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(48 votes) 
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I took a look at the sheet music over on Violaman... 19 pages... YIKES! I'm struggling with a 2 page piece as it is right now.. LOL. Keep posting the Vids. I'll play along vicariously with you.
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Embarrassing that it doesn't work for me, the admin 
I guess I would prefer for the posts to be youtube posts embedded here. More people will be able to see it. I mainly use a Mac and Firefox. I can try it with a different browser too.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Ashokan progress... Not a lot of flow tonight. But here's my song.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Ahhh... @coolpinkone - I get a "404 Page Not Found" error on the link... so looking forward to it as well !
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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Nice one CPO ! Thank you ! 
I know this is not a "critique" post - my only thoughts are this - and I would almost put money on this (simply because I in some ways suffer from this, not being a very good sheet reader) - if you "break the hold the sheet has over you" and play more "freely" once you know the tune, the timings, the changes in dynamics etc - you will absolutely "ace it". And I liked your (musical) expression and the big smile at the end! Cool! 
Thank you !
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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Thank you Bill! You are so right about the sheet music. I should toss it and in a few weeks post a "freer" version. Thank you buddy!
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Yes, absolutely - I am not in any way a "sheet music fascist" - it is absolutely important and gives us the "structure, the overall tune, timing, beat, rhythm, tempo, dynamics and often bowing indications" and so on. It is, after all, the "definitive" description of a piece you may have never heard or played before.
I guess that for orchestral players THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED - because they (like all vln 2, etc) have to "do the same thing" and I have total respect for their abilities!!!! Being a "poor sheet reader" myself - I go through it slowly a few times until I remember "what it is all about" - then put it aside - because I am NOT playing in a group/ensemble - and I go off and "do my own thing with it" ( within reason, of course )
Unfortunately, this approach doesn't work for our group projects, and I have to be a LOT more careful with that - using maybe not just a click track, but a backing track as well..... So, that's MY weak spot....
But then again, I'm a bloke, and we allegedly don't multi-task as well as the female of the species - so maybe that's my problem with sheet - the one other thing that pushes my brain over the edge and either my fingers or bowing arm decide to stop working !!! LOLOL
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
Regulars
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Nice going Toni. By your facial expressions I can tell that you grasp the feeling of what you are playing. That says a lot by itself. Now a couple of suggestions. 1) bow pressure and distribution. Try using the whole bow for half notes and quarter notes. Obviously with quarter notes you will have to draw the bow a bit faster. Try using the upper half of the bow for the triplets. That is the safest place to change bows and to do fast slurs. Regarding pressure, apply pressure with your index finger from the center to the tip to compensate the lack of weight of the bow. If you are at the frog, use the side of the hairs and draw the bow a bit faster. 2) Intonation, since the piece is in D major and you are playing in 1st position. Intonation issues are fixable if you practice the d major scale a few times before playing the piece. Remember that you have two sharps F sharp and C sharp so you are gonna have to stretch your fingers. Hope this helps.
Juan.
There's nothing better than a cold beer and the warm soothing sound of a violin.
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Juan... Thank you so much. I will take note of all your suggestions. I will be practicing this piece this afternoon with your guidance. Thank you.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Great job, Toni! You're really progressing on this tune.
I'm with Bill on the playing by ear/memory thing. I was once dependent on sheet music myself, but I've seen the light. 
I think eliminating sheet music dependency frees the mind to really internalize and personalize a tune. That might not be appropriate in an orchestra, but it certainly is in fiddling.
Sheet music is a valuable communication medium as it conveys a composer's work so that others may play it, even if they can't hear the composer play it. It's analogous to a novel or an instruction manual, I think. But, with language, we're not completely reliant on the written word, so we shouldn't be with music, either.
Imagine if a friend told you a story or a joke and you wanted to tell it to others. Would you ask your friend to write it down so that you could read it to people? No, you remember it as best you can and when you tell it to others, it might be a little different, but that's OK. And so it is with fiddling, too.
That's my two cents, anyway.
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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Thank you Diane. I hope to play by ear ... I have a few lessons I am going to work on to get more proficient.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
King
Regulars
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KindaScratchy said
Imagine if a friend told you a story or a joke and you wanted to tell it to others. Would you ask your friend to write it down so that you could read it to people? No, you remember it as best you can and when you tell it to others, it might be a little different, but that's OK. And so it is with fiddling, too.
That's my two cents, anyway.
Great analogy, Diane. I like that.
Ken.
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..welll.. I did commit Ashokan to memory. I am not sure if it's much better .... I have a friend coming to work on it with me tonight. Hopefully I can pick up a few tips.
Here is Ashokan 3/2015.. (so far)
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Sweet work - love the double stop ending....
May I do a play-along to your audio ?
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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@BillyG
I'd be honored.
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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Thank you very much Toni ( aka @coolpinkone ) - I shall capture your audio and do a play-along... let me do a bit of improv with your original melody line... give me a day or so (well - it's mid evening here right now - I'll do it first thing tomorrow - and I'll drop your vid and just post the mix as a soundcloud audio... Cool ! Thank you !
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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Heck - one of has drifted out of tune a bit - probably me - had the heating on in here today - can' find my "Snark".... LOL... I'll tune into you one way or the other no problem... stay with me... LOL It's all good...
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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