Nothing like adding on a more difficult string (low F)... definitely makes the rest seem easier to play, especially my former nemesis - the C string! 

...not sure I can handle it if anyone complains about their G string right now. (lol)

Spent time today putting myself to the test, just to see how hard it was going to be for me (from now on) to learn fiddle tunes without an E string. 

Wanted to learn another Jig, since St. Patrick's Day is coming up - decided to torture myself with the Turlough O'Carolan tune, Edward Corcoran (anyone try Corcoran boots?  Kevin Loves 'em!).  Learned from the video posted in the Find a Special Jig You Are Drawn To? Thread.  Think it's best to play along with this video (which has GREAT rhythm), so I needed to stay in it's key, either do some shifting or play an octave lower - and since I need to work on lower strings, I chose the latter.  Telling my brain to play an octave lower while learning a tune by ear (the versions of sheet music at thesession.org are NOT the same as Eliza & Nancy's version in the video) - did slow me down a bit!  Caught myself quite a few times trying to play what I heard, instead of an octave lower, so messed me up - but persevered & starting to sound okay!  Just haven't gotten the 2nd round of it down where they add harmony - I'll need to figure out what double stops I can do, because I'm not going to play 2 separate tracks.  It's going to take me a few more days. (lol) 

All my playing/practicing hasn't totally been self-induced torture - I'M ALSO HAVING A RIOT! 

Been doing a lot of experimenting to see what's possible with my measly 2 hands & NO backing track - for The Captain Down Below!  Think I especially wanted the low F string for this tune - not ready to record, though. 

Can't believe I entertained the thought of one string even lower (B) - I should've NEVER listened to the Bass Singer's version of Hoist The Colours! 

Yeah, must be the disney pirate in me blood trying to work it's way out!  

...too cool!      

I probably should've thought of this earlier - can I damage my Arcus P5 CF bow playing Col Legno Battuto ricochet?

Maybe I shouldn't be practicing Col Legno Battuto ricochet with my good CF bow, but I've really been having FUN with it!  I'll have to see if it feels the same using my cheaper bows - just for practice.  I don't want to noticeably mark up my Arcus P5, but I'm not going to keep switching bows while playing. 

Starting to get comfortable with the FCGDA string lineup - I do end up needing to rosin my bow more often, now.  Working on bowing & articulation to play quick & nimble on the low strings - finding Viola & Cello tutorials actually help me play better on them! 

Also, it's getting easier to think an octave (or more) lower while learning a tune normally played with the E string - then some are easier to play in another key, afterwards.  I also notice that some tunes sound better in specific keys.  Not sure what that's all about - maybe a key allows me to play in a slightly lower octave, on certain strings, or maybe it's something to do with the nature of my Fiddle(?) 

Took a 'Vibrato Day' yesterday, and the Vibrato on the violin - Typical Mistakes video from Eyal Kless was such an EYEOPENER!  He demonstrates EXACTLY how I'm holding the violin wrong!

So, still trying to play with my violin in a little higher place on my shoulder - it's the only way I've been able to easily stabilize it to free up my hand - otherwise it does want to slip forward & I end up holding the neck wrong.  Tired of trying different setups!  Some pain & tension in my left shoulder & upper arm is a concern, trying to support the neck with my thumb.  Really hate having my violin very high on my shoulder, though - feels like I'm bowing straight out in front of me... going to work on posture (it went to pot a long time ago).

I've been noticing some famous Fiddlers, like Martin Hayes & Liz Carroll, actually rest the neck on their palm - think it's to avoid how I've been resting it on my index finger knuckle, but I really don't want to have to resort to that, if at all possible.

Gotta get some of this stuff out of the way so I can get back to concentrating on the EV side.

@Katie L -

Yes, I watched & posted it in the Take A 'Vibrato Day'! Thread.  I see I listed his exercise videos I watched, but didn't highlight them (will fix).  Tried them, too!

I've gained something from all the Eyal Kless videos I watched & posted about, but I can't do some of them justice until I can get more comfortable holding the violin differently - so I'm not inadvertently "putting the brakes on my vibrato". 😔

Are you finding his videos helpful? 

@Katie L -

You are doing great learning on your own!

I'm guilty of not working on everything I need to consistently - I get bored and sidetracked.  I'd like to be more pro-active, but it's VERY hard for me to keep up the enthusiasm for the 'not fun' aspects of playing. 

Getting a little itchy to record, but tied up with one of my Granddaughters' Birthday this week. 

Changed my other 4 strings to a Vision C & the rest to Rondo.  Getting used to them - these G, D & A strings are much thinner - especially this new 'A', it's VERY thin, like an E string, compared to my very thick old Zyex A string! 

*update: tried a Kaplan, short-scale Viola C string - in place of the Vision Violin C.  Hoped the Kaplan would bring me closer to the characteristics of my Rondo Violin G & D, but NO, it didn't - muddy, so switched back to the Vision! 

Not completely convinced this will be my final string line up, but... sure wish Thomastik would make a Rondo Violin C & Low F string!!! 

...still practicing every day. 😊 

Can't believe, well suppose I can, that Positive Grid is coming out with a new practice amp - the Spark 'Go'. 

It's not even quite the size of 2" stack of 3 x 5 cards (I'm thinkin' old transister radio)!   This amp should fit in a violin case! 

It's only a mono speaker, but stereo if you plug in headphones - not sure how that's true stereo(?)  Battery lasts 8 hrs & all the same Spark App features with 4 custom presets.  It's got double the impedance of the Mini, but wha da ya want for next ta nothin'? 🙄

Be pretty cool to throw in a backpack with an electric pochette, or ukulele, & take off to... 

