So far, I am finding my lesson plan helpful, and actually, motivating. Weird, because I assigned it to myself. I have always said I am the only one who listens to me, explains why the lawn mower always ends out in the ditch! Not saying who put it there and no longer gets help getting out. 

I got my violin down before finishing dinner and worked some more in the D-String etudes. I am hoping that I get so that I don’t have to play it so often before I am hitting the spots correctly. Takes a while, then it starts coming together. Some day, I will be able to pick up my violin and just be able to play those etudes without that much time needed. Some day. 

Well, I worked on the D-String etudes today. The last ones with the A on the D-string are really hard for me to do that A to F natural or F natural to A. I do not understand it. 

It could be the issue with the stretch being longer than the A to G or F#. It always feels like the F# is as far as I can make it with the A on the D. I might have to do what the violinist in the other video I watched did. For those stretches that are too much, she uses the first finger and then shifts to using the correct fingers. I will give it a little more time and see how it goes. the F natural just seem out of reach. The F# from the A feels like the limit. Not ready to say "Uncle" yet on it, though.

I can't get anywhere near where I need to be if the other fingers are down. I am trying to keep the fingers down when I am using the three finger, but when I stretch to eliminate an open string with the 4th finger, I can't get there by a long shot. I wonder how it would be if I didn't think about it so much? I have found a lot of things I have issues with when thinking about it, come easier if ai don't think about it. 

When I do keep my fingers down, in just simple first position, they do not stay in place. For instance, the G on the D string, the first and second fingers always scootch up a bit, so they are never in place, say if go from a G to an E. I have to adjust that first finger a tad. I keep trying to do it without moving those unused fingers. Maybe I will get it at some point.

I think a lot of instructors teach the student to keep the three fingers down on the D string to play the G, and leave two down to play the F or F#, etc. That is what I got from videos, anyway. The violin teacher I had for a very short period of time never mentioned or stressed that. It would seem that it would help with intonation and faster playing, so, I am trying to do that in simple first position with 3 fingers. 

I think one problem today is that, for some reason, my right are and both shoulders are very sore and tight.  Well, not exactly for some reason, I am reorganizing and moved things around yesterday, including pushing a heavy desk. 😊 Someone was not happy when I did that, 😇. I will probably not play later today, it might set me back a little. 

It has been three days, so sorry, blog. I feel like I have been ignoring you, I should give you a name. I will think up a good one.

Well, Ms Blog, I have not been idle. I have been doing my violin, and last night did a little viola because my new viola books arrived. I have also been busy with another forum, Not to worry, I am not leaving. 

Ms Blog, I installed new strings on my warm violin. He seems to like them. They are Infeld Reds. They seem to like him, also. I need to think up a good name for him, so I don’t have to refer to him as, “him”. He is such a lovely violin. 

Grampa Parker Fiddle is very happy to be home, not his physical home, where he was born, but with family. He looks proud on the wall rack next to my warm violin. Grampa Parker plays really nice. He has a sound that is mid-way between warm and bright, FiddleFaddle. FiddleFaddle being bright.

FiddleFaddle is more than happy to have a family member fill the gap between her and the warm violin. Fiddlefaddle got a workout yesterday. She was very happy.

For me, Ms Blog, I have been working really hard on Fiddlerman’s D-string workout. That workout is really beginning to take shape, of course, it is inconsistent from day-to-day, but there are more consistent days, than not. Yesterday, the jump from F natural to A on the D string, and the other way was more hit than miss. I was very pleased. When I wrapped up and played a couple songs I had been playing before my lesson plan, the fingering carried over to the other strings much more accurately.

Speaking of lesson plans, in a few days, Monday, I will be creating a new lesson plan. I will print off Fiddlerman’s A-string exercise, and add some A string songs from my lesson books, ones that have a lot of D string, too. 

Ms Blog, I have not had an opportunity to share a video with you. It just takes so long to make one, what with all of the re-takes, and getting it ready to post here. I will do it as soon as I can.

Well, Ms Blog, I will try not to wait three days before visiting you the next time. Until then, don’t break any strings.

Why, thank you, JohnG! 

I feel bad. I did not get to play today. I will try to make it up tomorrow. Tomorrow, tomorrow, The bow will come out, tomorrow. 

Ha Ha!

Ms Blog, today was a good day. Let me correct that. Today was a very good day.

I did the review of the previous two weeks' assignment, D-string. Then I continued with the new lesson, A-string work. I did the Essential Elements selections that chose, and the A-sting exercises by Fiddlerman. I wrote down to stop after the 8th measure, but I was able to do that pretty good and moved on. I did the entire A-string workout, I will stop when the E with the 4th becomes involved tomorrow. I need to be a little more comfortable.

I also tried to not look at my fingers and do it by feel. Was not too bad, but eventually went way off. The good thing was that I knew I was off. That is a switch. 

I am finding it much easier to do the 4th finger. I usually stretch too far, I was more accurate and noticed that that is what I was doing. I figured it was farther away than the 3rd finger. I need to stop calling it a "stretch". I am very literal and if it is called a "stretch", I do need to feel the stretch! I am just going to refer to it as using my 4th finger. I know what that means. When I remembered to think of it that way, I was always more on target. When I forgot and thought,"stretch", I overshot.

That was an eye-opening observation. When I took lessons, every instructor referred to that 4th finger to dodge the open string a "stretch", so I always stretched. Oh me, oh my! 

Ms Blog, I thank you for your assistance in my learning process. 

The last few days I have been doing my lesson plan. So far, with Ms  log’s help, I have been able to stay on course. The A-String etudes are getting better, but are still a little struggle. I will be, most likely repeating this lesson. I think my hearing the right notes is improving, but it could be wishful hearing.

I continue to use Fiddlerman’s tuner and am benefitting from it. I really like it and it is helping me hear when when my strings are in tune, and how how they sound when against the previous the string string, ie how the D sounds compared to the G and A, etc.