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Hi all, My name is Gary, I am in my early 50s. I used to play trumpet back in High school many years ago. My brother in-law had a violin hanging around his house from when his daughter used to play. She is now grow and does not play anymore. A few years ago he decided sell his house and move to FL. As I was helping him clean out his house we came across the violin and asked if I wanted it. So that is how I got the violin a few years ago. A couple of weeks ago I happen to notice it sitting there and I said to myself I wounder if I could tune that thing. Well after a couple of tries I went and bought new strings, a tuning pipe for violins, some peg compound , downloaded an app for my phone and and sure enough got the thing tuned. Then I said to myself, since I now have it tuned I might as well learn how to play it, and that is how I came across this site. After reading this site for a bit I picked up the Essential Elements for strings book and I have started to learn how to play it. Boy do I sound like crap. Anyways I have been watching all the Fiddlerman videos and youtube videos just to get knowledge on how to play. I have been practicing as much as I can mostly when I am home alone so I don't bother my wife and kids. Since I do read music from my highschool days. I like to read sheet music to figure it out on how to play a song. I also happen to find this free GPL software down load, musescore it seams pretty good for typing in music note printing and listening too, has anyone here used it?
Thanks
Gary
Honorary tenured advisor
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chmasy saidI also happen to find this free GPL software down load, musescore it seams pretty good for typing in music note printing and listening too, has anyone here used it?
Yes, lots of people here use MuseScore, me included. BTW, musescore.com (note: .com, not .org) has lots of free MuseScore music.
As a fellow ex-trumpet player, let me inform you that we were systematically deceived. Would you believe that "Bb Trumpet" and "Bb Cornet" music is written so that when you are reading a C from the sheet, you are supposed to call it C but play Bb? Trumpet is what is called a transposing instrument. Just letting you know in case you ever try to combine trumpet and violin.
Let me be one of the first to welcome you.
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That's a cool story.
You certainly came to the right place.
We love to motivate each other here.
You said you noticed the violin sitting there, does it stay out on a stand, hang on the wall or rest in a case?
I've noticed that having my violin out at all times really motivates me to practice plus it's a great decoration. I now constantly have it on a violin hook.
Welcome to the forum Gary!
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
I took my cue from the boy in "The Red Violin", I have a violin in bed,,,,but her name is Jane, if that counts.
And Hi Gary.
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Not sure that counts. 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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No, I have a workshop in the basement and there it sat. I was down there fixing something when I spotted it. I now keep it up in the family room next to the computer in the case. when no one is home I pop it out and start playing on it. I am starting to sound better than crap. well tonal wise, I have been slowly going through the book to lean my finger position on the fingerboard. I did NOT add tape to my fingerboard. I am going to try to learn the position of my fingers by ear. as I am playing through the book I did setup the Fiddlerman's fingerboard chart next to the book so I can quickly reference where my fingers are supposed to be. I dont know if other people have been doing this but when I have been playing a song from the book like the one on page 12 "song for Christine" the song starts off with a D on the A string. to get my finger positioned correctly for the D I run the bow across both the D string and the A string with my 3rd finger holding down the A string for the D note, I then compare the octaves with my ear and adjust my finger accordingly. Anyways thank you all for all the warm welcomes.
Gary
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Sounds like a plan.
Glad to hear that you sound "Better Than Crap" now. 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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LOL @MrYikes ( TMI there Yikes! ) and @Fiddlerman ( for the excessive use of smileys! LOL hahaha ) - but - agreed - welcome aboard Gary - nice find in the basement dude! Enjoy the journey - you will be hooked!
I, like so many others, have learned SO MUCH from Pierre's FM site, and all the folks that contribute - the level at where you are is relatively unimportant - bring that old fiddle back to life and make it sing ! Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!! Above all, get pleasure out of it ! And from what you say, it sounds like you have a "feel for it already"... good on yah !
Bill ( who sounds only marginally better than crap - so I know where you're coming from - I am a very, very self-critical guy....)
WELCOME ! 
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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