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Decided to start a blog to hopefully record my journey back into music. To start it off, I'm including my comments posted in my introduction. Don't expect deep philosophical commentary or insightful exploration of the art and science of stringed instruments, but more, a freeform ramble.
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April 17, 2021 - 3:48 pm
Originally took Viola lessons on a student loaner in '63 when in Junior College, then life intervened.
Edited 2021/08/20 - I actually ordered and received a 16" Viola!
I am now getting a Cecilio VA 400, 15" as it was very affordable and at my age (78), makes the most economic sense. It should be delivered in the next 4 or 5 days and I'll be setting it up using ViolaMan's excellent video!
I originally chose the viola, almost 60 years ago, just because of its mellower, deeper tone.
I have done some playing on an alto recorder so alto clef is familiar, but still daunting.
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April 18, 2021 - 12:22 pm
Thanks everyone who welcomed me here. It's been decades since I have been exposed to so many musical folks with varying likes, talents, and musical education. I've missed it!
@ELCBK - my musical preferences are as varied as my other interests, classical of many genres, jazz, folk, country, blues, and religious.
A brief musical bio - Started as a child on a cardboard keyboard and group piano lessons, accordion, piano, choral voice, pipe organ, viola, and alto recorder. Dabbler in all, expert in none!
My best friend growing up was from a musical family, his father taught percussion at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, his mother was our church organist and piano teacher. Through them I found myself in the world of music that ended when I entered the army in 1963.
The month before enlistment, my best friend (Jon), another friend (Paul), and I went on a long weekend to my family's cottage on a lake where Jon playing cello, Paul playing violin, and I playing viola enjoyed some wonderful moments playing and improvising (me poorly, Jon adequately, and Paul expertly) for memories that will last me forever. Paul was both a classical violin student and jazz trumpeter. Jon's forte was jazz drums, and I was the hanger on!
I am looking forward to immersing myself again through this forum and through learning the viola.
The old curmudgeon!
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In answer to a question on my intro, I stated that my musical preferences were varied. I didn't realize how much or how extensive until I started a list of what I wanted to learn. This is no way complete, nor doable in my remaining lifetime, but it will give me a start! I have also discovered a new, favorite performer! Rhiannon Giddens is a folk singer with energy who not only sings, plays a mean banjo, but is also a fiddle player. I "found" her when searching for a performance of Wayfaring Stranger that met what I was looking for. And I found this.
Edited 06/18/22 - Alphabetized List *
Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 - Straus
(vr) Amazing Grace
(vr) Ashokan Farewell
(vr) Blowin' in the Wind - Peter, Paul, and Mary
Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: I. Prélude - Bach
(ms) Cruel War - Peter, Paul, and Mary
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Allegro, K. 525 - Mozart
Fall - Four Seasons - Vivaldi
Fantaisie Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66 - Chopin
Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks
Für Elise
(ms) Ghost Riders In the Sky - American Outlaws
(ms) Greenfields
Gypsy Rover
Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah
How Great Thou Art - Christian Hymn
I Will Always Love You - Dolly Parton
King Of The Road - Roger Miller
(vr) Ode to Joy
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 35: Funeral March - Chopin
Puff the Magic Dragon - Peter, Paul, and Mary
Ring of Fire - June Carter Cash
Roll over Beethoven
(ms) Scarborough Fair/Canticle
Scotch and Soda - Kingston Trio
Sleepers, Awake! A Voice is Calling, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645 Bach
(ms) Spring - Four Seasons - Vivaldi
(ms) St. James Infirmary Blues
(ms) Summer Wind
Take Me Home, Country Roads
(sm) The Sound of Silence
The Thunder Rolls - Garth Brooks
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor - Bach
Tom Dooley - Kingston Trio
Unsquare Dance
(vr) Wayfaring Stranger - American Folk Song (Rhiannon Giddens)
Where Have All the Flowers Gone - Peter, Paul, and Mary
* (vr) video recorded (sm) pdf sheet music (ms) Muse Score
The old curmudgeon!
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Latest word is that my viola is scheduled to be delivered this coming Wednesday. I am truly getting excited. I will be using the Violaman's video to check it out and to help set it up. I have already received a copy of Essential Elements for Strings: Viola Book 1 and signed up with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements Interactive. In addition, I have printed out Scherl & Roth Viola First Position Basic Fingering Chart from United Musical Instruments.
Am I too prepared? Probably not! lol
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The Essential Elements is good, along with the online Interactive. I used it. 👍
The Bumblebee Flies!
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What a wonderful "MPL" (must play list)!
I first ran across Rhiannon Giddens, last year, when her "Wayfaring Stranger" YouTube video caught my eye - LOVE her singing and banjo!
...got a kick out of her "Louisiana Man", too. 😆
So many sources for learning online/virtual - you chose a great time to dive back in!
- Emily
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And now, thanks to @SharonC and her post about using MuseScore, I am learning that package. I first found Forte, but when I tried to change clef from treble to alto in the free, trial version, it was not available, only several treble clefs and bass clef. Went searching here and found the MuseScore entry by Sharon. Not only is it free, it does exactly what I want it to do! Doesn't get any better than that!
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@ELCBK - I agree that this is a great time to re-enter the string world. Between excellent videos, forums like this, and online lessons, I doubt it could have ever been this great in the past.
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Back to MuseScore, I'm currently entering a violin part of Song from a Secret Garden that I found at Kemancilar. Copying into treble clef, transposing down an octave, and converting to alto clef. Works like a charm!
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Another day closer to V Day! My new viola is still on track for delivery tomorrow. It's somewhere between Riverside CA and the greater Chicago area.
In the meantime learned some new things in MuseScore and so I'm not completely standing still. Use of the violin score made me aware of some of the notation for string instruments (e.g. up bow, down bow) and reacquainted some that I had forgotten.
It's always good to learn something new everyday!
The old curmudgeon!
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Something even more exciting than the arrival tomorrow of my viola, our great-granddaughter, Rose Alena was born this evening just before 6:00pm CDT. A fantastic day! @ELCBK Thought I would tag you for the pic.
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Congratulations, to you and the parents, JohnG! That's fantastic. So very cute!
The Bumblebee Flies!
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thats great @JohnG and congratulations! very cute baby and already smiling!
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Whoo hoo! Viola has made from California to Illinois! Almost at my doorstep (kinda). Who's excited???????????!!!!!!!!!!! Me, that's who!
The old curmudgeon!
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@JohnG -
You're a lucky man - wonderful 1st photo!
Thank you for sharing this precious moment.
...new potential fiddler! 🥰
- Emily
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Grats on the new granddaughter! Special times.
Have fun with the viola when it arrives.
Mark
Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.
Albert Sammons
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Thanks for all the congrats from this new member of the community.
At 4:23 am CDT, my viola is two steps away from me. It arrived at the final destination before being put on a truck to be delivered to me!
The old curmudgeon!
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And the UPS truck is my area. After it completes the business deliveries and pickups it'll be in my neighborhood. Always takes awhile since we have the largest business/industrial park in the nation. Luckily they always do only the far north section of it before our residential is taken care of.
EXCITING!!!!
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And it's HERE!!! It arrived literally two minutes after I drove away from the house to go for a VA audiology appointment! Typical timing. Now to unpack and setup, so you probably won't hear from me for at least a couple of hours.
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Although I don't think anyone else will appreciate this video, it my first attempt at a scale after about 58 years since I last played and that was as an extreme novice student.
The old curmudgeon!
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