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Big day. I just spent all morning with my Cello, and both violas. Arm is too sore for the violin.
I am having issues with my cello, same issues, the bowing. I am 99.99% sure that I have figured it out. It is the bridge. The Goronok that I used to have, and the previous cellos, had the Belgian model bridge, might have the wrong name. It is squatty and has a less flat top curve than the French model. My new cello has the flatter curve of the French model. I cannot get used to it. I cannot bow one string. I am taking this cello to the shop/luthier I used to go to, previous owners retired, new owners kept the staff, but moved a little further away. I contacted the cello guy and in the Spring we will bring it up for them to look at a fit a bridge that I can bow better.
I think that I confirmed this. I have a viola I purchased there, before the original owners retired. It was made by the shop owner/luthier. He puts the squattier more top curved Belgian style. I also have another viola, with the French style bridge. I have a harder time bowing the viola with the French style bridge. It is easier to bow in the viola, so I can get by with that smaller 15 1/2" viola with the French style bridge.
I also have a violin that I purchased from the same luthier that has the Belgian style bridge, and my other violin has the flatter French bridge design, Fiddlershop Lord Wilton. It was very different when I started playing the Lord Wilton, I had the other violin before I got the Lord Wilton. I am used to the Lord Wilton now, but I do come across some pieces that I just cannot do. Then I get the other violin, and it is better.
It is not the violins, violas or cello, it is my inexperience and ability with bowing. I thought all along it was the bridges, but I really did not delve into it, and have been struggling. I am so used to the Belgian, and at my age, I am having trouble adjusting. Last evening, I paid more attention to what was going on at the bridge when I was bowing, and that is what I noticed.
Today, I paid attention to that when I did my cello, but it did not help, I cannot bow it properly. For me, it is easier to adapt to the flatter curve French style bridge on the viola and violin, but seems impossible on the cello, I have been trying over a year. What I play is passable, but not like when I had the Belgian style bridge.
The viola and violin, I can adapt to, the cello, no. I can understand that. Thicker strings, more force to bow, at least it feels that way, and mostly, the orientation of the instrument and strings when playing. So, I will get that taken care of this spring.
All in all, it was a good session. I worked in a song for JohnG's party on tne viola. I think I like it better on violin, we will see. Still have a ways to go. Since JohnG did viola, I would prefer to do viola.
I know this is a ramble, just thoughts for my blog after my long session.
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The Bumblebee Flies!
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Aw! I just got an email from one of my daughters. My granddaughters sre selling girl scout cookies this year. She sent me a link for each granddaughter, Their troops never did this before, so, this is their first year doing it. Yay! I can buy Girl Scout Cookies from my granddaughters! Cool! No, I am not advertising them here, I am just happy to be able to do this. Not sharing the links here.
This has been a good day. Long practice/playing session and now I can help my granddaughters out. Who could ask for more?
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I have been watching a lot of videos posted by @ABitRusty of late. They are excellent. You can find them in his blog and in the Great Performances.
This has really drawn me to finding out more about his type of music. To me, it is more folksy than fiddle, if that makes sense? More melodic and less the jazzy sound that I hear in, what I know is called "fiddle" in most fiddle pieces. @stringy is another one who has posted fiddle pieces that I do not find too jazzy. His are more fiddle sounding to me, not folksy, but not too jazzy sounding. Love those, too. Not a fan if I cannot pick out the melody, which I cannot in a lot of the super fast fiddle pieces.
I pulled my violin down this morning. I just "fiddled" with it. I did not get out any of my books. I need to go get groceries while the roads are clear and the sky is not falling down! 😁 I was waiting for my husband. It is close to lunch time now, so we will go shopping after lunch, then I will get out my violin and book and play seriously.
Thanks for all of this building up of enthusiasm you have given me ABitRusty and Stringy! Really. I am loving it. I cannot wait to delve into it this afternoon.
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Ok, I spent this morning working on something from my Irish book, Homours of Glendart. I edited ine spot to make it easier, note to self, after I am more familiar, edit it back in.
Man, it took forever to figure out how to convert this to an mp3 from the voice recorder! I haven't done it in a while.
I have no idea what I did at the end of the first go round! 😂. I cannot do it at speed, Fine for me. When I can, I can.
I need to find something more Americana. Something without sharps and flats thrown in, D or G, no triplets, etc. Something that I can do. This is Irish, which is fine, but it does not have that Americana feel I get when I listen to ABitRusty. Might not be any at my level. Do not post a bunch of YouTube links here with them, I can do a search like that, but YouTube does not do it for me. Thanks, anyway.
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that is outstanding @mouse ! youre notes are very clear and strong.. intonation is great..very impressive!
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Thanks, @ABitRusty. I have some issues, but will work on them. I seem to have major issues with the E string. Sometimes, the sound is not even there when I am bowing, at times. It is like the blow slides. I have watched and cannot figure out why. I thought the bow might be hitting the bout somewhere, but I did not see it. I also thought maybe the bridge, but do nit see an issue there, either. There is also, no rosin residue on the bout or bridge, just the normal rosin on strings. that would be a tell tale sigh. I changed bows, same issue. It is not always, but quite often, that makes it hard to catch in video. Plus, when I do a video, I tense up and do not bow the same. Ys, the bows are rosined, and the other strings are just fine.
I am thinking I have an issue with the string? The issue is what is giving me some of my hard time playing the E string. I did not have this issue until this started happening. These are the same string that came in the violin, about 2 maybe 2 1/2 years ago. I had a period of time when I did not play because the setup was giving me serious issues, so I stopped playing for a while, then I worked in my set up and figured it out with y help. Now, after playing some, the E string is giving me issues.
