Violin sound.

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Raymond; yes it's a lovely violin and the one I prefer over my more expensive 1880 German violin even though the German violin is fitted with a Fishman Piezo pickup;

https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/strings/electric_strings/yev-104/index.html

My wonderful wife bought me both violins; this Yamaha coupled to my Yamaha THR 10 make a truly delightful combination;

I had lots of difficulties setting up the amp because of my lack of musical knowledge but little by little I've found a nice balance that works for me; I also have a larger Laney amp but I prefer using the Yamaha amp.

I've been trying to sight read violin scores and at first thought I wasn't getting anywhere but suddenly it's starting to fall into place; yesterday I was practicing Amazing Grace Judy Collins score and it was starting to make sense and I was feeling more comfortable which shows practice is the key; far from perfect and I need to practice "slurs" but if I try too hard attempting everything at once I'm sure to fail so I keep nibbling away and making slow but steady progress; just playing the violins is highly therapeutic and I'm making some nice sounds; I'm also noticing bow pressure; my playing is rather abrupt; heavy and sounds somewhat fierce for want of a better description with poor string changes but I'm noticing slight improvements each time I practice. The heat's on in the studio so I'll wander in for an hour.


If you visited us Raymond you'd be welcome to a cookie or even lump of delicious cherry cake; I've just enjoyed a mug of tea and oaty cookie so I'm fully charged and for a change don't expect interruptions this morning.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[rob aylestone]

I found this YouTube video - I didn't even know thee existed.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks for adding the interesting video rob; my wife and I have watched lots of Electric Violin Shop videos; I was rather disappointed though because the shops top selling Yamaha YEV-104 wasn't featured it being one of the violins I own; 7 string violins; what next.

I've started to record again in the studio this morning recording Amazing Grace which in parts doesn't sound too bad but I'll keep practicing and hopefully be able to post a result in the near future. I keep recording then deleting and starting over.

For 16 months I really suffered trying to play Lara's Theme; it was unbelievable the many and varied interruptions I suffered at one point I felt like screaming so for the time being having had no peace at all I've switched to Amazing Grace and have made more positive progress in the last couple of months than all the 16 months with Lara's Theme also now I'm improving with sight reading; Amazing Grace has Slurs so I've been backtracking wanting to understand how to play these; it's all so interesting and coming together slowly.

I've just put the heating on again in the studio and will enjoy an hour in there shortly when the studio warms up.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[rob aylestone]

Colin - never work on just one piece because you will start to play from brain instead of the music. Always best to have at least two, preferably three on the go at the same time. Spend half an hour on one, then do the next one, and so on. Another tip is to break the piece up into sections. In printed music They do this with different start and end bar lines. The song I took this page from is about 5 pages long, but this page has a thicker line at the start and end - than a thinner one, and two little dots - repeat dots. So when you play this page, you get to the bottom, and go back to the top. The second time through, you turn the page. So with your Amazing grace - add in your own thicker marks for the verse. This song doesn't really have a chorus - so is just lots of verses. This song has 16 bars - so does Amazing Grace. Four flats - so it's in the key of Ab Major. The top line makes sense - but notice how the piano part is split into right and left hands - the left hand is really the bass part, and many of the right hand chords, fall off the bottom of the treble clef stave - they're low. They should be down on the bass clef line - but that would look messy, so they write them differently to what you might expect - just to make it easier, by being harder to read - that's really strange isn't it?

Find your next song now - and introduce it for when you get a bit bored with the other. It really will help.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks rob; I believe it was you in an earlier post suggested I don't concentrate on just Lara's Theme which at the time I was obsessed with learning and I took notice of your kind advice; I'm currently leaning towards Amazing Grace as my main piece to learn but also I'm practicing from book pages; Lara's theme; scales and just making nice sounds for the sheer fun of it; however last night I downloaded a free version of Hallelujah which looks very interesting indeed seen below;

Thanks also for taking the time and trouble to explain the start & end thicker lines also the dots; I keep learning so much at once from you; the piano sections of the scores I've ignored already having more than enough to learn with just the violin scores in fact having the piano notes on the same page often throws me as I change from one violin line to another; it's only a small point but for a novice noticeable.