Good thing it uses the same App. 

Yep, I'm thinkin' about it - part of my master plan with the Grandkids. 🤭

I had to put Mortimer away, since Fiddle Hell starting tomorrow! 

...it's bad enough to keep up with a marathon of learning new techniques & tunes - without me having to think about unfamiliar fingerings & where to play to match a key, because of the way I have Mortimer tuned at the moment. 

But, OMG! 

I'm THRILLED to be back playing my Viola, Edgar! 

The sound is SO MUCH NICER, without being electrified, and all the hard work I've been putting into playing the low F string & C string on my violin, Mortimer, HAS REALLY PAID OFF!  It's made playing the C & G strings on my VIOLA feel so much easier! 

So, I will enjoy playing Edgar for the next 4 or 5 days, thru Fiddle Hell - then I should be ready to get back to experimenting with Mortimer & my Spark amp/app. 

I fixed quite a few problems I was having - would still like my LF hand pinky to be stronger, but it's better.  I've freed up my hand a little on the side of the Violin neck, but it's a much bigger battle with my Viola - not so easily fixed.  Doing better about not pulling my farthest strings to the side & coming along great with some new techniques.

I do have to shore up my D string when I get back to Violin.  The Rondo G, D, and A strings are all MUCH thinner than what I was using.  It's weird, but my 3 highest strings line up again - worse than before!  I can't apply any bow pressure, so going to have to raise my D string on the bridge more this time (or find a fatter one)! 

...be great if I just wanted to play chords on my upper strings! 

@ABitRusty & @SharonC -

THANK YOU BOTH, SO MUCH!   

Totally exhausted, so took a leap of faith & ordered the 'guitar string sleeves' (can't find dimensions anywhere). 

Had found good tubing at several sites, but not places that would allow me to simply buy a foot of something costing not much more than a dollar! 😄 

🤔... why can't 'The Dollar Store' carry stuff people need? 

Few more days of playing Edgar, then he gets put away & Mortimer gets plugged back in next week... looking forward to finding out if one of Big Bends' 'String Sleeves' will work to help raise my D string, that's now in the A string spot (Thank you, @SharonC for the help!). 

After reminding myself this evening how interesting Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die" is, I'm anxious to experiment!  GREAT dynamics & chord progressions, the harmony, modulation (and/or key changes - note: I need to learn more about the differences & different kinds of modulations) and FABULOUS time & rhythm changes!

Figured it was time to get acquainted with my Spark Control foot switch (which I'll use with my hand) - prepared by watching a good video on how to set it up so I can try it out next week with Mortimer & my Spark amp. 

At the end of May/beginning of June - I'll have been playing 4 YEARS (time flies🐥)!  Natural for me to do some reflecting... besides picking up tunes quickly, a lot more seems to make sense to me now - especially the interrelationship of my playing techniques with aspects of music form (using music theory), so I can try to get greater expression and variety. 

...not sure how long before the lines between myself & music totally blur, merge, but at least I believe (more strongly each year) that someday I'll get there!

Tweaking how I think, and what my hands do, are everyday tasks - I'm excited to not only use the new treasures in my 'toolbox', but try new ways of using the older ones.  Definitely feel it's been important I've listened to many different genres AND many styles of individual Fiddlers & Violinists (Violists & Cellists, too) - picked up 'gold nuggets' from them ALL! 

Learning how differently a guitarist might approach learning/playing a tune, vs. a violinist/fiddler, gave me a better insight.  AND, I truly believe ALL beginner violinist/fiddlers should look to the piano keyboard - it's easier to see the relationships of extended chords, inversions & altered chords (which I'm still working on)... and AMAZING how their sound can make you FEEL different! 

I'm SO GRATEFUL for the members here who have a good understanding of music theory AND also for all the multi-instrumentalists with chord playing/accompaniment experience - related discussions helped start me on the path to learn more about what makes great music... beyond a simple melody! 

Sorry, a terribly long-winded way of coming around just to make a 'note' for myself as I get back to EV effects... 

I want to start experimenting more with what can be done to chords on the violin/viola - push myself out of my comfort zone and change the way I might play a chord, or try ways to add one in, for more punch/emphasis? 

When you see a chord notated, what do you normally think about first? 

My 1st thoughts might be to arpeggiate it, or maybe just play the root - possibly a double stop of the 3rd, or the 5th.  BUT, what if I extend the arpeggio, then run back down to the 5th - or maybe end the arpeggio back at a double stop of the 3rd, or 5th?  OR, what if I play an altered arpeggiated chord ascending, but play the original descending?  Can I get away with breaking up the rhythm of a chord arpeggio - how much can I squeeze into a small time frame, or when does an ornament sound better? 

Fiddlerman's Tune A Week #37: Theme From Master and Commander was probably my 1st exposure to some different ways chords could be played - great tutorial, think I'll revisit it!

MUCH to try & juggle!

...it's ALL magic, just starting to get the gears moving. (lol) 

I think I've been trying to absorb some energy by playing around with the Rock 'oldies' I recently posted, but it's been hard dealing with this constant rainy, blah weather - makes everything else seem worse. 

Thought this video of the "Top 10 Metal Moments in Classical Music" might zap me with a boost of energy! 

VERY INSPIRATIONAL 'lick' ideas for EV, or just improv!  ...so, some REALLY GREAT parts I'd like to sample, but geez - made me tired out & I didn't even do anything!!! 

Oh yeah, love all the twiddly bits & frills can come crashing down!