Well, just checked the shipping update. Once again, a package I have coming is held up in Tennessee. I understand why, but I wish the shipping company would be upfront about their orders. 

The packages never arrive when stated, again, I understand. But, the shipping company had better start giving all pkgs routed through Tennessee two days to be held up there. 

Geeze, I had a pkg that made it all the way to our distribution warehouse 45 minutes away. From there, it is supposed to go into the truck for delivery. Nope, I got an update, it went to Pennsylvania, a different state, and then had to come back to that distribution warehouse to be loaded onto to the truck. 2 more days added to shipping time. The shipper, basically me because it is in the cost, paid for 2 day delivery! 

I know that I will never pay for express or overnight shipping until things are back to normal. 

Oh well.

@Fiddlerman Yep, got them yesterday. I installed a new set on Nick. The Dominants were put on Nick. So far, so good. I checked this morning and they held the tune pretty well. I have to put the Fiddlerman on my my Concert Deluxe yet. 

I am having issues getting my bowing back to where I had it, but I am pretty sure it is me trying to hard. Tomorrow I will slow down. I want to make sure it is not the strings on the Deluxe before I change them. I knew it was the strings on Nick, but it may be me with the Deluxe, so I will hold off changing those until I have played it a little while. 

I think I have to adjust the magnetic wolf tone eliminator on Nick. I accidentally moved it when I changed the strings. At least the magnet did not release. I will see when I play it more. Those F, F#, G and G#. I think the C# had it too, but I am not sure. We will see. I will notice it when I hear it.

Ms Blog,

My playing is not going well. Not sure what the problem is, but I will figure it out. It is much easier to get back into the cello. I just cannot get comfortable holding my violin. Not really anyone around here can help. Even the two instructors I had would not help. They both said that was something I had to figure out. No information on how it is exactly supposed to be held, and compared and to what my setup was doing. I know it is not right.

Since the setup will never be the way it should, I will just have to figure out how to play it when not held properly and the setup not correct. So, back to square 1. So glad a cello does not have a setup issue 😁. I am not discourage, just frusrrated.

@JohnG 

Thanks, @Retired. Pop in anytime with comments or questions. You're always welcome.

Ms Blog

I did another session. It seemed a little better. Getting there. 

Ms Blog

I have changed up a little bit. I think that to cement what I have learned, I need to move on and go a step further, to put this all to work. I want to start leaving first position a little more.

Today I started with the string etudes and then did the page 38 in Suzuki book 1 to warm up.

I then searched through Suzuki book 2 for a song that had what I was looking for. I have added Suzuki Book 2, page 18, “Theme from Witches’ Dance” by N Paganini. This song has shifts that were suggested from when I took lessons. I was not ready for them, by any means at that point. I am now comfortable with them because I took the time to become more comfortable with the baby steps and introducing the fourth finger with the etudes.

This piece has a lot of possibility for growth and I will probably be working on it for a while. Today, I played through the entire piece, twice. My next session, I will break it down. 

I am not really interested in playing fiddle music or heavy classical. I am more interested in pop or show tunes, pieces I can make sense of. I believe that light classical to learn the fingerboard will better achieve that than fiddle music, which seems a little fast and choppy for my current needs. I feel good about my change of plans. I will, most likely, adapt this to my viola, when I get back into that more seriously. That blog is in the Violaman site and I will pick it up again there when I start back into my viola.

@Fiddlerman, does this plan make sense to you?

Thanks, Fiddlerman. I am feeling like it is the right track. Took a while to get back into the swing of it, but it is beginning to be better and my switch to the etudes, etc and the slightly more advanced classical, Witches Dance, that incorporates the easier pieces, and moves ahead, is coming along. 

Ms Blog,

I am finding some improvement. The "Witches' Dance" is much better and I have added a couple more measures. I did notice an issue with the 3rd measure. It goes E to D#, using an open E. I do have an issue not hitting the D string when doing the D# on the A string, or sometimes the E string with it. For some reason, that is an issue. It did get better later on as I was concentrating more on that, That sequence happens. few times in the piece.

I am finding the little shift to 2nd position easier, smoother and more natural. Still needs work, but much better.

I do wish you would speak up, Ms Blog, when I come to those sections, you know my issues. Whatever am I paying you for? 😂😂😂

My etudes were greatly improved today. I also did a couple of the other pieces that I removed from my regular lesson time. I haven't done them in. while, but they were much better.

I then played a couple pieces at the end of Suzuki 1 that have not played in a couple years, and never quite got them before my instructor moved on to book 2. They were pretty good, too. I was very surprised and pleased. I just ran through them either once or twice. Bach "Minuet No. 2 - Pg 39, Bach Minuet No. 3 - pg 41 (Lovers Concerto in the 60's used this), Schumann "The Happy Farmer" - pg 42. I was quite surprised.

This tells me that my intonation has improved, my holding the violin has improved and my bowing is improving.

Ms Blog, during my next session, please speak up.