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My Reason Behind Pausing My Lessons
I am pausing my viola lessons ...
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (3 votes) 
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Mouse
October 22, 2020 - 7:52 am
Member Since: December 26, 2018
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Okay, I took cello lessons for a while. It got to a point where I really needed to work on all the information and techniques I was taught, so I switched to viola lessons. Now I am able to work on cello, cementing the techniques I was taught. I am doing much better and am working on a song we were actually doing in class, a while before I stopped lessons, that requires a lot of shifting. I love shifting. I am able to do this song much better, and am still working on it. I am working on my shifting, intonation and vibrato with this song. I have not added the vibrato completely. Every once in a while I will add the vibrato, but the shifting and intonation has to be more fluent before I get serious about adding it. I just add it to keep the actual arm and wrist vibrato movements familiar.

I reached the same point in my viola lessons. I need time to absorb and work on everything I was taught before I can move on. That is the way I learn. I had my last viola lesson last week. When I am ready to move on, I can call my instructor and we can start FaceTime lessons once again. 

With lessons, it is pretty much classical music, I am not a fan of classical music. I see where there is so much of the technique in those pieces, so I do not complain about it and give it my best. It, the classical music, makes no sense to me. It is like jazz, as I have said before. I repeat it to explain why after learning the technique, I cannot use classical music to actually fine tune or cement that technique. I cannot do any embellishing or dynamics with it because I cannot feel any of that in a piece of classical music, except for a very few (the one I am using in my solo cello learning and playing). 

I ordered a book for my viola solo learning and playing that has songs, not classical music. I will be taking the techniques I learned in my viola lessons and cementing them with my viola. I can't do this with the classical pieces. It should arrive in a couple days, maybe today. I am pretty excited to get it. I have been using my cello and violin books, but it is not reading the alto,clef, so I wanted actual viola sheet music. I know, there are times when the viola music will venture into treble clef, but been there in my lessons, but I wanted to keep the alto clef fluent. 

So, if you feel information overload, but have not reached your goal, maybe you need a "time out" from lessons to let all the information soak in and become second nature. Maybe talking to you instructor about pausing lessons and working on what you have learned is right for you, too. 

Talk to your instructor and see if you can restart when you feel comfortable adding more. You may not be able to get the same time slot. If you won't be able to restart, then examine your need to pause and see if adding more information will do more harm than good.

Now, I know this will be controversial for many die-hard violinist;violists/cellists, but not everyone learns at the same speed, learns with the same method, or has the same goals. I am a senior citizen, I am doing this for my own benefit, my own enjoyment and my own self-fulfillment. Just going through the paces and working on pieces until they are good enough, and then moving on does not help me be able to do those things learned smoothly. It just adds to what I have issues with and cannot work on to reach the quality and comfort I want in playing, because we keep moving on. I need to go up that hill more slowly, and stop to rest along the way. If I do not do that, the hill becomes a mountain.

I know this goes against the grain for many, so this post is not being made to start a debate about this or for comments that if I do this, it means my instructor was not not very good. This is just the way I learn. I need time to absorb and put into practice what I learned before I move on. I am just providing another method for learning for those who have reached a point where they are feeling, "Info overload", but maybe have not reached a point where they will never need a lesson to reach their goal.

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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Gordon Shumway
London, England
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October 22, 2020 - 8:14 am
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How often did you have lessons? Maybe it was too often.

I remember when I quit school to go to university, my oboe teacher said that adults tend only to need monthly lessons.

I've had something like 14 violin lessons in 2 years.

Andrew

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Mouse
October 22, 2020 - 8:25 am
Member Since: December 26, 2018
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Every week. That is the way you get them here. You reserve a month of time at a time. We are not a big area. Also, even monthly would be too often for my needs. I cannot keep adding on when I am not satisfied with what I was already taught. I feel buried and just can't do it. It was like that when I was only taking cello, also, so it is not because I am doing more than one instrument.

