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Here is something I found on, PBS TV Saturday.
A group of fiddlers and Bob Childs the originator of the group. I can't find the whole 1
hour show on Youtube, but here is a short sample of the group.
There are several more "shorts" including lesson's of different style's of playing on Youtube if anyone would like to watch them.
In fact I even picked up my violin after laying off for about 6 weeks, due to shoulder problems. My bowing is not smooth anymore.
Hope you enjoy their video's and music.
Ken.
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Hello Ken!
Long time no talk. Sorry to hear about the shoulder. Hope it is better. Is it any better? Merry Christmas and thanks for the video share.
Cheers,
Toni
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
Hi, Toni. yeah, gettin old is a bit@@,, I also have a rare incurable bone marrow desease called, Myelofibrosis, it's not cancer, just bone marrow scarring. Not known what causes it and there is no cure. There are only about 18,500 people in the U.S. who have it. Oh well.
Ken.
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Hi Ken! As Toni said, long time no chat. Sorry to hear about your health issues.
Thanks for the post about Childsplay. I'm very familiar with the group. Bob Childs is from Massachusetts, so the group is based here. Mr. Scratchy and I have seen them in concert several times. They have a unique sound and put on a great show.
Last month, at Fiddle Hell Massachusetts, I attended a workshop on learning by ear, led by Childsplay member Lissa Schneckenburger. She gave some great tips and seemed like a really nice person.
-- Diane
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
HI, Di...... you're a very lucky girl to see them live. They definitely have a unique style and sound.
Ken.
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Hia @fiddlestix - hey Ken - thanks for the link... nice stuff, TY ! And sorry to learn about your current "incapacity" - but - knowing you - you will do what you CAN do as and when you are able and get back to your regular bowing.... ^5s to you ! 
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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Fiddlestix said
In fact I even picked up my violin after laying off for about 6 weeks, due to shoulder problems. My bowing is not smooth anymore.
I just recently discovered that my bowing isn't as smooth as I thought it was. It had occurred to me that my bad right shoulder might have something to do with it, but I have been blaming the bow and my lack of skill instead.
Now I am wondering if my shoulder issue has more to do with this smooth bowing issue than I thought. I guess time will tell. I am working to see if I can smooth my bowing out now, but will just have to wait and see if I make good progress over the next few practice sessions.
MACJR
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At least I am ambidextrous, so if my right should really is the cause of my bowing issue, I can switch to a left hand violin. It would be a setback in my training, because I would have to train both my right and left hands for the new tasks, from the beginning again, but it is doable for me.
MACJR
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MACJR said
I just recently discovered that my bowing isn't as smooth as I thought it was. It had occurred to me that my bad right shoulder might have something to do with it, but I have been blaming the bow and my lack of skill instead.Now I am wondering if my shoulder issue has more to do with this smooth bowing issue than I thought. I guess time will tell. I am working to see if I can smooth my bowing out now, but will just have to wait and see if I make good progress over the next few practice sessions.
The stiffness of my right shoulder was a real problem when I started in 2013. I stopped taking lessons for a while (disappointment over poor bow control) because of it. I found that the issue was simply a lifetime of work that built restrictive muscle mass in my upper chest and arms; the result being a loss of flexibility, articulation and range of motion. I began doing stretches of the pectoral and cuff muscles… clasping my hands behind my back and stretching them upward while expanding my chest, also lying flat (chest up) and stretching my open palms out as far to the side as possible. After about a month, my bowing became smoother, more steady and controlled. Now my right arm is very limber. I can stroke from frog to tip and back very slowly with consistent and uniform speed, pressure and tone. I stretch those muscles daily and it has paid off significantly.
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Rosco said
The stiffness of my right shoulder was a real problem when I started in 2013. I stopped taking lessons for a while (disappointment over poor bow control) because of it. I found that the issue was simply a lifetime of work that built restrictive muscle mass in my upper chest and arms; the result being a loss of flexibility, articulation and range of motion. I began doing stretches of the pectoral and cuff muscles… clasping my hands behind my back and stretching them upward while expanding my chest, also lying flat (chest up) and stretching my open palms out as far to the side as possible. After about a month, my bowing became smoother, more steady and controlled. Now my right arm is very limber. I can stroke from frog to tip and back very slowly with consistent and uniform speed, pressure and tone. I stretch those muscles daily and it has paid off significantly.
I am not convinced my shoulder problem is the issue with my bowing, but when I read that others were having issues with their bowing from shoulder problems, it made me think about it as a possibility.
My shoulder range seems good for bowing. It is when I lift my arm up higher that I sometimes run into issues. Like lifting a gallon jug up above shoulder height might be a bit painful, and sometimes, cause a loss of my ability to hold the jug up. I am not sure if this shoulder issue would cause a bowing issue, or not.
As for my chest, well, that was hacked open once, for a triple bypass operation, but I do not think that is my issue. I do a lot of cardio and weight lifting. The only trouble spot, that I have found, is doing sit-ups. I can still do them, but the added mass to my chest makes doing sit-ups more of challenge. I also found out that it is not a good idea to rest a barbell loaded with 100+ lbs on the bottom part of my sternum. Ouch! That was painful. The pain lingered for a few days too.
It may just be that I need to focus more on smooth bowing, as I first thought when I heard that audio file of me playing.
MACJR
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And yeah, I think it is odd that a gallong jug can sometimes cause pain, and loss of lifting power, when I can lift 100+ lbs up over my head without a problem. I guess it has to do with the angle of the lift.
MACJR
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Hope you are doing better and able to play more Ken. I finally got around to watching the video clip.
Diane how cool that you got to go to a few concerts and get mentoring at fiddle Hell from a member. Cool cool.
Ken, Happy New Year.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Almost forgot! Mr. Scratchy and I appeared in a Childsplay video!
One of the concerts that we attended was filmed for the Childsplay "As the Crow Flies" DVD. When we arrived at the theater, we were told that the seats we had purchased online were no longer available, as they had been taken for the videography equipment. So, they gave us seats that were even better and pretty close to the stage.
Throughout the performance, a camera on a large boom kept zooming over our heads.
In this video of one of the tunes - Slips and Falls Reel - we're visible in the audience at the 4:57 mark. We're in the background, behind people you see applauding in the front.
Here's a screenshot of the brief moment where you can see us. I'm in the upper right corner behind the man with the beard. Mr. Scratchy is to my right.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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