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My Journey with My Violin Since May 1716.
A probably unusual way to learn improvising via baroque play-alongs.
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Demoiselle
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November 22, 2018 - 4:31 pm
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Yesterday and today I sure built violinistic muscles with that disco beat. But I don't see myself in a disco with my violin. It was vocals and trombone plus a little tap dance. In the 80s it was swing, in the 90s I moved on to soul and swing was still part of it at times. But what I really need is a professional jazz pianist who also works with keyboards and can go funky too. Someone who believes in me and really sees me on stages in big clubs. I have still been looking for him/her in my 40s but now I don't anymore. Without pianist I won't do it - fooling around with playbacks is cheap and won't get me anywhere. But if ...... then I would have to practice trombone hours and hours daily and had hardly time to play violin. I don't like that idea after having said good-beye already. It's not gonna happen.

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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mookje
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Concertina may be it! I'm done with saying, "Akkordions are great because they sound like church organs." In my Blue Note video it sounds a bit like a church organ when I grab full chords. But the same accordion sounds more concertina-like in Chanson d'Armide because there I had to be soft and tender, considering the love-dreamy lyrics. Concertina is not heavy, easy to transport with a violin. I've seen on YouTube you love to go out and play outdoors. That's simply it. Violin and concertina duets, I'm looking forward to hear that, mokje!

I love playing outside but only if nobody can see or hear me ? And it’s winter now so a bit cold for the instruments and for me. Yeah, a duet would be great but first I have to practice the concertina more. I can’t play it to long on a day because my dog doesn’t like the concertina ?

 Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about dancing in the rain!!

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Demoiselle
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mookje said

I love playing outside but only if nobody can see or hear me ? And it’s winter now so a bit cold for the instruments and for me. Yeah, a duet would be great but first I have to practice the concertina more. I can’t play it to long on a day because my dog doesn’t like the concertina ?  

I feel similarly. My brother loves to takes his accordion out on the street to play there all alone and calls it an experience. He's not doing it for money, but he's very happy if he can report me how people applauded and talked to him. Once he went out with a buddy who also plays an instrument and they both played on the street, but not together. (!?) This is what I don't understand, because I love making music together with other people. Let it be out on a street. But standing there all alone? People looking at me: "What's she doing there?" Some find me strange, others maybe remarkable. I don't like that kind of relationship to people. I want symmetry to be equal. Or out in nature, playing all alone, and suddenly a group is passing by, finding it great, remarkable or funny. It doesn't matter how they find it, there is something wrong. If they all had instruments and would join me it would be okay and there was symmetry in that relationship. Playing all alone at home or in nature, is wonderful. But if I'm out alone and people are coming closer I will pause and have breakfast.

The open stage project I was part of until late 2016 was different. Also if it was a paid gig it was okay for me. But today I'm more and more against playing alone. Although I was used to perform all alone live on tv, in a studio hall which was packed with people at times. I want music to be a social thing. I would use the above cheap keyboard to make music with others for fun (without automated disco rhythm of course). Its piano sound is bearable, the keyboard is very lightweight and can also be run on batteries which last fairly long. But performing in a disco without band? Me and my midi-synthesizer-equipment like in the 90s? No, I wouldn't do that anymore. With a band yes, but not alone. My expectations are higher these days. The audience will respect you more if you have a decent band. Okay, I would be on stage all alone, with my old midi-synth-band if they paid me like a big name. Because that name would cause professional musicians to get interested in me. Well, I would also do it if it was a really big event here in Berlin and many important people would hear me—including musicians. Just for promotion. But alone in some disco as Holly asked? No.

I know playing out in 'nature' from our Berliner folk community. In the warm season they meet in parks to make music and dance. I took part there in the early 2000s with my recorders. But I came to the result that it's better to also play a harmonic instrument because that makes you more influential. If you bring that instrument and also a couple sheets with melodies and chords, melodic instrumentalists will be happy to follow the tunes you have to offer. If there's a guitar or accordion player it's great to change to my recorder or violin, but there were many evenings when we had no harmonic instrument. We tried to make music then nonetheless but it was more fun with someone who played the chords. I almost daily look into my spinet because I decided to make a transportable spinettino with 25 keys. ;)

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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Demoiselle
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Chanson d'Armide

I just uploaded Chanson d'Armide on SoundCloud. Any video would probably fail to match and destroy the spell of this audio if I did the shooting all alone.

The upload on SoundCloud is the next generation where I finally added the deep drum. It is to hear just every 4 bars, doesn't disturb anything but makes this recording even better. Also this is not MP3, I uploaded the master which is above CD quality. 

I had a typo in "Chanson" which I corrected after saving but "Chancon" is now in the link.

