Quote: (04-05-2016 02:01 AM)Travesty Wrote:
^ how old were you when you first played violin?
If it is under 10 years old this sage wisdom is lightweight.
Probably like 8 or 9? I don't remember I was in 3rd grade. I had the "cracking string" problem until I was in 5th grade when I was playing for my parents once. My mom asked my dad, "Why is his instrument so screechy?" to which my dad replied, "He's putting a lot of pressure on the bow." After that I stopped putting pressure on it and my playing started to become pleasant to hear. Hand placement on the bow is really important for this. Your hand should be really loose and should gently guide the bow. There's no need to "grip" it so tightly.
It probably took me seven years to get to the point where I could sight read, play in different hand positions, play harmonics, acquire vibrato, and finally learn rhythm. Mind you I was goofing off and didn't take my playing seriously nor practiced regularly.
It should be stated however that it took me
years to get to the level to play well. I didn't get proficient until my junior year of high school. I also didn't know how to read music until I was around 11/12 years old.
It was when I competed in high school that I started taking it seriously. There were a few times where I wanted to quit in middle school and told my parents as such. Part of the problem was the Suzuki method. If you're familiar with it you have these books where there are songs pre-made for your instrument of choice. I had a smattering of pieces I didn't like playing and my teacher forced me to learn them. What good is playing music if the music you're playing isn't enjoyable to play? I'm grateful my dad convinced me to stick with it.
I think the phrase, "can't teach an old dog new tricks" is bunk. Back when I lived in Boston, I took vocal lessons in a group at the request of my cantor. The group had one adult guy in his 30s who had never read music in his life, sang, or had any musical ability whatsoever (everyone else had a musical background). In the course of three months he learned how to read music, tune his voice to a note on the piano, and had basic rhythm. He stuck through with it and got proficient enough to sing out of a hymnal.
With one hour of focused practiced a day with one day a week of guided lessons from a pro will make you proficient rather quickly in any instrument. The trick is forcing yourself to stick with it and practice daily which takes a lot of will power. The same can be said for any new skill. There were times where I wanted to quit weight lifting for whatever reason. Willpower to do anything is lacking these days.
As for myself, I still sing in a choir to this day. I can also pick up my violin and get back to the same proficiency I had when I put the instrument down after about thirty minutes of scales and basic playing. I can still play Corelli's La Folia, some concertos for viola, and a few partitas.
That reminds me, I need to get my bow re-haired
I encourage anyone of any age to learn how to play an instrument of any style. Music is such a great skill which fills the soul with hope and vigor.