Well done!

Thanks sbhoa

Yes, it sounds very dodgy at the moment, but hopefully some work between now and next lesson (2 weeks time) will improve it...

well done!

Thanks Fran

Started on a bit of Beethoven too...

had another double bass lesson tonight.....

my teacher had a pile of music on the bench so I started 'browsing'...in it I found:

Bach 'air suite' (ie 'air on G string') so I eagerly picked it up and said (just like a 6yr old at school shouting MISS MISS!!) 'I want to play this I want to play this! I am playing this on the violin, I want to play it on double bass too, it only goes up to 7th position '

she looked and stared and went rather quietly, 'ok you can have a bash at it I guess, it won't really harm you'

I found the notes ok and it was out of tune in many places but I got the notes..... so she said I can practice it and I won't get it up to standard as it is a grade 8+ (almost diploma) piece but I can have a bash at it

I said to her 'it's ok, nobody will have to listen to me playing anyway'

Oh wow! Well done jojo!

The Beethoven is sounding a bit like Beethoven now...

And today I shall be showing iona how little much work I've been doing the past couple of weeks...

Me too, when I have my violin lesson tonight.

Moving offices via the train is very, very tiring and I keep ending up too tired and achy to play.

I have done NO work at all on double bass (what's new?) and my lesson is this thursday, I think I will ask my teacher if she thinks I should give it up... as I really don't know when I'll practice again...I don't feel drawn to practice it at all for a while now but the funny thing is that I do want to play it in orchestra.....

NO - don't give up. You're making amazing progress (you got to grade 6 in a year!). Your lessons will help keep your technique etc up to scratch for orchestra.

I know Flossie, it's just that I have only practiced a total of 6 times in last 6 months that is a bit off I think and I do wonder whether it's an unconscious message that I should give up or not, although my teacher has not 'told me off' or hinted at all at me stopping me and she is very patiently accepting it I do wonder whether it is right or not for her too.....
I think I will have a 'heart to heart with her' tomorrow at my lesson, I really don't know how much longer this will last for...it's been 6 months, what if it never stops and I never practice thank you by the way....

I wasn't as horrifically rusty as I feared I would be...

Tunbridge Wells, get ready for 'cello fun and games. Bring earplugs

ok, had a 'heart to heart' with my teacher tonight.....
I told her I am 'depressed' about the double bass as it's 6 months I don't practice and don't really feel like it either...
I said I don't know if I will get out of this, at the moment I really don't know and am scared I 'might not'
she said on her side there is no problem, she can 'hang on' and wait for me to come out of it, I am not 'blocking the space' for other students waiting to have lessons with her, she is at present able to accomodate everyone and she is not worried about me not practicing (bless her).

I have done some reflecting with her and I do know that working under pressure, although I don't like it, it usually makes me work hard and well. I didn't really want to take any exams in double bass but we think if I enter for an exam it will give me that 'stress/pressure' I need to make myself practice especially as knowing myself I would never want to 'disappoint' my teacher with a fail or a poor mark (not that she would be disappointed but I would feel like I have disappointed her all the same.....).

I don't want to enter for grade 5 as that's too easy and it would not motivate me into practice and she agrees, she is dead sure that I am at grade 6 at present that it would only take me maximum 6 weeks to get good enough to get a distinction in grade 6.

I don't have theory grade 5 but am taking this in november.

She said you can enter and take grade 6/7/8 practical without your grade 5 so long that you take it in the same term as when you are taking your grade, that ABRSM just will not give you the results of your practical until you've passed grade 5 theory and if you fail your theory they will 'hold onto the results' until you pass (I didn't know this )

So the plan is:
-for now 'chill' and see what happens with my practice (if I do or don't practice)
-by September/october if I have not started practicing then enter me for grade 6 in december, if I have got into practicing and have progressed then enter for grade 7 or 8 even she is planning on doing a special visit exam again in december for which we don't have to enter until november but I think if I enter in september then I'll put my foot down from september

that's the plan for now.....

Sounds like a good plan. I think it'd be a pity to ditch bass completely jojo, you're good at it and I think you enjoy it.

Only one week to go before, once again, I play the 'cello in front of people...

thank you barry, I hope 'the plan' works.....

Will the people at Tunbridge Wells notice if the articulation is wrong? Iona won't be there...