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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bocaholly
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Interesting interpretation. Especially with the drum, your sound track conjures images in my mind of times that preceded the baroque period. It's very visceral... I'm thinking troubadours and the Middle Ages.

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Demoiselle
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bocaholly said
Interesting interpretation. Especially with the drum, your sound track conjures images in my mind of times that preceded the baroque period. It's very visceral... I'm thinking troubadours and the Middle Ages.  

Hahaha, it feels like Heilig Abend Bescherung. Just back from Friderichstraße and have Nußmischung from Lidl; plus I got two CDs with Leila Schayegh I had ordered at Kulturkaufhaus Dussmann. So it already feels like Christmas.

Yes, I think French Baroque sounds still a bit renaissancy. Lully uses those big deep drum boom frequently in his operas, although not really in Chaconne d'Armide. He also uses a triangel at times, sometimes even drum plus triangel, so it goes "BOOM, ting, BOOM, ting..." -- very cute. Tambourine and jingeling things too which were extremely comon in the middle ages. A very big noise you hear in Lully's famous Turkish March in the Molière comedy I'm working on. Oh, I forgot: you also hear castagniettes in Lully's -- they belong to LA FOLIE D'ESPAGNE (LA FOLIA) anyhow. French Baroque was clearly influenced by Spanish renaissance music a lot.

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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Demoiselle
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Just looked up "viaceral" and find that very interesting. Yes, the big hand drum goes deep down into the gut. Actually where people feel butterflies if they're in love. My accordion arpeggio may be the butterflies and now the big drum hits exactly that area and bring in drama. Like you already forsee Armida's love must end tragically. Maybe I should bring the opera ARMIDE out on stage too? With accordion!

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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bocaholly
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OK, so I was a tad early with the Middle Ages... but almost on track :-)

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Mark
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The drum is a good addition to the overall sound of this, sounding good.

 

Mark

Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.

Albert Sammons

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Demoiselle
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Mark said
The drum is a good addition to the overall sound of this, sounding good.

 

Mark  

Yes, drama is very difficult, but here it's easy: you hit this big hand drum and there's drama.

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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Demoiselle
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Fair Use

We had that copyright topic a couple times. Now I looked up Fair Use on our German Wikipedia and learn my consideration and care is necessary: In the German "Urheberrecht" (law of creators' rights) "Kopierrechte" (rights to copy) are included and there is no fair use for public use. I can copy for private use, but not publish on YouTube or elsewhere in case someone else owns the rights of a melody. Many Germans ignore that, not knowing that right owners can make them pay. I can not upload my version of the Beatles' LET IT BE, unless I find an older folk song which has that same melody. Which I find possible....

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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Demoiselle
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The Origin of My Violin

Today I called the luthier who is employed in the big music departmemt store where I bought my violin in October 2015 (and also all my trumpets since 2004). Still my old question, "Who is my violin and where was she created?" My old theory, she may come from the same brand like L'Opéra's JADE rosin, is not true. Also a certain Chinese crafter who makes violins also called OPERA did not make my Anna Maria. The luthier of the dpartment store actually knows: "A small shop of a German violin maker who works for us." The better violins he makes are named OPERA. My luthier also added that he did the final adjustment of my violin himself. He also agreed that she beat all the other 3/4 violin back then, including a Yamaha priced over 600,00 €. Anna Maria was actually tagged over 400,00 € but suddenly the luthier came back saying, "These are priced down as I've seen, so you can have it for 199,00 €." I found that crazy and could hardly believe it. So that's my little wonder girl Anna Maria. The luthier who talked to me does not play violin but oriental luth as he told me years ago.

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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Demoiselle
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In these days I see how density of notes is suddenly growing faster. In the past repititions like EFEFEF or FGFGFG, played in 8th notes helped to develop my fluidy. Now it suddenly starts to be easier to do the same on 16th notes. It changes my view on speed: Phrases I considered almost too fast in the past feel just normal. Same goes for my trills: They don't feel so very fast anymore, so I can control them better. Phrases which felt like an indefinite cloud of kinda drum rolls become clear scales. My fingers are becoming more agile which opens the door to more possibilities in improvisation. Speed is relative. What feels unbelievably fast to most people feels relatively slow to those who have practiced a lot. I have to slowly grow in that direction and constantly look for challenges which enable it.

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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Fiddlerman
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January 7, 2019 - 10:44 pm
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It's nice when you notice the progress, isn't it? :)

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

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wtw
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(On january 10) Demoiselle said 

It has always been like this: I work for months every day, maybe half a year or even longer and it feels like there's almost no progress. But suddenly it comes fast. My weakest part has always been the fingerboard hand. It has gained strength.  

