I managed an hour and three quarters most of which was rubbish

But then I tried an old duet piece from last year and I could hear (and feel) a difference - yaaaaayyyyyy


So how was your practice session - how did you get on? How about a practice support thread?

I'm a squeaky old bat with the violin really and all the dogs go and hide in their beds!

I'm all for this thread!! I just started violin 2 weeks ago, i feel bad for my poor husband, he kept yelling from another room, too sharp! too flat!! (he has dip level in piano)...

even though I play the piano, i felt like my left hand is retarded!!! I can't even put all three fingers down (block fingering) at the right time!

Hi, How do you actually practise? I am starting grade 4 violin and I have been advised by my tutor to divide my practise into 3 parts. On one practise session I will just concentrate on tuning and nothing else (almost play in free time). On the 2nd practise just concentrate on the rhytm/pulse and on the 3rd articulation.

I find this useful on scales and in some sections of the pieces; does any one else practise in this manner.

To answer the original question about one hour. On some days its great, but on other days its feels like labour in vain

At the moment, I'm practising for about an hour. I started my first Grade 4 piece about 3 weeks ago and at the moment, I can just about play the first half but I still sound rubbish. There's a bit I've been practising on, I don't know its proper musical term, but its something like a four note chord? In my terms, its like a double stop but playing 4 notes at once. My bowing is very static at the moment, so I'm just working on making it sound like a piece of music instead of a robot

Lately I've been playing everything in 2nd and 4th position, and making up random shifts. I should look at some music rather than making things up and playing by ear. I need to work on my sight reading but my eyes get tired from working with computers all day so I avoid looking at music.

One word...sorry this is going to be SO self indulgent...but AMAZING!

Just once in a while my violin decides to sound nice, and today was one of those days. I usually do two practice sessions in a day: one "geeky" one where I do scales and studies, and another one where I do pieces.

So far I've only done the geeky one but loved it! I played C and G majors and A and E minors with various slurred scales, arpeggios, dominant & diminished 7ths and double stops (not chromatics, not keen on them at the moment although used to love them) and then did Kreutzer 8 which for once did not seem demonically hard!

So what shall I play later in terms of pieces? Massenet's Meditation/Kreisler Tempo di Minuetto/Handel Sonata in E major Adagio and/or Allegro/Bach double 3rd movement/Haydn thing for trio? or any combination of the above? answers on a postcard please!

sorry, I did say it was self-indulgent!

Go ahead and indulge yourself - play ALL of them

Wow I would love to indulge myself and play a lot as well!

This morning I woke up at 7am and spent 30 minutes stretching my 4th finger on the violin while watching the breakfast news. When I get home from work I'll practice my scales and do some rhythm/bowing exercises. Wish I had more time to practice!

I have been in Italy for past 13 days, due back home tonight. I have taken Figaro (my violin) to Italy with me, I have practices 2 hours every day so far...
But I might have high expectations.....I still feel my grade 3 pieces are only just worth of a pass I feel that I am putting myself down a lot and criticizing every little tiny mistake, when I was getting ready for my grade 1 I was totally the opposite! Is this a normal thing that comes with the 'higher grades'???
if so I will be IMPOSSIBLE when I get to grade 8

My practice really isn't going too great. My exam is this term and our exam centre has the first two weeks so it's gonna be an early one.

I can barely play my pieces at all, and my scales need a lot of work. I wanted to wait until next term but am playing off old syllabus and dont want to start over on completely new pieces. If it was a lower grade I think I could just about pass, but I would think they're quite picky by grade 5.

Labour in vain? More like labour in pain, for me. After an hour's practice on Friday, I have been completely unable to practise since, due to pain in my right shoulder. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any permanent answer to this as it's due to rhuematoid arthritis (except perhaps a cortisone injection). But how can I maintain my standard to teach if I can't play? I am seriously worried. Please, somebody, give me a hug!

*Gives gentle hug*

My practice still isn't getting any better

What are you playing for grade 5 Morgan's Munchkin? I did that syllabus and did Giga, Spanish Dance and Air & Pizzicato. Wouldn't say I loved any of them but Spanish dance was the best.

My practice today was amazing until the shoulder kicked in at the end you know when you have those days when you play the first scale or whatever and know it's a good day for your instrument? doesn't happen that often to me but when it does it's great!

Meditation de Thais

Bach double

I just played most of my (piano) major scales wrong... doesn't bode well for the melodics I'm about to do.

To your first question:
Practice was cold today. It's so cold that my hand won't grip the bow correctly -- it keeps slipping and I have to keep moistening my right hand with my exhaling breath every few minutes just so I can get a somewhat stable grip for the moment.

It's ###### when you have to run through and/or practice a piece like Dvorak's Cello Concerto.

To your second question:
Isn't that what this thread is for?


EDIT: Why is "Ter ri ble" censored out? TEST: awful terrible

EDIT 2: That's strange... "terrible" works now.

'How was my practice today?'


Loud!

I've had my violin for a couple of months now and the sound is really opening up, it was clear and projected well in the first place but now it's more like a stampeding stallion I have to tame every time I play.

I'm not complaining, I'm thrilled to bits with my fiddle but the difference in sound quality has become very noticable over the past couple of weeks.


...So basically my practice constisted of trying to stop my pp being ff!

I'm doing the Giga, Barcarolle (off the alternative lists) and the Air & Pizzicato. I don't like the Giga much but the other two are nice (except the evil top G at the end of the Barcarolle!!)

I really need to work on my dynamics and vibrato now. I'm also having much trouble playing quietly at the moment.

