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Hello Fiddlers,
While looking for a new viola for my grandson, who has played for about five years, I got detoured by FM's website. I just received my new FM Concert violin late last week. I'm 64 years old, I live in Georgia, and have played electric and acoustic guitars for about 50 years -- mostly the blues --until recently. I also make and play Native American style flutes and last year added the Irish tin whistle to the instruments I play -- at least to the point that most of the jigs, reels and hornpipes I play would have recognizable melodies, if not-quite-right rhythms, to an authentic Irish session player.
I've watched FM's videos to educate myself on proper technique (Very nicely done, by the way, and as you all know he's a very accomplished and versatile violinist).
Like Stephan who introduced himself right before I did, I learned Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (which is the first thing I do on any new instrument with a diatonic or chromatic scale). Then, a few of the simpler songs that FM published the sheet music for, followed by Down by the Sally Gardens which is an Irish Air that I play on the whistle. I've got a long way to go before things will be easy or sound decent -- but that's 75% of the fun right? It's not the destination that counts -- it's the journey.
Now I still have to get my grandson (9th grade) a new viola that will hopefully get him through college, yet not force me to take out a mortgage -- after that he'll have to buy his own. Suggestions are welcome.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright
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Welcome, Uzi! Nice introduction.
I'd be interested in learning more about -- and seeing -- your Native America flutes. I hope you post some photos at some point.
I also am learning to play the tin whistle/pennywhistle. I played the recorder, fife and flute when I was a kid, so it's been fairly easy to pick up the tin whistle, but I still have a long way to go on style.
Looking forward to hearing more from you in the forum. -- Diane
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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Hey Uzi,
Thanks for your nice introduction.
We have quite a few fellow guitar players learning the violin here. We even have some that accompany themselves on videos. 
Real cool!!!
Glad you found your way over here. Look forward to your future posts and progress reports.
If you get stuck looking for a good viola, give us a call at Fiddlershop.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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KindaScratchy said
Welcome, Uzi! Nice introduction.I'd be interested in learning more about -- and seeing -- your Native America flutes. I hope you post some photos at some point.
I also am learning to play the tin whistle/pennywhistle. I played the recorder, fife and flute when I was a kid, so it's been fairly easy to pick up the tin whistle, but I still have a long way to go on style.
Looking forward to hearing more from you in the forum. -- Diane
I'll take some better photos for you soon Diane (if you like), but this is kind of what they sound like.
This is just a short piece I did, so that I could get this simple melody out of my head -- don't you hate it when that happens. It's just Native American flute and some midi keyboard stuff I recorded to go with it.
https://soundcloud.com/shadow-.....ar/el-paso
This one is from when I just got my new acoustic guitar. I haven't played an acoustic since the 1970's, so I was testing it out and recorded this:
https://soundcloud.com/shadow-.....n-caballos
This is a penny whistle tune that I recorded when I first started playing the penny whistle about 6 or 8 months ago. I didn't know anything about Irish music then so I did an improv against a backing track to see how it sounded when recorded.
https://soundcloud.com/shadow-.....umn-breeze
I guess I should really wait until I know how to play instruments before I start recording with them eh?
Uzi (Shadow Bear when recording NAF)
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright
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Very nice > unfortunately too nice > now I gots to get me a penny whistle.
Have any links that may point me in the right direction for more on this or guess I could just start Google up. It has such a magical sound.
Uzi:
I guess I should really wait until I know how to play instruments before I start recording with them eh?
Nope! I like it that way! Mesmerized by your improvisation!
/bookmarking the page/
Honorary tenured advisor
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Welcome to the forum, Uzi.
Would love to listen to your Down by the Sally Gardens on whistle, lovely tune.
You play both flute and tin whistle beautifully, very expressively. I really enjoy it.
Thank you for sharing with us, and again, welcome to the forum.
Robert
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Wow, those recordings were great, Uzi! The flutes have a very cool sound and you play them and the penny whistle well.
The sound of the Native American flutes reminds me of an Andean group that I used to see playing on the streets of Boston.
I hope you'll incorporate your woodwinds into some of your fiddle videos here.
Thanks for posting them!
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
@Uzi: Absolutely fantastic. I never realized what a beautiful sound a tin whistle or a flute of that kind could make.
I have checked them out on Amazon and there are several price's. Are your's in the key of D ?
I'm buying one tomorrow.
BTW: those recording's sounded very professional. Thank's for the tune's.
Ken.
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@Uzi: Absolutely fantastic. I never realized what a beautiful sound a tin whistle or a flute of that kind could make. I have checked them out on Amazon and there are several price's. Are your's in the key of D ? I'm buying one tomorrow. BTW: those recording's sounded very professional. Thank's for the tune's. Ken.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright
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