Further the point you make about playing from the music score and not doing it so many times it starts to come from the head than the actual score I have noticed this a bit but I need the score because my short term memory is very poor indeed; I can play a line a dozen times then next session simply can't remember the notes it all adds to the fun though; I'd love to play Lara's Theme and Amazing Grace from memory but it's highly unlikely to happen unless I put in endless hours of practice until I play like a robot; I enjoyed three practice sessions yesterday and by recording then playing back I can notice the differences; what I thought was a slur playing Amazing Grace I believe it means play gently which I'm doing also I'm now practicing playing three notes on one bow stroke; difficult at first head not keeping up with fingers but I've only just started doing this so will quickly learn over the next few sessions; I've also isolated the three notes which are often repeated playing these over and over to get the feel of them.

The score you kindly added is this The Carpenters? The three small boxes above the top lines are new to me unless they've been there and I'm now noticing a lot more.

Yes strange indeed but as a novice I find lots that are so strange to me but with kind help from you and Raymond I'm making progress even if it is very slow; FACE and Every Good Boy etc. now even make sense to me; little by little I'm learning and now I'm noticing more I'll beg your indulgence because I have questions regarding the scores so will copy a score line at a time requesting explanation in fact I don't understand the opening section of the Hallelujah score shown above; normally I'd try to help myself through research but everything takes so much time.

My wife and I have a large detached bungalow in it's own gardens these demanding lots of yearly maintenance; yesterday afternoon in a bitterly cold breeze I was halfway up the rear garden digging out tree roots; I removed smaller roots but used the petrol chain saw to cut through one of the very thick roots and next session up there I'll have to use an hydraulic jack to get this root out; I've also rotavated the top meadow with the middle meadow still to rotavate and I'm creating a special smaller wildflower meadow to the bungalow side for my wonderful wife who can no longer get up the steep rear garden to view the two meadows up there; I'm also restoring a vintage Howard petrol rotavator; when the weather warms up then I'll be busy.

The Howard rotavator I'm now restoring.

A large section on the workshop bench. Being a mechanical engineer I'm better with this kind of project than I am playing a violin; I like to keep busy and keep learning new things.

The heat has been on in the studio for half an hour so I'll wander in.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Hi Colin,
I notice in your Hallelujah score you have dotted crotchets and also dotted rests. They are all treated the same. The dot extends the crotchet by half, and a dot also extends the rest by half.
The boxes above the score are guitar fingering for chords. If you look closely you see '3fr' and '4fr' text next to them, meaning which guitar fret the box starts at.
The boxes are really just a picture of part of the guitar fretboard. The vertical lines are strings, and the horizontal lines are frets. The black spots inside the boxes are positions where you place fingers on the guitar fretboard. As a violinist, you can just ignore those guitar boxes.

I bought a crane some years ago from machine mart, capable of lifting 1 ton. They are designed for lifting car engines, but I've never used it for that.
I've often wondered how it would perform ripping roots out of the ground. I used it as a pit prop to hold up chopped joists, when I prepared the route
for my metal woodburner chimney.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks so much Raymond for enlightening me; I thought it strange when I saw these boxes not having seen them on any of my violin scores also the dots etc which rob has also mentioned so I'm learning all the time.

Yesterday I enjoyed three violin practices; the middle one in the afternoon was pathetic; I couldn't do anything right playing so many wrong notes; I don't know what was wrong with me; even the violin didn't sound happy; in the evening though back to normal as I've also been this morning. I've been playing around with mic position; if I place the Rode condenser mic directly in front of the Yamaha amp the amp emits a pronounced hum; I've also tried using my Laney guitar amp but this is very poor compared to the Yamaha amp regarding sound. Whatever happens I stick with it because I'm as keen as ever to play a violin; I also like the new leather chin rest pads.

Your engine hoist should prove useful for removing tree roots even small trees and bushes but it will be limited in pulling power. I've just removed a large tree root using spade and 2 ton trolley jack; it was bitterly cold up the mountain in the prevailing breeze but if I wait for warmer weather I'll never do anything.

Here's a laurel stump/rootball I removed a few years ago; the logs to the top of the picture are a few I gave to our neighbour; I've given tons of such logs away over the years;

This being one of many; it took 2 x 10 ton and 1x 2 ton bottle jacks also a 2 ton trolley jack to get it out this taking a full very heavy five days then I used a 2,500Lb winch to drag it to the corner of the garden; later I spent more time cutting it up; it must weigh in excess of a ton. I'd feel let down if ever I found a light job to do in our gardens; today's root removal gave me a good workout.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Bottle jacks are great. I used a 1/2 ton little one to lift up a concrete slab, before whacking said slab with a sledge hammer.
I find that tree root balls make good firewood too, but it is not easy to cut them up.
I have a couple of apple tree root balls in the shed, looking a bit like that.