(On january 11) mookje said 

That’s good news, always nice if you noticed that you are making progress. Hard work will be rewarded 👍  

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Fiddlerman
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Yes indeed. Hard work pays off.

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

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Demoiselle
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wtw said

(On january 10) Demoiselle said 

It has always been like this: I work for months every day, maybe half a year or even longer and it feels like there's almost no progress. But suddenly it comes fast. My weakest part has always been the fingerboard hand. It has gained strength.  

(On january 11) mookje said 

That’s good news, always nice if you noticed that you are making progress. Hard work will be rewarded 👍  

  

Das ist etwas verwirrend, weil ich den Originaltext von mookje nicht finde.

I have decided to get ready for performing. That means I have to create play-alongs. My old way, to perform with me playing spinet in the background wont do. I need a better sound. Spinet plus hand drum sounded much better. But I will also add a bass. Either synthesizer or cello. I can imitate a cello by pitching the spinet recording up, play the bass line on the violin and then pitch the whole thing down to normal. I'll see whether  the result will seem good to me....

I have overcome my weak shape in things baroque dance. Now I'm even able to do things I couldn't do even 15 years ago. So it shows again, age must not necessarily hinder dancing condition. I had trained really hard since last June.

All recorders are canceled in my baroque program. Just violin, vocals and dancing. Too much stuff won't make it better.

So now I have a lot of work to do and cannot post much here. I don't make recording for YouTube, just focus on recording for my new play-alongs. Passacaille d'Armide is my major hit and the sound of the play-along must be accordingly. Where I sing will be a violin in the background, but I won't improvise that. Arranging and writing notes will be more work.

My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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mookje
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@Demoiselle There where some problems with adding reply’s for a few days, so that’s why you can’t see my original post I think. Good luck with all the work and lots of fun, hopefully you are gonna share the results with us. 

 Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about dancing in the rain!!

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Demoiselle
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mookje said
@Demoiselle There where some problems with adding reply’s for a few days, so that’s why you can’t see my original post I think. Good luck with all the work and lots of fun, hopefully you are gonna share the results with us.   

You're right, I'm supposed to share my new 'cello' because it's so interesting:

So this is the G string of my violin, pitched an octave down.

Then I tried sort of carnivalesque string fanfare, with two violins, harpsichord and the 'cello':

Yes I will work with that cello sound for my new performance play-alongs. But it will take many weeks to come. Maybe even one or two months. Then I will certainly share some results.

I was working very hard on violin and dancing in December because I was in extremely good shape. That's why I posted nothing here.

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My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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Demoiselle
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This was a huge surprise for me. The harpsichord is a plain FM-Synthesizer sound. But the way how it merges with my pitched violin seems miraculous to me. I really love that!

I have a real spinet and love its sound very much, but this experiment tells me, I'll probably have to use my Yamaha SY-22 Synthesizer. It works with synthesis of two sample-parameters and two FM-parameters. Over years I learned that FM-sounds are very much clearer than samples. Since I switch the sample parameters off and combine two FM-sounds for my voices. FM was the typical sound of the legendary DX7 stage keyboard. Nothing sounds as clear and clean as those e-piano sounds. But FM can do more than that. The sound quality sounds like super-naturally perfect. Sometimes too perfect, but together with my "cello" it seems very lively to me. It is to hear in this recording: my FM-harpsichord doesn't take anything away from the "cello". A sample sound would drawn the "cello" quite a bit.

So I heard a radio program about the reconstruction of a 1600s church organ of a north-west German village, made by the famous organ builder Schnitger in the 1600s. Somebody played that organ and I downloaded that recording from the website of the radio station. Then I played that sound again and again while programming my SY-22. Since I play violin to that organ sound which makes me go wild at the violin. Modern church organs sound very smooth, 1600s organs are very groovy.

I managed to learn the the Passacaille d'Armide's lyrics of Lullies libretist Quinault. Now I have to learn the Spanish lyrics of La Folia. It is a bit of a headache but I have to perform without sheet, to present a decent show. Both pieces/songs big hits during the 1600s, both, for singing and dancing and I do the SONG & DANCE thing very much indeed. Lots of preparation and work before I can go on stage.

I just found a mask and it wasn't expensive:

masque.jpgImage Enlarger

Very good for dancing, but I need a second maks which won't cover the mouth, for singing. Maybe I will shoot the video of Passacaille d'Armide then.....  It has to be a very opulent music video, like they would have shot videos in the 1600s if they had had video then. ;)

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My violin is a 3/4 violin, made for right-handed players, though I play it left-handed. As I felt she was the best in the shop of all 3/4 violins I tried and the luthier agreed. I prefer Obligato strings together with Eudoxa E string. Self-made bow, weight: 24 g / 0.85 oz

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