cynhrossi

Jim Taylor replied 10 months, 4 weeks ago

I’m seriously considering taking up my fiddle journey that I abandoned 2 years ago. I totally get the practice method you laid out. My question is how does everyone deal with your practice when you go on vacation? I’ve tried takin my instrument(s) with me but find it hard to make the wanted/needed practice time away from home. Any thoughts?
- Jocelyn Martens replied 10 months, 3 weeks ago
  
  Jim, glad you shared and inquired. This is a great question.
  I find when I bring my instrument while travelling, I often play less often – though the times I do play, I feel really glad I brought it. When bringing the instrument with me to a different environment and lifestyle, my playing experience is fresh and rich in a different way… my perspective and approach to playing can really transform in a new space and state. I especially like this somewhere in nature, with no service or resources on hand and see what comes up.
  Be great to hear how this works for folks.
  - Rosalie Werback replied 10 months, 3 weeks ago
    
    Good morning–I just started to take fiddle lessons from y’all; for what it’s worth, I’m going to have to travel to visit family and friends in September. I’m a recent widow and I have been neglectful and must go and do this–but enough about me. I do plan to bring my violin. I was actually thinking about this. I plan to “pluck.” It’s not the same, but it’s better than stopping the momentum that I have right now. I haven’t done this yet, but I’ll report back. When I was playing (well, I still do) the tin whistle–it was next to impossible to keep people from jumping out of their skin when I started up. All the best, Rosalie (werbose)
    - Jim Taylor replied 10 months, 3 weeks ago
      
      One thing I forgot to mention was that you could probably use a mute if you are going to take your instrument on “vacation” with you. It will significantly reduce the volume.
      - Rosalie Werback replied 10 months, 3 weeks ago
        
        Ah, that’s right. I am renting a fiddle right now and will be buying one next week and a mute is on my list of stuff I want to go with it. The “practice” mute is a big plastic or rubber thing–impressive! I do live in an apartment building, and I have asked around if I’m driving people nuts, but they seem to have been okay so far (well, I don’t play in the middle of the night…). Best, Rosalie W.

Vera Algoet replied 5 months ago

I’m having a hard time thinking of my fiddle goals as quantifiable. Other than the number of tunes I have memorized, what can I count? I guess the speed of my vibrato? Or the speed of a tune?

How would I measure the quality of my tone? Or the use of double stops? Or my ability to improvise? Or do I just count the amount of time I spend on these things?

Henry replied 11 months, 1 week ago

Jason, it’s good to know that the frustration and sometimes setbacks are part of the continued process. It has beaten me in the past but then there are those breakthrough moments. Your reminders if it’s supposed to be fun definitely help as one of the incentives to not give in to the frustration.

Cheers!
Henry

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