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The Old Guy Re-Entering the String World
A personal view of the start of a journey into music and the viola.
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (393 votes) 
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stringy
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May 1, 2022 - 3:20 pm
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John I also thought you were joking about copyright infringement. I always thought if you were not making money from it they can do nothing. if someone walks down the street singing a song can they be sued? If you walk hrough Liverpool all the buskers are singing beatles songs, and there are recordings of them on yOu tube, I am amazed, they are trying it on.

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stringy
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May 1, 2022 - 3:31 pm
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By the way Ode to joy in G major is in the Samuel Applebaum books, so mr leonard is breaking the copyright law as Applebaums book was out first.

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JohnG
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May 1, 2022 - 5:39 pm
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@stringy - I thought it was rather strange! I think the problem is with the D major version with the the low A in measure 12 as opposed to the D major with the high A. Doesn't make sense to me. We'll see what the final outcome is.

Today was a distracted 40 minute practice playing the same repertoire. We have a robin nest on our front porch in a hanging basket and mom and dad fly by my practice room window and I've been trying to get a picture out our front door when they are feeding the little one(s) without success.

IMG_20220501_154842021-Cropped-Adjusted.jpgImage Enlarger

The old curmudgeon!

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JohnG
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May 2, 2022 - 11:06 pm
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Forty minutes tonight playing the same old repertoire. I was only going to practice The Ash Grove with click track for 20 minutes and quit, but got in the mood and completed the entire list. The Breton Gavotte was practiced with the MuseScore created MP3 file to get and keep my rhythm correct, plus helping to ensure proper intonation. I'm really enjoying the freedom and exploration in playing The Wayfaring Stranger with slides and improvisation.

The old curmudgeon!

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JohnG
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May 3, 2022 - 6:12 pm
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Another 30 minutes this afternoon playing the "same old stuff", but I'm getting better at hitting some of the problematic notes in The Ash Grove and the Breton Gavotte, so that makes me feel better. And just for kicks, did a run-through of Simple Gifts.

I really like that my practice sessions are FOR me, not dictated TO me. It's one of the attractions of self-learning as opposed to teacher based. Obviously, I won't progress as fast, or even as far as I might if there were a teacher telling me what and how much to practice. But that's okay! I'm in this for the fun and feeling of self-satisfaction, and that's what I'm doing.

The old curmudgeon!

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stringy
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May 3, 2022 - 7:35 pm
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A teacher would stifle you, tell you how they think it should be played, their opinions,  and their opinions only, ok for classical, I suppose, but then again classical hasnt really changed in a few hundred years.

Hendrix never had a teacher. 

And its more fun learning things for yourself. Not having a teacher doesnt make the things you play less appealing to those who listen, as long as you play in tune that is, and to do that just practice scales, if you are entertaining you will always have an audience, Music evolves by not copying every one else.

One of the reasons everyone enjoys Irish music, no fixed rules its about having a laugh and a good time, few beers and a dance, tap your feet and have a good time:)

At one time there were no teachers...?

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SharonC
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May 4, 2022 - 8:49 pm
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stringy said
A teacher would stifle you, tell you how they think it should be played, their opinions,  and their opinions only, ok for classical, I suppose, but then again classical hasnt really changed in a few hundred years.

Hendrix never had a teacher. 

And its more fun learning things for yourself. Not having a teacher doesnt make the things you play less appealing to those who listen, as long as you play in tune that is, and to do that just practice scales, if you are entertaining you will always have an audience, Music evolves by not copying every one else.

One of the reasons everyone enjoys Irish music, no fixed rules its about having a laugh and a good time, few beers and a dance, tap your feet and have a good time:)

At one time there were no teachers...?

  

A good teacher who is the right match for you will not stifle you.  As an adult student, the appropriate teacher should meet you where you are, & respect your goals--and change direction if you chose to. 

I'm blessed to have a wonderful teacher, so I feel a little compelled to defend the good teachers out there today (it is Teacher Appreciation Week this week🍎).

That said, such a teacher can be difficult to find, & self-study can be just as rewarding, & so may be the right thing for you, as you've indicated, @JohnG -- smile

Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.

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JohnG
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May 4, 2022 - 10:49 pm
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@stringy and @SharonC - Talk about wishy-washy! I agree with both of you, although I don't know if I'd go so far as to say a teacher would stifle me, as much as reduce my fun. I'm sure a proper teacher would help me learn many of the fundamentals that I lack without keeping me from experimenting and sustaining the fun element of my playing. 

This evening, our son came to the house for a brief visit and I enjoyed playing Wayfaring Stranger, first with "normal" playing and then with the slides that I've been trying out. He really found it interesting and enjoyable, which means to me that I'm on the right track.

Later I did only 30 minutes again, playing the same set of tunes. I'm really tired tonight, or I'd have done more. After getting up a couple of hours earlier than usual, I spent an hour and half fighting traffic to Chicago's south side and then another hour getting home. Traffic on our expressways is always stressful, so I figure Imma gonna call it an early night and get some more sleep.

