Violin sound.

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks rob for the hilarious video. Not something I'd show to my wife; I've just watched the first 15 minutes and will watch the rest later because I'm about to wander up the mountain for a bit more exercise.

WOW two violin practices yesterday thanks to being grounded by rain; I played the usual pieces I'm familiar with just to enjoy myself not wishing to concentrate on anything new; it was just such a pleasure to get into the studio for a while; aching arms and stiff fingers don't help but I'm determined to carry on playing as much as I can; at the moment I've got so much heavy work to do but eventually I'll get on top if I stick with it.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I've just knocked off and am running on empty tired out after another full very heavy day;

These were big extremely heavy stumps so I split them in order top move them around without needing a winch but they were still heavy and took a lot of effort to split using the chainsaw and wedges.

More stumps and roots; they seem never ending.

Now piled out of the way behind the garden hut but it took huge effort using a sack cart on the steep slope; I wouldn't have missed it for anything; one stump still to get out plus lots of big roots but I'm now well on my way to completing this arduous job.

No violin practice today I doubt as I feel at the moment I couldn't lift a violin.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[rob aylestone]

I have been working in a barn that is full of a collection of stage lighting equipment dating from the 1930s to modern, that has to be moved from one barn to another - 5 of us, none young. Scaffolding, ladders spanners, rope and I'm done in! finished and it took two days!

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Well done rob; I bet you slept like a baby after all the exercise; I wish I had a barn like that then I could fill it with big machinery. Now the barn is empty work can proceed in filling it again; an empty space doesn't remain empty long.

I've just come indoors feeling absolutely frozen having been working on the final stump; two stumps together in fact and I've given up because they're on a very steep part of the garden; it would help if I could stand upright without fighting the slope and this perishing wind buffeting me around.

I wonder why we have a Met Office; hail & snow forecast when I checked before breakfast; during breakfast it was very sunny so after breakfast I checked again now it;s forecast heavy rain this afternoon hence I've just tired myself out again.

Violin practice this afternoon?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

You'll come back to the violins with a re-invigoured mind.
I've been at piano sight-reading for some years, but there's one reason that I have never posted my playing.
That is I haven't been able to play any piece all the way through.
I have a good collection of intermediate Bach pieces, I can get so far on, before my reading wobbles.
Yesterday, I made it all the way through one of them, with only slight wobbling.
There is hope, and focusing on stump removal for a while, will probably be beneficial to the violining.
Just keep coming back to the violin.

 

[TAE]

Definitely as we age our memories and coordination wane....

Keys are my thing but I am strictly a "by ear" hack. Never really attempted classical stuff but sometimes it found it's way into the prog rock stuff I played. I was always able to play really fast riffs and friends who were classically trained were impressed. That said now at 69 and thrown into this country rock band I have been humbled. The dude's shoes I have to fill was a prodigy and it is like hell trying to figure out what the heck he was noodling. On youtube you can slow the video's down and they stay in key so it is a valuable asset in figuring out wtf he was doing. There was this one song that has a riff in it that goes damn fast. I was able to do a sloppy version of it for several gigs but after a year of messing with it, I own it. Back a year ago I pretty much conceded I would never be able to get it exactly right but bigger n shit now it's ez pz. So the moral of the story is...it aint over till it's over.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Raymond; your story has cheered me up; it proves you get better with practice which I'm short of in fact short of for the last 18 months since picking up a violin; I can play two pages of traditional Amazing Grace and two pages of Ode To Joy; definitely not perfect but as I'm learning sight reading pretty fair considering; I've just enjoyed(?) 45 minutes of violin practice; it was nice to get into the studio but my arms are sore and ache also my fingers could be better after so much stump busting but in spite of this I was happy to be making music; I'm too tired now to carry on.

I've been focusing very hard on the stump job possibly rather too hard hence all the aching and getting out of bed still aching each morning but once I get these last two stumps out I can look forward to tackling big roots but these should be easier one at a time; however long it takes the middle of the garden is going to be without trees; stumps and roots being converted into our third wildflower meadow; I can now see an end in sight. Good luck with your sight reading Raymond you'll win in the end as I too will.

