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Lesson Plan?
What came first, Fiddle or the Bow?
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (5 votes) 
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TonicScale
Camarillo California

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February 14, 2014 - 12:28 am
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Ok, sorry bout the attempt at humor, filddle/bow, chicken/egg.. never mind :)

Ok, Without a long winded history.  I've been a musician for over 50 years (guitar/bass) and I've finally stepped up to what I've always loved...  Violin (I'm also studying Piano mostly because of the theory I'm studying)...

So I have this Violin, nothing special.  Plays good enough for me to start.  I remember a few things from my youth with my first experience to at least get started, along with the Fiddlerman and other stuff on the net (amazing)...

Being Disabled on a fixed income with no band to make a few bucks on the side a Violin Teacher is pretty much out of the question.  So I have to stay disciplined and focused in my own course of study.  I know scales and familiarizing myself with the fingerboard is crucial.

Which direction does one travel for optimum growth on this instrument.  With guitar I was self taught and never bothered with reading.  Having played Piano I can read so I'm one up (I think) I've found fingerboard note charts on fiddlerman most helpful.

I practice every day sometimes up to 5 hours or until I feel strain.  Then I go to theory study.

Scales and Arpeggio's then???  start with pieces of music?  any suggestions on study plans?

Thanks!

 

 

A Painter Paints Pictures On Canvas...

Musicians Paint Their Pictures On Silence...

==

 

...

 

 

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RockingLR33
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February 14, 2014 - 1:07 am
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well i'm  a very new beginner, just finally mastering some of the simple finger placements and sting crossings so i dunno how much my ideas will help especially with a serious musician as yourself but scales are always good, and while I'm not up to Arpeggio's those would be good to i think. 

 

But i always learn the best with music. i do some scales and such as warm up and the pick something to learn to play and then go back and practice some of the more basic stuff to keep it fresh. 

 

the music keeps it fun for me so i'll keep practicing and getting better :) any who welcome to the forum and good luck!

Lead me, Follow me, or get out of my way!

             ~General George S. Patton

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TonicScale
Camarillo California

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February 14, 2014 - 3:15 am
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Thank you Lindsey, I like the idea of working with music, always worked for me in the past.  I'm sure I'll find that nitch just like the other instruments... I'm a freak though, I tend to get into double digit hours of practice/rehearsal mode... so some structure keeps me from becoming a cave dweller... :)

 

Thanks for the input!

 

A Painter Paints Pictures On Canvas...

Musicians Paint Their Pictures On Silence...

==

 

...

 

 

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RockingLR33
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February 14, 2014 - 6:36 am
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ahh ok, well i wish i could practice that long some days! i get to frustrated so i have to take breaks :) I'm currently working on trying to learn the Ashokan farewell. man is it kicking my butt! I'm having to try and learn in literally one piece at a time. Haven't even gotten a crossed the first line yet. lol. but i love playing my violin and just playing around yet learning stuff. just wish my brain could process notes on a sheet to my hand faster but as they say....practice practice practice.... lol.  

 

for more structure since you really like that why don't you try working through one of the books? I know FM has a book Sevcik Ottakar for beginners under the sheet music tab. Since your already experienced reading sheet music and do have so much time. and as you progress he has other Sevcik Ottakar books posted....  Or a book like Essential Elements 2000? I find the books help me a lot to when i need to sit back and work on fundamentals instead of just playing around. 

Lead me, Follow me, or get out of my way!

             ~General George S. Patton

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StoneDog
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February 14, 2014 - 10:59 am
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That is a lot of practicing. I would suggest some time with the metronome included in with that . You obviously are fluid with scale structure. Scales and the Mighty Metronome can rock ya.

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Oliver
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February 14, 2014 - 1:48 pm
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I've seen some modern "method" books and , in general, there are a lot of worthwhile instruction books out there.  (and on-line)

But that is just books.

Learning (anything) is very much a matter of repetition but also knowing when to stop a session is important.  If I practice a piece and it sounds the same after 15 or 20 minutes, I switch to something else. 

At one time I might have tried a 6 or 8 hour practice session but then I cut that way down.  Guess what happened?  Almost nothing.  Now, I practice only 1/2 to 1 hour a day.  Any feeling of frustration is counter-productive.  I ALWAYS end a session with something that is easy and fun just to minimize any sense of fatigue.

Of course, I'm not a stage performer either so maybe I can enjoy a little slack.

