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(8 votes) 
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Everyone was being very encouraging and asking me to make a progress video, so I did. Any constructive criticism is welcome. I'm used to it from all the dancing and riding I've been doing all my life, so have at it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....R3yc19GqQU
I know I should be bending my elbow more – my upper arm is all over the place. It's just hard to focus on bowing the right strings while also bowing straight... 
~ Once you've ruled out the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true. ~
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That violin sounds great! You will have sooooo much fun learning to play it!!
Welcome to the forum
Besides your elbow you have to move your wrist too. On your left hand try to keep your wrist and forearm straight so that the violin is not resting on the heel of your hand. Great start. Keep it up. Next is twinkle twinkle little star.
What discipline of riding do you do?
I love the sound of your new violin, keep it up. I was trying to think of what you were playing, sounded kinda like "Bah, Bah Black Sheep"... very good, Alma. 
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off to a good start !! The first few days are best spent doing just what youre doing in my opinion...getting to know your fiddle. Practice straight bowing on those open strings and crossing strings so you can start to feel comfortable.
again, welcome aboard
There is no shame in playing twinkle, youre playing Mozart
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harder than it seemed at first huh??!!
You will find that learning control over the bow has the biggest effect on the sound.
You're off to a GREAT start.
We've all been there... fun ain't it? 
"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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Thank you for your kind words and tips! I agree that it's a lovely violin, and I'm sure it will tame me eventually. 
Standing in front of a mirror and putting all my focus into bowing straight and using only my lower arm, I notice two things:
1) Much better sound!
2) My wrist moves of its own accord! Must be a physiological thing.
Kevin: I used to ride classical "English" style, dressage and jumping, but I had to stop due to monetary issues... Do you ride?
~ Once you've ruled out the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true. ~
Yes I do ride. My favorite is dressage. We have 7 horses and 2 donkies so the work here is never ending. Right now I can't ride much anymore but I enjioy teaching and going to shows.
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Dont feel bad about how you hold your bow. I am still trying to keep my wrist straight. I had the BAD habit of resting the violin on my palm. It is easier to break the habits now than later...trust me! lol
But the violin sounds good and for two weeks so do you. Keep up the good work!
"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its entire life believing that it is stupid." -Albert Einstein
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Great first step by posting your progress Almandin,
Use your right elbow more and not as much shoulder. Practice playing from the frog to the tip of the bow in front of a mirror and make sure you are bowing as parallel to the bridge as possible.
Great start and your violin has a pleasant dark sound to it 
Grattis
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Fiddlerman said
Use your right elbow more and not as much shoulder. Practice playing from the frog to the tip of the bow in front of a mirror and make sure you are bowing as parallel to the bridge as possible.
I've been working on that, and it goes fairly well in front of the mirror. Then I move over to my "note stand" and try to play melodies, and all progress just disappears... I suppose it's a matter of getting it into the muscle memory so I don't have to focus on bowing straight, so I work on it as some kind of warm-up for every practice session.
Fiddlerman said
Great start and your violin has a pleasant dark sound to it
Grattis
Tack! Yes, it's got a really nice sound, except the E string which is squeeky as. But I guess all E strings are like that...
~ Once you've ruled out the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true. ~
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the E string has been the subject of many discussions, from beginners to Pros, out o all the strings it seems to be the one to give us the most trouble and folks are always on a quest to find that "perfect" E string
There is no shame in playing twinkle, youre playing Mozart
Nice done!
I like the sound. Even when muted.
Your cat is a very attentive listener, lmao! =3
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Your doing good! I started the same way you are, one bowstroke at a time.
Your violin will serve you well, sounds nice. if I leave a case open here there will almost immediately be a cat laying in it..heheh good luck and have fun! Paul
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