bunnyhillsv.com Blog

If you decide to learn how to play an instrument be sure your teacher can play. Mine plays really well, here he is playing Orange Blossom Special at class this morning.

My violin teacher gave me a music pin today because I practice a lot. So excited you’d think I’d won a grammy… You like me, you really like me!

With the instruction of a great Idaho teacher, Mr. Ron Wade and inspiration from Barrage and others on YouTube I think I’m progressing. And oh yes my old friend Norm who suggested I practice every day. He should know, he’s been playing music a long time.

Getting the right teacher is really important. My first one really wasn’t experienced enough to teach an adult and it took me about 2 months to realize that. I’ll never forget my first lesson with Ron. OMG, pretty much threw out everything I had picked up from the previous teacher. The first thing to go was the white finger board tape. I have to agree relying on taped markers was a crutch that would be hard to let go of later. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone on stage with white tape on their violin. Ron has his violin or guitar out for the whole lesson and we often play together even if it’s only scales. This is good training for later playing with others. Make sure your teacher can really play, that’s a plus. My teacher has played his whole life and plays both classical and bluegrass fiddle. And he’s really good at it.

He’s tough, sometimes I feel really drained after class but he’s also very patient and supportive. Can you imagine the patience you’d have to have to teach violin? I can hardly tolerate hearing my own screechy out of tune notes. A good instructor comes prepared to teach and each class will include a combination of playing technique, learning to read music, site reading and playing by ear. We spent quite a bit of time actually getting the violin to fit comfortably so it was nice to have a teacher knowledgeable about the instrument.

I recommend interviewing several teachers and when you find one that clicks stick with him or her. In this case I have to drive over an hour one way to get the quality instruction I’m looking for and I go once a week. Ron is $40 an hour. I’ll post a video of him playing next week.

Don’t know why but watching this guy play added to the epiphany I had  the other day with Barrage. It finally hit me with the angle his fingers touch the strings. I tried it and felt a more natural and relaxed position for my hand. Pretty sure my teacher has been trying to get me to do this but it never clicked. Between this little video and Barrage I just cut loose and got my mind out of the way and just played. Got a little teary eyed with the achievement. I try too hard sometimes and think I’m never going to be any good at this then all of the sudden I take a leap forward.

I like the simple shuffle bowing example too. It didn’t hurt that I’ve been trying to play Old Joe Clark. A tune way out of my league but I didn’t know any better when I started out. My teacher tries to keep me focused on the easier stuff and he’s right those can be fun too but I like the challenge. I’ll post my version of Old Joe Clark soon.

Thanks Joe Ebel for posting that video on youtube.

If I knew the song I could pretty much tell if I was in key or not. But when it came to practicing scales it was a different matter. I had no idea what G was supposed to sound like. Being a true geek at heart I figured there must be an “App” for that and sure enough there is. Cleartune Chromatic Tuner for my iPhone. It’s fabulous… now I know what G is supposed to sound like and the tuner will even indicate if your in tune while playing. Love that! But be careful not to rely on it too much and make sure your trusting and developing your ear.

Here’s a link to learn more.

http://www.bitcount.com/cleartune/

Watching this musician changed how I play. I picked up the violin after watching several of their performances and must have channeled a morsel their talent. Tears came my eyes in relief that maybe I could actually pull this adventure off. I guess I got out of my head and just played.

I have to drive an hour + to my lesson once a week. One time I had a little too much coffee on an empty stomach. Not a good idea. My lesson was a disaster. Shaking in all the wrong ways and hurried through it all as well. So my advise, eat before you play.

Never tell your teacher you didn’t have time to practice. He hammered me with drills and exercises and then said… “I know”. He could tell.

This brings me to the story of my 40th high school reunion, the reason I didn’t practice. One of my dearest old friends said with a finger pointing to my head  ”you have to practice everyday”. Okay Norm, I’ll practice I promise. So I am… almost every day and for an hour or two. I find that even if I struggle to get to it once I’m there I don’t want to stop.

Played fiddle for a group of girlfriends last night, a first. The “recital” was more of a comedy act reminiscent of Jack Benny. I think I’m evolving into the Jack Benny of Bluegrass. For those too young to know who he is…

Oh Well… What the Hell… here is Tennessee Waltz. I tell you what it is in case you don’t recognize it by the awful way it’s played.

I’m not really in Yosemite, that’s the Photo Booth app in Apple software. The hat was a bit of a tribute to my great uncle Noel a West Coast Fiddle Champ.

Great Uncle Noel, Fiddle Champ and member of the National Old Time Fiddlers Hall of Fame.

He retired in 1976 and moved to St. Maries, Idaho, where he joined his brother, Walt, and picked up his fiddle after 40 years and started playing at the St. Marie’s Senior Center. He then joined the Idaho State Old Time Fiddler’s. He was a six-time Idaho State Champion, two-time National Champion, and honored by being inducted into the National Old Time Fiddlers Hall of Fame. He won senior fiddle competitions in Canada, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and California. He placed third in the National Fiddlers’ Contest in Weiser where he competed against 88 contestants.

He learned to play the fiddle by listening to his mother hum the songs when he was five years old. He played by ear. He could listen to a song and then play it. He had a six-piece band by the time he was 10 and played for a local radio station and for local farmhouse dances every Saturday night. By the age of 18 he put the fiddle away and didn’t play again until 1978 when he retired.

Noel Rolland Metzer, 91, of Mountain Home, died Monday, April 10, 2006, at a local hospital.

3 Months on the violin and counting… That’s my mannequin, she’s the only one interested in listening at this stage.

From the lesson book this was the first song I felt I could really put some passion into playing. Ha! At least it felt that way. This too is about 3 months along.