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@ABitRusty - Yes, it is certainly fun. Thanks for the transpose trick, though I've been using MuseScore to transpose and to change clef so I can print the music for my viola. Took me awhile to figure out the instrument change. The use of LABS for more instruments sounds intriguing and would be fun to add tracks with it for playing as accompaniment while muting the viola track.
Not too much info, just maybe not fully appreciated yet! lol
Thanks!!!!
Oh, and I just joined Spitfire and requested download of free BBC Discover.
Edited: And downloaded LABS and a bunch of their selections!
The old curmudgeon!
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They have the best stuff! I got most of my products from them on black fridays...deep discounts. if you see one of their bigger libraries you want you may want to think about holding off till november. Honestly, between the labs, originals, and discover packages youre pretty much set.
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@JohnG , @ABitRusty -
I'm following this conversation (and the Groovey Stuff) , but just realized I really know nothing about Midi's (other than the def), or about creating MP3 files.
Any help with just the most important facts about making/using, would be appreciated!
Highlights, or just point me in the right direction - don't want to derail this thread (PM?).
Would others benefit from a dedicated thread on all this, or too basic (for everyone, but me)?
Thanx, for all your patience. 🙄
*moved this post/started new topic here.
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@ELCBK @JohnG @ABitRusty
This would be a good topic in the Instruments and Equipment/Recording the Violin
Inexpensive Microphone For Home Recording
The above is an older topic thread in that section of the forum I mentioned. It is quite long and may have swayed off topic, so maybe, I would start a new one and add this information there.
Also, I am not sure if the above mentioned topic thread does what ELCBK requested (see below in the quote box), so a new topic thread in the Instruments and Equipment Forum Group and sub-group Recording the Violin would be good.
I'm following this conversation (and the Groovey Stuff) , but just realized I really know nothing about Midi's (other than the def), or about creating MP3 files.
Any help with just the most important facts about making/using, would be appreciated!
JohnG, please continue with what you need here for your blog, this is your blog and it is beneficial to you to have the questions you need answered in your blog. That is not a problem.
I would start a forum topic in the Instruments and Equipment Forum Group in the Recording the Violin Subgroup with this information and what ELCBK has requested, and start a separate discussion there. I am not into this and have no knowledge of it, my iPhone or iPad suits me just fine, so, 'tis best that I do not do it. I would give it a very clear and identifiable topic title as to what the topic discussion is about. Hope this helps and gets that discussion started soon for ELCBK. 😁 However you all want to do it. Either have ELCBK ask the question in a new topic thread in the Instruments and Equipment/Recording the Violin and have the replies, or just a thread started providing the info. Maybe you could post a question there in a new topic thread, ELCK asking for what you are asking about would be best?
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@Mouse -
Thanx, going to start one & ref this and the Groovey thread.
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@ELCBK, No need to delete anything. The other posts here won't make sense if you delete. It will kind of let readers of JohnG's blog know there is more information in that area of rhe forum, and will also remind JohnG for his future reference.
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Mouse said
@ELCBKK, No need to delete anything. The other posts here won't make sense if you delete. It will kind of let readers of JohnG's blog know there is more information in that area of rhe forum, and will also remind JohnG for his future reference.
@ELCBK - Totally agree with Mouse. Leave it all here, please.
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Usual one hour practice today with all the usual suspects (Raglan Road, Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Ode to Joy, Michael Row, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Scales, Improv) then went niece and nephew's for dinner and took the viola to show them. Just played a few notes as both are musicians and didn't need to hear my scratching, off key playing! lol She is a singer and trumpet player and he is keyboard and guitar. He liked the viola so much that when he found out how inexpensive it was, announced that he just might have to get one himself! That would be awesome!
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The Bumblebee Flies!
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Another day, another hour! Raglan Road, Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Ode to Joy, Michael Row, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Scales, Improv. Once again half hour spent on Raglan Road while listening to MP3 in my ears. I think it is really helping (or I'm delusional, your pick)! lol
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I would tend to believe it is helping, why wouldn't it? But then ... I like the bright side, so I may be delusional. Nah, it is most likely helping, and you are hearing your progress correctly.
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I'm a firm believer that repeated listening, even while you aren't practicing, helps you memorize.
Think it also helps with intonation when your brain knows/anticipates what it's supposed to hear from your fingers. 😊
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Almost identical to yesterday, another hour! Raglan Road, Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Ode to Joy, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Scales, Improv. Once again half hour spent on Raglan Road while listening to MP3 in my ears.
