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@Gordon Shumway -
How do you help keep your Kids/Grandkids from getting bored and frustrated nowadays (covid)?
I'm sorry if I gave the impression that anything is forced upon mine.
The Grandkids are encouraged to sing & dance and they all explore different instruments appropriate for their abilities and interests (they also share) - learning about music and other subjects, in different ways and from each other, too.
All activities are educational in some way - don't think it hurts learning how things are related, like Math, Music and Time.
Some of my recent posts are motivated by what my 5 year old Grandson said at Christmas. He was staring at the wrapped gifts under the tree, with his siblings, when I asked him what he thought might be in there for him. Frankly, his answer shocked me (and he was sooo excited), with big eyes he replied, "a Math puzzle?" ...he's also one of the Kids interested in the violin.
...kinda wasted my money on Cargo Airplanes and Helicopters this year. (lol)
- Emily
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Just found a couple of great YouTube Channels with short music lessons for Preschoolers/Kindergarten!
"Music with Meg" - beginning violin, music theory, singing, music history for young children!
"Kids Imagination Nation" - songs, dance, intro to musical instruments, exercise, cooking, intro to languages, etc... for Preschoolers!
"Join The Orchestra" - beginner tutorials for violin, cello, clarinet, trumpet, sax, flute, and ukulele, for young children!
Join The Orchestra - Playlists
- Emily
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Had Kevin drop off a couple music activity books to the Grandkids last evening.
BIG HIT!
Locke (5 yr old) grabbed them & started right in - asking Kevin all sorts of questions (he couldn't answer 🤣)! Luckily, since Locke's Dad wasn't there at the moment to help, Kevin answered Locke's questions with a few leading questions - which helped Locke come up with answers on his own.
...think I should've made copies of some pages to send over, instead of the whole book!
Now, I have to buy at least another one for the rest of the Kids (you'd think I'd learn by now). 🙄
I have one more on the way that the Kids haven't seen, yet.
Think I might have found a Local luthier to check the soundpost on the used ½ size violin Kevin found AND, possibly a teacher! Waiting for a response - pretty exciting!
- Emily
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Since the beginning of my quest to involve my Grandkids in music, I saw a great trend toward using COLOR to help.
Many Kids' toy instruments involve using color-coded stickers - one color for each note in an octave. Some instruments, that play only 1 note each, are color-coded the same colors. This allows children to learn different instruments easier - the common theme being pitch.
I've seen a similar trend for beginner violinists, but only the strings are colored... or I should say the tapes under the length of the strings are colored.
This is NOT finger position color tapes, but more for learning to read notes!
Here's one example.
Here's another, similar type of tutorial, that Eva Alexandrian uses - a beautiful tune (India Film music).
These are GREAT ways to help Kids learn to play the violin!
...just make sure your child or grandchildren are NOT colorblind!!! 😳
- Emily
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💖 EUREKA! 💖
Found another GREAT set of downloadable books and videos for beginner students, up to intermediate/advanced.
SEPARATE SERIES FOR VIOLIN AND VIOLA - NOT JUST FOR KIDS!
@JohnG , @Mouse -
You might find these, clearly defined, series worth checking out!
@SharonC -
There's some beautiful VIOLIN Duets in the 1B series, but you may be more interested the Intermediate Duets in Series 2, plus the TRIOS. There's also Piano accompaniment available.
The series are from Lauri Hämäläinen (in Finnish, Swedish & ENGLISH), and includes some traditional music and great arrangements for Duets & TRIOS!
This is the first time I've seen anything for young (and adult) VIOLISTS (all available for violinists, too)! 🤗
Viola Friends 1A Video Playlist - Beginner with Intro
Viola Friends 1B Video Playlist with Intro
More advanced:
Viola Friends 2 Video Playlist - Intermediate with Inro
">Eight Miniature Chamber Pieces For 3 Violas Playlist
SAME IS AVAILABLE FOR VIOLIN!
Violin Friends 1A Video Playlist - Beginner with Intro
Violin Friends 1B Video Playlist with Intro
More advanced:
Violin Friends 2 Video Playlist - Intermediate
Violin Friends Trios - 8 Mini Chamber Pieces Playlist
Play-along backing track videos for violin and viola by Violin Friends will help you to learn play violin and viola easily from home. All the music of the videos can be found in the violin and viola books for beginner students.
