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ive been posting some but never introduced myself. My name is Heather. I am 37 and have not played violin long. I do have some musical background. I took piano lessons as a child. I also played organ for a church for a few years. I was also in the high school band and played trombone and French horn.
my grandfather played fiddle, mandolin, and guitar. In fact on the day he died he was on his way to a nursing home to play for the old folks. He had a little band called the old timers and my grandmother was also in his band and played the guitar.
I knew new I would never have any of his instruments...and this may sound a little morbid...but on top of his casket my family had borrowed a fiddle from a pawn shop. They had it as a centerpiece with red roses around it. After the funeral I called the pawn shop to see if they still had the one that had been used for the arrangement on top of his casket. As luck would have it they did. I asked them how much they wanted for it and they said $25.
I asked them if they could make it playable and they did. So I did after all sort of get one of my grand dads instruments.
Anyway I wanted to see if I would be able to play it because I had always wanted to learn. After I saw that I could, I eventually got a better instrument because as anyone could imagine that one was really crappy. But it has sentimental value so I will always keep it.
i tried to learn on my own through this site and another one but eventually found a teacher. We don't have any in my area that I know of but I ran into one at a music store about an hour away from where i live. She has really helped me a lot.
Ive been playing steady now about a little over a year maybe more. Time goes by so fast sometimes I lose track. Anyway I love trying to play violin and it makes me happy.
its nice to find a site to chat with people who have common interests.
i sure hope the math at the bottom doesn't get more complicated ? jk
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Heather, thank you for the interesting introduction. I'm a relative newcomer to this forum, but have found that the folks here are very supportive and helpful to those of us who need feedback. I'm glad to meet you. Stick around and let us hear from you more often 
What kind of music do you play? I've always tended to play classical, but my exposure here to several fiddlers has given me the impetus to branch in to other genres of fiddle music. It's fun to try new things.
Bob
Bob in Lone Oak, Texas
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Welcome @kodachrome / Heather !
Somewhat older than you
Good luck with your journey - oh - as I recall - after 50 (I think) posts, you no longer have to do the math !!!!
Enjoy the forum
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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Welcome! Funny how many of us are former low brass players.
Love the story about the fiddle, even if it wasn't actually the one your grandfather played. I keep my violin (which used to be my great-uncle's) in playable condition even though I'm mainly a violist and rarely play violin any more, for similar reasons.
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Bob said
Heather, thank you for the interesting introduction. I'm a relative newcomer to this forum, but have found that the folks here are very supportive and helpful to those of us who need feedback. I'm glad to meet you. Stick around and let us hear from you more oftenWhat kind of music do you play? I've always tended to play classical, but my exposure here to several fiddlers has given me the impetus to branch in to other genres of fiddle music. It's fun to try new things.
Bob
Anything really. I have printed alot of music off of this site. My instructor has me working in the suzuki 3 book.
My favorite is probably my Lord of the Rings book. I have alot of music from movies like star wars, harry potter, and the hobbit.
Also pop and rock such as coldplay and the beatles.
I am also a fan of simon and garfunkel. That's where I came up with the name kodachrome. I used to listen to my dad's music when I was growing up.
I guess you could just say I love music in general and like it all.
I'm also working in a two octave scale book by Cassia Harvey. Its pretty good. I think it's going to help me alot with shifting and such. My instructor said you should play scales 30 min a day. So I'm trying lol.
She also said 30 min of Bach. I'm not there yet lol. But I have been trying to play the watered down Bach out of my suzuki book.
Nice to meet you all
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Welcome to the community, eventhough you have been here for some time now.
Regulars
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Oh thats awesome Heather, and so cool that you got that violin, great story. Amazing that you are on book 3 - Im struggling through book 2 - and hope to get with a teacher soon, although they will probably start me back on book 1 at the beginning when they hear me play! I found some vids online to play along too and the guy goes way too fast...
PS I got the math question wrong couple times - embarrassing!
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Welcome Heather.
How nice to hear your journey and meet you. Thank you.
Awesome! Playing the violin makes me so happy too.
I am thrilled that you got your grandfathers violin.
Cheers.
Toni
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Welcome to the community, Heather! 
