Violin sound.

[rob aylestone]

A couple of things. Has something happened to your violin tuning? The first note should be a B, but throughout you seem to be playing a C? at the end off the first line, the 'The Sound' is a C sharp then a B. Remember this piece is in a harder key - and is not all piano white notes - so sometimes you are playing the C sharp as a C, and not going far enough down to play the B.
In the first bit where it says C-D-E-F you start on the D, then play E then an F. Then its a sort of G and a half.

Something has gone adrift here.

One other thing you can look at - slurs. Where there are two notes joined with a line underneath. These should be played as one - so you don't stop the bow, just change the fingers so there is no gap, Think of it as one note that changes in the middle not two separate ones. Hum it, and it makes sense. If you were singing 'Hello' - the two notes tied together would be the 'hel' and the 'lo' with the syllables being the notes. Or even more blurred, a two note 'aaaah' it just changes pitch - it would never be 'aah-aah'.

EDIT Raymond said this much better while I was typing.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

You probably missed my comment, Rob. We appear to have reached the same conclusion.

 

[rob aylestone]

I think we're thinking the same things here, which is good. It's really important to be able to really hear the intervals between the notes, and now they're recorded, maybe try to play the exact thing - playing along with yourself. Where on the second play your finger goes down on a slightly different pitch - can you hear this? It's important. Violins strings sort of have a drone - the Perfect 5th is a really pleasant interval, and when your strings are tuned perfectly, they sort of blend into an almost bagpipe like drone, which makes tuning without an electronic tuner easy to do with the ear. In your case, maybe your open string tunings were not right, so the G is an A and the D is and E etc? The full written out notes Raymond did contain notes that vary a little. I'm not suggesting a test, but maybe you could use that little keyboard you have, and get your wife to play a note and then you practice finding it on the violin. Hear the note and try one on the violin and gauge if your note is higher or lower, then guess again the right way, and eventually you will find it. Half an hour spent doing this will tune your ear, and speed up your ability to correct pitch - which violinists have to learn to do without even thinking.

The idea we also had to play to a click is also good practice as your timing speeds up a bit then slows down. A click will force every crotchet, minim and others to be exactly the same length.

Keep going - you're making progress.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Amazing; thanks so much Raymond and rob for your very constructive detailed replies; these are going to take a fair bit of time to work through and hopefully correct my problems; I truly appreciate your help as I always do with help from other members; slurs you mentioned quite a while ago rob so I need to look into this in more detail.

Unfortunately I can't ask my wife for help because she's too unwell hence I'm doing a lot more around home to help her like knocking off at 11 o'clock this morning to make a cottage pie then after dinner do the dishes; all through this thread I've banged on about lack of studio time due to responsibilities; after shopping this morning and then having a mug of tea I was straight into the studio and within minutes had played and recorded the Amazing Grace the rest of the morning was playing around with Audacity; this morning has been the first time I can remember being free to get into the studio without demands on my time.

I'm not moaning it's just the way it is for me; I'm not in retirement with unlimited free time to do as I wish however by what you both say I'm definitely making progress; I'll check the violin tuning before playing again; yes it's possible it could be slightly off; I knew if I didn't make the effort this morning to post examples of my playing it might be a while before I get another such chance so no practice just play also I'm doing my best with sight reading; practice will make me a lot better and as the year progresses I should at last have more free time but we do a lot of hospital visiting my wife having scans and another scan is due near the month end in Leeds this will take a big lump out of our day and I'm sure I won't want to touch the violin by the time we return home; this is about our private lives but on top of this we have a bungalow and gardens that are very high maintenance and I do this on my own without any outside help whatsoever; I'm pleased I've got this far though and my violins are now much friendlier as I get acquainted with them.

Enough of this; I'll print off your posts Raymond & rob and then study them in more depth. I struggled a lot with Audacity and also exporting from the Tascam but think I've now got the basics; I'm 18 months into music and have a great deal to learn but it's so interesting; I'll not quit. It was a miracle I did what I wanted to do this morning and get recordings on the forum.

