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My First Lesson!
Yay ;)
Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 (0 votes) 
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damfino
my own little world
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August 3, 2015 - 5:26 pm
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After playing for a week and two days on my own, I had my first real lesson today.

My teacher seems like a wonderful lady, who trained classically and now plays fiddle style in a band.

She said my technique with the bow is excellent, and that I'm doing really good with my intonation. Yay!

She liked my violin, the FM Concert violin, a lot, and helped me pick out a shoulder rest that would work best for me. Shock of shocks, she told me I have a long neck (I'm a sawed off petite person and always thought of myself as having a short neck, I guess not! lol) and the shoulder rest that came with the violin wasn't able to fill the gap well enough to help me hold the violin properly. It's the same one she uses, so she was able to let me try it out during class before buying it.

I was given some pointers to help me (showing me how to put the violin in my left hand was a big help, I knew I was having trouble getting my thumb in a spot that worked best with my fingering).

I'm going to try to keep my lessons going as long as I can afford, or until the snow flies again here in lovely NE Ohio, because I already fell in love with taking lessons.

So, yay!

Edit to add a picture of the adorable shop where I take my lessons, in a little old town square:

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Reptile Smile
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August 3, 2015 - 6:01 pm
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Sounds great!  Really glad that's working out for you, and particularly that you got some helpful input on the old 'should rest' conundrum!

Good luck - and keep it up!

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damfino
my own little world
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August 4, 2015 - 8:48 am
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Thanks :) The shoulder rest help has made a huge difference, makes practice so much easier. And that she thought I was ready to try ever so slightly more advanced beginner stuffs gave me the ego boost I needed at this point in my practice, lol. 

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Uzi
Georgia

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August 4, 2015 - 11:41 am
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That's great and that store front looks really nice, like something one would expect to see in London or somewhere. 

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
August 4, 2015 - 12:04 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16430

All great news. Love the shop too. Thanks for the update.

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

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damfino
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August 4, 2015 - 2:10 pm
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The area around the shop is really nice, it's a little old town square, small locally owned businesses, with nice coffee shops, just a nice small town atmosphere... I knew that even though it was a 1/2 hour away from me, I wanted my lessons out there, lol.

My teacher said the Concert violin was comparable to the Eastman violins they rent out. I knew I was happy with the price of the concert violin, but was even happier after I looked up the price of the Eastman they rent, lol.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
August 4, 2015 - 5:34 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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Yeeee Haaaaa!!!

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

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damfino
my own little world
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August 5, 2015 - 11:05 am
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I thought it seemed like a nice compliment for you and the Concert violin :)  

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
August 6, 2015 - 8:06 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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It sure is. Thanks 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
August 6, 2015 - 12:28 pm
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wow.. I love your quaint place to take your lessons. And congrats on getting a good teacher and a shoulder rest that works.   I have a large gap between my shoulder and chin also.. I think that surprises most people.

Anyway.. congrats and I am so happy that you are moving along.

I am seriously considering lessons again. 

Toni

Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato

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damfino
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August 6, 2015 - 3:34 pm
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It is a cute, laid back, place. I was there before the teacher, so they were just like (her classroom is the first door on the left in the basement. Turn the lights on and make yourself at home" lol.

I wasn't sure what I'd think of lessons, I was homeschooled after the 5th grade, and it's made me a bit independent in how I usually learn things, but I really enjoyed my first class, and hope I can afford them for a little while :)  

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
August 9, 2015 - 8:40 am
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Glad you are enjoying your lessons damfino. If you can't afford them forever, at least they will get you going in the right direction. You can get advice here too. :)

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

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damfino
my own little world
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August 11, 2015 - 9:55 am
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I love that there are resources like this website to get help and watch videos.

I had my second lesson yesterday, and started practicing the tips she gave me to work on for the week, and even though my rendition of Twinkle is still on the slow side, it was a huge help and I already heard an improvement when I change my left hand from string to string.

I posted this in the Critique forum, too, but thought I'd stick it in here as well. I wasn't going to record a video last night, but was happy with how I was sounding so wanted to document it, lol.

I didn't feel like setting up my real camera, so just stuck my iPhone on my music stand, which wobble for an hour is you touch it, so that's why the video sways a little, haha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....dbK_AIxDkE

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Schaick
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August 11, 2015 - 3:41 pm
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That was wonderful!!

Violinist start date -  May 2013  

Fiddler start date - May 2014

FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius.  BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.

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damfino
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August 11, 2015 - 5:31 pm
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Thank you @Schaick :)  

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
August 12, 2015 - 6:18 am
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Maybe you were a violinist in another life. :)
Bravo!!!

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

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damfino
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August 12, 2015 - 10:55 am
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Thanks so much Fiddlerman  :) I love the process of learning the instrument and having something finally click and work. 

I've taken to practicing my scales with my eyes closed so that I'm only listening to the sound and don't get tempted to watch my fingers so much.

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