Hello everyone, I am just a common or garden sort of plonker. I am Scottish by birth, and abrasive by nature. I am a classically trained idiot; but I never let that stop me. I have been playing music for most of my life, started at age 12, so 30 years now. I enjoyed music, band especially in high school, was in jazz band, and all state band as well. Attended West Texas State University, with music performance as my major; alas I never completed that degree, ended up in Law Enforcement instead. I ended up studying music under the guidance of Ken Dye at Rice University; and was a member of the Rice MOB, Marching Owl Band. I was selected to be in the Space Center Houston Opening Day Band, as well as Trumpets over Texas, and a Tuba Christmas. I have played the Tuba, baritone, and a passing semblance of a trombone player. I remember my first musical instrument, a gold tone plastic sax. I was three or four at the time; I was thrilled that it came with sheet music. You could blow into it, and press the plastic keys, to make different pitches. With glee I stuffed the sheet music into the bell end, so the sax would know what music I wanted to play.

Now my teenage son has an interest in the violin, and I have no idea how to play a stringed instrument, but by golly I will give it some welly and try. So we are selecting our first violin, very exciting, glad for all the support here, going to need it.

Well I hope not to have bored you to death.