Back again

March 18, 2006 at 4:26 AM

Hello!

After my last entry, bowing caused increasing pain in my broken shoulder, and I found out the action was causing the plate in my shoulder to rub against the main nerve bundle. So I had to give up the violin altogether. I was too heartbroken to write about it.

I still may have to have surgery. However, I've been working hard to rehabilitate the shoulder, and it has improved quite a bit. So it's back to the violin for me.

This time, I want to work by myself for awhile before I bring a teacher in. If I can get to the point where I can work for half an hour without pain or injury, then I'll arrange to take lessons again. It's too frustrating for me and the teacher otherwise.

So, if anyone has any suggestions about self-learning, I'd love to learn them.

Also, I'm getting a Yamaha SV-200 for an anniversary present, so I can practice without disturbing the neighborhood. Any advice around electric violins would be welcome, too.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on March 18, 2006 at 7:57 AM

I know you don't want to hear this, but get a teacher. I teach beginners, including adult beginners, and they often have shoulder problems before they start to play violin. One of my tasks is to help them learn to play the violin as well as possible without increasing their pain or exacerbating their injury. People with perfectly healthy bodies need a teacher to watch them and make corrections as necessary. The need is even even more critical when you have a bodily weakness to take care of. Be good to yourself; get a teacher.

From Jesus Contreras Espada
Posted on March 18, 2006 at 10:01 AM

whatever you do I wish you a very fast recovery and I hope that you can play very soon as many hours as you want.

From Carley Anderson
Posted on March 18, 2006 at 12:13 PM

See what Pauline said? I second every word of it. :) It's really true. Search the site for testimonies of people who tried it without teachers and had to re-learn lots of things...anyway, best wishes for your violin learning!

From William Yap
Posted on March 18, 2006 at 12:51 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your shoulder and I hope you'll have a speedy recovery.

I bought a Yamaha SV200 on my last birthday for the same reason. To tell the truth, it is sitting at the table collecting dust most of the time (although I did get to practice with it until 3am last night!). It's just not the same. It respond easier than an acoustic violin. So it becomes harder when you switch back to acoustic violin. It's great for learning fingerings, notes and bowing without having your neighbour listening to your 143 repeats of a short phrase. Though, you can't work on your tone quality with it.

On the fun side, you can get Yamaha MagicStomp and play the SV with different sounds (even create your own sounds)... something as simple as adding reverb could make it enjoyable to play, like playing in a massive concert hall.

Back to the injury, I've injured my back and I can no longer play the violin standing without feeling enormous pain in my lower back. So in a way, I know how you feel. Hope you get to play the violin again.

From deborah mitchell
Posted on March 18, 2006 at 3:19 PM

Ah, I just knew you'd say that, Pauline, so I wrote some email to Dennie, my teacher, right after I posted and let her know I'm getting ready to try again.

We are looking at scheduling now. It may be a couple of weeks to a month before we can start working together again, though.

From deborah mitchell
Posted on March 18, 2006 at 3:24 PM

William,

The Stomp sounds like fun. I was reluctant, really, to go to an electric violin. But right now my only time to practice is at night, and our neighbors are only 15 feet from my window. My teacher prefers I don't practice with a mute, so...

best,
debby

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on March 18, 2006 at 7:18 PM

I'm glad you're starting lessons again. I hope you stay healthy and have fun.

From John Chew
Posted on March 19, 2006 at 8:26 AM

Stay healthy, and don't give up playing the violin!

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