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Welcome to the forum Heather. We're very happy to have you here.
kodachrome said
I knew new I would never have any of his instruments...and this may sound a little morbid...but on top of his casket my family had borrowed a fiddle from a pawn shop. They had it as a centerpiece with red roses around it. After the funeral I called the pawn shop to see if they still had the one that had been used for the arrangement on top of his casket. As luck would have it they did. I asked them how much they wanted for it and they said $25.
I asked them if they could make it playable and they did. So I did after all sort of get one of my grand dads instruments.
That doesn't sound morbid in the slightest. As a matter of fact, I believe your grandfather would have appreciated that. Even more so, he probably would have wanted to give you a fiddle.
How much did they charge to get it in playing condition? Interesting that a pawn shop was able to do that.
Anyway I wanted to see if I would be able to play it because I had always wanted to learn. After I saw that I could, I eventually got a better instrument because as anyone could imagine that one was really crappy. But it has sentimental value so I will always keep it.
I was thinking!!! Glad that you have a better one now.
i tried to learn on my own through this site and another one but eventually found a teacher. We don't have any in my area that I know of but I ran into one at a music store about an hour away from where i live. She has really helped me a lot.
Lessons can definitely make learning easier, but finding a good teacher is vital to that. I know some people who were discouraged by their teachers.
Ive been playing steady now about a little over a year maybe more. Time goes by so fast sometimes I lose track. Anyway I love trying to play violin and it makes me happy.
its nice to find a site to chat with people who have common interests.
i sure hope the math at the bottom doesn't get more complicated ? jk
Glad that you found this site and joined in. The math will dissappear after I believe 99 posts. So keep on posting!!!
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Mimi Aysha said
Oh thats awesome Heather, and so cool that you got that violin, great story. Amazing that you are on book 3 - Im struggling through book 2 - and hope to get with a teacher soon, although they will probably start me back on book 1 at the beginning when they hear me play! I found some vids online to play along too and the guy goes way too fast...
PS I got the math question wrong couple times - embarrassing!
Mimi
I did alright before I started taking lessons, but after I found Rachel...well she just made all the difference in the world!
I am so lucky to have found her...and now my daughter takes from her too.
You will be on book 3 before you know it! Especially when you find a good teacher.
I of course used this site, and I also watched Alison Sparrow you tube videos.
I just use my fingers most the time to add the math ha ha!
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Fiddlerman said
Welcome to the forum Heather. We're very happy to have you here.Glad that you found this site and joined in. The math will dissappear after I believe 99 posts. So keep on posting!!!
I can't remember for sure how much they charged me to repair it. I'm thinking maybe $25 or $30. It was in terrible shape. I am really surprised they were able to make it play. I think the guy that worked there played a little fiddle.
The violin actually had a crack that went down the side of it, and he glued it back together lol. He put strings on it, and then later I broke the peg. Then I bought some pegs from them that didn't fit. So...my husband super glued the peg back together-you gotta love super glue lol...and presto I was back in business.
It also would not hold tune. It was really a nightmare of a first violin, but like I said it has sentimental value so I will keep it always.
They were also nice enough to give me a case for it (it was puke green hardly zipped and smelled funny), but I was grateful to have something to put my violin in. I still have that too.
The name of the pawn shop was Roger's Pawn Shop and Music. They are really good folks. And we are about an hour away from everything so that's the only place around to buy instruments, music, and other accessories. The guy that started the business played guitar and loved music.
And YES I have a much better violin now! My husband bought me the fiddlerman concert violin, and now I have the Holstein Lord Wilton (that actually looks very much like my grandfather's old violin). I would've begged my uncle and paid him for my grandfather's violin, but it was unfortunately destroyed in a tornado.
I think it was meant for me to find Rachel (my instructor). She is very sweet and encouraging. Very laid back and easy going. I remember I was upset because I spilled food on one of my books...she replied oh...it gives it character (and I thought...oh my when will my book stop smelling like Chinese food )! She is one of those people who sees the good in everything.
I'm glad I found this site too. I have printed out the game of thrones parts and I will take them to lessons with me tomorrow.
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I love positive people. Your teacher sounds fantastic.
Great story about your first violin. Darn tornadoes and mother nature 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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color, but some are really hard on my eyes. Surprised I like the Brown/cream, too!
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