 

 

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

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TonicScale
Camarillo California

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February 14, 2014 - 4:27 pm
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rockinglr33 said

for more structure since you really like that why don't you try working through one of the books? I know FM has a book Sevcik Ottakar for beginners under the sheet music tab. Since your already experienced reading sheet music and do have so much time. and as you progress he has other Sevcik Ottakar books posted....  Or a book like Essential Elements 2000? I find the books help me a lot to when i need to sit back and work on fundamentals instead of just playing around. 

found it and downloaded (Sevcik Ottakar).  have an outing set for music store (I call it the candy store), will look for the suggested Essential Elements.  Thank You so much...

 

A Painter Paints Pictures On Canvas...

Musicians Paint Their Pictures On Silence...

==

 

...

 

 

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TonicScale
Camarillo California

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February 14, 2014 - 4:39 pm
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StoneDog said
That is a lot of practicing. I would suggest some time with the metronome included in with that . You obviously are fluid with scale structure. Scales and the Mighty Metronome can rock ya.

Cool, I have two Very cool Metronomes in storage in Nashville, however that's a long way from Camarillo.  I do use the Metronome on FM.  I also downloaded a pretty cool stand alone Metronome called Weird Metronome ...

http://www.weirdmetronome.com/

Thanks StoneDog...

 

A Painter Paints Pictures On Canvas...

Musicians Paint Their Pictures On Silence...

==

 

...

 

 

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Mad_Wed
Russia, Tatarstan rep. Kazan city
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February 14, 2014 - 4:50 pm
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Good advices!

And it already seems that You know what to do, TonicScale  =) With those scales and arpeggios You can do A LOT. Different bow strokes, work on dynamics, bow speed, preassure and etc. Try to find some pieces, where those things You are working on, are used...

Agreed with Oliver:

Oliver said
...  I ALWAYS end a session with something that is easy and fun just to minimize any sense of fatigue.
..

I do the same. Though my practice sessions are usually a bit longer.. About 2 (with breaks) hours if i have enough time.

 

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TonicScale
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February 14, 2014 - 5:04 pm
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Oliver said

Learning (anything) is very much a matter of repetition but also knowing when to stop a session is important.  If I practice a piece and it sounds the same after 15 or 20 minutes, I switch to something else. 

At one time I might have tried a 6 or 8 hour practice session but then I cut that way down.  Guess what happened?  Almost nothing.  Now, I practice only 1/2 to 1 hour a day.  Any feeling of frustration is counter-productive.  I ALWAYS end a session with something that is easy and fun just to minimize any sense of fatigue.

Of course, I'm not a stage performer either so maybe I can enjoy a little slack.

 

 

Ahhh Yes, Repetition... It is indeed what drives folks that don't play an instrument nuts.  On the other side if it I find it relaxing to perfect a slide, hammer, pull off, run or scale.  The multiple hours of practice is not something I plan really, it just happens that way.  I rarely look at the clock, but I do notice when it is no longer light or dark outside and realize it's been 8 hours later... but I dig what you're saying.

I did the performing thing for a bit. In fact, I was a truck driver for many years, and I'd set up to stand in with bands I've met all over the country. Very cool indeed.  I always carry an instrument with me and practice every day. When driving (I owned my own trucks) I would set aside every morning some time, but in the evening after my legal drive time ran out, I would pick up and even record, in my truck.  Did some Bluegrass with this Fiddle Player Kat I met at a truck stop in Mississippi, very cool indeed.  BBQ's came out and it was a jam session at the T/A... Fun...  I've played at Mickey Gilleys club in Pasadena Tx... that was a Hoot.  Played in Jazz club in upstate NY  John's I think was the name, I believe that was the last time I ever drank... LoL...

Anyway.  I hope to perform with violin, I have a passion for Classical but my true blood is in Jazz/Blues and Bluegrass... It's what I dig...

Thanks again for the guidance...

 

 

A Painter Paints Pictures On Canvas...

Musicians Paint Their Pictures On Silence...

==

 

...

 

 

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Oliver
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February 14, 2014 - 9:01 pm
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When you are playing music you like, the "rules" don't apply!

 

 

 

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

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Fiddlestix
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February 15, 2014 - 9:57 am
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Very well put, Oliver.

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pky
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February 15, 2014 - 12:57 pm
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in addition to sevcik, you could also try Wohlfahrt, Franz, FM has it under beginner, too.

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TonicScale
Camarillo California

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February 19, 2014 - 5:36 pm
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Oliver said
When you are playing music you like, the "rules" don't apply!

 

 

 

Indeed!  Very Well Put...

@RockingLR33 I purchased the Essential Elements 2000, however they have knocked off the 2000 part.  It's the same, pretty sure because it's now 2014   :)   Thanks.

 

@Oliver, that is sooo true...  It's just stuck in my head, LoL...  Thanks for that breath of fresh air...

 

 

 

A Painter Paints Pictures On Canvas...

Musicians Paint Their Pictures On Silence...

==

 

...

 

 

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