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Maybe it was some of your favorite songs, or maybe it was a type of music that you always felt was particularly beautiful or fun. Something inspired you to get a violin/fiddle and to start taking lessons, searching for learning websites or tutorials, or buying books.
What started your interest in the violin or fiddle? Has it changed or grown as you have learned more about the instrument and the many different kinds of music it can be used for? What is your dream?
I tend towards rock, blues, folk, old (60s-80s) pop, some dance/techno.. Those are the sounds I am usually looking at developing on violin/fiddle, and the sort of music I am most often working on.
How about you?
"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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I have been playing classical music my whole life so I love playing blues, jazz, rock, Irish, bluegrass, folk..... I guess there isn't much I don't like playing 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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My goal is to play and record professionally or semi-professionally as a Bluegrass fiddler in a group. To sing and play the tunes and just hopefully bless people and if they are enjoying the music and are just able to have an hour or so escape from the rigors and stresses of their life and daily problems, then it was all worth it.
I'm a christian and I believe music is my main gift and I just want to use it to bless others and bring a little relief to their lives. Music is solace, and our escape from it all....and I know eall of you understand exactly what I'm talking about.
When I played mandolin and sang tenor in the past in a little group, we got invited once to a nursing home to play, this was in Titusville Florida near where I used to live. We played a few songs there and their was this gentlemen, bed-ridden had to be in his 90's who was from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia originally, that's what one of the nurses said. He had asked if he could hear an old standard "My Blue Ridge Mtn Home" so we sang it, and it really touched him he was in tears. He'd been living alone in that nursing home, wife died some years before and his kids barely see him.
Well after we left we found out that he had died about a week later...so I dunno, It's the things like that, maybe they seem like little things to some, but it's in those kind of moments that I'm thankful for my musical gift and it's of course as much therapy for me as (hopefully) it is for the folks that listen. So I want to learn to play the fiddle the best I can and get out there as soon as I'm ready and hopefully have more moments just like that.
" I just keep telling myself...."It's all about becoming one with your bow"
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Oh boy, I can't get started talking about this subject, I always go on about and tell my whole story to other people. XD
Since I was about 16, my dream has been to be a full-fledged professional musician. To me, it doesn't matter what I do afterwards - selling and/or making instruments, playing on an orchestra, giving classes, putting a studio up -, but once I have that done I guess I'll be happy enough.
When it comes to violin, my dream is to be able to play Paganini's Caprices without fretting or missing. When I first began playing the fiddle, I didn't have a goal, but now I have this. It's a long therm one, though. 
Skype: augustoad Email: augustoaguieiras@hotmail.com Phone number/whatsapp: +55 42 9861-4084. I'd be happy to talk anything fiddle-related to anyone! :)
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I play around a lot with my own tunes. Guitar player I am. > I put tracks together with percussion, acoustic guitar, and electric, throw in some bass, and I add other sounds. The one sound that I could never get interfaced in was the Viddle > So I figured I gots to learn it > been playing the Viddle for 2 years now > It is starting to finally blend > thats my dream coming true > SWEET!!!!
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My dream is to play beautiful music such as The Swan, Clair De Lune, Swan Lake, Moonlight Sonata, Mercy, and other classical beautiful songs. I want to be able to make my violin sing lovely songs that affect my heart and soul.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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My dream for now is to be able to play at my Church without embarrassing myself. I'm a priest so I'm kind of busy at mass, but we have an event every month for the youth on Sunday evening with music and singing, I'd like to be able to play with the band. I'm hoping to make it by next year.
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My dream? To be such a great fiddle player that people beg me to play for them!!!
Violinist start date - May 2013
Fiddler start date - May 2014
FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius. BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.
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It's the voice of the violin that draws me to it - not any specific music. My dream is to play my instrument beautifully no matter what music I choose to play and whether solo or with others (from duets to orchestra participation) and to have a wonderful time while doing it.
Beyond that I truly don't have anymore specific goals. I like to just seize the opportunities that come my way and use them to keep advancing my playing ability.
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I want to pioneer a modern yet improvised : melodic and harmonic fluidity - just as Paganini did hundreds of years ago.
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EricBluegrassFiddle said
My goal is to play and record professionally or semi-professionally as a Bluegrass fiddler in a group. To sing and play the tunes and just hopefully bless people and if they are enjoying the music and are just able to have an hour or so escape from the rigors and stresses of their life and daily problems, then it was all worth it.I'm a christian and I believe music is my main gift and I just want to use it to bless others and bring a little relief to their lives. Music is solace, and our escape from it all....and I know eall of you understand exactly what I'm talking about.
When I played mandolin and sang tenor in the past in a little group, we got invited once to a nursing home to play, this was in Titusville Florida near where I used to live. We played a few songs there and their was this gentlemen, bed-ridden had to be in his 90's who was from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia originally, that's what one of the nurses said. He had asked if he could hear an old standard "My Blue Ridge Mtn Home" so we sang it, and it really touched him he was in tears. He'd been living alone in that nursing home, wife died some years before and his kids barely see him.
Well after we left we found out that he had died about a week later...so I dunno, It's the things like that, maybe they seem like little things to some, but it's in those kind of moments that I'm thankful for my musical gift and it's of course as much therapy for me as (hopefully) it is for the folks that listen. So I want to learn to play the fiddle the best I can and get out there as soon as I'm ready and hopefully have more moments just like that.
Eric @EricBluegrassFiddle :
That's an incredibly touching story and it hits close to home for me. My dad, before he passed away in December, was in and out of nursing homes for rehab over the past two years, so I'm all too familiar with what it's like in places like that. For the patients, days can be very long. Anything that makes an hour or two more interesting and enjoyable is a worthwhile endeavor.