 

[rob aylestone]

I tried to manually remove a big clump of bamboo, then discovered the stuff had spread underground and was just like an underground privet hedge! In the end, I paid a man with a digger and it only just managed to lift up the mass of soil bound root. I totally get the jacks and winches!

I got asked today to do some dates with an ELO tribute band, playing cello. I think that might be a bit stressful, but hopefully fun!

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Years ago Raymond I removed a big double trunk Elderberry tree which I found to have a buried 2" thick concrete path embedded in the root system only found when it destroyed the blade on the chainsaw; nothing's easy living here; hydraulic jacks though are wonderful pieces of kit; I always cut thicker sections of trees as logs for neighbours and the brash I shred then use it as garden mulch.

I've always fancied owning and using a Bobcat mini digger rob and would like to buy one to dig out the 30 or so stumps then landscape the rear garden which is large and steep; my lovely wife having more common sense than I have suggests just leaving the trunks to naturally rot away after all they aren't in the way of anything; this will save lots of time and effort; I could of course burn them out but we like to be good neighbours to those around us.

Go for it rob; I'm sure once you settle in with the tribute band you'll really enjoy it; it will feel strange at first as anything new does but it's surprising how easy it is to adapt; good luck if you decide to go ahead. My wife and I often watch ELO videos on TV via YouTube and never tire of them the lady violinists up front are top notch.

Back to the plot and I'm still practicing playing my violins; returning to the two little dots at that start and finish bar lines meaning repeat I'm rather puzzled as to why on my violin music scores the staffs are arranged in batches of three; two violin being treble clef and the bottom staff piano? The middle and bottom staffs are for violin and piano duet?

I thought I was missing something with these repeat dots and lines but further inspection the opening two notes are to the left of the heavy and light lines so the repeat I presume starts after the two dots above in Amazing Grace then at the end of the page the two dots are in front of the light line. I was puzzled for quite a while in that the repeat I believe starts with "grace" and I at first couldn't make sense of this but I think grace simply carries on from Twas which makes more sense; I'm quickly tripped up and admit I fall into every hole but I've got staying power and eventually learn; I'm finding sight reading a music score to be very interesting and I'm slowly understanding; it's just going to takes lots and lots of practice before everything sinks in. Ties & Slurs are starting to make sense; I'm playing the notes with the curves softly and the notes in one bow stroke making them flow better and sound better but it's taking some getting used to; occasionally I run out of bow so need to plan ahead but again it comes down to practice.

I've also briefly looked at the Hallelujah score but straight away am lost; I don't understand the beginning;

I'm running before I can walk but everything I keep learning will someday all come together and suddenly fall into place.

It's another cold day with a dusting of snow overnight but it's glorious with beautiful sunshine; the heating's on in the studio so I'll wander in shortly for an hours violin practice; I'm finding when I first go into the studio it feels pleasantly warm but after an hour I start to feel chilled; if I switch on the fan heater to boost then I start to feel too warm; what a climate we have but I can't complain after all I'm extremely well off compared to millions who don't even have a home and are struggling to survive. I'm sure when the weather warms up I'll be drawn into the studio more often.

My wife has spoiled me rotten with violins and studio gear so last night I tried to get her interested in learning to play a guitar just for the fun of it at first she wasn't keen but I suggested I could buy an electric guitar to have a go with then she could also try it out; I've already got a Laney guitar amp and plenty of cables; I've been looking on Gumtree and eBay at electric guitars and a decent used one won't cost a lot then if my wife takes to it I could then upgrade for her she deserves treating.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[rob aylestone]

Morning Colin,
Well - you certainly pick some interesting things to play - so to start with it is in 12/8. So the best way to count this is 1-2-3-4-5-6, 1-2-3-4-5-6 The letters above the first bar show the chord introduction that is played by the accompaniment, not you, so 1-2-3-4-5-6 on a C chord, followed by 1-2-3-4-5-6 on the Am and those squiggly zig zags are of course, rests - so the first bar is silent, and bar one note at the very end, the second bar is silent too. That one E comes just before the down beat (or down bow) in your case, so the G is the down bow, first beat in the bar. The E is a sort of pick up note, and you'd probably play it as a short up bow - this means it will be gentler than the sound you get when you did the bow in on the down bow. These little pick up notes are called an anacrusis.