Thanks again Raymond & rob; my head's going to buzz but the only way I'll learn is through mistakes and I'll make a lot of these.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I printed off both yours rob and Raymond's information last night both sheets now in the studio and this is as far as I've got this morning with violins. A visit to the pharmacy to collect a prescription; not yet ready out of stock call back tomorrow after 2pm; whilst at the pharmacy I wanted Dermol cream; not in stock but now on order perhaps tomorrow I can collect both?

Back home clear the car windscreen the birds having done yet another bombing run making a mess.

After a mug of tea up to the garden hut and pull the mower out and after fueling start to cut the grass then the mower died and refuses to restart; back down the mountain with the mower pull the strimmer out and finally cut the grass; I've now come indoors once again wet with sweat; the mower repair is another load of hassle I could do without.

This was my reward because all I wanted to do this morning was to practice playing slurs on my violin. I'm absolutely sick of constant problems.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[TAE]

This was my reward because all I wanted to do this morning was to practice playing slurs on my violin. I'm absolutely sick of constant problems.

Kind regards, Colin.

Well brother these are first world problems right? You're above ground and there is tomorrow...hopefully Hope you are able to get yer ya ya's out soon..I totally get ya though..bangin on 70 myself I still run a out of home business and then the wife has a laundry list of things she wants me to "get done" around the house and gets that not so nice "I hate you you self absorbed asshole" look on her face every time I head out to my music room or when I come in from being out there...it's....lets say........uncomfortable to say the least.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I'm struggling for time just now but have been in the studio for an enjoyable afternoon today having now got on top of all the pressing jobs;

View attachment Slurs 1.mp3
Enjoying playing slurs; I hope this is what you mean rob.



View attachment Slurs 2.mp3
A bit of Amazing Grace trying to add slurs.

Now I can get into the studio more I can practice more which I'm looking forward to; it's 18 months overdue and well deserved.



I've repaired one of my 20" chainsaws that wasn't oiling its chain then I set about sorting my rotavator out it having damaged tines so I made heavy duty tines out of mild steel plate. Lets see it damage these tines; next up was my petrol mower which died; I removed the cylinder head and engine covers allowing me to spin the engine by hand; there was a slight tight spot; the ignition coil pickups were touching when there should be a paper thin gap; I removed one of the coils securing machine screws it was stiff the second screw sheared off; the mower at 37 years old didn't survive surgery; it wanted to keep me away from the studio; it was immediately run to our local recycling center I've suffered 18 months of torment and hard work trying to get into the studio; enough is enough; I've got two strimmers so won't miss the mower.

I've been working flat out to get on top; I've got messages to reply to so I'll do this tomorrow; I need a rest but what joy this afternoon just being in the studio.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Some of that slurring, is more of a 'glissando'.
A glissando, which is in the index of the litte yellow book, is a gradual change in frequency, while playing, where you slide your finger along
the string, whillst pressing the string down. You hear the frequency rising or falling.
The slur, is a change from one fixed note to another, without the note stopping. This would be done adding or removing a finger further up that string, whilst bowing.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks for your explanation Raymond; I've so much to learn but little by little I keep gaining experience.

I think I've finally broken through the heavy work and can now look forward to more studio time hopefully settling down and relaxing without pressing jobs hanging over me. Yesterday afternoon keen to play my violin I wandered into the studio; half an hour later my left arm and fingers were much too painful to hold the violin up; for many years I've worked so hard it's bound to affect me; last Sunday was another heavy day in the gardens; I go to bed tired and worn out only to get out of bed the following morning feeling just as bad.

I should now start to feel much better as the days pass by allowing longer violin practice sessions and with warmer weather as a bonus; whoopee.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

After over 18 months of punishment and hassle trying to get into the studio today I've broken through at last; no big jobs hanging over me; last night I enjoyed a good sleep and lots of my aches and pains are diminishing; perhaps now I'll manage to hold the violin to my shoulder for more than half an hour without lots of arm and hand pain; a lifetime of very hard work was getting through to me.