Violin Friends is a colorful series for beginner violin and viola players that offers a great variety of music in the same music book. Scales, warm-up exercises, duos, trios, technical exercises, etudes, classical repertoire, folk music and easy concertinos and concertos (arranged also for the viola).
In the violin books and viola books you will find great repertoire by Wohlfart, Vivaldi, Yanshinov, Purcell, Kalivoda, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Handel, Bach, Komarovsky, Strauss, Paganini, Mozart, Trott, Carse, Spiess, folk music, traditional children's tunes, Küchler, Gossec, Glnka, Baklanova, Sevcik, Mazas, Rieding and Seitz.
The links I have shared show the lessons in each series.
Available in several languages, for Kindle or hard copies thru Amazon!
I'm VERY impressed and see much I'd like to learn (love some of those pieces in minor keys!
- Emily
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@ELCBK GREAT FIND. These are a treasure. Thank you.
Bob in Lone Oak, Texas
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@ELCBK I recognize a lot of these—seems like a good resource.
Under 1B violin, I remember specifically doing The Puppet Show by J Trott – has left-hand pizzicato (+ marks) – at the time, I was very frustrated by it.
The More Advanced violin link has many student concertos (Kuchler, Rieding, Seitz, etc.,) – a good beginning for working on the longer pieces.
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
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@SharonC -
I have to admit I was attracted to some of the traditional Nordic pieces, haven't explored them all, but thought a really nice source for VIOLA & trios.
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ELCBK said
Anyone dealt with toddlers and preschoolers and a 1/2 size violin?It's one thing to let my Grandkids run my bow over my "tank of a violin" (I think Fiddlerman calls the 5-string Glasser AEX) - or pluck it's strings, but I've seen some pretty little kids with tiny violins in videos!
This all started with my BH finding a 1/2 size violin at a second hand store. It is in what appears to be good condition.
Bought some Fiddlerman strings (not installed yet) and a Fiddlerman Carbon composite bow (thanks to the savings recently offered) - but I don't just want to throw it at the Grandkids!
This teeny, tiny, (did I mention little?) delicate wooden instrument has me almost scared to touch it! Maybe it's just TOO cute - I'll just have to get over it (lol).
I'm about ready to say "here, see if you can make a noise".
ANY advice would be greatly appreciated!
BTW, my daughter home schools - kinda puts a little pressure on me to help see they get exposed to the arts. Both of us have shown them videos of performances and videos of music theory for kids - as well as numerous toy instruments they play with.
- Emily
I gather you are interested in capturing their interest in playing the violin.
I'm terrible at teaching extremely young violinists but not bad at influencing them. My best advice to influence young people to play the violin is to expose them to a lot of cool violin music of different sorts. Not just classical, country, old time, bluegrass, or what have you, but multiple genres until you notice what they seem to like. Then you play a lot of that genre on your preferred media device so that they couldn't imagine not learning to play such a rich, popular, fulfilling instrument. 😁
Lots of young girls like to watch Lindsay Stirling for example.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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@Fiddlerman -
THANK YOU!
Been doing just that very thing - provided music of ALL styles from cds for the last few years! This Forum & members are responsible for motivating me in this direction!
Been also giving the Kids simple music making stuff, but just gave my 2nd oldest Granddaughter a carbon composite Ukulele for her Birthday (8) - shaped like a guitar, because she admires her Father's guitar playing. Shes LOVES it - and in just ONE DAY she's playing Happy Birthday! ...all on 1 note. 😁
AND, I wish there was a VIOLIN version of this interactive story/learning book for ukulele!
Youngest Granddaughter plays around on piano & harmonic, while oldest likes her ocarina best.
Still have my hopes up for 2 of the boys - VERY interested in my violin!
...2 others, not sure where they'll end up, but they bang on stuff & dance to music - a good sign. 🤣
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Perfect. That's the best thing you can do.
Sometimes interest blooms at a later age. The constant playing of that music is still doing something. It sits inside their heads and whether you know it or not, it's helping them develop.
I started playing at the age of 12 but did not really have much interest until I was like 16. Competitions, positive attention, the development of music inside me greatly affected my future.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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