Last lesson before the Tunbridge Wells party today. The least I can say is my pieces sound like Beethoven/Gibbons, even if some of the dynamics/articulation/tuning have gone walkabout...

Went OK. Made a few breakthroughs. Now onward to Tunbridge Wells...

Just realised : haven't posted how the 'celloing went Sunday...

Practice : good

Performance of Gibbons : not bad

Performance of Beethoven : shame I forgot to hand out the earplugs...

We will no doubt be analysing the above performance at my 'cello lesson today...

best of luck with that barry

my last bass lesson was VERY depressing

I didn't feel like playing anything, I have not taken my bass out of its case in 3 weeks
I didn't play anything at the end but just 'chatted' with my teacher...

aw If it helps, I thought you did very well on bass at your gig.

Lesson today was OK. Lots to think about, a new piece to try, but a right arm that feels like it's...er...been worked out, and many unmusical squeals. Ouch...

That right arm really doesn't want to go in the directions it should for 'cello

Next lesson is this coming Wednesday.

My right arm is still being unco-operative. Iona, I hope you're making notes

Well, I've just had my last 'cello lesson before the summer. It's been a fun first year, and I'd like to publically thank iona for taking me on that 'cello journey. Here's to year 2!

Congrats on your first year celloing Here's to many more

a year already??? blimey, time flies!!!

Thanks Juniper! :insert cello smiley here:

I have double bass lesson at 10:30 (need to leave in a minute).

I have actually done 15 minutes practice 10 days ago and 30-40 minutes at 1am last night!!

I am surprised my bass did not collapse on the floor from the shock of having been played first time in 4 months

I am trying to perfection the last piece teacher introduced to me 10 days ago, the famous 'Elephant' form Saint-Saens

Have a good lesson, jojo

thanks, my Elephant is a little less clumsy now didn't do too badly

Excellent!

My next lesson is 1/9. Doing 'Danse Russe' by Tchaikovsky at the moment. The slight teeny weeny snag at the moment is that dancing to my playing would be very tricky...

my next lesson is also on the 1st

It would appear to be the 1st, jojo...

Have fun both of you

yes Barry!
But as I had to work a night shift last night and am on my way home to sleep, my lesson which was meant to be 10am today happened last Saturday
I am STILL NOT PRACTICING so I asked my teacher to treat me like a naughty child and give me' VERY SPECIFIC homework to do so she has! I now have a practice diary and for next lesson I have to place 7 ticks next to each of these:
- A major 3 octaves
- A minor 3 octaves
- 2 octave scale on one string
- The Elephant by Saint Seans
- Caballero (grade 6 piece)
We'll see....

All the best with that lot, jojo

I hope that works for you jojo. Perhaps that's what I need; I haven't had a lesson since July - next one is 14th - and having just come back from a holiday without my cello I'm struggling to get back into practicing. I was keen to pick it up again but then played really badly, so I haven't tried today. Specific goals would be good.

I have a suspicion you'll be back into the swing of things once you've had some teacher input, SnowCello, and whether that means a list, or simply guidance from your teacher, I think you'll get your desire to practice back. Have fun on the 14th!

it's not working for me I think I have to call it the day I'm afraid, just have to find the way to tell my teacher

Oh that's miserable jojo... How long have you been playing bass? I hope you're right barry-clari; roll on the 14th! Hope your concert perp's going well - think it's a forums event you're working towards?

I started bass in April last year but stopped practicing a long time ago, maybe since January?
when I started I was learning violin with a different teacher and was going through a patch where I was 'discovering myself' on the violin....
then I found out where I wanted to head with the violin and that the teacher I had was not taking me in that direction so I changed teachers in June last year (2 months after starting bass). The new violin teacher is taking me where I want to go on violin and can take me there properly and quickly all I have to do is put in the time which I have started doing (with last teacher I was practicing sporadically and half an hour a day, now practice every day minimum an hour a day often a lot more).
So, now that the violin has really taken off, the bass has vanished in the background and it's not managing to come back at all!!
I might as well be realistic and pack it in, I've come up with excuses since January but I am not playing it so might as well stop fooling around

Are you still going to keep your bass? Applause for being honest with yourself, jojo.

don't know yet....if I should keep it for a few months in case this was a big mistake? then if it was the right step I can sell it on?

If you want to use it more, hold onto it. You are good at bass, and you might find you're in demand as cover in orchestras...