I waited too late to practice though! 8:00 pm and my body is just too worn out and I find that my concentration wavers, my fingers don't work as well, I get more annoyed when my viola slips on my shoulder, and my bow sometimes shakes so I get bow hopping sounds! Very frustrating.
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This is getting repetitious! Same stuff, but an hour and 15 minutes today. Still making slow progress working on Raglan Road, Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Ode to Joy, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Scales, Improv.
Did manage to get a version of Dawning of the Day (version of Raglan Road) into MuseScore. As I said in the thread On Making a Backing Track today:
As an example, after the discussion in another thread about Raglan Road and Dawning of the Day, I decided I wanted to compare the two and I found a YouTube video that had an instrumental (or computer generated sound) version playing along with the sheet music. But I also wanted it as a score in MuseScore.
To accomplish this, I took screen shots as the music played of the score. This took me three captures to get the whole score.
The three pictures were moved into Microsoft Word, enlarged to fill each page, and the document saved.
That document was then converted to a PDF using a tool called "Doxillion Document Converter" from "NCH Software".
I then opened MuseScore and used the "Import PDF" to get into their format. Because I wasn't careful about artifacts from the original pictures (I left the playing location bar visible), I had to correct some measures.
At this point I have a score that can be edited, key changes made, and clef modification made to change for viola. Assigning instruments to the treble and bass clefs allowed me to play it through to see what it might sound like with violin and pipe organ. And can then be exported as an MP3 file for practicing and repeating familiarization.
...
My next steps will be to convert to Alto clef and transpose down an octave (or possible other amount for key change).
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This is really getting boring (to enter, but not to do), another hour with same subjects, Raglan Road, Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Ode to Joy, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Scales, Improv.
I think Raglan is getting close to record, but I've been wrong before (just ask my wife lol).
May have to print out the Dawning of the Day which I have converted to alto clef for my viola. I didn't change the key, just had to lower it an octave. Should be interesting going from 3/4 to 4/4 though. I don't know when I'll have MuseScore create an MP3 file complete with cello line rather than creating it with only the solo line.
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Another hour practice with my usual (Raglan Road, Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Ode to Joy, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Scales, Improv. ).
But today, I finally recorded Raglan Road. Couple of noticeable mistakes and still not ready for prime time, but time to share. I'm a week short of my two month anniversary of getting back into this whole music thing and still enjoying it!
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@JohnG
I can hear where all of your hard work is paying off! Wow.
That song is similar to a song I do on, I should say, am working on. Some day I might record it, but there is a song that I like a little better and is more fun for me because of the fingering in it.
I really can tell you are more sure of yourself, as I told katie m about her latest video. Same deal here. Your bowing seems, to me, to have more confidence and your playing itself, seems to he more confident.
I hope this helps.
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@Mouse - Thanks, I do find it hard to make a video as it increases my stress levels, which is not conducive to feeling confident! But I feel the need to do it, if I'm ever going to be confident at all.
On a different topic, I got my chin rest today from Fidderman! It's much better than the stock one. It's the Wittner Augsberg Center Mounted Viola Chinrest with different mount heights. I started with the 6mm on both chin and jaw sides but decided to change the jaw side to 4mm to angle the chin rest slightly and it is much better. I'm finding I am able to use the left hand a lot less to hold the viola in position and more to merely support and grip only to affect string pressing. I'm really happy that I got it!
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@JohnG and others. Sounding good in your latest video.
Two considerations you may want to consider (perhaps on your next string change).
Reducing the mass of the tail piece and extending the string after space (the distance between the bridge and tail piece) tends to open up the harmonics of viola. If you can successfully tune the instrument by only using the pegs (this is easier with synthetic core strings and easier with a viola as opposed to a violin), you may want to consider removing the fine tuners. It is safest to do this one at a time to avoid displacement of the sound post, although cecilio instruments usually have a tight sound post.
If you like the effect achieved, it can be further increased by substituting a 4/4 violin tail piece for the longer viola tail piece.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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A new day, another hour, but mixed things up! Played Dawning of the Day, Song from a Secret Garden, Sailor's Song, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Scales, Improv.
I really like the Dawning of the Day and prefer it to Raglan Road. Changed the original violin version from key of D to key of G for ease of playing and changed tempo from 40 bpm to 60bpm and of course, down almost an octave with clef change.
The new chin rest is working much better though the shoulder rest is troublesome to get it adjusted just right!
The old curmudgeon!
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