Night, all!

The old curmudgeon!

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JohnG
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May 5, 2022 - 4:02 pm
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Went to practice thinking I'd play for about an hour, but back pains and fatigue put the kibosh to that. So, I settled on the current normal of 30 minutes to run through the regular set of tunes. Probably the only reason to play at all is that today marks 128 straight days of practice and I'm finding it hard to break the run.

The old curmudgeon!

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stringy
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May 5, 2022 - 6:01 pm
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Sharon I agree with you to a point and that is for classical a teacher would be ok as I said, fiddle music is different and I still think the best way to learn fiddle music is to either sit in at sessions or put your own interpretation on the music you are playing, with classical it has to be learned to be played as it has been played for three hundred years with little room for the player to put in his own style, which as I said is the reason the vast majority of guitarists for instance never had a teacher. and also why classical has harsly chqnged at all in all that time Even though I taught guitar myself I didnt try to make anyone play in a particular way. As I have said in another post on here somewhere, I was actually told by a classical teacher that classical players tend to make poor fiddle players, they play fiddle music like classical. Obviously there are exceptions butit depends on the player, like I told John the vast majority of fiddle players hadnt had a lesson in their lives, a lot have had the advantage of playing along though.

And on rop of all that, personally I enjoy the challenge, maybe I am a masochist lol.

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stringy
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May 5, 2022 - 6:12 pm
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John you are well on the right track, your progress is very, very good especially for the length of time you have been playing which in violin terms is basically no time at all. If you need a break take a break, if you are tired you are better not playing as your brain wont take it in anyway, so would just get you frustrated which you dont need, I will give you a piece of advice on practicing though, not that I am in any way qualified,  but I never ever, stop my practice sessions on a bad note, for some reason they stick easier than good notes. Dont play tired.

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JohnG
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May 5, 2022 - 9:43 pm
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And now for something completely different! I have a new avatar, both on here and several other forums and Facebook that I got from a picture I captured from my last video.

Here is the picture and I've got to say it is one of the few pictures of me that I actually like.

Bud-and-His-Viola.jpgImage Enlarger

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The old curmudgeon!

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JohnG
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May 5, 2022 - 9:49 pm
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@stringy - Good advice, as always. Actually I ascribe to everything you said, and it is one of the reasons that I usually play a fun piece as a finale, so I "go out" on a high note (pun intended). Today, as it has been lately, I finished up with the Wayfaring Stranger with slides.

The old curmudgeon!

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JohnG
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May 6, 2022 - 11:37 pm
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A change-up tonight. Fifty minutes of practice playing and recording Ashokan Farewell and Wayfaring Stranger with slides rather than the usual suspects.

 

The old curmudgeon!

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Mark
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May 7, 2022 - 12:00 am
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JohnG

Way to go, two songs I really like.

Sounding good on both of them.

Mark

Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.

Albert Sammons

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JohnG
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May 7, 2022 - 12:22 am
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@Mark - Thanks, needed to do something a little different. A guy's just gotta have fun! (to paraphrase a song title).

The old curmudgeon!

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ELCBK
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May 7, 2022 - 12:59 am
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@JohnG -

Wow, you're doing great! 

Enjoyed both of your videos! 

Have you seen 'the steelydane's' version of "Wayfaring Stranger", with 2 Violas & Bass?  ...wish I could do a decent chop. (lol)

Wayfaring Stranger for two violas and bass

 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4e/7a/b6/4e7ab6115e63334462ad93094f05cc4c.jpg

 

← painting by Virgil C. Stephens 

 

- Emily

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JohnG
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May 7, 2022 - 11:05 am
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@ELCBK - Thank you! I have NOW seen that video and it really "speaks" to me. Someday, I may come close to that, but for now I'll just enjoy that version.

The old curmudgeon!

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JohnG
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May 7, 2022 - 10:00 pm
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So, another change of pace night. Total of 50 minutes practice starting off with The Ash Grove, but then a whole bunch of oldies (for me). Greenfields, Green Green Grass of Home, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, Ghost Riders in the Sky, Come Saturday Morning, Fiddlers Green, Sound of Silence, Scarborough Fair, Skye Boat Song, Song from a Secret Garden, Both Sides Now, Dawning of the Day, Innisheer, Isle of Innisfree, and Wild Mountain Thyme.

Two things in particular struck me about this. First, many tunes that I had a great deal of trouble with, were MUCH easier. Second, I remember how much I like Wild Mountain Thyme and that I'll have to put it back in the often-played mix.

Before practice started, I had to loosen all my fine tuners, tighten with pegs, and then re-fine tune them. Seems that the strings are finally settling in, so hopefully I won't have to do this again soon.

The old curmudgeon!

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LinDee
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May 8, 2022 - 12:23 am
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@JohnG - wow, just listened to your Wayfaring Stranger and Ashokan Farewell - both really sounding awesome.  Your ending to Wayfaring Stranger especially nice.

LinDee

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