The way the rests are written with the little extra half dot mean that each rest (and dot) take up 1-2-3, if you count - so 4 of them fills the bar.

I'm not really sure this is a good piece for you to attempt, to be honest, because while there are not too many different notes, the success of this piece is strictly adherence to the rhythm, and my guess, based on what you've told us so far is that you are concentrating very much on pitching and the changes between notes, and more used to music that counts 1-2-3-4 repeatedly. This piece has a tum-te-tum rhythm with very specific hits, rhythm wise. otherwise, its a really boring and predictable song.

If you want something new - maybe the Beethoven Ode to Joy. It's very good for string players and good reliable rhythm to play, and not too demanding, notes wise. It's also repetitive, so gives you a chance to start quietly and increase the volume and expression each time through. The same sequence of notes that you can then play differently to experiment with different bowing - trying out new bowing patterns - or the number of notes played on each bow movement - you might start with four notes, then change direction, but when it gets wilder, you might have a complete bow for just one note? I think you'd learn from that one. The Hallelujah needs quite tricky bowing and rhythm from the very start - so not brilliant for development. Until you can master 3/4 and 4/4 I'd give 6/8 and 12/8 a miss - at least for a while.

Don't forget the music teacher. I chatted about you only this morning to my classical pianist friend and told him I was concerned you might be learning bad habits. He agreed but warned that these may already be too ingrained - so please, do try to get at least an intro. My friend suggested a zoom on-line session, that might work he thought?

On the guitar front, and the wife. If she wants to play the guitar, ask what for? To accompany you? For pleasure, to play a favourite group's music? Then, a quick test. Get her to sit in the classic guitar playing pose, with her left hand in the playing position and get her to squeeze a tennis ball. Do her fingers have the ability to push the surface in, even just a little? If not, or only one or two fingers, you then have to assess if the weaker fingers can be strengthened. I tried to teach a lady who desperately wanted to learn, but she had mild arthritis and did not have sufficient pressure in her fingers before it hurt. It also needs some physical coordination between left and right hand. even worse, student guitars (i.e.) the ones typically sold by many music shops are really horrible to play, but you don;t want to buy an expensive one, then give up - your idea for a decent used one is sensible, but can you play the guitar? You need a guitarist to play and assess a guitar to see if the action and string spacing are suitable for your wife, or the pain will make her give up. With guitar, you can still buy Bert Weedon's play in a day book that most people bought, but it's arguable if it ever was a good book for beginners.

No way in a million years would my wife be able to play a guitar. (Or my piano, or ANY of my instruments) My grandson, however, can learn things easily by ear - and while he's not yet good with rhythm, he has pitch sorted out perfectly. As in Axel F that he plays on the piano here. How an 11 yr old has even heard of Axel F is a mystery!

 

[Retired]

Hi,

WOW rob; thank you for taking the time to post all this very useful information; I do take it all seriously even if I don't fully understand it; you are so right about Amazing Grace having few notes to test me and as you say a lot of repetition so it didn't take long to grasp a lot of it; I just liked the tune not the lyrics; I'm pleased though because everything I try adds to my experience. Thanks also for explaining all the rests at the start; I wondered why start with so many rests thinking it should start with D string E; will I ever learn; yes I will but I'm slow and most of all enjoying myself; 18 months ago I'd never attempted playing an instrument and although I'm slow I'm now playing a violin which I thought I'd never accomplish and am now at last enjoying uninterrupted violin practices the first 16 months were a nightmare with endless interruptions.

I'll happily take your excellent advice rob and obtain the violin music score for Ode To Joy. My wife and I have watched the following flashmob YouTube video many times never tiring of it;



I'm also picking up timing having used my mechanical metronome a number of times; it feels strange but at times I can pick up on a wrong note whilst sight reading; I do need to backtrack and learn how to quickly identify notes at a glance on a staff; I can do quite a few but then lose the plot on notes I'm unfamiliar with; I need to go back to basics on this because it's so important; I can slowly play the notes individually but get lost trying to play assorted notes at any speed coming to a dead stop.

I must be improving because I understand your first paragraph and it makes sense to me; I'm sure if I hang around violins something must rub off on me.

