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9:30 am - reflect on progress and goals. Set new microgoals for the week...
a. memorize "road to lisvardoona this week"
b. learn to add in ornamentation to fiddling
c. get up to speed on Suzuki book 2 songs through Witches Dance.
d. get fingers up to 16th note speeds for trills and runs.
10 am- Basics
a. 15 min on intonation for goal songs
b. 15 min on bowings for goal songs
c. 15 min on fingerings for goal songs
d. 15 min memorization of "road to lisvardoona"
1 pm- Advanced
a. 15 min intonation while slow bowing g.songs
b. 15 min speed drills for fingering while bowing
c. 15 min memorization of "road to lisvardona"
d. 15 min playing Suzuki at performance level
This is how I've mapped out my day. Everyday is different for me due to appointments and such, Mondays and Tuesdays and Fridays I have the least amount going on, well not counting weekends. This will change in a few weeks when I start college classes though. What are your goals? Have you mapped them out? You might need an action plan......just saying.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
King
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I have two action's planned for today. (1) To borrow the neighbor's weed whacker (because mine won't start) and finish grass trimming. (2) then drive to Flint, MI. to have a new sound post put in. My luthier returns back to his shop from spending 7 week's at world famous Interlochen. http://www.interlochen.com where he repair's all their stringed instrument's before the winter program start's.
Let me think for a moment ........ 
it look's like possible rain today, I don't want to get wet and the grass will still be here tomorrow for trimming, but tomorrow my violin will still sound awefull, so where are my prioritie's,,, ah ha, I have it.
Sound post today, weed's tomorrow. Anyone have a problem with my action plan's ?............ I didn't think so. 
Ken.
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"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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Well, it looks like I am 2 hours into it today and Im still not done with my basics. lol. got to either reevaluate the time table, the task or both. Of course perhaps not working on 10 tunes at one sitting would help as well.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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Hahaha XD, Nice! Every time before the practice i think that "I'll just learn a bit of that tune..." But it always turns to shifting-fingering-intonation-bowing drill .
3 hours today and i don't feel like i played enough... and want more
King
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Thank's for the correction, Rob.
ken
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well, 5 hours this morning painting railings...getting ready to go get LeeAnn from work, then put in a couple hours here for the landlord...fiddle time zero today
There is no shame in playing twinkle, youre playing Mozart
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After the 12 hours of CRAP was done > I gots to play my viddle. > It was the best part of my day. > It was SWEET!!! > working on 5ths with the strings. > Interesting > they are all over the place.
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8 am – reflect on progress and goals. Reevaluate structure and modify as needed
a. memorize "road to lisvardoona this week"
b. learn to add in ornamentation to fiddling
c. get up to speed on 1 Suzuki book 2 song.
d. get fingers up to 16th note speeds for trills and runs.
10 am- Combined
a. 15 min intonation while slow bowing g.songs
b. 15 min speed drills for fingering while bowing
c. 15 min memorization of "road to lisvardona"
d. 15 min playing Suzuki at performance level
I am up earlier today, bright eyed and bushy tailed. I realized yesterday I can work on both hands simultaneously. Used to be I would focus on each hand separately but since I know the fingerings and bowings already for what I am working on I dont need to separate it. I do think for unfamiliar songs its still easier to separate them. Additionally I cannot be on CHAT and try to practice, too much fun distraction. I woke up today humming "road to lisdoonvarna" which is excellent for me. I can visualize most of the fingerings too so I feel I've almost got it memorized. The above list is an adjusted outline of what I want to focus on. 10 times perfectly and I will move to another song I recon. Hope you all have a great day and can set and accomplish some Violin goals!
@Ken- good luck with the yard today.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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Haaaaaaahaaaa!!! BUSHY TAILED!!!
I've been so bushy tailed while was working on "Soldier's joy" today XD
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Yesterday I replaced a tailpiece on a friends violin, which involved restringing it and resetting the bridge. Mission accomplished, thanks to Ray for taking the mystery out of it beforehand. I was even able to get the strings wound round the pegs in a way that looked nice and made me happy. Its all tuned up now, being steel core strings they settled in pretty much overnight. Doesnt sound bad like I remember steel cores sounding when I first started.
Today I have to mow and edge the yard. This afternoon is full of appointments starting with a Drs visit and ending at church orchestra practice.
No specific practice today, some fingering while waiting in the drs office perhaps, some slow bowing before my other appointments....nothing major.
To have a great day...make a plan, work your plan, improvise the unexpected!
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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Steel core strings don't necessarily sound bad. Some violins love them. 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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I just watched your vid on the problem with steel strings. lol.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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Helicore strings sound really good.
Braided core.
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I've been thinking that the steel strings on my violin are part of my problem (besides my newbie fingers... of course) When I play anything on the E string, even though I know I am on the right note (by ear, and by tuner) it always has this fingers-on-the-chalkboard quality 
. I've also noticed that the E string has dug down into the bridge way more than it should.
I thought it was just my playing, but over the weekend I had the opportunity to play a much nicer Violin, and the notes on the E string were clear and sweet -- no chalkboard!
I've thought about restringing it mine, but I'm not sure I want to sink any more $$ into this cheapie violin ('cause the strings would cost almost as much as I paid for the whole thing!) so I may just squirrel that $$ away in my 'get a new violin' fund.
This morning I'm working on smooth bow strokes. I practice by playing scales at different speeds concentrating on the bow. Then tonight I'll practice some of the music I'm working on.
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”
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What are you going to get with a "better" violin? Interior graduations that are less student oriented and more pro ish. Better wood, perhaps pegs that have better action. Anything that isnt glued down is eventually replaced anyways. A better bow, better rosin, better quality strings, even a better bridge and "setup" could really turn your violin into a better quality instrument. Is it cheaper to do all that rather than buy a better violin set up brand new.....shop around, maybe.....I'd be interested in Pierres op on this one as well.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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Better hand tuned plate graduations are worth paying the extra money for and so are better materials. Lot's can be done with cheap instruments but there are quite a few things you can't do unless you are real lucky.
I've heard cheap instruments that sound incredible and expensive instruments that are bad.
Just realized how off topic this reply was. LOL
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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How do you find the instruments (as a lay person) that have the better plate graduations vs I assume some kind of computer lathe? What are the things that you cant do that might make the difference in upgrading or not? At what price point does it make sense to find the finer instruments? Will the less expensive instruments last for years or decades? (Ive heard that with use some of the peg holes widen over time, less quality wood used in construction). How can I tell if my instrument is of the better quality or not? If not, can the plate be regraduated by hand or is it better to seek a better instrument?
Sorry to pile the questions on you but these been building in my head for a while.
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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The instruments that are made with care tend to be more consistently good. The graduations, even on the cheap violins , are great on most instruments since they are using a template but some luthiers go the extra mile and tap on the instrument to hear the tones and graduate to form the tone.
Price point concerning improvements depends on the manufacturer, distributor and dealer. Usually the more money you spend the better quality materials and craftsmanship you should be getting. I see incredible instruments over $1000.
Less expensive instruments should last hundreds of years depending on how they are stored, used, and maintained. As for your question on peg holes:
Usually if the holes were not just reamed but compressed by turning the reamer counter-clockwise, they don't expand. If the holes expand they will still work unless the peg hole ends up in the peg-box hole. You can always have that fixed pretty easily anyway.
The important thing with your instrument is that you like it. The sound should be easily obtained, it should tolerate varying dynamics and have a sweet sound. If you have played on others instruments and find them much easier to play on, you might want to save up for a better fiddle.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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