Something about me you might not have known

[linaewen]

Yesterday I accomplished one of the goals I've had in the back of my mind for a while -- I got out my viola, tuned it up, and started playing again.  The fingers on my left hand are now feeling the effects of that practice session -- it will take some time before they toughen up so that it doesn't hurt.  I shall have to try to play again soon, in spite of the hurt!  Daily would be good, if I can make myself take the time to do it.

I've been playing viola since 8th grade, and before that, violin, starting in 5th grade.  I played all through high school and some in college, but I didn't own my own intrument until a few years ago -- I just used what was available at the school.  My folks had a violin that I used sometimes, but once you have played a viola, which is bigger and richer, it's hard to go back to a violin!  When the opportunity arose to buy a used instrument from a friend, I jumped at the chance.

I've included a picture of my instrument that I took with my cell phone, then doctored up so it was viewable.  It's not a great picture, though; I'll have to take another sometime with a better camera.



A couple of things I learned in my practice session were:

• That I still know how to play and I wasn't half bad, either --  I was a bit squeaky, but part of that is my bow, which either needs new hair  or to be replaced altogether, because it doesn't grab the strings properly,  no matter how much rosin I put on it
  
• That I still know how to transpose music on the spot, by sight, playing in a key that is different than what is written -- which is always the case unless I have music written especially for viola, because it uses C clef -- go me!
  
• That I have really missed playing
• That in order to avoid squeaks I have to play boldly -- even if I am shy about other people in the apartment building hearing me, including my family
  
• That I need to invest in a new bow that is longer and loosens/tightens as it should
• That I need a wider range of sheet music for practicing

My next goal for my viola playing is to listen to all the Gondor themes from the Lord of the Rings soundtracks and pick the music out by ear on my instrument.  That will be fun!  Bet it will sound cool, too, even if I squeak!

Comments

[boriel.livejournal.com]

by ear? must be nice :) i'll have to see if i can learn how to do that. i've been told though, that if i learn about 4 u2 songs, the rest are almost the same! just wonder which 4? lol

[estellye.livejournal.com]

A yes, boldly! If I could go back in time I wouldn't be so timid with my horn. If I had let it rip more often it would have been more fun!

It is a beautiful instrument! I know it will bring you a great deal of joy making music again. It would be wonderful to play the LOTR score!

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

if i learn about 4 u2 songs, the rest are almost the same!

How clever is that of U2? I never realized that! Just goes to show how talented they are that they can take basic themes and disguise them over and over again in new songs.

If one knows a song well, and can hum it in tune, then I've found it can usually be picked out by ear on an instrument. The trick is finding a good note to start on so that it flows naturally. Definitely easier said than done sometimes.

Have a really fun, cool day today! ;-)

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

I have a couple of songs on sheet music -- one of them is Gollum's Song, which is not an easy song to play. But boy was it neat to pick my way through it and suddenly hear a familiar haunting melody that actually sounded right. I think my son (who was listening) wasn't truly impressed until then, hee!

You Inspire Me!

[tuilelindowen.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is so inspiring. I would love to be able to transpose on the spot with my lever harp. So many things are written in keys that would require retuning (even with full levers). I can see how you got lots of practice with that though because of the C clef. That's what it takes: practice, practice, practice. How wonderful to discover you have retained that.

Someday we could do Gondor themes together. When you start exploring Gondor themes let me know what you are working on and in what key and I will work on it too.

Re: You Inspire Me!

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

(((((You)))))

Glad I could be inspiring for you, when you have been so inspiring to me with your own diligence in music! What a good idea to work on Gondor together, I will keep you posted. I'm thinking I might need to write out some of the themes, unless I can find the notation somewhere.

[boriel.livejournal.com]

actually, i dont know if its clever or luck. most songs, especially country songs, are the same 3 or 4 chords, just in a different order, or with a different 'bridge' and chorus... D,G,Am or D,G,A, B7 - you'd be surprised how many tunes that progression is used for.

[captinskywalker.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! I can just imagine what it's like to pick it up after so long... a warm, good feeling tempered with a bit of hesitance over the squeakiness, no? ;-) I have never been away from my violin for more than a couple months (and that rarely) but I do know the feeling, if in a milder way.

And of course you're not half bad -- once you've learned an instrument like that, the talent never really leaves. Picking out the Gondor tunes sounds wonderful... I've put on the LOTR soundtracks a couple times and played along a bit myself. One year the school orchestra I was in did "Concerning Hobbits" as a concert piece, and I, being a first violin, got to do all the neat pretty parts. It was fun!

So now... go forth! Replace those bow hairs, and play a tune of Gondor! Boromir will love it, I'm sure. :-)

[kimbys-place.livejournal.com]

Not a bad piccie at all for a camera phone!

I loved learning that new little tidbit about you, and I hope I can hear you play it one day (or could figure out how to put a soundbite here on your LJ!)

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking of the soundbite idea, if I can figure it out -- and get practiced enough not to be shy of my playing!!

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

Playing along with the soundtracks, now there's an idea! Concerning Hobbits would be a fun one, I shall have to try that myself, even though it might sound different on a viola, heh!

Thanks for the encouragement, my fellow strings player!

[samarra.livejournal.com]

It's beautiful! I really need to start taking lessons....

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

I hope you can! You think so creatively, even musically, I think it would be another special way for you of expressing yourself!

*loves you*

[accioboytoy.livejournal.com]

How cool is that? I love stringed instruments, especially the cello, which I've always wanted to learn how to play.

Good for you! I expect a full LOTR concert next time I see you!

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

You got it! I shall start practicing forthwith, it will take me awhile to get my nerve up to play in front of people again. ;-)

My brother played cello for awhile, but like me, never owned his own instrument. They are harder to find, so he still hasn't picked one up for himself.

[gondoriangirl.livejournal.com]

That's wonderful! I have been meaning to get my flute out as well...just scared to!

[lin4gondor.livejournal.com]

I wanted to learn flute when I was young, but I had asthma pretty bad, so didn't really have the breath for it. So I went with the violin. I'm not sorry!

If we could all get over being shy, I bet we could get up quite a little band, once we all start practicing again!

[rowantwig.livejournal.com]

Congratulations :D

[maidoforange.livejournal.com]

That is a lovely instrument, ((((Lin)))), and I would love to hear you play it. Maybe you could use the "voicepost" feature one day so we could hear. :?)

[rosiegardener.livejournal.com]

yes, that is something I did not know about you. :-)I wish I could play a LOTR-soundtrack duet with you - I've been playing violin for the past 20 years now. But I'm really bad at playing by notes at first sight, I rather pick the music out by ear.

[solodancer.livejournal.com]

Oooh...cool! Bring it with you to Beth's party and you can play for us.

REading this made me think of something Mark's boss said to him not long after he had started working for him again. Mark was having some trouble getting back into the swing of things and remembering how to program like he used to. He told his boss about this and his boss said this...

"have you had a labotamy in the last 10 years?"
Mark: "no"
"then the knowledge is still in there, you just have to find it and dust it off a bit"

(ok, that's a paraphrase of what he actually said, but you get the idea)

Whether it's Viola or Urdu or computer programing. I don't think we ever completely forget stuff we did well and often at one time. It's all still there just waiting to be used.