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Arlons' Violin Journy
New Violin player
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (2 votes) 
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Arlon
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September 23, 2016 - 3:46 pm
Member Since: June 23, 2016
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This is some of my progress. I started playing June 25th, 2016.

I have only played about half of that time since I bought my violin.

 

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Arlon
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September 23, 2016 - 3:53 pm
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Please critique and let me know what to do to improve.

Thanks to all.

Arlon

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damfino
my own little world
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September 23, 2016 - 8:33 pm
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Sounding really good!

I would suggest working on bowing less from your shoulder, that will help you keep your bow straighter.

I can't tell from the video for sure, but it looks like your bow might be tightened too much (but then again it might just be how it looks on the video). 

Keep up the good work!!

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Arlon
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September 24, 2016 - 3:13 pm
Member Since: June 23, 2016
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Thank you Damfino.

My bow probably is too tight. I am not sure what the proper tension is. If it is loose I tend to hit the other strings. Maybe in time that will improve also.

Thank you so much for your advice. I am going to keep on "bowing" (lol).

Working on the shoulder also.

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Demoiselle
Berlin, Germany
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September 24, 2016 - 3:57 pm
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In the beginning a millimeter seems to be a micrometer and you hit neighboring strings all the time. After a year I hit them just now and then and now sometimes. In the meantime the millimeter make an inch and I'm looking forward to the day when it becomes a yard. Prehistorically spoken, I heard about the virtuosity of the troodon who was able to see in slow motion while chasing prey. Time and space are relative and we can learn to deal with almost anything. :)

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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Demoiselle
Berlin, Germany
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September 24, 2016 - 4:20 pm
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Damfino is obviously right because your wrist seems to look stiff. The hand is the sensitive part of our arm, not the shoulder, so you should do better if you involve the wrist. If the fingers are not stiffly holding the bow tight, they also have plenty options to contribute to sensitivity of bowing. The expression "offhand" says everything, that makes everything we do easier. Just imagine your arm is a dancing snake while bowing.

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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Demoiselle
Berlin, Germany
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September 25, 2016 - 4:33 am
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I need to add, we cannot forcibly make ourselves relax. If I watch myself playing on a video, I also feel like my wrist could be more relaxed. But if I tried too hard to be relaxed, this would be a mental tension and that always leads to bodily tension. So there is no way out right away. It's enough to know how it should be and keep that in mind, relaxation will come then over time.

I will have a concert of two hours in December and I guess my bow hand will not be optimally relaxed until then. Nevertheless I find my sound fairly okay and I'm not hitting other strings too often. I think you will also develop the sense of space in this millimeter scale over the coming months. My bow is pretty lose and there is no way to make it tighter until I change hair, for I use a primitive 1600s style bow. Nonetheless I developed that sense of space. It takes time, constantly gets better and comes as you practice daily. 

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
September 25, 2016 - 4:44 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

Great job Arlon and congratulations on your first performance video/badge.

I see a lot of great things happening early in the game. As others have said, use more elbow instead of the shoulder.

I would say, try singing or humming in your head while playing. I think that would help you come a bit closer to the original rhythm. It's also OK to play it freely, IOW, your way. :)

For future reference, we actually have a special place for critique videos but I'll take this as a critique video since you asked for it and move the thread as well. 

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

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Arlon
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September 26, 2016 - 10:08 am
Member Since: June 23, 2016
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Thank you every body so much for your help. Demoiselle Thank you, The dancing snake thing is a great idea. I will do that.

 Fiddlerman, thank you also. I am slow at learning the site but I will figure it out.

I love your site. It is what has inspired me to learn to play. I am 63yo and am going to prove that " you can teach an old dog new tricks " lol.

Again, thank you everybody for helping.

Arlon

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
September 27, 2016 - 11:28 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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I love that you are going to show everyone that you can teach old dogs new tricks. I know this to be a fact and I have witnessed it.
Thank you for that!

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

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Demoiselle
Berlin, Germany
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September 27, 2016 - 4:44 pm
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Arlon said
.... I am 63yo and am going to prove that " you can teach an old dog new tricks " lol. .......

Let's say, I'm closer to the 60 than to the 50, so greedy data octopus Google will not get what they're out for. I started on the violin in May 2015 and I think it works. ;)

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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