Friday, September 27, 2013

Musicality


My poor old piano is getting tuned today.  The tuner lady said that it has gone rather flat during the past 7 years or so of neglect.  She is going to bring it up to pitch today, but it will probably need to be retuned in about 6 months, then a year.

The inspiration for getting the piano tuned is the fact that I have started taking violin lessons!  I started about three months ago with a violin that was borrowed from a family in my church.  Their daughter had played in high school, but gave it up when she went on to college and so it was just sitting unused under a bed in their house.

I ended up having difficulty playing the full size violin, so I recently bought a 3/4 size from a local string store with a really good reputation.  My teacher as well as a friend of mine are both well-known to this shop, and so I think I was treated rather exceptionally well.  :)  They let me borrow the two instruments I was most interested in for up to two weeks while I made a decision.  It was a hard one, but I finally chose the more expensive one.  It has a bit more shrill tone, but the notes sound a bit truer and I am able to hear myself playing better.

My new violin

Learning the violin is on the hard side as far as instruments go.  What looks easy - moving the bow across the strings to make a nice sound - is actually hard to learn.  I can tell the difference in sound when I am properly using the weight of my arm on the bow, but it's so hard to do that consistently.

Anyway, that is what is new right now in my neck of the woods.

4 comments:

Martha said...

Oh, how fun to see you here! :0)

I am impressed with your musical adventure. Perhaps I shall learn how to play the harmonica one day after all...

Does Denis play an instrument?

Tracy said...

Yes, Denis plays guitar and mandolin. Yesterday, after the piano tuner left, I spent the next three hours or so playing either piano or violin. there is a song that I would like to get to the point of being able record myself playing it on the piano so I can play the melody on the violin. For now, I recorded myself on the guitar and have played it with that track. But the piano accompaniment is so much nicer.

Martha said...

I do remember now that Denis plays the guitar. I wish I had learned to play something when I was a child, but my mom was pretty certain she would have to nag me to practice. Either that or they just didn't have the money for an instrument. Alas, I am guilty of the very same thing with some of my kids.

Priscilla said...

O my goodness. I have always wanted to learn how to play the violin. Good for you. You are inspiring.