Today I had to lug my violin, music, and music stand all the way upstairs and away from my sister's insanely loud piano practicing.

Then spent the first half hour or more trying to get my head around the four octave scales and arpeggios and figuring out how all my fingers could fit (and play in tune) on the very highest part of the fingerboard. After recovering from the soreness I just had enough energy left to practise a new Bach partita movement.. and that was it. Strangely unproductive.

I'll answer for yesterday given that Pierre stayed at home today and hasn't been out of his case.

I was surprised by my practice yesterday. I fully expected to sound awful after a few days of neglect. I've stopped playing what I'm 'supposed' to be working on for a few days, and instead worked on a rather tricky (IMO) passage from Smetana's 'Ma Vlast'. It's something to do with nymphs and moonlight and is pretty high, but no-one came to complain at me! I'm finally getting to grips with vibrato in the higher positions too. All in all I was quite pleased. I somehow doubt the same will happen today though.

I practised today as I just wanted to play. I wanted to hear the sound of my viola and let it soothe me. Given that I can play about 3 short tunes and a few bits and pieces, I'm quite pleased with that!

I was Rubbish today (with a capital Ruh...)

Everything was just stupid stupid stupid.


Oh well, there's always tomorrow.....

Mine was awful too Lottie...but I'm going to do a bit more now and see if it's any better!

Surely it's not right when it sounds better with your eyes closed? My brain and fingers aren't talking when I try to follow the score for 'Allegro' - so I cut out the middle man!

I would say that was fab! It means that your body knows where to play and doesn't need any help from vision! Well done! I'm working on this too and try to do open strings bowing with eyes closed to get teh 'feel' of arm height and so forth.

Whilst we are on the subject....
I am very pleased to announce that I can now play in 1st/2nd and 3rd position without looking at my fingers or instrument, I think I have been doing this for a while but only realised it in 2 to 4 weeks
It's a good feeling of achievement, knowing that the instrument is becoming more familiar and the ears are developing more and more!!

Go Jo!

Help - my wrist problem is back so it was too sore to play more than half-an-hour today but I was ready to throw Martha against a wall anyway...

... there's BUZZ and it's driving me CRAZY because I can't FIND it!!!

Help please - before I go mad...

It's on the A string, especially when I play E in third position. It sounds metallic and it's HORRIBLE and I just can't get rid of it...

any ideas to stop it PLEASE

I had a buzz on my violin when I played in 3rd position on the E string, my teacher said it was because my E string was wearing out and changing strings solved the problem. As for the E in third position on the A string, it might be normal for it to sound metallic. I thought there was something wrong with my violin cos when I did vibrato on the E, there was a strange metallic echo, it sounded spooky. My teacher tried it as well and she said it's normal. The could be other reasons for the buzzing and netallic sound though, so its best to ask your teacher.

Hope your wrist gets better!

My practice was boring. I've been practicing out of the same two books for months, I think it may be time to move up to Suzuki book 3 and get another song book. Tomorrow is going to suck though, Its my last private lesson with my teachers and I don't know if I'm going to be ble to find another private teacher for Viola.

Hi Lottie - have you got a fine tuner on your a ? Check it isn't loose in any way - if you haven't got one, check the fine tuner on your e in case that's loose - if you're playing in third on the a, you'll be hitting the e on the a string which could easily cause a slight sympathetic vibration in your e string, causing in turn a rattle from the fine tuner.

If it isn't either of these things, take it to a luthier - it may need some fingerboard work done to it (scooping and shooting they call it) - the tiniest bump on the fingerboard could be causing it too.

Allan

You might want to buy yourself some more music for your level and have a go at that alongside your planned lesson work. It relieves the monotony and develops your skills further.

A violin teacher will probably be willing to help you out with private lessons until you find a new violist to help you, but make sure they do play viola themselves!

My new strings are making practice seems less torturous. I still haven't quite found the 'right' A and E strings but I have more of an idea which has got to be a start!

I woke up early this morning so that I'd have time to play some scales. I think my parents were a little concerned...!

Lottie, is your violin still buzzing today?

I can't play it! I don't know if it's because my ears are really sensitive to the noise but I find it painful to play with the buzz. I still can't find it either so I've only played once this last week and that was fairly miserable too.

At least I have a lesson tonight so hopefully my teacher can find the buzz and ease my pain!! With my exam looming I really can't afford to lose any more practice time.

My practice today was rubbish. the Kreutzer I'm working on is going nowhere fast, neither is the Handel and neither is anthing else!

I haven't been able to practice since Thursday because we have a house-guest who doesn't like music (there are some philistine's out there). They leave tomorrow and I hope they won't be back for a long time.

What's the saying; you can choose your friends but not your family (and it's not from my side who are all educated musical types).

At least tomorrow afternoon I can get back to work

A new violin has to 'settle'. Mine came all the way over from China and needed to adjust to differences in temperature and humidity.

When I first stared playing Keira (having changed the strings to Obligatos) she used to buzz terribly whenever I played the G string - a high-pitched resonance just below the ear that was very irritating. I took her out recently having not touched her for more than six months - and she sounds fine now.

Hope your buzz gets sorted, Lottie in time for your exam *fingers crossed*.

My practice appears to get worse every time. I'm sooooo gonna fail my exam.

Well, we're all feeling low with our prac at the mo, aren't we? My reason is not having done any for 10 days thanks to having hurt my neck. You just CANNOT play viola with a neck injury, however minor! Anyway, should get back going again today. Thankfully, I don't have exams coming up, or anything like that, I just have to learn for fun. We may even get to start book 2 this month, but don't hold your breath!!!!