It's rather awkward for me to take a music teacher on rob and I appreciate you suggesting it; my wife's been unwell for many years and I play whenever I can but you brought up a lot of interesting information regarding trying to get my wife to play a guitar; it's a non starter as you explain what's involved; my wife suffers arthritis down her left shoulder; arm and hand so it's not an option; I just thought having a guitar to play around with making up her own tunes might interest her but as you now explain what's involved I could be actually hurting her; I'll let the idea go even though it was with the best of intentions. Youngsters are often surprising by how quick they learn things; I don't know how to use a mobile phone and texts but four year old kids do this easily; I admit I'm a dinosaur and don't wander around with a mobile phone welded to my ear; TV remotes also drive me mad having to play a computer game with the buttons just to get YouTube to appear; it's possible I'm so poor with these because I have zero interest in them.

Thanks once again rob; each time you and Raymond kindly reply I learn a great deal more.

We've been out this afternoon so just a practice this morning; I might manage another practice this evening but now I want to obtain Ode To Joy violin music score for novices.

Have you made a decision yet rob about joining the tribute band?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[rob aylestone]

I have a few venues that would take it, but I'm struggling with musicians. I know loads - but it need them to be able to play more than one instrument. So in some songs there isn't a guitar, but there is a sax, and in others, no sax and guitars - in others there will be drums and congas or timbales - so somebody needs to play them. This is causing some grief. STill trying to work out if 5 piece band plus singer plus sound man works - 7 people, transport would then be three vehicles, and because of the girl, probably 4 hotel rooms! So that would be over a thousand pounds for the minimum pay. Add in fuel costs and hotels and some equipment costs, and anywhere more than a couple of hours travelling would be getting on for a couple of grand!

Re: the wife and the guitar. I just thought of the lady I tried to teach. Physically it hurt her and clearly although muscles do develop, joints don't! Maybe a nice keyboard, or maybe even an organ - not a keyboard. The organ fraternity, spend lots of money on the latest organs, but their old ones do not make much money - but some are really clever and one finger chords are very easy, along with one finger melodies? Maybe these would work?

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Steel strung guitars are hard on beginners, because they make soft fingers sore very quickly.
Over time your finger tips harden up, and then ift doesn't feel so bad.
Even an experienced steel guitar player will get sore fingers after playing for a few hours.
I know a woman who bought a stratocaster electric guitar to learn on, but then sold it, because it wasn't suitable.
I would recommend a nylon strung classical guitar for a beginner, because the big nylon strings are easier on the fingers.

I aggree with Rob. A keyboard is much easier on the fingers, and perhaps easier to learn a bunch of chords on.
Perhaps your wife could try playing the keyboard that you already have. That intro for Halelujah is only two easy chords.

As for that Amazing Grace score, the top line is the melody for singing the words (or playing on violin), the middle line is the piano right hand, and the bottom line is the piano left hand. It is pretty normal to find that song scores are arranged for piano and voice.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks rob for your very interesting reply giving me an insight into the life of groups/bands; I often wondered as to costs for huge orchestras which go touring and it explains ticket costs; many must be away from home for weeks on end especially top groups who need to push as hard as they can although there are groups like The Rolling Stones who've been around forever and still touring in 2023; I wonder how they get all their kit on a bus using their bus passes. For tribute groups it must be really difficult for reasons you mention; many I think will struggle to make serious money. ELO taking Wembley stadium must cost an absolute fortune and masses of organization. Not a life I'd like.

When you mentioned you were considering joining a tribute band I hadn't realized just what is involved.

You and Raymond kindly suggest a keyboard for my wife to use and Raymond remembers the small Yamaha keyboard I bought months ago trying to get me wife interested but she felt too ill to take it on; I play around with it occasionally just for fun and I'm amazed by how good it is having only paid around £60 including P&P through eBay; there are so many options to choose from including organ. I think I have to accept my wife simply isn't up to playing any musical instrument she struggles with day to day life hence I do more and more to help her each day after all she will always come first with me because I love her to bits having been married for 46 years; she's spoiled me rotten all these years now it's my turn to do my best for her. I'll remember your suggestions though rob next time I play the keyboard.

Thanks Raymond; I have a genuine Russian 3 string balalaika which I thought would be incredibly easy to play; after only a few seconds my fingers were telling me it hurts so I bought a new set of genuine balalaika strings from Ukraine these are two nylon and one steel but still hurt a great deal; I tried using a pick but decided to leave it alone and concentrate on violin playing which I like the most.

Thanks also Raymond for explaining the three staff arrangement on my violin music scores; I thought the middle being treble clef was violin so I appreciate all the help I receive.

