Hi,

Thanks @stringy for your kind words.

I dumped the videos I recorded on Tuesday but yesterday enjoyed success whilst learning how to use the cheap video camera I bought through eBay only costing £16.99.

At such a low cost I didn't expect much but it's much better than I expected.

Still struggling for studio time I took the opportunity yesterday to learn a bit more about the camera and used it to record me rotavating our top meadow as seen at the link above; it's the first of five videos I added; Vid#5 shows more of our site and surrounding area; we call our rear garden our mountain because it's so steep.

The rotavator is circa 1955 and was scrap when I bought it; I restored it and made four new tines. I feel at home using it because it's almost as old as I am; I turned 77 on Tuesday.

Sorry I spend so much time off topic but I'm slowly learning; I've never used a video camera so it's been a steep learning curve but now I'm confident I can start recording my violin practices once I get get into the studio.

Seeing myself for the first time on a video was enlightening; I've always been nine years old looking from the inside to the outside but looking from the outside to the inside I'm a dinosaur; the years have flown by at an alarming pace.

Today as usual I'm fully occupied but tomorrow looks promising? Thanks for your patience.

Kind regards, Col.

Hi,

Thanks @ABitRusty I hope I haven't confused anyone; it's my Yamaha YEV-104 I'm playing through my Yamaha amp not a guitar.

I feel like screaming or exploding; 3 years I've tried to get some quality time in the studio; I knocked off at 3:30 this afternoon determined to enjoy at least half an hour in the studio but no chance; something more important needed doing; it's driving me mad.

Kind regards, Col.

Hi,

Many thanks @ABitRusty  Yes I'll keep at it but because I've played my violin so little for quite a while I think I've forgotten the basics. I'm finding a bit more time now to get into the studio and I'm concentrating on scales trying to develop my ear. I'm still only playing with four fingers towards the peg box because I can't find a suitable shoulder rest; shifting is a problem as is supporting the violin with my left hand for longer than 30 minutes; I start off OK with a light grip but eventually it turns into a death grip until I notice my hand hurts; I need to sort this out but in the meantime I'm practicing as much as time allows. 

I'm practicing on the A string and with the "Snark" electronic tuner switched on I firstly ensure the violin is in tune then I have a go at playing the notes; I close my eyes and move my left hand and then try playing the note I want to hear before opening my eyes whilst still playing; it seems to be working because I can now get pretty near; I'm also finding the difference by just moving my finger a small amount either way to find flats and sharps; it's not easy but it's also not impossible; my studio is to the rear of our detached bungalow so I'm not driving anyone mad although I could use my good quality earphones if needed. Just learning the scales is so interesting and hopefully when I sort out a shoulder rest I can then learn the major scales.

I didn't understand the difference regarding major scales; having only ever played near the peg box I've played from open G down to C then gone to the D string etc; now I find there are lots of other notes on the same string; it's all so complicated as a novice learning from YouTube videos and information generously supplied by forum members; it's very slow going but it doesn't bother me; I'm well past scaring our local cats and now playing anything at all is enjoyable.

There are lots of very useful violin tutorials on the this forum including playing major scales which I want to be looking at.

I'm still ultra busy; Bron has an hospital appointment today and an hospital appointment tomorrow at different hospitals and on the 20th yet another hospital appointment at a third hospital; Bron is in considerable pain finding it hurts her a great deal just to visit the bathroom; she's housebound only struggling to visit hospitals and the surgery; things will improve once Bron has her knee replaced but date as yet unknown for the operation; the appointment on the 20th is regarding this; tomorrows appointment is regarding her Parkinson's Disease. Sorry to bang on about this but we have little control over our lives the way things are; Bron's already been in A&E twice having taken a fall so I daren't leave her alone for long hence my limited violin playing but I'm not at all complaining; I love my Bron to bits and the studio is always there waiting for me.

Breakfast for me then shopping done by 7:20 this morning including a visit to the surgery; back home and prepare for dinner; now I'm catching up on emails and popping onto the forum; I'm now free for an hour so I'm about to head into the studio but I'll make Bron comfortable first; not all novice violin players are 77 years of age with lots of ongoing problems; I will do my best whatever is thrown at me; Bron is still with me so I'm happy.

Kind regards, Col.

Hi,

Thank you so much for your kindness @stringy Two hospital appointments successfully sorted out this week with just the main one on the 20th to look forward to.

I'm now working in short violin practices each day between other more pressing jobs/chores I need to do; one day I even managed three short practices much to my delight. I intended to do more rotavating in the garden today getting it ready for winter but it's raining so I'm not worried; I'll head into the studio instead.

I'm giving the violin "A" string a good work out learning the scales and using four fingers towards the peg box I'm getting much better at hitting the correct notes; the "A" string C# really lets me know when I find it; I've not fully understood the importance of flats and sharps but now I'm finding my way around; at the moment I'm still using the tuner trying to get my ears in tune and by playing over and over I will eventually win but it's slow going; short practices are working better than trying for long practices because if I try to play too much I lose concentration.

