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Honorary tenured advisor
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OK. First week with my new viola and I'm taking the plunge with a video for you to tear apart. It only took about a hundred takes to get one with most of the notes intact, and no dog actually in the shot (you can still hear him jingling around the room, though).
Be kind…
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Considering you've only had the viola for a week and you're already that good.... IM SOOOOO AMAZED/IMPRESSED!!!! 
only two major areas of improvement that you should consider IMO ... 1) keep your bow timing and fingering timing more similar so that you dont get accidental extra notes 2) if you can try and keep the bow balanced without locking your pinky. GREAT JOB HC!!!
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First of all, my hat comes off to you for this one. How many days have you been playing???
FANTASTIC. I would have set the ribbon lower to begin with. Now you have pressure to improve just as quickly, LOL.
Tips: As you mentioned on the shoutbox, get in the habit of curving that right hand pinkly for the future of having a flexible bow change.
Your troubles in changing strings can be greatly improved by anticipating the bow change angle and lifting or sinking your right elbow when still paying the previous note. Changing the angle just prior to the new note. Also having the bow play closer to the other string kind of like when you are force to on the G and D string.
Lastly, your intonation is fantastic, especially for the amount of time you've been playing but you obviously have a great ear and can hear what is wrong. For example your F and E are slightly low. You know what slightly means though. No big deal.
Congratulations on a fantastic start. Thanks so posting.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Twinkle Twinkle little star and that looks like "HeadCheese". Last Wednesday, I was discussing about Viola with my teacher who is a Viola player also and he was all praise for the sweet sound of it. Now as Barry said I am also interested in Viola. Keep flooding us with more Videos on viola. Good luck!
If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it ..(William Shakespeare in Twelfth Night)
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Wow! Thanks for all the kinds words and helpful suggestions!
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I got this viola this past Tuesday afternoon, so about 4-5 days. Before that, I got some instruction from my son on his little 14" viola, but it was mostly finger position and reading Alto/Viola Clef.
I don't want to mislead any of you, though. That section I posted was cherry-picked from multiple takes because it was the best of the lot and not necessarily representative of what I sound like every time I've picked up the viola in the last few days.
Maybe I should post all the outtakes to "lower the bar" back down a bit.
In any case, about the little finger: My son told me his teacher wants his little finger touching the adjusting knob for the frog. When I REEEEEEAAAACH to get my finger there, it's quite stretched out, and therefore ram-rod straight. Is it OK to moved back a little closer to the other fingers, so I can get a little bit of curve to the finger?
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It's too late to lower the bar, HC. We are expecting amazing things from you now. And yes, I think it is much better to bring your little finger in a bit, if that will allow you to curve it, instead of stretching it out towards the screw. Well done!!!
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HeadCheese said:
.........Maybe I should post all the outtakes to "lower the bar" back down a bit.
YES
In any case, about the little finger: My son told me his teacher wants his little finger touching the adjusting knob for the frog. When I REEEEEEAAAACH to get my finger there, it's quite stretched out, and therefore ram-rod straight. Is it OK to moved back a little closer to the other fingers, so I can get a little bit of curve to the finger?
It is fine to not have the pinkie on the knob. Keep your fingers together. More flexibility this way.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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The bar has been set pretty high up bro, you can't just lower the bar, we'll be expecting many great things from you 
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better reserve the url violaman.com
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"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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I think some beer just came out my nose... LOL
So does this mean you'll be getting a viola, too then?
I've been playing with "O Little Town of Bethlehem" tonight and would love to see a companion video. There are a few too many string changes for my current comfort level, and my bow keeps drifting too close to the fingerboard, but I can manage to make a few of the passages recognizable.
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HeadCheese said:
I've been playing with "O Little Town of Bethlehem" tonight and would love to see a companion video. There are a few too many string changes for my current comfort level, and my bow keeps drifting too close to the fingerboard, but I can manage to make a few of the passages recognizable.
Wow, there is no stopping you. 5 days and you are jumping on "O Little Town Of Bethlehem". You're like a snowball rolling down a mountain. Great attitude.
Don't worry HC, I won't really be the Violaman and compete with you. I don't have the right IQ.
Seriously though, I don't have room for a viola in my house, or my head is too small or, I DON'T REALLY KNOW. I just couldn't resist buying that name.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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There's "always room for Cello(man)." LOL
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LOL, I'd really need more room.
I actually checked to see if celloman.com, bassman.com were available and they were not. It's not really the same as fiddlerman though. Just figured that violaman.com being as short and sweet as it is and no one had it. Was a little surprised.
I've considered getting a 5 string fiddle which is in effect a viola with an E string or a violin with a C string. I think at least one of our members has or was getting one. Maybe it is Chinny??????
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Fiddlerman said:
Don't worry HC, I won't really be the Violaman and compete with you. I don't have the right IQ.
LOL – I'll never be "Violaman." Not like you are Fiddlerman. I'll settle for "Doesn't-suck-too-much-at-viola-man" or "Meh...man."
I just need to be sure I back off the more ambitious stuff enough to "pay my dues" with all the basics. I don't want to get too ahead of myself with the fun stuff and set myself up with bad habits that will impede my abilities later. I need to find and print out all the scales you posted and drill them into my fingerboard.
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Nice. That was quick.
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Yepp my electric violin has 5 strings (C string). It essentially has the range of a viola combined with a violin. 
Edit: Just tagged you (Learn to play violin) in the pic of my 5 stringer on fb
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Cool, I need all the links I can get.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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I didn't practice until my fingers were sore tonight. I practiced until my shoulder was sore. Does that usually happen?
Scales (those I could make sound nominally correct) from FM's viola scales sheet I printed out, followed by many attempts at "O Little Town of Bethlehem" until I couldn't hardly stand it, anymore. I'll admit, 4th finger is still elusive, so I've been cheating with a open string change when I can. I think I made some progress, but my A string sounds like a larangytic cat when my bow wanders too close to the fingerboard - which is often.
I'm usually so focused on what my fingers are doing, I forget what my bow is doing. It's actually easier when I just close my eyes and listen, but then I miss my string changes. LOL
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