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Mouse's Cubby Hole Part 2
The first blog, Mouse's Cubby Hole, seems to take a long time to load now, so I am starting a part 2.
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (18 votes) 
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Mouse
July 8, 2025 - 12:13 pm
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I finally did it. I changed my viola strings. No  ridge popping! I get so stressed changing strings. 

I will be ready to with serious playing after they settle down. 

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Mouse
July 8, 2025 - 12:20 pm
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Cool. I played Memory after I changed the viola strings. When I went into the kitchen, my husband asked what that was, and if I was playing my violin. I told him it was Memory on my viola. He said, "That sounded darn nice!" Cool. I did not know he was listening. I thought he was still at the computer with his headset on watching a semi-local farmer's YouTube channel. 

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July 8, 2025 - 8:20 pm
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I was going to give my viola another go tonight, but I decided to let the strings rest. I would have to keep tuning them while playing. I did tune them.

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ELCBK
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July 9, 2025 - 3:15 am
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Something stuck in my mind about strings settling in... from Joe Walsh (Eagles guitarist) - of all people. 🤭  

After he installs new guitar strings, he manually stretches them - pulls 1 string (at a time) up away from the fingerboard several times, then retunes.  If I remember right, he does this 2 or 3 times.

I wouldn't do it to the E string, but I have done it to the others & seemed it helped speed up tuning stability.  Now I use Rondos - I do pluck them hard a few times, but they basically take no time to settle.  

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Mouse
July 9, 2025 - 8:25 am
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I have heard of that with a guitar. I don't think I want to do that with my viola, though. I can just tune periodically during the day and maybe run a couple scales I know. It won't take long before they stay tuned long enough to get through a song before needing retuning. 

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Gordon Shumway
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ELCBK said
 Joe Walsh...manually stretches them - pulls 1 string (at a time) up away from the fingerboard several times, then retunes.  If I remember right, he does this 2 or 3 times. 
  

Solid nylon or solid steel?

Andrew

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Mouse
July 9, 2025 - 10:02 am
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@Gordon Shumway and @ELCBK Interesting question, Gordon. At the time I had heard about that, I was trying to learn classical guitar. I think I was thinking nylon when I heard about it.  But I wonder if I thought that because I was playing on nylon strings. That was a very long time ago. Ok, ELCBK, nylon or steel strings?

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Gordon Shumway
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Mouse said
@Gordon Shumway and @ELCBK Interesting question, Gordon. At the time I had heard about that, I was trying to learn classical guitar. 
  

Even then, I'd only do it on treble strings - bass strings are way too sensitive and fragile.

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ELCBK
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July 9, 2025 - 10:55 am
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This was Joe Walsh - The Eagles Band - Electric Guitar... we're talking Gibson Les Paul, Fender Stratocaster! 🤗 ...certainly NOT nylon.

He did it to all of his strings and certainly wasn't gentle about it.  

Our strings are MUCH, MUCH shorter - but I don't think giving violin strings a hard pluck is going to hurt them (just my opinion).  I haven't broken any strings just by being rough with them.

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Gordon Shumway
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July 9, 2025 - 11:10 am
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Santana went to extremes with this so that when he bent notes they'd return to their original pitch.

If you want to do it to a violin, you should ask Pierre. Or me. And I'll tell you don't do it.

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ELCBK
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July 9, 2025 - 11:19 am
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I think your idea vs my idea of a 'hard pluck' is COMPLETELY different. 🤣

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Mouse
July 9, 2025 - 11:43 am
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😂😂😂I love this conversation on my blog! Cool.

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Gordon Shumway
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Electric guitarists don't give their strings a hard pluck - they pull them inches away from the fretboard. Don't even think about it. If you've installed new strings, just bow them hard for a while until they settle.

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July 9, 2025 - 12:33 pm
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@Mouse - 

🙄 How's your practice coming along, today?  

