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Discussion Forum - Instruments - Thread
Fiddlegal
Nickie McNichols

Success!

February 9, 2026, 7:43 PM · After watching my teacher play the part of concertmaster a few eves ago, I decided to go for it with my band.
So today, I took the violin to band practice. It isn’t a classical piece, but I played my version (I transposed the key from the key on my sheet music) of Annie’s Song for my bandmates. I did have some bow bounce in one long note, which I thought I had conquered weeks ago.
However, they unanimously said “you’re hired”, so it will be played during our love song set for the next three shows the month.
I’m fairly pumped.

Replies (6)

Thom
Tom Holzman
February 9, 2026, 9:53 PM · Excellent!
ChristianLesniak
Christian Lesniak
February 10, 2026, 1:20 AM · Congrats Nickie! You can keep working on son file exercises to help with bow bounce, and if you want a little extra pepper, you can do a little exercise and then practice right there, or film yourself, or pick up the violin without any warm-up and go right into it - It'll give you a little more adrenaline (something closer to performance conditions).

Work on it enough, and even after you've left the bow bounce in the dust, it'll do your bowing good.

WillWilkin
Will Wilkin
February 10, 2026, 3:46 PM · Nickie it's great to read about your growth as a musician! All your pre-violin musical experience, especially playing regularly with a band, must be strong ground for this new learning. I wish I could find others to play with. Occasionally I play with one or another rock guitarist, just improvising to whatever songs they play. That is good for my ear and for learning to find notes that sound good --the strongest element in my playing those jams is my rhythm. But my "better" playing is always alone in my room, and for the past six months almost always my own music is on the stand. I've been without a teacher since last April, so although I feel I'm growing a lot as a musician (I never composed before July) by learning to think in intervals and reaching high and fast for things I write, I'm sure my technique itself is not improving because nobody is correcting me and I'm concentrating on melodies and other aspects of composition. Nickie, I'll be especially interested when you start writing for violin! Your decades of music will produce unexpected wonders!
kathrynwoodby
Kathryn Woodby
February 11, 2026, 6:06 PM · Oh that's wonderful and so fun!!
Fiddlegal
Nickie McNichols
February 12, 2026, 10:07 AM · Thanks all.
Will, I never intend to compose. I’ve been trying to write a song for years, went to a songwriter class, and still got zip.
I do intend, however, to learn to background accompany singers, soloists, etc.
how hard can it be?
Fiddlegal
Nickie McNichols
Edited: February 13, 2026, 9:21 AM · Okay, well, I played the first verse of the song in our show yesterday. It wasn’t exactly my best work, but it worked….led it right into the singing of the song in G. We received copious applause.
Then we kept them laughing right through the rest of the love song concert.
Next week, I’ll attempt it again.
(Part of my practice routine at home is playing a piece as though I was in a show).
Oh, and Will, is it possible to hear some of your compositions?