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you know how it goes.. theres many variables. im sure youll figure it out after spending time. Ftom my end you sound great. dont change too much!
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No, not going to change much. It is very weird. If it does not correct itself after quite a bit of playing, meaning practice might get it back to where it was, maybe a set of strings is due. Been a while. Haven't played much on them, but they have been being stretched on the violin while my wrist was recovering from the bad setup.
Holding the violin and viola was getting painful. My viola setup still meeds working on, so limited time there, now. Amazing the difference a setup can make, whether a bad or good one.
I should order a set of strings in case there is a bad spot on the string. The Fiddlerman string set I have is for my grandfather's fiddle, good match. I like the warmer strings in this violin. I should order a set so I have them if I figure out that that is the problem.
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I ordered a new set of violin strings. I will continue checking to make sure my issue is not my bowing. If it does not get better, I will put those new strings on. I should get them within a week.
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@Mouse Sounds great! Whatever the edit was, seems to work just fine 
One thing that can cause the E string whistle is touching it with the bottom of your fore finger on your left hand. A lot of times it can happen when string crossing to the E string, but can happen other times, too. Tension can cause your left hand to grip, and that will bring your base of your forefinger close to the E string.
Doesn’t happen on the other strings, but since the E string is closest to the edge, and you are re-angling (the bow, but also the left arm/elbow) to get to that string, your forefinger might be brushing the string at the same time. It can be hard to catch because it happens in like a split second.
If it is happening at string crossing, you can try to play slowly the note right before you play the note on the e string, and then the e string note, it probably won't happen. If you do that a few times, and speed it up, at some point, you it will probably happen again--that's where you might catch it.
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
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Thanks, @SharonC. The E string doesn't have intermittent whistling, it is intermittent no sound, and bow slide. It is like the bow hair hit black ice. It is with every bow I have, 4 of them. They were all rosined. I am thinking there is something wrong with the string, I have never had this happen.
I also thought that maybe, for some reason, I am tilting the bow on the E string and the wood is bowing, which causes the slide, but it really does not look or feel like I am doing that. That is the most likely cause, if it is not the string, so I am going to try to set up my camera to get that angle.
I do not see where the bow hits the bout and lifts. When I stop and look, the bow is not near the bout. I also do not see it near the bridge when it happens. That is the only string with that problem. There is also no rosin residue from the hairs in either of those places.
I have some things to take care of in the morning, unless it ices up, but I am going to check it out again tomorrow. I do have to do more work on the room rearranging, but I am going to check this out first, in the afternoon.
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@Mouse
I've posted a video (my own--I play one of the tunes & talk about it) about a book of American Old Time fiddle tunes that might interest you. All tunes are in key of G & D, quarter notes & eighth notes (no triplets), simple melodies.
And, my videos are not on YouTube 
My post:
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
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If you pay attention towards the end around the 18 second mark, maybe scoot up to the 20 second left spot, around that 18 the E string go silent for one beat, then it comes back. I just noticed that when I was checking to see if it happened with this recording. I ammgling to recheck the numbers.
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Yep, if you scroll up to the 20 and then play, around 18, the E goes soundless for one beat. That is what happens.
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Yep, I hear it. Sounds like you’re playing an A (open A) right before it, then the whistle note (open E?), then an F#.
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
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Actually, there is. o whistle, it is just soundless. There is a spot where there is no sound E string made no sound at all.
Anyway, I watched your video. I ordered the book. It looks like a great format. Thank you for posting that and sharing your link. Great job with your video. Were you ever a teacher?
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Mouse
Nicely done Mouse.
If it's any consolation the E string give me fits, I've tried several different E strings hoping to find one that works with how I play. I just put a platinum coated E string on and I think I like it the best.
GL with the E string
Mark
Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.
Albert Sammons
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Mouse said
...
Anyway, I watched your video. I ordered the book. It looks like a great format. Thank you for posting that and sharing your link. Great job with your video. Were you ever a teacher?
@Mouse Thanks-- I spent some of my time in the Air Force conducting different types of training--both computer technician and "how to" for non-computer type personnel.
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
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I played my other violin today. The fiddle type music really needs to be played on my Fiddlershop Lord Wilton. They sound much better. I love the sound of that violin with the fiddle type music, and happier tunes, not of the fiddle type niche.
I played Humours of Glendart, again, and went through that same book snd played others I had flagged, and some that I did not flag as possibilities. It was fun.
I wish I could stay in place with my fingering. I was tending to travel around with where my first position was, once that happens, I have a hard time with intonation.
Funny, it was easier to stay put constantly, as far as knowing where first position is, with my Fiddlerman Lord Wilton than my other darker or warmer violin. I can do the, not so happy sounding, classical on the other violin, though. If I was a better at the violin, it wouldn't matter which violin I used. The setups are different too, Different bridges. But, I wanted to do the fiddle music, and I wanted to give that violin a workout.
I received my new viola strings today, so I have a set of backup strings now. It would be my luck to break a string when I did not have a backup.
I was thinking, I have a 15 inch viola, pawn shop save. We bought it quite a few years ago because it looks nice and has no body issues. We took it in to the violin shop and they set it up, gave it a checkup and installed strings. It has a nice tone, but, it is a 15 inch, therefore, lacks any power. I am considering putting a set of violin strings in it, just for kicks. Just curious. Now, don't go replying with all that tech mumbo jumbo about sound levels, etc. I am not getting scientific here. This is just for my curiosity and thought I would mention it.
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