You kindly mentioned I might have a problem reading the score Raymond because I've been playing the wrong note; recently I spent £399 on new glasses including reading glasses but although the reading glasses made a huge difference I still struggle; I've been looking on the web for A3 printers but yesterday evening I found a local photocopying store nearby in Ossett so out of interest I emailed inquiring if they could enlarge from A4 to A3?

WOW first thing this morning a rapid reply; yes they can at 50p per sheet;

http://www.aceprintwakefield.co.uk/photocopying-services/

What a lovely friendly lady Jane is; I've just returned home with A3 very clear dense black copies of "Somewhere My Love"; "Amazing Grace" and "Ode To Joy"



No excuse for missing notes now; I'll make a new desktop music stand to accommodate these A3 scores; 10 pages in total for £5 and rapid as I wait service; top marks ACE.

Next job is from robs kind suggestion; download music/songs to play along with using my studio laptop computer with excellent earphones I already have; I've been learning notes using my electronic tuners but now I need to accept all the expert advice and settle down to my wonderful violin playing hobby; I've also got quite a bit of very nice recording gear I need to learn to use so I'm learning on a steep curve; violin playing; sight reading and recording; a lot to take on all at once but I'll stick with it and win.

My story thus far has been one of woe and whingeing which given what I've been going through could be expected; today I'm in control at last so thanks to all members who have followed and supported me; I'm going to play a violin whatever is thrown at me.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

More positive progress this afternoon; I've now made a new music stand to accommodate the A3 size scores,


A very simple and easy to make design out of offcuts I always have to hand.


It doesn't need to be adjustable for angle I just copied the smaller stand; I like woodworking of all kinds but I'm heading more to violin playing these days.


Here's a chest of drawers I made as a surprise present for my lovely wife to store her card making material in; I also made the fully fitted hardwood kitchen.

Next job I think will be to find a program for downloading YouTube MP3 music to my computer; I would like a number of violin solos and also songs I could play to; I'm aware there are also tuning notes as free downloads; I'm sorting everything out in the studio to make it more comfortable whilst having everything together within easy reach; I just hope nothing big is going to pull me out of the studio again has it has all the time I've had a violin. A good day and moan free.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

The A3 music stand is a great idea.
What you should be looking out for is when you have a note on a leger line below the 5 stave lines,
is that note actually on the line (making it a C), or is it just below the line (making it a B).
Keyboards that have stands included are usually shallow, and a single sheet would just flop over the top of them,
so I place a sheet of MDF on them.
On a drum kit, you get boom cymbal stands of which I have many, where there is a vertical stand with an adjustable horizontal boom pole on the top,
so that the cymbal might be located 18" or so away from the vertical pole. I wish I could find a music stand that mounts on a similar boom stand. that way, it could hover over
the top of keyboards.
A good place to look for software is the tucows website. You can search there with keywords.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I tried the new music stand out last night and it works a treat; the new A3 scores are so easy to see so should be a big help; I have wondered about magnifying prescription glasses just for studio use this a long term solution; I've also considered making an articulated music stand allowing the stand to be adjusted a lot nearer to me from the bench but it would have taken more time to make.

Thanks Raymond for the information; I'm playing open "G" with two ledger lines above the note then "A" ledger line through the note a second ledger line above; "B" single ledger line above the note and"C" with single ledger line through the note next of course comes open "D". I'm noticing a lot more with your and Rob's kind help. Thanks also for the music stand details; the music stand I made yesterday is very basic costing nothing other than happy workshop time.

A further thanks for the tucows information I'll have a good nosy.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

With luck like mine Raymond you don't need bad luck; Tucows you kindly recommended;



Three more sites mentioned though and these appear to still be live.

It's already been an horrendous day for us; 10am hospital appointment at St James in Leeds; 24 miles taking just two highly frustrating hours to get there wall to wall traffic congestion; lots of road repairs with temporary traffic lights all at red of course with very long queues then Leeds City; WOW how many red traffic lights can one person stand; 8 hours in total from departing to just returning home; car parking has to be tried to be believed.