I've also emailed the luthier I've dealt with in the past asking if he's still in business but as yet no reply; I'd like him to check over my violin and bow also to assist with sorting out a suitable shoulder rest then I can make better progress; I'm stuck unable to shift and I'm worried about dropping the violin if I try; as time permits I'll look wider if I need to and once Bron is more mobile and I can leave her home alone knowing she's safe I'll try to find a music store who might be able to help me; I've already looked at local violin tutors who can pay home visits but until Bron is well again I need to hang back a bit.

Yes; @ABitRusty is bang on when he says playing a violin is difficult but as you rightly say @stringy I've got access to a great deal of help and friendliness here on the forum which keeps my enthusiasm alive driving me on. I'm a member of quite a few assorted forums and all forums aren't equal. My friend David describes just a few forum members on other forums as "Tall Poppies" these members like to be above everyone else demonstrating their vast knowledge on every subject but never showing what they achieve. I've come up against this a number of times but eventually I just place them on "Ignore"; I won't accept toxic people into my life.

I ramble on a great deal about why I struggle so much learning to play a violin but it's real life to Bron and I; Bron is hoping for an early knee replacement operation date when she visits the consultant on the 20th then we'll both have something to look forward to once Bron is well again. In the meantime I'm still working flat out every day especially in the gardens (sorry yards; I keep forgetting; yards here in the UK are entirely different to yards in America hence my references to gardens; my spelling too might seem strange).

10am and it's increasingly dark outside; typical of Yorkshire in the UK. Just looking out it's pouring down with rain but looks to have either hail or sleet with it; we're just into Autumn.

Thanks again @stringy if ever I don't enjoy picking up my violins and they bringing a smile to my face I'll pack in but now I've got the studio to play in I think violins are now with me for life; violins are always challenging with so much to learn; I'll never be an expert violin player and really don't want to be; whilst challenges are there I never become bored and who can in fact ever become bored playing a violin.

Time now to wander into the studio.

Kind regards, Col.

Hi,

I've been trying to adjust my Bon-Musica shoulder rest and on my Yamaha YEV104 thought I'd got it pretty near until I stood up unaware I was standing on the jack lead which pulled the shoulder rest off. Having spent what seemed like ages I gave up with the Yamaha and tried it on my 1880 German acoustic violin; I can get it near but still can't get it just right; I had to give up this morning due to shoulder pain; I'm confident I'll sort it out but as usual it's taking time.

Hunching up trying to keep the violin in position and also wrapping my left thumb around the violin neck are bad; I've just been watching a video on YouTube; I'll make every mistake and fall into every hole before I make real progress. Whilst I had the shoulder rest adjusted to near allowing me to shift I then found I'd completely lost my usual bow positions so this too will need readjusting.

I also have a Wolf Forte Secondo shoulder rest but soon gave up trying to use this.

Nothing changes much; I've just visited the pharmacy to collect a prescription then drove over to the garage which serviced our car; each time I turned on the ignition a message appeared stating "Attention needed now" this referred back to the car service I had carried out this message hadn't been deleted and it's taken well over a month until I've had time to return to the garage; it was only a two minute job but driving took a lot longer.

I'll resume shoulder rest hostilities this evening; I need to sort the shoulder rest out because I keep playing with a death grip on the violin neck. If I could leave Bron home alone without fear of her falling then probably I could seek help but I'm stuck. There are excellent YouTube videos showing how to fit and adjust shoulder rests including a long video on the Bon-Musica.

Kind regards, Col.

Hi,

Absolutely incredible; I finally sat down at the computer and started watching a YouTube video on how to adjust a violin chin rest; the doorbell stopped this; it was our lovely Russian neighbour with her adorable daughter bringing us a gift which was kind and generous of them.

I'm pretty near now using the Bon-Musica shoulder rest and have tried many adjustments then I remembered; below the violin is the shoulder rest adjustment above the violin is the chin rest adjustment so I wanted to watch the video; this might be the final adjustment I need to make but as usual I can't spend much time in the studio; yesterday was taken up with another hospital appointment; it's one long struggle to get into the studio but hopefully Bron will have her new knee by then and be recovering; everything takes so much time and shortly I'll be preparing another meal; I grab the bits of time I can but it's not the way to learn anything; I'll now watch the chin rest video during tea time then I won't be bouncing around for 30 minutes.

I'm keen to get the shoulder & chin rests sorted out before trying to play the violin again; one step at a time.

Kind regards, Col.

Hi,

A very quick update. I've just fixed the diesel leak on our car; the guy doing the service hadn't tightened down four out of five filter securing screws hence the leak. Whom can you trust these days? What a relief though it was worrying me.

Next problem please.

Kind regards, Col.