I couldn't agree more TAE; now 75 I find my short term memory is useless although I can remember very clearly back to my childhood even playing out at the age of five; my coordination though remains good but working on our steep valley side I'm like a ballet dancer as I struggle to remain upright; carrying the 60" hi-lift farm jack up the garden ensures I don't get blown away; life would be a great deal better if our site was level but just putting a mug of tea down in the garden is difficult it wanting to head to the valley bottom at speed.

You've done well TAE to sort the riff out even if it's taken a year; I'm sure now you can play it off by heart finding it easy rather like riding a bike; once mastered never forgotten; what a good idea slowing YouTube down; at 69 it's good to have an hobby; I wonder if The Rolling Stones go to gigs using their bus passes?

I was aching so much this afternoon all I've done is to bake a cherry cake.

I think the key to success is practice and lots of it; I'm into violins and won't quit.

I watched more of the video you kindly posted rob but he's just so crude isn't he; I prefer the late Fred Dibnah; Fred wasn't keen on the dynamite guys.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

The last two tree stumps are finally out so now I can concentrate on getting the roots out to a depth of around 9" allowing the garden spade and petrol rotavator to be used.

I've been violin practicing as much as I can at least half an hour each day sometimes twice in a day but with aching arms and sore fingers it's not easy but in spite of this I still enjoy my violins.

I've really been cheered up this morning; yesterday we signed up for new high end CCTV to replace our older CCTV; the same company the upgrade costing £2,100 but cheaper than being burgled and bungalow trashed; the second rep has just completed the survey but amazingly he's deep into music having a studio of his own so I explained I was having trouble setting up my Yamaha amp; as I played he adjusted the amp and WOW a massive difference; just adjusting the delay/rev has transformed my violin playing; I'm so excited I've just enjoyed a short violin practice; it sounds so much better; I've taken an image of the settings for future use; the rep also told me I've got some good quality studio kit so all I need is lots of practice.

Here's the amp settings I'm now using;

I'll be delighted to finish the wildflower meadow then I can relax from all this hard work and let my aches settle down allowing me free time to get into the studio; no way will I ever pack in my studio it's such a pleasure to be in there.

This afternoon I'll start filling in the deep stump holes then next job to get the tree roots out; it's all slowly coming together; decent weather is speeding the work up although tomorrow is forecast heavy rain; tomorrow then will be a violin day; whoopee.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

If only I could get into the studio without aching all the time; I'm about to head into the studio for a violin practice knowing it will be a short one due to more work I've carried out today.

Less than three years since I pressure washed and look at the difference; just some of the pressure washing I've been doing all day today but it's now completed.

Work never lets up; tomorrow; cut the grass do some strimming and hedge trimming; I've still got tools to clean due to being dirty from the stump job also the petrol chainsaw needs the chain sharpening again; work for Wednesday as yet not planned but lots of weeding stacking up. It was 6C this morning when I put on the waterproofs and wasn't much warmer this afternoon.

Studio here I come.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Yesterday evening I did get into the studio but trying to play my violin proved more punishment than pleasure; after twenty minutes I'd had enough; I was aching a great deal as the days hard work finally caught up with me. More work still to do but hopefully in the next few weeks I'll break through and have some time to call my own without jobs stacked up which demand my time.

With overnight frost it was rather too cold to be in the gardens first thing so I've been catching up on mail but I'm about to tackle today's jobs; grass cutting; hedge trimming and strimming then there's lots of weeding and the chainsaw chain still to sharpen but I can at last see the end to all the hard heavy work; surely I can't end up with more trees to drop or stumps and roots to dig up but I'm not holding my breath because we still have a number of big mature trees including two lovely oak trees.