We can't complain at all about the hospital staff who were wonderful also unlike in America we won't end up homeless due to medical bills; I'll gracefully accept the traffic problems although I didn't like them. Good to be back home and also a beautiful English summers day so it's not all bad news.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Sorry about the Tucows lead, Colin. I haven't used them in a while, but it was a good place.
I thought all the road works were all happening in my neck of the woods.
We are almost at glorious summer. I know this, because my bottle of olive oil is almost clear now.
Olive oil bottles spend winter all coudy, with solid bits suspended in them.
My most reliable thermometer.

 

[rob aylestone]

Colin - Jim, a violinist near me just put this video on youtube to help beginners get used to playing in time with their bowing.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Typical though Raymond; one day what you like on the web the next day gone; I've closed scrapyards; stores and factories because I've used them but not much left now in the UK to close. We've definitely got our share of roadworks and red traffic lights; I lose the will to live these days whilst out in the car. Huddersfield is pothole capital but then our local council are busy closing the town shops having them boarded up; the buses and cycles can have Huddersfield; close the lot.

Yes I think this is about as good as our UK summer will get although last year we experienced a miracle; we enjoyed a long hot summer the last of this kind was in 1976. Your olive oil will soon be back to normal. I've given up looking at useless Met office weather forecasts I simply look out of the window which is very accurate.

Thanks for the interesting video rob; I've just watched it; I've no problem at all playing like shown even using a metronome which I've practiced with.

I've been downloading violin music scores not full scores but free part ones which will give me an assortment to play; you've said quite a few times rob for me to tackle other scores not just the ones I can play so I'm spreading my wings; yesterday I had a go at Scarborough Fair and no problem at all with the first half line of the score until I came across "A" string notes I've not played; I'm now learning to play the A string; I'm making slow but steady progress and I'm not under any pressure at all.

I've been advertising a camera at £100 which is a real bargain; I clearly stated cash and collection only. Last night a guy called Jack emailed requesting I deliver it and he was happy to pay £110 because he doesn't drive; I requested his postcode and he lives right in the center of Halifax; I politely declined his offer stating I don't visit town or city centers unless I've no choice.

His next reply could I meet him in Huddersfield bus station if he traveled by bus or he had an hospital appointment at Calderdale Hospital today at 1:00pm; Jack was so keen to get the camera and I had nothing better than trying to learn my violins so we agreed to meets this dinnertime at 12:30pm at the hospital entrance. I did my best to help him but early this morning he emailed informing me the appointment was cancelled because he was coughing and could we meet next week?

I checked his postcode and he lives in a huge multi story block of flats; his appointment was for injections in his eyes; what did he intend to do with this camera other than to mess me around. Goodbye Jack I've politely cancelled the sale and learned a valuable lesson; stop being so kind helping out it gets me nowhere.

After tea I'll have another go playing Scarborough Fair; the bit I can play sounds decent; I just need to build on it.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

WOW an hours pleasure in the studio this morning and I'm shortly going to enjoy another hour this afternoon then fingers crossed a third session this evening; I can now roughly play the first two lines of Scarborough Fair getting to grips with the "A" string; I only have these two lines of the score so I'll have a look on Spotify and other sites for the full score; it's such a lovely tune. I knew if I stuck with it eventually I'd break through all the heavy work allowing me studio time.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[rob aylestone]

Colin - you do pick the most unusual pieces! This one's usually in 6/8 time because it has that 'dumpety-dumpety' feel. What key is the version you are learning in? This is also a minor key song - so has added complications in the sharps or flats.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Of course I do rob; I never ever do easy because my life is like a corkscrew nothing at all ever straightforward;



Here's the free sample Scarborough Fair part music score I'm having fun with rob where's the E string note if any? I've only just started playing it but getting better with the A string; I want to obtain the full score also download a solo violin version; YouTube is promising but as usual lack of time.

I'm having a mug of tea then I'll head up the garden to tie a few CD's to our trees; the pigeons are driving me mad and occupying my time each day cleaning up after them; it's amazing the number of things getting in the way between me and studio I could scream; I've also bought a roll of reflective tape though eBay but still awaiting delivery; I don't want to hurt the pigeons but they're going one way or another; I've suffered enough of their constant mess.

Kind regards, Colin.