Since then, I've often thought that, if I can get better at playing and could find one or two other musicians to join me, I'd like to volunteer to play at nursing homes.
So, to find myself in a situation like you described would be my dream. There are lots of other things I'd like to do musically, but something like that would be most rewarding.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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I've been thinking about this matter since this thread was created. I think my dream would be to get good enough to play with a Scottish/Irish/Celtic group at a level of competence and musicality that is sufficient to play at a Renaissance Fair somewhere.
I love the fun, escapist atmosphere at Ren Fairs, and though the musicians there need to be good, they don't always have to be good enough to have played Carnegie Hall. (Although I *have* heard some amazing and extremely professional musicians at these events, there is usually room for the more amateur groups as well).
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I would like to play simple classical pieces in an artistic and soft on the ear fashion. I would love to do sight reading better, and have the skills to put feeling into my music. Right now I am a rank beginner and it is hard on the ears at times, but I am having fun and progressing well, beautiful instrument to try, it has great depth and I love the sounds I can get already.
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My dream is to not look at or hear a piece of music and think wistfully, "people like me can't play like that."
That "people like me" crap has plagued me in every facet of my life. The hard truth is, people like me who give up and don't practice can't play like that. Now, in my advanced age (67) I want to conquer that in this very focused area of music in my life. (I should probably change my name to FiddlrGeezr...but I still feel more like 50.)
My current desire is to become a solid contributing member to our little regional all-volunteer symphony. We have five 1st violins, two of which were founding members over 50 years ago, and their health is precarious. There are no symphony try-outs or chair challenges, etc. I'm thrilled that I get to play with them even though my technique needs SO much work. But now I feel some responsibility to help this great group carry on. I want to do more than just fill a chair.
As usual, I fly by the seat of my pants except for the guidance and resources here on Fiddlerman.com. When I see how much basic technical ability I lack, I think I have no business playing with this group. This season, the Overture to Candide is nearly impossible for me. At home I'm working on scales and intonation, even proper hand position, and in the symphony, I'm sitting with four very good violinists, desperately trying to play the many places that require 5th and 7th position. (But I must say, I've improved on that at least 100% in the past few months.)
When I picked up the fiddle about 4 years ago (after not playing since high school) I was inspired to play bluegrass and Irish music. But the technique required was way beyond me. I came to play in the symphony because I understand and love the music, and classical is easier for me than bluegrass, etc.
Currently, Fiddlerman's 35 day practice challenge is motivating me, and working.
Fiddlrgrrl
Honorary tenured advisor
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I would love to, someday, be able to get my fingers to come down in the same place twice.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright
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Uzi said
I would love to, someday, be able to get my fingers to come down in the same place twice.
Reminds me of a joke.
It apply's to all stringed instruments but viola's are always the butt of the jokes.
How is lightning like a violist's fingers?Neither one strikes in the same place twice.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Ah, nice to see folks heading into the even bigger question.. Beyond learning how to play certain songs or types of music, what do we want to do with it..
Myself, I want to get some original and traditional projects together via things like multitrack and internet. To be able to make music that can transcend the limits of who one can find locally to be in a band with and when bandmates can get together.
A lot of my first half a century on this planet was spent in bands and trying to make things work out in that environment. But the world had changed and technology has developed to where you don't even have to be in the same country or timezone as another person to work on music with them. There is a very real potential now for both bandmates and audiences to be anyone from anywhere and in any timezone.
There are groups out there that put out songs and albums and have a good number of listeners/fans, where the people in the group have never actually met in real life, and where they have never physically been in the same room with their audience. Tryad comes to mind as an example.
A lot of the limits and ways things had to be done back when I was first starting in music (almost 40 yrs ago) and trying out for bands are just.. gone.
So a lot of my focus in recent years has moved away from "finding a band" and trying to figure out places to gig and etc, to concentrating more on my own personal musicianship and acquiring the skills and gear to be able to function as a musician in the global environment that has opened up to us.
The world awaits.. and I want it. A piece of it, anyway. LOL
"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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My dream is help others enjoy and come to love music with my playing.
"We’re all afraid, you know.. to get up on stage. Maybe you’ll mess up. Maybe they’ll totally reject you. Even so, you grit your teeth and get up on stage anyway. Something compels us… moves us to play music." -Kaori Miyazono
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I've always dreamed of gathering a little group and perform in baroque outfits. Maybe I could join my local 17th century fair or even play in our baroque churches.
Besides that, one of my goals is to play Vivaldi's Winter. Recently I rediscovered Max Richter's recomposed version which gave me a plus motivation on this long term goal.
In the end, I only want to be happy with myself and with my playing
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fiddlrgrrl said
That "people like me" crap has plagued me in every facet of my life. The hard truth is, people like me who give up and don't practice can't play like that. Now, in my advanced age (67) I want to conquer that in this very focused area of music in my life.
I really like what you said there, fddlrgrrl. It is sometimes too easy for us to put limitations on ourselves. I think most of the time we do it without even thinking about it consciously.
The truth is that, yes, each of us probably has a "limit" of how much we'll be able to achieve within a given activity or field of study. But I think it is also true that we have no way of knowing what that limit may be, and we nearly always greatly underestimate our own potential.
And since we can never really know our actual limitations ahead of time, I think the best course of action is to simply blunder ahead and pretend they don't exist. That way, perhaps we can trick ourselves into accomplishing more than we ever imagined.
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