I am not after performance ability. I just want to enjoy it more and get more satisfaction from them. Like I said, if someone is after more, this is probably not for them. But if ypu just want to enjoy playing for yourself, this seems to work for me. A big weight has been lifted off cello, and off viola. I don't think everyone is after classical playing, not everyone is after performing, not everyone is a young student just starting out. Just another avenue to explore. Basically getting lessons when I am ready.

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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ELCBK
USA
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October 22, 2020 - 8:55 am
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Hey Mouse! 

I don't even see why you need to explain.

I see it like you learned what you needed, for now - now you can play some of what you like.  Nothing wrong with that. 

You've had a lot on your plate, learning 3 instruments with music written in 3 different clefs!

Glad you have the option of picking your lessons back up when you are ready.

 

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/07/25/00/38/quartet-2536555_960_720.png

- Emily

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Mouse
October 22, 2020 - 8:59 am
Member Since: December 26, 2018
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I just like to give people options,,or get them thinking about options. Often knowing why someone does something, makes it clearer that it might help you, or maybe a different version of someone's alternative method might be for someone else. 

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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Ilona
Finland
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October 23, 2020 - 4:41 am
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Yes, we all are different learners. What is right method for one, does not suit for another. And it’s ok!
I know I’m learning fast and I could never imagine not having my weekly lessons. But it’s just me! I’m probably just that die-hard cellist! 😂

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
October 23, 2020 - 8:27 am
Member Since: March 22, 2014
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Absolutely nothing wrong with that @Mouse!

We all make progress in our own way - and if taking a break from the regular demands of lessons makes sense, of course, do it!

I've never taken lessons - but - I equate what you say with the types of "plateau" some folks feel they reach.  I've certainly experienced that.  Early on, my bow was ALL OVER THE PLACE, and I stepped back from trying new stuff and consolidating what I already knew, and could, to some extent, play.  I probably took what I would say was close to two weeks just working with the bow, reading, watching and sometimes actually learning from various videos, and tips from Fiddlerman on this site.  Finally, I had that bow under control. It was a matter of "I knew what I wanted to do" but the motor mechanisms in my right arm and hand just wouldn't interpret my wishes cleanly LOLOL !   There have been, ohhh, 3 other occasions where I simply stepped back for a few days and bought new techniques into play rather than getting repeatedly irritated with myself !!!

Make the most of your time-out from lessons - I'm sure it will reward you!

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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Mouse
October 23, 2020 - 8:38 am
Member Since: December 26, 2018
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Exactly, BillyG. A lot of the cello that I am revisiting and taking apart to relearn is much better now. I did notice it in my viola yesterday. I felt a lot of pressure with the lessons to get the lesson material as good as I could by the the next lesson. It was rush rush rush and not being able to actually pay attention to the mechanics, how it feels, how it should sound, etc. The lessons themselves were becoming mechanical, not learning.

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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stringy
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October 23, 2020 - 4:31 pm
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I

Mouse said
Okay, I took cello lessons for a while. It got to a point where I really needed to work on all the information and techniques I was taught, so I switched to viola lessons. Now I am able to work on cello, cementing the techniques I was taught. I am doing much better and am working on a song we were actually doing in class, a while before I stopped lessons, that requires a lot of shifting. I love shifting. I am able to do this song much better, and am still working on it. I am working on my shifting, intonation and vibrato with this song. I have not added the vibrato completely. Every once in a while I will add the vibrato, but the shifting and intonation has to be more fluent before I get serious about adding it. I just add it to keep the actual arm and wrist vibrato movements familiar.

I reached the same point in my viola lessons. I need time to absorb and work on everything I was taught before I can move on. That is the way I learn. I had my last viola lesson last week. When I am ready to move on, I can call my instructor and we can start FaceTime lessons once again. 

With lessons, it is pretty much classical music, I am not a fan of classical music. I see where there is so much of the technique in those pieces, so I do not complain about it and give it my best. It, the classical music, makes no sense to me. It is like jazz, as I have said before. I repeat it to explain why after learning the technique, I cannot use classical music to actually fine tune or cement that technique. I cannot do any embellishing or dynamics with it because I cannot feel any of that in a piece of classical music, except for a very few (the one I am using in my solo cello learning and playing). 

