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joehelsing

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May 31, 2015 - 11:41 am
Member Since: May 31, 2015
Forum Posts: 3
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Hi there,

My name is Joe, i'm 25 years old and from the UK.

I have never played an instrument before.  2 days ago I decided to buy a Violin and try teach myself to play.  I'd love to met some people who are on, or have been on a similar journey to enthuse with and discuss our progress.  Please let me here your stories, and if you are interested, we could exchange emails/facebook profiles.

 

Thanks

 

Joe.

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Jim Dunleavy
United Kingdom
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May 31, 2015 - 11:48 am
Member Since: April 19, 2015
Forum Posts: 886
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Hi Joe and welcome.

I'm also from the UK (North East) and have been fiddling for about a year now, though I did play other instruments to a reasonable standard already.

You have a lot of fun (and maybe some frustrations) ahead of you!

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joehelsing

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May 31, 2015 - 1:05 pm
Member Since: May 31, 2015
Forum Posts: 3
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Hi Jim!

I'm a monkey hanger you know!

Living in Leeds now.  

I'm somewhat disheartened at the moment as ive read of people taking lessons and spending months on bowing technique before even attempting tunes.  I can't afford lessons at the moment so I feel like i'm going to really be missing out on something vital here.

Not going to give up though!

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Jim Dunleavy
United Kingdom
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May 31, 2015 - 2:39 pm
Member Since: April 19, 2015
Forum Posts: 886
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Ah, from just down the coast from here then (Washington).

Yes, there's a lot of work to do on basic technique if you want to get into good habits from the start, but it isn't that long before you can knock out some easy tunes.

I'm teaching myself as well - these days there are enough on-line resources to do that successfully - have a look at Fiddlerman's tutorial videos if you haven't already. YouTube is full of instruction videos, though you do have to be selective.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 31, 2015 - 2:43 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

Hey Joe,

Don't even worry about not learning tunes and not being able to afford lessons. You'll get lots of stories here soon. Many of our members are adult beginners that don't take private lessons. Through good videos and the right attitude you can learn tunes in days - weeks...... Piece of cake. Then again it's not all about playing tunes but a lot about perfecting some as well. :)

Glad to have you here and look forward to following your progress.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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Ripton
Vermont, Massachusetts or somewhere in between
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May 31, 2015 - 3:50 pm
Member Since: November 2, 2014
Forum Posts: 595
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Welcome Joe, and beware of this new addiction. You'll love and hate it all at the same time. I (re) started 8 years ago, took two lessons with my daughter's instructor and then I was left to my own devices. As long as you have an ear for music you can make noise. Look at many of the "famous" old time fiddlers. Now tell me they went to Juilliard. I don't think so. While I have now been taking lessons for the last 2.5 years, I find it helps with some finer points of technique. Online resources and videos can help an awe full lot as well. Here is a "Critique Corner" where we can post our self playing and get some  very helpful critiques from other players. Best part is, aside from what you pay for internet, it's FREE. Welcome to the family

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joehelsing

Member
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June 1, 2015 - 10:25 am
Member Since: May 31, 2015
Forum Posts: 3
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Thank you everybody for the warm welcome :)  I look forward to sharing my progress with you all as well as seeing everybody elses.

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cdennyb
King for a Day, Peasant for many
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June 1, 2015 - 6:02 pm
Member Since: February 13, 2012
Forum Posts: 1817
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Welcome Mr. Joe... you'll love it here. This family is so helpful and many play both electric and acoustic violins and even violas on occasion! Ha.cheers

I'm totally self taught and started my education right here almost 4 years ago! Wo#W how time flies when you're having fun... I started on an acoustic and played it for 3 years and just recently changed over to mostly an electric 5 string. devil-violin

You will be able to do quite well with all the help you can get here. Participate in the group projects especially around Christmas time, it's AWESOME! No better way to develop an ear and memory than playing the violin. Rock on! dancing

"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein

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DanielB
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June 2, 2015 - 4:30 am
Member Since: May 4, 2012
Forum Posts: 2379
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If you have looked through Fiddlerman's video lessons, you'll see you can get to playing tunes pretty darn quickly.  And those are lessons.  The internet is also full of lessons.  Lessons are something you do not lack, joehelsing.  Plenty of them are around just waiting for you and your violin.

Finding a *good* teacher can definitely speed up the learning process and save you some time and frustration.  But many good players on almost every instrument in the world have been self-taught, too.  Teachers can save you some headaches and dead-ends.  But in the end, only you can make yourself learn, and it can happen with or without getting actual sessions with a live teacher in person.  More of what you can do is up to you than is ever up to any teacher.

A teacher can help by explaining things and showing you exercises to work on certain skills that they, from experience, know will be useful.  They can help by selecting pieces and exercises that may challenge you a bit more than you might challenge yourself without their influence.  But the work of applying it and developing those skills is always just you.  It may take you longer without a teacher, but you can get there. 

Another thing is that not all teachers are good, or may not be good for every student.  Some can be more discouraging than encouraging, or may obsess over points that it could really be better for a particular person to skip over for now and come back to.  I think that a bad teacher or one where you and the teacher just don't have the right "chemistry" for them to be your teacher can do more harm to a beginner than going it alone without a teacher would have.

"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman

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Mark
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June 2, 2015 - 6:36 am
Member Since: September 30, 2014
Forum Posts: 2149
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Joehelsing,

 

Welcome the the world of strings, relax, play and have fun with the fiddle.

 

Mark

Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.

Albert Sammons

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ElisaDalViolin

Honorary advisor
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June 2, 2015 - 4:18 pm
Member Since: November 26, 2014
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Welcome Joe!

Wish you the best in your new journey! :)

 
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coolpinkone
California, the place of my heart
June 7, 2015 - 11:29 pm
Member Since: January 11, 2012
Forum Posts: 4180
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Welcome Joe!

Dont give up.... I have learened most everything on this site!!!

Get involved!! Have a blast.... Ask questions.... Welcome!!!

watch videos.. Woo hoo!

welcome welcome 

Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
June 8, 2015 - 6:49 am
Member Since: March 22, 2014
Forum Posts: 3744
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@joehelsing - WELCOME ABOARD !   I seem to have missed your original post some days ago - so no need to say more - I second everything already said !

I'm also an adult beginner, albeit with a few more miles on the clock.  UK, as well here, good to have another UK member !

Enjoy the journey !

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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