I'll wander into the studio again this evening; a poor violin practice is much better than no violin practice.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[rob aylestone]

I don't practice unless I have to - but the phone rang today and it was my music teacher from when I was at school. She wants to record herself playing the piano - and somebody suggested me - as being somebody who can record and has a nice piano. Then she realised me was me! She was a lovely lady, and towards my end at school was the deputy head too. I'm more nervous about her visit than I've been with anyone for years. This is 45 years ago coming back to haunt me. I actually did a job for her last year with a well known (and rich) composer, and now she knows I'm still playing and not just a button pusher. Scary!

 

[Retired]

Hi,

What a nice story rob; some things in life are never forgotten and now you've met up with her after all those years I'm sure you'll be keeping in touch letting her enjoy free use of your piano and recording gear.

Have you got your broadband sorted out rob and how's your new Giganet broadband working out Raymond.

It was perishingly cold up the mountain first thing this morning and still with a cutting breeze this afternoon but in the sunshine it was warm; a couple of days ago we were forecast snow; hail & thunder which didn't arrive; another full on day; hedges trimmed; grass cut; lots of strimming done and all tools spick and span; I'm enjoying a mug of tea then I'll wander into the studio; I need all the violin practice I can get rob even if it's poor practice it all adds to my experience.

Tomorrow I think I'll tackle the weeding; there's lots of it needing doing but it's light work compared to digging up tree stumps and roots; I'm winning at last; whoopee; perhaps shortly I'll start to really enjoy studio time.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[rob aylestone]

Internet fast and so far, reliable!

 

[Slouching Raymond]

I'm more nervous about her visit than I've been with anyone for years.

A stiff magazine down the back of the trousers should be enough protection, Rob.

and how's your new Giganet broadband working out Raymond.

So far so good Colin. No need to worry about a data allowance. The first 3 months is free too.
Well done with the physical jobs. Perhaps you can sit back and admire the garden, in the summer.
I have just stuck a bunch of colourful plants in the front garden, to replace a dead box hedge.
They're flowering in sequence just now.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Nice one rob; you waited long enough to get broadband up and running. Fingers crossed it remains fast and reliable because I'm interested in swapping broadband suppliers in November.

Thanks Raymond; yes I hope all the heavy hard physical work is behind me at last; it's only taken 36 years to finally get on top; I'm now interested to see what the new meadow looks like once in bloom; the top meadow is usually stunning but the new mini side meadow I created specially for my wife not one wildflower seed has shown any interest which is disappointing so I need to try something different. Well done adding a splash of colour to your front garden; now you can enjoy them for the next few months.

Friends are visiting tomorrow so I've been busy baking this morning;

Ginger cookies with cherry and currant cake; the kitchen always smells nice during baking. Please note silicone cake "tin" these are brilliant also the non stick tray liner.

My finger joints feel a lot better so I've enjoyed a violin practice this afternoon and now I'm about to wander into the studio again for another practice; things are looking up.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Fed up of trying to get studio time; I've decided to do something about it;

Today I sold my metal cutting bandsaw;

Like all my kit I always look after it and it was still like new; the buyer got a nice machine for £250 cash it sold through Gumtree with zero fees. I like using Gumtree.

Here's my vintage Howard Bulldog petrol rotavator I intended to fully restore already stripping it and making a start on paint stripping; I've fully restored many machines and this is the very first project I've started but not completed; I cleared it from the workshop bench and put all the parts together out of the way; it would have been a nice project but I'm forever struggling for time.

For the last twenty months it's been one problem after another each time I've wanted to get into the studio something more important has diverted me; after weeks of removing tree stumps I finally got around to sorting my Hyundai 20" petrol chainsaw out; last time used in dire weather I suspected the chain wasn't being oiled which proved correct; onto YouTube to check for an easy quick solution I found lots of videos many simply clones of each other so I did the easy checks but as usual these had absolutely no effect so do the job my usual way the hard way.

