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Reteaching myself as an adult
It's been 20+ years since I last played...
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (2 votes) 
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StaceyC
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May 6, 2017 - 10:46 pm
Member Since: May 1, 2017
Forum Posts: 36
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Nice to meet you all! Let me just explain my short story. I played the violin in middle school and progressed really well. I believe I was 1st chair and soloist. My last year in middle school, I had told my teacher I wasn't going to continue but instead take up tennis in high school. She had been pretty upset and tried to talk me into continuing the violin.

Unfortunately, I did as I told her and I stopped the violin and took up tennis. Over the years, I have found myself regretting this as I've missed the violin. For one reason or another, I never took it up again.. Until now..

I was able to become friends with a man that works with my husband. It turns out he is retired but works for something to do. He is also a professional violinist and was in a band that traveled a lot and did a lot of playing with his daughter. He used to give classes on the violin and just did a lot of great things. After his wife died a few years ago, he stopped playing. He just lost the motivation to keep up with it all. He found out that I was wanting to take up the violin again and let me come to his house. I got to look at all of his violins (I think he had 5-6), including one that was made in 1906! He told me to pick whatever violin I wanted to buy from him and then pick a case as well.

I'm allowed to make payments on the violin and he has offered to give me a few lessons as well.. :) I adore the violin I got. It's hand crafted and just gorgeous to me. It has really pretty carvings/etchings all over the back and around the border on the front.. *sigh* I just love it..(I also bought a mute for it on Amazon so that I'm able to play in our apartment and not disturb my neighbors if I choose to play it in the later part of the evening.)

Anyway. I'm doing my best to teach myself again. I did manage to get Suzuki Method to learn with along with fiddlerman's youtube videos and any others on YouTube. I'll basically be all self taught since I cannot afford lessons. The guy I bought my violin from isn't going to charge me for the few lessons he's offered, so once I get going a little more so that I'm comfortable with the violin again, I'll have to take him up on his offer! :)

It's very nice to meet you all.. I am looking forward to talking with you all and relearning everything I left behind in school.  It's such a beautiful instrument and I'm so happy to take it up again!

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You'll never know unless you try! What's in my violin case?

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
May 7, 2017 - 2:22 am
Member Since: March 22, 2014
Forum Posts: 3744
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Welcome  @StaceyC -  great story - I hope your return to playing helps to remove the "regret" you have experienced!   I'm certain it will thumbs-up    All the best !

**EDIT** ( LOL, we all do it ! ) - meant to say I love the detail on the violin - wonderful !

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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Fran
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May 7, 2017 - 10:33 am
Member Since: June 8, 2016
Forum Posts: 239
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OMG what a beautiful violin!!!  I did the same as you in that I played in Jr. & Sr. High schools (45 years ago) then stopped. (no violin of my own). But I restarted June 2016 and you'll probably find as I did that the muscle memory is still in there.  Rusty but there!  So congrats to you and your journey with the most beautiful instrument (in my opinion)

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StaceyC
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May 7, 2017 - 9:17 pm
Member Since: May 1, 2017
Forum Posts: 36
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Thank you! :) I have found that parts of playing have come back to me and I was happy to discover that not all has been lost. LOL I am so incredibly rusty though... I'm just glad that I decided to go for it. I know it will take time to relearn things but that's okay. It gives me something to work towards and look forward to. :)

Fran, since you recently started it up again and after a longer period of time than me, how are you doing with it now? How much do you practice on average?

Thank you again to you both for the comments! :)

You'll never know unless you try! What's in my violin case?

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Jim Dunleavy
United Kingdom
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May 8, 2017 - 3:29 am
Member Since: April 19, 2015
Forum Posts: 886
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Welcome @StaceyC. :)

Can I join the others in being jealous of that great violin? lol

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Fran
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May 8, 2017 - 10:13 am
Member Since: June 8, 2016
Forum Posts: 239
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@StaceyC I actually started taking private lessons in January 2017 cause I felt I wasn't really getting anywhere by myself without direction. And I'm learning 3rd position which I never did in the past too! I'm practicing 1.5 to 2 hours daily with few exceptions. I really love it and am so glad I've taken it up again!

