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Hellooo!
So I was thinking the other day, what things do I wish I had learned earlier...... I'm not sure if there has been another thread similar to this so sorry if I am repeating anything. If you care to share any thoughts on the matter I'll look forward to reading.
I wish I had learned to sight read sooner. I can't remember too much from when I first started playing but when I stopped having lessons I would only play songs that I had heard and would pick up mostly by ear, sometimes using sheets. It's only fairly recently, mostly since joining my local orchestra that I have been reading music that I haven't heard, but it would have been helpful if I'd learned that sooner.
Counting. I guess this is along the lines of reading music, but I've never really learned to count in my head while playing etc.
Better posture... I don't have the greatest playing posture, have been trying to work on it though, I am known to stand with my legs crossed while playing, don't hold the violin up a lot of the time...
I also wish I had done more music theory, and played more scales.
These are just some things I have been thinking about, that I would try to do if I started over... I'm not trying to be negative or anything like that. Maybe I could make sure I teach these things to my student/s?? (if I ever get more than one), and maybe it can help anyone here who is starting out??? I dunno...
Feel free to disagree with anything I've said Looking forward to hearing what you all think.
Great topic. I wished I had learned a very consistent and loose left hand grip under the supervision of a teacher. I think my intonation would have been more consistent with a consistent hold.
I wish I had learned finger positions by feel instead of by tapes.
I wish I had learned better bowing techniques.
AND I WISH I LEARNED TO COUNT/TAP while playing.
But all that being said... It is fun to work on these things now and I am grateful for all that I have learned.
Thanks for the topic Kiara.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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I'm not sure what I would have done differently. Am having a great time with the fiddle. Wouldn't want to change that.
And what if I hadn't found this forum because of something I did different. I probably would have given up by now.
I think I've still got time to learn a lot more.
Seen it all. Done it all. Can't remember most of ..... What was I saying????
Honorary tenured advisor
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I'm self- and internet- taught. I'll mention some of the good and some of the bad in my learning.
My worst mistake of technique was in ignoring left-hand form that would have allowed me use the pinky. I should have had the left hand farther from the nut, with the first finger pulled back, tight and square, and the stretching shared between the first and fourth fingers.
I also ignored my bow hold for half a year. But I don't really regret that. It was easy enough to start using the proper form (for me, Franco-Belgian) and get my bow stroke in shape.
I should have bought a better shoulder rest sooner. The Bonmusica style is working pretty well for me now.
I should have followed the bowing directions on some sheet music. My bowing has improved since I've started conforming that way sometimes.
I took an interest in analyzing and ear playing a lot of tunes, and that has taken me away from physical technique, I suppose. But it has helped my overall understanding of music.
By biggest general mistake was in not reading any violin books. That sort of encompasses all the other violin-learning mistakes I've made. I've learned a lot just by reading something like thirty pages of Galamian's Principles.
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I agree with coolpinkone this is a great topic! I am going to make sure I work on everything that is mentioned!!!
Especially that having a great time!! Need to work on that a bit more, but how how can I add more enjoyment of playing the violin to what I am already having!!!
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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This question or ones very similar have come up from time to time.
Each time I think it over again.
I still can't think of much where I feel things would have somehow been much better if I had only.. <fill in the blank>
My first year with violin was not particularly focused or disciplined. But that was intentional. I played the instrument like a kid with a new toy, trying anything that sounded or looked like it was fun or nifty. I avoided any really disciplined or lengthy practice of basics, I just played whatever songs I could and had fun. Messed around to see what wierd and neat noises I could get, as well.
I still think, that at least for me, that was the best way to start. I did it to intentionally make the most of the "honeymoon period". To get to know the instrument and sort of fall in love with playing it. Taking time to basically "have a happy childhood" on the instrument, and build some pleasant playing memories, and some excitement for the potentials I could begin to see. Taking some time to dream about how it could sound, as i explored what was going to be easy and what was going to take some work.
The only thing I really required of myself in that first year was to play every day. Using the "fun time" to build a habit of not only practising and playing ever day, but of looking forward to the moment when I first pick up the instrument for the day. With that habit in place, after the first year was done, to practice scales and exercises to sound better when I play just feels natural.
At around 2.5 yrs now, that still keeps me going, and the moment I can pick up the violin each day is always one of the good moments. I have learned other instruments in the course of my life, and some of them, I was just in too much of a rush to "get serious" on them. I don't feel they were as enjoyable to learn as they could have been.
Anyway though.. No, I can't think of anything I would have done differently. Other than maybe wishing sometimes that I hadn't let what I had heard of how difficult the instrument was to learn and how expensive people said it was to get an instrument that was good enough to even start to learn on hold me back from it. There have been years in my life where I really could have used this much fun.
But meh..
"If wishes were fishes, we'd have some fried
If wishes were dishes, they'd be washed and dried
if wishes were horses, all beggars would ride.."
LOL
We all do the best we can with who we are and what we can manage. No shame in that, at all.
"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman
Honorary advisor
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Kiara said
.......These are just some things I have been thinking about, that I would try to do if I started over... I'm not trying to be negative or anything like that. Maybe I could make sure I teach these things to my student/s?? (if I ever get more than one), and maybe it can help anyone here who is starting out??? I dunno...
Now that you are a teacher, are you educating your student/s these things?
Thanks for the topic.. I had also missed all those things.
If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it ..(William Shakespeare in Twelfth Night)
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