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March 2005

March 31, 2005 22:17

Setting up strings:

I put a set of Pisastro(sp?) on my ZSM and am trying to play it for practice with only a fine tuner on the E string, which quite an adventure. The strings seem soft and spongy...

I'm very dissapointed that the violin shop has not glued the parchment to the bridge on my romanov (main practice violin) as it should have come with a tube or parchment and started to cut into my bridge. Even though it was a "warranty repair", it is still not complete after 5-6 days and I have a lesson tomorrow.

I spoke to the luthier this afternoon and he thinks he'll have it ready tomorrow.

I hope so.


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March 30, 2005 06:05

The Metronome is evil and crafty:

So after several days and hours of practice, I finally started to get the upper hand on the dreaded metronome.

Unfortunately, once I started getting the upper hand, he called in re-inforcements and made an alliance with my bow, which is sliding up and down the string a bit, thus proving that nothing is ever perfect.

I went to Duckworth Violins in New Braunfels. It's a great shop with a very personable owner (Bryan Duckworth). Talk about a Luthier/Shop owner with a passion for his trade. He opened his shop on Monday just for me and showed me all kinds of intersting stuff. Including an old violin made of plywood with a fork for a tail piece and bridge make of two spliced bridges in the shape of "T". I guess briges fall easily on a flat top piece. I picked up a well worn Czech Strad copy to leave at work and take on planes and a an 80 year old American made violin that is sealed with no real varnish color.

I found my Nicholas Lupot Copy has some open seams (two) and I'm debating whether I should try and re-glue the seams myself with hide glue or take it into the shop. Fortunately one seam appears to be under the Chin rest clamp.

Jason

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March 27, 2005 11:12

The Metronome is evil!

Sometimes when it rains, it pours. I went to my lesson on Friday and really felt good about the weeks practice.

During practice after some ear training and bow correction. We started to review the excercises. I focused more on the music like riffs than the finger excerscises and it was obvious right away.

Then we brought out the dreaded Metronome! At speed 70, I choked and choked and choked. I practiced with the Metronome early in the week but just a few times and it went well, so I moved away from it.

I will practice all the time with a metronome! I will master this beast!

Also during my practice sesion, my instructor astutely noticed that the E string did not have a plastic tube on it and was cutting into the bridge. Thus now both my playing violins are in the shop. The Bill Townsend getting Knilling Pefection Pegs installed and the Romanov getting a piece of parchment put under the strings.

I went on another failed adventure. Decided to try and tune and play my ZSM. While tightening up the Eing. It broke!

Fate is cruel sometimes ;)

I'm going to put a new set of strings on it today. Maybe a little Easter luck will kick in.

Jason

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March 26, 2005 06:27

Practice:

I greatly enjoy practice. I literally practice every day when I first wake up, before going to work and at night before going to sleep.

Fortunately, my wife is working on her MBA so her nights are pretty much taken up with school work and studying. Which might make her resent my practice time a bit.

With the current situation, she appreciates that I've found something to do as she needs to concentrate.

I practice in the method book that my instructor teaches in. The ABC's the Violin. It seems to be a pretty good book and I've enjoyed working through it. I usually begin with long bows and parking the bow. I end with tuning my violin.

I find it a little difficult to focus on the fingering excercises like C# to D over and over again. And had whole rests. I can more really dive into riffs that sould like music, but I perserve. Week by week I learn a little more. Usually about 2 or 3 lessin in the book. I'm currently on lesson 13, walking the fingers.

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March 26, 2005 06:18

Well, I figured I try this out. I've never participated in a blog before.

A little background: I'm newly addicting to the violin, both playing and owning. I've been playing for about 8 weeks and been taking lessons for that period, I've had a few lessons about 6. I take one lesson a week, but have taken a few trips both business and vacation.

I own currenlty 8 violins:

1. Romanov from Violins Etc... which is my main practice Violin.

2. A Strad Hellier inspired Violin made by Bill Townsend #100 made in 2004 which I intend to be my main playing violin.

3. An old fiddle, in the russian style with no purfling, no raised edges on the face or sides it's totally flush, and a beautiful Yellow color, made by JB Clopton of Elgin, TX in 1903. Which I feel the most Connected with.

4. A new Bird's Eye Violin made by Zhang Shu Mei (so I'm told).

5. A dark colored violin made by LF Wiley in 1907.

6. A Yamaha EV-204 solid body Electric.

7. An aged amber violin labelled Nicholas Lupot 1811. This one is a copy, but very old have several repairs.

8. A fiddle by LS Ross in 1927, whom I'm hoping is the grandson of the Texas Govenor LS Ross.)

I've purchased about 20 books on the violin, its structure, mechanics, some fiddle, irish fiddle, classical playing and history.

I'm amazed at how much I've been sucked in. At 34, I really feel like I missed the boat.

Jason

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More entries: April 2005 •