New Project - Fiddle lessons
Today I attended my very first fiddle lesson at the Fiddle and Bow Music Company. I was so excited to bring my violin to work and then to spend my lunch learning something new. And even hours after the lesson I am still excited. I made notes on my first day!
It's my understanding that many classical teachers won't allow you to even take your instrument out the early. They make you wait to actually play the instrument. But my instructor believes in doing it the way lessons have been taught since the beginning of music lessons. You learn to play on the first day. Although you can't say I was playing Well.
The first half of my first instruction was spent on the proper bow holding technique. Then I learned the proper bow movement technique. Then I learned how to hold the violin. And lastly, I learned how to draw the bow across the strings to make a sound. I have a lot of work to do practicing my posture and holding techniques. I have a tendency, like many, to press the bow down too hard and I'm not very coordinated in my wrist, but those are things to practice and improve upon.
The funny part of my lessons was my instructor's opinion of the strings that were supplied with my violin. I suppose those are the strings that came with it as I have never changed them and to my knowledge is is practically brand new and never used. He said, "if you can figure out how to get a good tone out of those strings, you can play on Anything!" And later "I may give you another set of strings, because if I have to listen to you..." Then he shook his head. But surprisingly, my super cheap little violin is capable of producing good sound aside from those "beastly" strings. So I am looking forward to practicing my heart out the next two weeks trying to produce a good sound.
My instructor thinks I can pick this instrument up and do well since I've had so much dance, and music in my background. And now that I've had my first lesson, I think I can do well if I make the time to practice. Now I just need to work hard. I have several exercises assigned for my homework and so plenty to keep me challenged until my next lesson.
It's my understanding that many classical teachers won't allow you to even take your instrument out the early. They make you wait to actually play the instrument. But my instructor believes in doing it the way lessons have been taught since the beginning of music lessons. You learn to play on the first day. Although you can't say I was playing Well.
The first half of my first instruction was spent on the proper bow holding technique. Then I learned the proper bow movement technique. Then I learned how to hold the violin. And lastly, I learned how to draw the bow across the strings to make a sound. I have a lot of work to do practicing my posture and holding techniques. I have a tendency, like many, to press the bow down too hard and I'm not very coordinated in my wrist, but those are things to practice and improve upon.
The funny part of my lessons was my instructor's opinion of the strings that were supplied with my violin. I suppose those are the strings that came with it as I have never changed them and to my knowledge is is practically brand new and never used. He said, "if you can figure out how to get a good tone out of those strings, you can play on Anything!" And later "I may give you another set of strings, because if I have to listen to you..." Then he shook his head. But surprisingly, my super cheap little violin is capable of producing good sound aside from those "beastly" strings. So I am looking forward to practicing my heart out the next two weeks trying to produce a good sound.
My instructor thinks I can pick this instrument up and do well since I've had so much dance, and music in my background. And now that I've had my first lesson, I think I can do well if I make the time to practice. Now I just need to work hard. I have several exercises assigned for my homework and so plenty to keep me challenged until my next lesson.
2 comments:
That is very exciting. I'm glad you are getting this chance to learn a neat instrument. Do you think you will focus more on a classical approach or in a fiddle type approach...or is it just too soon to say?
I'm focusing on Celtic fiddle. After that, Gypsy. I'll look at classical violin after I'm satisfied with fiddle styles.
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