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Wow!
@Grandpafiddle - found a great YouTube site to watch/listen to a wide variety of music played on the Viola there at "Viola Revolution" - too bad the left hand is out of view on all of those videos. 😞
...I left a comment there about it.
@JohnG -
Did you decide on a twilght piece to try?
...couldn't resist. (lol)
- Emily
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@JohnG You have inspired me to be a little more structured in my learning my instruments, Not to the "blog" point, But structuring like I am getting lessons. I tried that a while back and it fell to the wayside, I think I have a better shot this time. Your blog is inspiring.
The Bumblebee Flies!
Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.
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@Mouse - Glad I can be considered as a good example (or bad for that matter).
The old curmudgeon!
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@ELCBK - Not yet, too many to decide, and then I'll probably have to find or make sheet music to meet my needs! lol
The old curmudgeon!
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Would Greg's suggestion of taking something you are working on now, slow it down & put your own feeling into it, work?
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@ELCBK - Possibly Dawning of the Day, others, not so much (to my ear anyway).
The old curmudgeon!
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And another day (again) and another hour (again), playing Dawning of the Day, Song from a Secret Garden, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Ashokan Farewell, Scales, and Improv. (again)! lol
Really, they are getting better, just not ready to share anything yet, though after two months, I should be.
The old curmudgeon!
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Another hour today, but only two tunes, Ashokan Farewell and Dawning of the Day. However, I did record Dawning complete with errors and fluffs, but as it was 2 months (and 8 days) ago that I got my viola, felt a video was overdue as I try to record my progress. I will be including in the video section, but need to have it here in my record. Hope no one minds (and phooey on them if they do! lol).
The old curmudgeon!
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Half hour so far today. Trying something new, Danny Boy in hopes of adding it to the Slow Tune Party started by stringy, in the near future.
Hope to get more time in later.
The old curmudgeon!
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This is too funny. Not your playing. Are you in my house and coming out at night and looking at my sheet music? I have been doing Danny Boy for a long time.
I do it best on my cello. That is what I used get used to cello vibrato after it was covered in my lessons, and what I use to improve it.
Not to worry, that is not my choice for the slow party.
The Bumblebee Flies!
Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.
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@Mouse - Now that's funny! Wouldn't mind if you did, I have a thick skin and it would be interesting (to say the least) to hear two different renditions by two very different players (and maybe instruments).
Got the hour in tonight, like I hoped, playing Dawning of the Day, Song from a Secret Garden, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Ashokan Farewell, Danny Boy, and a little Ode to Joy and Sailor Hornpipe.
Even though it was late in the day, it still went fairly well. Trying to pay much more attention to bowing.
The old curmudgeon!
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Another hour today, Dawning of the Day, Song from a Secret Garden, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Ashokan Farewell, Danny Boy, Scales, and Improv. High percentage on Danny Boy so I can record for the party of stringy's.
The old curmudgeon!
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glàd you are going to join in John, danny boy is a great tune for practice, I play it myself quite a lot to practice intonation. I think slow tunes are excellent for improving playing.
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@stringy - I just hope I can get it good enough to record before interest in your party fades! I agree that slow tunes can help improve playing which is part of the reason I'm attempting this.
The old curmudgeon!
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Dont worry, if you dont get it together in time, I will start another party with a theme of tunes with a persons name in them, and then you can be first in, 
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I should know better than to leave practicing until evening. I just can't do it right. Afternoons, when I'm fresher go much better. Still got my hour in tonight playing Dawning of the Day, Song from a Secret Garden, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Ashokan Farewell, Danny Boy, Scales, and Improv. With the emphasis on Danny.
The old curmudgeon!
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JohnG said
I should know better than to leave practicing until evening. I just can't do it right. Afternoons, when I'm fresher go much better. Still got my hour in tonight playing Dawning of the Day, Song from a Secret Garden, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Ashokan Farewell, Danny Boy, Scales, and Improv. With the emphasis on Danny.
Absolutely. I practise in the afternoon. My teacher practises in the mornings.
When she was in college practising 5/6 hours a day, you had to begin in the morning. Perlman says never practise more than 4 hours a day. But at that rate, to be able to take any breaks, you pretty much have to begin in the mornings.
I think my ideal would be 3 hours a day, although practically it doesn't amount to that at the moment. But if I could only do one hour's practice before lunch, that would make it much easier for me to arrange the rest of my day.
(I have the specific problem that I have a lifetime of insomnia and a 40-year habit/hobby of reading foreign languages, so my mornings are real slow, and all I do is drink coffee and read while my brain is still "fresh", and I can't really achieve anything else. I was very lucky to be a civil servant on flextime with the ability to do a week's work in an afternoon, lol. I have been planning for 20 years to retire from reading at the age of 60, but of course the culture change is difficult)
Andrew
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@Gordon Shumway - Glad to hear it's not just an old guy syndrome! Both my mind and body are not as capable at night. Sometimes the only reason I play then is to ensure almost everyday practices.
This afternoon, got an hour and 10 minutes in and enjoyed it, even if there was no marked improvement in any of the tunes, except possibly Danny Boy. Otherwise it was the same tune list, Dawning of the Day, Song from a Secret Garden, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Ashokan Farewell, Danny Boy, and Scales. Did about 10 minutes of relatively fast improvisation, partially to see if I could and to better study bowing position. It was fun.
The old curmudgeon!
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👍 You are doing great, @JohnG.
And, you are doing page 13 of tour blog! I am very impressed! I so not get impressed easily, mind you.
The Bumblebee Flies!
Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.
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@Mouse - Thanks, and I'm happy that not all 13 pages are just from my musing, but include many comments, suggestions, and encouragement from others.
Another hour tonight (yeah, I know, been trying to do afternoons) of the usual Dawning of the Day, Song from a Secret Garden, Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Ashokan Farewell, Danny Boy, Scales, and Improv.
Even though not until 9:00 CDT, it went surprisingly well. Unlike the last time I practiced late.
Hope everyone had a great 4th of July and the USA folks had a great Independence Day!
The old curmudgeon!
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