Get your knitting done?  I've seen some wonderful color pattern-work done on knitting machines, but I always think it takes more time to set up than just knitting with my circular needles.

You getting the rain we're having?

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July 9, 2025 - 1:45 pm
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ELCBK said
@Mouse - 
🙄 How's your practice coming along, today?  

I had an appointment late this morning, so I will be practicing layer this this afternoon. I am getting more enthused and hopeful with playing, I was really struggling for a while, just getting motivated.

The talks with Gordon, bowing help, and other posts have been very helpful. I have the bowing tips from Gordon printed and on my music stand.

I do go to Violaman and do my blog there, also. It is very peaceful and I can think about what I type, which is almost what I type here, but here, with the idea of being engaged; but over there, not so much to be engaged, but to think, although I do love the occasional comment from the couple members. 

Let's face it, a lot of what is mentioned here is way over my head, 😂, so I spend most of the time on my blog here and on Violaman. I just do not have music training. Other than liking music, and no particular style, and wanting to be able to play my violin, viola and cello, I have no music background, have no desire to play in public (as you know), and have no ability to play with others or the confidence to if the opportunity arose.I just enjoy this in its simplest form. 

I kind of wish my neighbors had not texted me last year. I was out on my deck playing my regular songs I play on my violin. When I was done they texted and thanked me for the concert. They were out on their deck. We are not right next door like neighbors are in towns where houses a butt up to each other. There is a lot with a drive leading to a farm field between us. Anyway, now I know they can hear me! I did not know they were out there. I don't know if I will do it again, should the weather permit. It is too hot and muggy, not much rain. 

Get your knitting done?  I've seen some wonderful color pattern-work done on knitting machines, but I always think it takes more time to set up than just knitting with my circular needles.

I just received some yarn to finish a cardigan. The back is done. I had some of the yarn I started with, but was short of being able to do an entire sweater. I knew the company still made that color and style, so I was able to order more.

I don't get too fancy right now. The sweater (cardi) I am doing is being made with multi-color yarn, so it is colorful. The only thing I have ever swapped colors out with is a hat. I want to try an intarsia pattern on my next go round. 

It doesn't take much time to set the flatbed knitting machine up and once set up, you just leave it up until you need to take it down. The problem is, the metal bed ones are very heavy, 40 or so pounds, so if I want to use one of those, I need Jer to set it on the table, then I can set it up. 

I am using my plastic bed, LK150 right now. My granddaughters will be visiting the end of August and we are turning my knitting room back into a spare room, with a section for my machine knitting. I want to try another cardi, so I simply set it up and am using a yarn suitable for that needle size. If I din't get it done in time, I can scrap off where I stop and remove it from the machine. I can very quickly take it down and put it away. I would leave it up, but if the girls decided to take a peek while they are in there, they could very easily get caught by a hook, not good. It is unlikely, but I can't see risking it. So, I will take the machine down. They will be spending the night here one night during their visit, and that is where they will be sleeping.

We just have to order a new mattress and box spring set and the room will be done. I was not sure I would be able to put it back to a spare room and still do my knitting machine in there. After some measuring, and remeasuring to be sure, we found that we could multitask in there, and still have plenty of walking around room. 

The metal beds are either standard gauge (small needles) or bulky (larger needles ) Plastic beds are mid-gauge. Pretty much covers the mid way size yarn that fits the standard machine to the lighter weights heavier yarns that are used on the bulky. Instead of different size needles, like in hand knitting, the tension settings take over to represent different size knitting needles, basically. But the yarn can't be too skinny or thick for the size of the hook at the end of the knitting machine. Therefore, not all standard or bulky yarns will work well with the midgauge. For some reason, back when knitting machines were actually being made, the midgauges machines were made as plastic bed machines, and not as heavy duty, not sure why. Works out well for me, the plastic beds are lighter in weight, and are not like the plastic knitting machine toys. 

