners anyway, he teaches really advanced players by the sounds of things.

Oh right, I must ask about that one too. The Hyde Park chap states beginners-intermediate, so I'd need someone for the later stages.

We must keep each other informed about this one and I'll ask E more later on at my lesson.

I'm sure she'll tell you about him later

For homework this week I've got a couple of pieces out of First Repertoire to play, pieces 5 and 6 I think

I take it that means you've done slurs already? I just had a go at #5 (I will NOT let you get much ahead of me! ), and it wasn't too bad once I got the rhythm right. I suppose you have a head start on me there, already having G5 theory and G4 flute. Are you planning to take viola exams as well? I was going to, but now I'm concerned I'm going to be wasting valuable technique learning time with a great teacher by going over and over exam pieces. Hmmmmm.... She'll be here in 10 mins or so, so we can talk about it sooooon!

Finding remembering to use low-2nd finger is not easy when I'm used to mostly high!

I've only done slurs over the past week and 4th finger during the last lesson so it's a bit of a challenge!

I'll bet as it's got top E in and slurs of varying speeds! Let me know how you get on with it.

Tee-Hee, E just told me she really put you through it last night, Claudia!!

So, we spent the lesson on exam prep, which I suppose is still music learning and it wasn't as bad as I'd made myself think it would be. We're going to do it for a few weeks, then dump it and come back to it before the exam. I've to do as much supplementary playing as I can in the meantime.

Structure was good. We did G major one octave to start with, first separate bows, then slurred, then the arp. My slurred scales are finally improving, so that felt good, but then I have been doing some exercises on slurs from other books that I have, so that's probably building up nicely. After that we made a start on the first piece - the simplest and I've to work on that as a priority over the next week. Next week we do the same stuff with the D major scale/arp and start on the second piece. We also did a sight-reading exercise and will do another next time.

So yeah, it was OK and I will carry on working through my 'Viola Time Scales' book, 'Superstudies for Viola Book 1' and also some of the useful practice bits from 'Essential Elements for Strings', which has a lot of good sections called 'Skill Builders' as well as series of one-liners on certain newly introduced skills, like slurs or low 2nd finger.

Ooof, I do wish my college (textiles) work wasn't so far behind as I seem to have a lot of music to do at the mo and am applying for jobs too! Eeek! At least the position I'm most interested in is a maternity leave one not starting until April, so I'd have catch up time and G3 theory will be out of the way.

We also talked about the 2 viola teachers, (shame there don't seem to be any other women around ), and options there. The Hyde Park one was taught by the chap she recommended to you, so he should be good. Wish she wasn't leaving though......

Which pieces are you doing for your exam?

A1, the Bach, B2 #16 from 'First Rep 1', and not finally decided on C, either C1 (#12 from 'First Rep 1')or C3 as they're the only 2 I have!!! The other two are from 'Time Pieces 1' Have you got that one? I know E hasn't.

I had a go at the Bach the oher day, it's a nice piece

I take it that means you've got 'Time Pieces 1' then?

Yeah, I do. I have way too much music

Yup, me too! That's one reason why I stated so many things that I'm working through at the mo - I insist on getting my money's worth out of it all before I advance beyond that stage and it's too simple for me to get any real benefit from it. Then I'm going to sell my early stuff and invest in something more the right level with the proceeds.

What other good basic stuff do you have?

Umm... Most of the Grade 1 pieces, quite a few G2 and maybe a few from G3 , couple of books with studies, superstudies, the viola time series... I like variety

Sounds similiar to mine, only I don't have 'Viola Time Runners' or the new 'Sprinters' either and don't think I'll buy any more music until I have to. I've got 'Winners Galore' for a few party pieces.

Right, I'm gonna clear off and see if Sir wants any tea as we had a large, late lunch, (preceeded by a fresh juice - carrot, apple, pear and madarin - yum!)