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This is my third day of learning, and I'm getting more comfortable holding and using the instrument, though it has become obvious to me that my shoulder rest is NOT going to be the right one for me and I need to try some out at a shop ASAP. I couldn't play yesterday (saturday) because I was out of town- so I guess this is technically day four of learning, but I didn't play on day 3. While I was out of town, my second violin came in the mail! YAY!
It's a copy of the Viotti 1709 Stradivarius (or so the listing stated). I ordered it at the same time I got my fiddlerman, but it shipped from China and took a week and a half to get here. It's by Luthier Disen Tim, and was 300-400 bucks and is astoundingly good for the money. It's absolutely gorgeous and the video doesn't do it justice- but have a look at the flaming on the back and neck! Also, the cheapy brazilwood bow it came with is worlds easier to play with than my carbon fiber one, and I don't know why. But I will be using it from now on I think until I order the Pernambucu one from fiddlerman later on. My wife is trying to get me to sell one of them, saying a beginner doesn't need two violins, but I'm fighting her on that. I love both the fiddlerman and this one and they sure look good hanging on my wall side by side.
This video is just a bit of "Oh Danny Boy" played by ear that I've been messing with for a couple days. Played on my new Disen Tim Strad. I was really nervous and shot it about 4 times and couldn't stop shaking and messing up, so I just kept the best take- SORRY! Hope you enjoy guys, and thanks for making me feel welcome to learn here!
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FANTASTIC!!!
How long have you been playing?????
Don't know if I should give you tips or let you go the way you are going.....
Eventually you want to practice bowing in front of a mirror to get that bow going a bit straighter.
Love the colors in your home. It's as though I would have done it myself. I actually put black and white checkered tiles in my new bathroom. Real cool looking piano too.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Thanks Pierre, that means so much to me! This is the third day I've held a violin, but I played a bit of by-ear electric guitar for a few years in highschool, so maybe some of that translated over?
I will work on the bowing for sure, it's awkward because when I'm holding it, the bow has to look like its tilted too far towards my face to actually be straight but i will get it down 
Yes the house looked pretty awful when we moved in last year, but we repainted everything and pulled up the carpet to show the wood floors, etc. The piano we got last week for free. It needs some love before it's completely playable. Its a Werner piano from (I believe) around the 1920's
Wow very cool CJ. It's really hard to believe you've only been playing for a few days only!!!! I liked the double stops you added. My suggestion would be 1) to focus on drawing the bow on the open strings before playing this piece, it will warm up your right arm. Listen carefully for an even tone too. If you can do it in front of the mirror like Pierre said. 2) Practice the scale your piece is in, that will warm up your fingers and you can check your intonation. When you get it down, youll be more confident to play the piece and therefore enjoy it more. You'll be a grwat player, keep up the good work.
Juan.
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@CJ121 WOW. I can't even video myself yet because of nerves and I still mess up even thinking about the fact that people will be listening to my playing. I am slowly over coming it though. I really think video taping is helping!
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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Wow CJ!! Three days! Simply incredible
Blogging my beginner journey and progress...Diary of a Fumbling New Violinist: http://learningviolin.ca/
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SWEET > you are feeling those doubles > that is sweet. Love your cat > it reminds me of that cat in the movie BOLT> that dog that had a lighting bolt on his side and Mittens his side kick. > You are gonna ROCK!!!!
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Guys I can't thank you enough for the kind words. It's really helped motivate me. I'm working through this essential elements book now and I've regained a LOT of my sight reading. I'm feeling optimistic, and I've talked to a teacher about starting lessons next week.
Also, my wife has even been inspired to pick her flute back up and we've been playing together all evening. It's a lot of fun to have music back in my life.
@CJ121 : Yeah, it is kinda hard to believe only three day's into it. Sounding good on your double stops and I especially like the vibrato at the end. 
Keep up the great work.
Oh, btw, when I was a kid we had black and white tile's on our bathroom floor too. That was a loooooooooooonnnng time ago.
Good job, CJ.
Ken.
Cool doublestpos! Nice intonation! Keep up that great work - You're a pure talent!
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Really a great start! It's nice that your wife is getting in on the practicing too as it will allow you more time to practice if you are doing it together.
Opportunity is often missed because it wears suspenders and looks like hard work.
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Wow... I am blown away! I haven't played that song... Kind of nervous to now... Lol
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Guys thank you all so much. I couldn't ask for a better group of people to help me through this. It's a long time dream coming true and it's already as fun as I hoped it would be when I consider myself "good enough" years from now. I wrote an arrangement of Amazing Grace tonight and considered uploading the video, but I want to practice it a day or two to get it clean, because it's such a beautiful song I want to do it justice. I have issues with now control, mainly pressure- I tend to squeak towards the frog and I accidentally play on the lower half more often than I really should be I think. I am starting lessons next Monday and will be going weekly with a local quartet violinist, so I'm really excited for that too!
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