I really like using them, and still have not done anything fancy, confidence thing. Also, nobody around me does it, so I am winging it, with the help of a wonderful forum and a friend 4-5 hours away. I gave her my aunt's machines when I helped my cousins out with finding a home for them. I could have sold them to who I gave them too but I didn't buy them and she is a really wonderful experience machine knitter, just too far away. My aunt would be happy knowing they went to someone who will use them, and can take them apart to deep clean or fix. 

The two of us chat back and forth on that knitting machine forum and I get help that way, but I am needing it less and less, so we just get silly. I think it is a confidence thing holding me back, now, and the fact that I don't want to waste yarn by messing up, 😂.

It is way faster than hand knitting and not as hard on my fingers. I have been working on a pair of hand knit socks for 2 1/2 years. Love the color, can't wait for them to be done, but the knitting hurts my finger joints.

I don't want to turn this into a crafts forum, or I would post some photos of the cardi back and lk150 to show you. 

I have those circular machines  Sentro and Addi. You actually can do flat panels and sweaters, but the tension is not done by tension dials loke flat bed machines. It is controlled, for the most part, by your hand guiding the yarn through. Plus, it all gathers in the middle and if you don't watch it, and roll up the knitting, it will push up and pop it all off the hooks.

I made some hats with the circular, but they are so loosely knit, and I was making tension, that they really are not warm. I could have ccintinued and fifured out a better tension, but I found a good place to set up my flatbed knitting. Now the circulars are collecting dust, and taking up room, 😞. I might give them anither go, but finding yarn that will work them is hard, and I am tired of getting yarn that simply does not work well. I will probably stick with the flatbed. They are more interesting, anyway. You don't just turn a crank round and round, 😂.

You getting the rain we're having?
  

We got a little rain, not a lot. My daughter is getting slaughtered with rain and t-storms where she is, rather not say here. One of her cats is scared of the thunder because it has been so loud.

Most of the storms heading to this central part of the state are going north to Canada. My cousin is probably getting them. 

That said, that northern cold front is suppose to open the door for storms to make it to us from the south snd west in a day or two and last for three days. We have heard that before, though. Our yard is cracked. I water my plants all the time, but the hummingbirds seem to be feeding closer to their nests. Haven't seen any for a few weeks, 😞. Maybe if it ever settles down weather-wise, they will return. I looked up why and the info said when it is hot like this, they may stick to closer food sources. I like the flowers, anyway. 

Well, that was a book. Time for lunch, then some viola. 

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July 9, 2025 - 2:04 pm
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Thanks for the stars for the above post, elcbk! I worked hard for those. Off to my viola.

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Gave you a bonus! 😂

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Mouse said

 The talks with Gordon, bowing help, and other posts have been very helpful. I have the bowing tips from Gordon printed and on my music stand. 

But keep an eye on their date - I change my opinion at times, and the earlier stuff was from books, more modern stuff more from experience and lessons.

Andrew

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July 9, 2025 - 3:33 pm
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Will do Gordon.

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July 9, 2025 - 3:43 pm
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I was practicing and playing Memory and Edelweiss. I noticed that I seem to be trying to use the right side of the tailpiece for my chin, not the left where the chin rest is. I thought I noticed that before and paid a lot of attention just now.

I wonder if maybe I should get a chin rest for a left handed player. When I use the left side, I cannot reach the low register C and G strings at all. It strains. Yes, I have tried many chin rests and shoulder rests and no shoulder rest. I decided not to fight where my chin wanted to rest, and noticed that. Next time, I will need to pay attention to the neck and what that does to my neck, just to make sure. Don't want to cause damage.

I figured that it would cause issues with the D and A strings, but it doesn't. My viola is not shifting to the right, my chin just prefers to be on the right if the tailpiece. Something to investigate further. 

At any rate, Edelweiss started out pretty bad but got better. I have to admit that it got better AFTER I didn't fight my chin wanting to be right of the tailpiece. There is a lot of C and G string use in this piece. Hmm.

Memory was better.

The strings needed tweaking, but not a lot, cool.

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