I ordered a book for my viola solo learning and playing that has songs, not classical music. I will be taking the techniques I learned in my viola lessons and cementing them with my viola. I can't do this with the classical pieces. It should arrive in a couple days, maybe today. I am pretty excited to get it. I have been using my cello and violin books, but it is not reading the alto,clef, so I wanted actual viola sheet music. I know, there are times when the viola music will venture into treble clef, but been there in my lessons, but I wanted to keep the alto clef fluent. 

So, if you feel information overload, but have not reached your goal, maybe you need a "time out" from lessons to let all the information soak in and become second nature. Maybe talking to you instructor about pausing lessons and working on what you have learned is right for you, too. 

Talk to your instructor and see if you can restart when you feel comfortable adding more. You may not be able to get the same time slot. If you won't be able to restart, then examine your need to pause and see if adding more information will do more harm than good.

Now, I know this will be controversial for many die-hard violinist;violists/cellists, but not everyone learns at the same speed, learns with the same method, or has the same goals. I am a senior citizen, I am doing this for my own benefit, my own enjoyment and my own self-fulfillment. Just going through the paces and working on pieces until they are good enough, and then moving on does not help me be able to do those things learned smoothly. It just adds to what I have issues with and cannot work on to reach the quality and comfort I want in playing, because we keep moving on. I need to go up that hill more slowly, and stop to rest along the way. If I do not do that, the hill becomes a mountain.

I know this goes against the grain for many, so this post is not being made to start a debate about this or for comments that if I do this, it means my instructor was not not very good. This is just the way I learn. I need time to absorb and put into practice what I learned before I move on. I am just providing another method for learning for those who have reached a point where they are feeling, "Info overload", but maybe have not reached a point where they will never need a lesson to reach their goal.

  

 Dont have a teacher, its a luxury i cant afford, even if there were any teachers where I live. I taught myself to read music in order to u derstand violin instruction books. One and a half years self taught, been really difficult, but I have been helped by the fact i am what you would class an advanced guitarist,  so I didn't have to gain dexterity in my left hand  to start with.  I am working through wohlfhart etudes in third position at the moment which are very taxing Even though its a beginners book, I am building on my vibrato and intonation by playing scales, arpeggios, dominant seventh,  scales in fifths, and I also have learned to sing scales,  which I was told to do by the soloist Eugen Modri, my problem isn't overload its cramp,  which i get in my left hand as I generally practice around 3 hours a day

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Mouse
October 23, 2020 - 4:45 pm
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This is neat reading everyone's methods.

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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ABitRusty
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October 25, 2020 - 1:15 am
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1 or 2 lessons a month seem best for me.   Those may be spread out and not always every ither week..its been since August I believe for my last visit.  I pay a higher per lesson cost since I dont do weekly lessons but I feel I get more for my time this way.  those are 1hr time slots but usually run longer since they are most often the last lesson of the day for the instructor.  when Im ready for one Ill send a text and whenver a cancelation or opening comes up thats what Ill get.   kinda random but still helpful for me.  group classes were less expensive and alot of fun..but those stopped back in April or about tge time all the shutdowns started.  

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Mouse
October 25, 2020 - 7:57 am
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@ABitRusty That is a good,way. Take cancellations when one comes up when you are ready for another lesson. But, I am wondering, what do you do? Do you just call when you are working on a song or scale or technique your need help,with? I ask because it won't be like you are working on a regular weekly class piece.. 

The Bumblebee Flies!

Please ignore any typos. My typing ability on a real typewriter did not transfer to these device key pads.

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ABitRusty
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October 25, 2020 - 10:02 am
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 i edited early post..misunderstood question

since the covid thing ive just went for new tunes or to keep in the practice of going. before there was more of an objective that went with the group class

even the group class wasnt every week maybe twice a month..but it would be around 1.5 to 2hrs and would focus on several tunes.  it had an objective to get everyone up to speed together for a spring and fall small performance thing ..very informal..for family/friends which also included the banjer/geetar/mando students.  the group class was fiddle only though.  without a group focus now....my lessons have just been on things Ive wondered about or new tune versions she may have 

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