Working backwards from the chain checking everything and reassembling the saw a few times it was as usual frustrating; I could get oil manually turning the pump splined gear but assembled it refused to oil so strip for the umpteenth time this time though removing inner covers also the oil pump unit; using the compressor airline I blasted everything until there was no doubt it was clean; then I found the problem; I received a shower of chain oil as I blasted the oil tank feed at the pump end; I presume there must have been a blockage at the oil tank; now there was plenty of oil on me and the saw; once again I reassembled but not putting the bar or chain on and carried the saw up to the garden hut where the noise wouldn't be as loud for the neighbours; yes now oil was flowing so rather than set about sharpening the chain I installed a new chain at this point calling it a day; I'd already been over the front garden this morning with the hoe attacking the weeds so is enough ever enough living here; tomorrow I'll be attacking the weeds in the rear garden and perhaps when this is done I'll get sight of the studio. Had I started at the oil tank the problem would be at the chain end as shown on lots of videos?

The workshop is now on hold and I'm on top with machine servicing so once the weeding is done dare I head towards the studio; I'm determined this year to get some violin practice time; all I've ever done since 11 years of age is WORK.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I can't even have a minutes peace; I've just received a phone call from the buyer of the bandsaw to inform me it just clicks when he tries to start it; I insisted when I advertised it that I wanted the buyer to collect and inspect it which happened; it was working perfectly when I demonstrated it but once it left me it became full responsibility of the new owner; it's a heavy machine taking two of us to lift it into the van; I can only wonder if he's unloaded it on his own and somehow damaged it; anyway as I keep saying every time I want some peace I don't get it. I'll resume watching the YouTube movie with my wife which has been spoiled by the interruption; peace for me; what peace.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Today's fun has been rotavating the weed area of the rear garden which was out of control,

I started by digging with a spade but quickly decided to try using the petrol rotavator. Before rotavating I strimmed in order to reduce the weed size the rotavated uphill and free wheeled back down; it was still hard physical work and starting very early this morning I've just knocked of having suffered enough for today. A few years ago I planted ground cover conifers and cotoneaster; a waste of time and money; they were all buried by weeds so now they are in a pile awaiting a trip to the tip. I've rotavated the the weeds and what was strimmed in and I'll let it alone to settle then rotavated more times; I've declared all out war on it. Shrubs too with grass taking over; I'm not putting up with it.

Having sold the bandsaw I've now got a guy interested in the vintage rotavator; I'm dumping projects and trying to get studio time; I've had a long lifetime of hard work now I want to learn to play my violins.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

I think you're on the right tack, reducing the number of projects demanding your time Colin.
The garden looks enough of a chore by itself.
I cut my grass last week, and it is already growing back.
The plants I put in are flowering, and growing.
You should be able to admire all your work while practicing the violin in the studio.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Raymond, I need to change my lifestyle a bit and lighten my load otherwise the rate I'm working I'll never get studio time; I looked out of the front room window this morning to find mess from the roof gutter on the decking so yet another job to sort out; I've just done the shopping and as I was about to sit down there was a wasp inside our front room window; I regard wasps as skinheads of the insect world; however hard I try I can't do one job without another job getting in the way; I'm having a mug of tea then I'll get the stepladders out and clean out the gutters; I wonder then what next I'll have to do.

Yes the gardens demand a lot of my time and being on such a steep slope makes them a lot more difficult to maintain; hopefully though I'm now on top of the heavy work and demands on my time should be less as the year progresses; fingers crossed I can get into the studio and look out admiring the results of 36 years hard labour.

It only takes about 15 minutes to cut our grass and another 30 minutes to do the edges using the strimmer; because of the garden steepness I can only strim by taking one pace at a time; it's difficult standing upright.

You'll be pleased to see your plants flowering and becoming established; it makes the effort so worth while.

Someday I will get into the studio in peace.

Kind regards, Colin.

Update at midday. Gutters now cleaned out and ladders put away. I'm now doing more work in the home to help my lovely wife out as much as possible; yesterday I baked a ginger & cherry cake I've now just put a cottage pie in the oven this the first I've ever done;



I'm using Old Jim's recipes and the results are always excellent; not violin playing but we all need to eat. Perhaps this afternoon I'll finally enjoy a violin practice?