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Well, I went in to the music shop where I get my violin lessons. I went in to play my violin with my former cello instructor (co-owner of the shop) playing cello, It was fun. But now the news.
I have not had a violin lesson in a month. I was getting a bit concerned. I asked about the instructor. It is iffy if she will be there this coming week. They have another instructor available at 5 pm on Wednesdays. He teaches cello, but can do violin. I do have three cellos. I find it easier to figure things out on my own with my violin than cello. I have stopped violin lessons as of today, and will start cello, again, this coming Wednesday. I do have the ability to ask for an extra lesson for violin when I need it. YES!
Also, finally, a music instructor who does NOT use Suzuki! Yes! He uses Essential Elements. I love Essential Elements. That is what I was using for my violin before I had an instructor, and is what I have been doing on my own since my last violin lesson. Learned a lot more than I did in the lessons. The progression of songs in the Suzuki books, and the order the strings and fingerings are taught do not make sense to me in Suzuki. It is much easier for me with Essential Strings.
I am disappointed to be not taking official violin lessons, but I am excited to be taking cello lessons again. I am happy that I can schedule an extra lesson for my violin here and there. I am going to continue to practice it every day and have time for just playing for fun, I did that with my cello when I was taking violin lessons. It is just reversed, now. When I think I am ready to try vibrato on my violin, I will schedule a lesson and see if he agrees, if so, I will schedule some lessons for that.
I have never progressed far enough for vibrato in cello. Maybe I will get to that on the cello first. I have just ordered Essential Elements Cello Book 1, with the online interactive. I have book 2. I figure he might want to start with book 1.
So, this is kind of bittersweet. I was not too thrilled when my former violin instructor’s comment when I asked for help in smoothing out my string changes was, “That is something that will just happen.” No tips or instruction. I looked in one of my other books, it was my “Essential Elements” book, or my “You Can Play Violin” book (I think that is the name). I like both of those and will continue with them. I found the answer to the smoother string crossings and it wasn’t, “It will just happen”. 😁
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Nice to hear you had a fun time playing with your cello instructor. And sounds like a good solution to take cello lessons and violin once in a while. The important thing is that you’re feeling good about it. Glad you found the solution to smoother string crossing 😃 playing the violin is diffucult and lot of techniques are taking time to controle them, you don’t learn them in a few days, but a teacher should give tips and advice about how to practice. So I think you made a good choice to stop the lessons!
lots of fun with the cello lesson 😃
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about dancing in the rain!!
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@mookje Thanks for the encouragement. I was getting a bit concerned. This year I had a lesson on Jan 8. The other ones were all cancelled, at the past minute before I headed out the door. Very frustrating.
They did not have another cello/violin/viola instructor before. So, I was glad to hear that when I went in to play with my former cello instructor.
My husband and I thought about pros and cons for each. Since I am able to figure out my violin issues and then spend a lot of time working on that before moving on, been doing it since Jan 8. It made sense to take official cello and schedule extra day with violin when needed.
I switched to using Essential Elements on my own after the second cancelled lesson and that works so much better for me. Plus, I have a fiddle book put out by Mel Bay, I think. It is white with blue ink for the text. I love that book and am working on Going to Boston or something like that. I also have the books I purchased from the ad that was in the for sale section of this forum. I think it may have been from newbieRon. I love those books! They are so good. I think I am good for resource material. I have the online link set up with my Essential Elements and that is great to play along with.
I need to get the books that are just normal bound spiral bound at Staples. So much easier. One of the books I bought from newbieRon, which is another another Mel Bay, is spiral bound. One of the smaller format size books I bought from newbieRon has text too close to the binding to be able to have it done, but the others will be able to be spiral bound. So much easier to use that way.
Thanks, again, for the encouragement. I was not very happy or encouraged as the lessons were being cancelled one by one, but, now that it has happened and snags worked out, I am good to go. 
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After I stopped my lessons, I started attending a local jam. I committed to it and made myself attend even when I didn't quite feel up to it. I have learned sooo much from them and love it.
Opportunity is often missed because it wears suspenders and looks like hard work.
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Nobody to jam with here. Plus, there is no way I would that. Can’t play in with anyone except an instructor and can ot play in front of anyone. This is strictly for me. I habe a former cello teacher that I played my violin with as she player her cello with yesterday. That wss fun, but she is the only one thag will happen witn.
I just can’t do it, unfortunately.
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Concerning Jam.... On occasion, I have turned on some radio station that I enjoy listening to with my violin in my hand, and enjoyed jamming with everything and anything..... No special reason, agenda, or purpose.
No one recording me on the side, or judging me for what I do. Very rewarding.
I say this just because I think it's worth a try. Let me know if you do it and what your feelings about this are.
For beginners, just keep it simple. One note perhaps..... Have fun with rhythms, bowings, chords.... Whatever you like.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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@Fiddlerman That is actually a good idea. I could also do it to some of my CD’S, right?
I just finished working on Book 1 from the Essential Elements for Strings Violin Book 1. What I like is the EE series online interactive ability. I have an account for my violin EE books, and account for my Viola EE books, and and account for my cello EE books.
Since the organization of the way the instruction is presented varies from the progression in the Suzuki series my former instructor used, I decided to start with book 1 on my own to catch anything the EE series did earlier than the Suzuki. The EE series has a lot more fingering exercises to help with accuracy, too. I did those tonight, too.
With the online interactive feature, you can select a background instrument to play with. The background does not do the melody you are doing, it does accompaniment. If you want, you can just have a metronome.
I tried to connect my iphone via bluetooth to a little speaker we have that usually connects to the phone, of course, tonight, it would not work. Therefore, it was hard for me to hear the accompaniment. Will have to have my husband check it out later. Bluetooth was turned on on the phone. It beeped showing it connected but the sound only came through the iphone. I was using the Essential Elements App in my iphone.
I think I will try to do it to some of my Peter Paul and Mary in a few weeks. I have to get a little better with timing first. I was working in thag with the EE app tonight.
Earlier today I received my EE cello book 1, so I was brushing up on my cello to prepare for my lesson Friday, would have been tomorrow, but I won’t have a car tomorrow, so this week, my first cello lesson with the new instructor will be Friday. That is a rare occasion and probably won’t happen again on a Wednesday for a long time.
I was in the middle of Suzuki book 2 when I stopped cello for violin. As with the violin, the progression for cello is different, so I want to catch anything that the EE series touched on earlier than the Suzuki method.
I could actually use my cello with my CD’s after I get my cello up to snuff, too. Thanks for the idea.
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cid said
@Fiddlerman That is actually a good idea. I could also do it to some of my CD’S, right?
Yes you could. Absolutely.
.........With the online interactive feature, you can select a background instrument to play with. The background does not do the melody you are doing, it does accompaniment. If you want, you can just have a metronome.
That seems good too.
......... Thanks for the idea.
Anytime.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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In this late hour of night I was perusing recent posts, and came upon “I Have to Abandon My Violin Lessons” by Fiddlerman. Comic gold, that one.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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Would you mind linking me? I don't recall that one.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
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I was wondering what that post about you comic gold post was referring to, too?
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Sorry for confusion. It was a late night thing. On the right hand on the forum web page is a column headed by “Recent Posting.” One such thread listing was “I Abandoned My Violin Lesson” and the last poster was Fiddlerman. I found the marrying of heading and author to be funny.
Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.
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