got complimented on my hole

VimFuego

and my fingering (my first finger was one of the best she'd seen, in a beginner) by a rather nice, middle class lady whose father had been 1st violin for the philharmonic, yesterday.

My violin teacher decided yesterday we should try fingering some notes in the 1st position. This was one of the things I was really dreading as you don't have any magick bits of metal that make the note good for you like you do on a guitar, nor any of them really cool black and white oblongs to make the note for you like on a piano. No, you have to just "know" where the note is and use your ears to get it right. Seems like crazy talk to me, but apparently it's been like this for hundreds of years, so what do I know.

Anyways, was really pleased when she said my hand position was really good (I had a nicely formed hole between the neck of the violin and my hand) and that made it so much easier on getting the notes spot on, which was actually easier than I thought it would be. Small progress, but progress. She said I was making really good progress (though she did scold me when I let slip that I'd be practising using the bow, she's only taught me picsa, picso, using your fingers to pluck the strings), so the 6 hours a day practise is really paying off. Shame you can't pay the bills with violin practise, but I hear the homeless shelters are really nice this time of year...

randomhandclaps

I've always admired both your hole and your fingering.

Good going though.

VimFuego

I think you can get away with a sub standard hole, but there's no hiding place for bad fingering.

randomhandclaps

I think it's actually quite an impressive adaptation to go from not just the 'no frets' but also the smaller 'fretting' space plus the new hand angle.

Sambostar

So you stuck your finger in her hole?  What hole are we talking about here?  Scampi and Lemon or Brown sauce?

VimFuego

I was a bit concerned about the narrow fingerboard but so far it's not proving a huge problem. I don't have massive sausage fingers and I've seen people play really well who have much fatter fingers than me (though my teachers fingers are tiny, she's like 2 foot tall and about 18 pounds dripping wet). One of the things I find is you need to put a lot less pressure to make the note, so you don't get the fingertip spreading out like I do on the guitar.

frankus

that there is a barry white song

Sambostar

I had a go on a violin once.  Surprisingly easy.  If you have a strong vibrato technique and play hard by ear, it's quite easy to transfer your skills over to the violin and even tune them in very quickly.  Playing well is probably another matter.  I'd love a fiddle though.

18 stone you say?

holnrew

VimFuego said:

(though my teachers fingers are tiny, she's like 2 foot tall and about 18 pounds dripping wet). 

Any woman would be with good fingering.

randomhandclaps

Why was she dripping wet?

Paul_C

VimFuego said:

My violin teacher decided yesterday we should try fingering some notes in the 1st position. This was one of the things I was really dreading as you don't have any magick bits of metal that make the note good for you like you do on a guitar

VimFuego

heh, I was wondering if anyone had ever put frets on a fiddle.

Paul_C

it was a viola, and a pig of a job, but it worked and the owner was delighted, so I guess it was worth it

Phil_aka_Pip

viols have frets. try one

randomhandclaps

VimFuego said:

heh, I was wondering if anyone had ever put frets on a fiddle.

On a fiddle?  Do mean like claimed them on their taxes or something?