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damfino
my own little world
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May 8, 2017 - 4:05 pm
Member Since: July 23, 2015
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Welcome to the forum, and back to the violin :)  

And what a pretty little fiddle you have :) Love the detail work on it :)

☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆
World's Okayest Fiddler
☆•*¨*•.¸¸¸.•*¨* •☆•*¨*¨*•¸¸¸.•*¨*•☆

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StaceyC
Members
May 8, 2017 - 10:02 pm
Member Since: May 1, 2017
Forum Posts: 36
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Fran said
@StaceyC I actually started taking private lessons in January 2017 cause I felt I wasn't really getting anywhere by myself without direction. And I'm learning 3rd position which I never did in the past too! I'm practicing 1.5 to 2 hours daily with few exceptions. I really love it and am so glad I've taken it up again!  

I'm hoping to mostly reteach myself aside from the occasional lessons from the guy I got the violin from. However, I am open to the idea of actually getting lessons in the future on a more consistent basis. I practiced again tonight and I can notice a slight improvement... I'm glad it's working out so well for you and that you're able to do the private lessons. :)

And thank you to the other great comments as well from the others. I just fell in love with the look of my violin and take great pride in it every time I open the case. LOL

You'll never know unless you try! What's in my violin case?

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Gjinja
Tulsa, OK

Member
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May 9, 2017 - 10:59 am
Member Since: January 25, 2017
Forum Posts: 34
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Hi Stacey, it's good to meet you & welcome to your new family! :)

Great story, & that's beautiful violin. I'm sure you'll pick it back up quicker than you realize & you'll find people here are absolutely great at helping with any questions you may have. The videos Pierre has posted are a TREMENDOUS help & there are some great tools to utilize here as well (metronome, drones, timing/intonation games, etc).

Again, good to have you here! :)

"I know that the most joy in my life has come to me from my violin."

~Albert Einstein~

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 9, 2017 - 3:15 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429
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Nice to meet you too Stayey.

We are very happy to have you here on our forum and look forward to hearing more from you.

Beautiful instrument you got there.

Hope we can help you stay motivated and that you will not give up playing the violin again. :)

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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coolpinkone
California, the place of my heart
May 10, 2017 - 1:53 pm
Member Since: January 11, 2012
Forum Posts: 4180
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Hello and how nice to meet you.

I am in agreement...that violin is so exquisite.

Enjoy your journey back to violin and all the best for

motivation and pure enjoyment.

Cheers, and Happy to meet you.

Toni

Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato

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StaceyC
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May 13, 2017 - 8:21 pm
Member Since: May 1, 2017
Forum Posts: 36
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One of the many benefits of the internet. There are so many great "tools" out there for learning anything! Back when I was in school, the internet was just in its infancy stages.. Sure we had it and could do things on the internet, but it is no where near what it is today. We have the benefit of finding great forums such as this and of course there's YouTube.   :) I am so glad that I came across Fiddlerman's YouTube channel!!

 

Thank you for the warm welcome and nice comments! I'm looking forward to getting to know you all and maybe one of these days, I'll get brave enough to post a video of myself playing. LOL

You'll never know unless you try! What's in my violin case?

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 14, 2017 - 10:58 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429
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I'm glad you came across my channel too. Traffic has been dying on Fiddlerman.com for a couple of years but I hope to be able to devote time to making it more special. Thanks to all you loyal members.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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cdennyb
King for a Day, Peasant for many
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May 14, 2017 - 7:45 pm
Member Since: February 13, 2012
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I think you see the '5 years ago' beginners moving on to more advanced training and fewer new comers learning.

I think it could be a seasonable thing as well... seldom do young players prefer to stay inside and play when their friends are headed to the lake for a BBQ.

"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 14, 2017 - 8:52 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429
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Thanks Dennis.

I guess we see all that but I should probably still focus on changing content and updating this site as well. :)

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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coolpinkone
California, the place of my heart
May 17, 2017 - 5:57 pm
Member Since: January 11, 2012
Forum Posts: 4180
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@Fiddlerman 

It is still "home"  I will always come here and be a part of this vibrant community.

I think the ease of Facebook and groups had dimmed the light in true forum style communities.

The site is wonderful and I hope it lives on and on. I know when you  are around things are more lively. You are the glue, and the person who set an example for us all to grow and help each other.

The "old" souls here I encourage you to stay around.  We move on from all the gleaning information and we take are part to help others and they like to hear the "old timers" and they like to be included.

:)

Cheers.

Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 18, 2017 - 9:39 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429
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I'm very happy about that Toni :)

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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