Gladly accepting your suggestion rob about trying Ode To Joy;

https://makingmusicfun.net/public/assets/pdf/sheet_music/ode_to_joy_violin.pdf

I found the above yesterday evening and wandered into the studio having printed the three pages; 30 minutes later I'd played the first page with little difficulty and this morning just played all three pages; not perfect but I surprised myself playing like this directly from the score for the first time with this piece; just one note I struggle to get my finger on; the GA,

This one note really stands out but it's just a case of practice. Small successes are excellent for confidence building.

I thought I'd turned the studio heating on early this morning but must have had a senior moment; when I wandered in the studio was definitely too cold to play in but as I was now already in and keen to resume Ode To Joy I turned the CH radiator full on and also the fan heater to quickly heat the studio; 30 minutes later I'd had enough; the studio was now comfortable but I was chilled; I played all three pages though because I'm stubborn.

I'm finding Ode To Joy to be pretty easy and will continue to practice but now I've broken away from concentrating on one music score I'd appreciate suggestions to other scores perhaps Christmas carols which I can practice up to Christmas in fact anything with a nice tune/melody.

Sorry rob I missed replying to your suggestion regarding a teacher and me already having bad habits; I'm sure by now I've adopted just about every bad habit there is and it's good of you to discuss me with your friend expressing your concern as to how I'm playing. Ideally I'd like a music teacher to visit me in my studio because I don't want to leave my wife home alone; I'd like a one to one face to face and I'll look into this again as I gain more practice; I can practice playing on my own learning all the notes until I know them off by heart and can read a score having gained more experience then I could ask a teacher for advice picking upon bad habits; I play seated and tend to slouch which I know is bad practice also with best intentions I keep starting out holding the bow as shown on many YouTube videos but as I start playing the bow hold changes; I need to keep practicing; I am slowly making progress; I just wish my wife was well and the climate much warmer but I've no control of either so try not to moan too much and accept what I have after all I'm much better off than many in having a dedicated room to use as a studio.

The more I practice the more I like my violins; I must be addicted and there's no cure.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

I play seated and tend to slouch

I understand that entirely.

 

[rob aylestone]

You could always cheat and play the higher A rather than that lower one. Being almost the lowest note, bar the G sharp, it can sound a bit strident? it's also a big jump from that A to the F sharp - so both those notes must be fingered very accurate or they'll sound odd.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I must be getting the slouching part right Raymond .

Thanks for your kind suggestion rob I'll give it a try; I'm improving now I'm noticing such things.

I've just visited two supermarkets in snow and now home I feel frozen; I'm unsure as to violin practice today it's so bitterly cold perhaps after dinner I might feel warm enough; I want to practice every day if possible; as usual I start my day with a problem to resolve; clearing the car of snow is more of a chore but now I try to access my Virgin Media email;

GRRRRRRR will I ever get a clear day without hassle of some kind; I now need to sort this problem out; if I'm brave enough to phone Virgin Media to report a fault after the usual wait they now don't reply with a human I receive an automated text message to my landline; top notch communications company not understanding the difference between landline and mobile phone; I don't have a mobile phone welded to my ear. Just another day of fun.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Haven't had any snow down here in Poole, although yesterday morning around 8:30am I saw one car that had an inch of snow on it.
None on the other cars. So, the white stuff can't be far away.
Virgin Media may have upgraded their email service, which may require different settings to access it.
My web hosting service upgraded theirs, and sent me emails telling me what I have to do to access their new scheme.

 

[rob aylestone]

I suppose they're perhaps just assuming everyone knows about the impending old copper line switch off of landline services. I've no longer got a landline, as I am fibre connected, so when people phone my landline number, my mobile now rings. People dialling in don't even know. Basically, you're on borrowed time now. Lots of people don't even realise when they switch to fibre that they are also giving up their land line. I think mobile phone calls now amount to 97% of domestic calls, much less with business premises, but they're all being given cheap switching to digital services, so the bell is tolling.

Keep in mind forbidden messages like yours are split between you doing something wrong and a temporary network issue, which usually gets fixed from the other end. Perhaps another reason to do internet on computers AND phones. They rarely both have the same issue at the same time.

I've just been doing some work with an elderly chap who is 78 and has just got his first mobile that has a touch screen. Progress is a bit painful while he gets used to how it is different. he'll get there.

We had flurries last night and this morning a car managed to skid itself into lots of others, shutting the main road - but suffolk is snow free at the moment.