Celebrating a Week of Consistent Practice!
6-12-2023
Yes, I know a week is a small thing in the big picture, but it’s been so long since I’ve managed to keep a consistent practice schedule that I’ll celebrate what I can! As a matter of fact, it’s been so long since I’ve truly practiced that I decided I was going to clean the slate off for the most part and start again.
I know this seems like a drastic thing to do – and that I tend to hop from one method to another in my search to find something that works for me. This time, I’ve started fresh and from the start with a new online studio called Meadowlark Violin.
There are two main reasons for this:
- The instructor there learned violin at a slightly later age and understands the struggles of a new adult player – in fact, her instruction is built for this kind of student!
- She also doesn’t frown down upon people who seek out instruction online rather than an in-person teacher (which I still cannot do).
Her instruction feels far more in-depth because she includes in her online videos tips and approaches she’d do with a student IRL. Having been through many different methods, I do feel like she takes the most wholistic approach for a brand new player that I’ve seen so far.
Add to this that she includes lots of exercises, tips for things like stretching and warm ups, and has a section for folks who want to learn fiddle. So, her instruction doesn’t just teach people classical music – though there’s that, too, if you want to learn.
I started back at the very beginning once again, but this wasn’t too much of a frustration for me. So far, I’ve only been working through short finger and bowing exercises, along with some scales that I’ve added in myself.
This new approach teaches a player how to train their ear to the sound of the notes – which I think is super important for ensuring good tone. I mean, how can you tell if you have bad tone if you don’t know what good tone sounds like?
I’m happy that for the most part, I can easily pick out what’s the proper note and what’s flat or sharp. My previous experience in practicing still holds over to this and makes these exercise much easier.
I’m truthfully taking this far slower than I probably should. Or maybe I’m not. Maybe I always pushed it faster than I should have. Once I get to a point where I’m playing tunes in the Meadowlark studio, I’ll likely add back the EEI book as well.
But for now, I’m just working on finger exercises and getting refamiliarized with how to stretch my hand, hold my fingers and trying to bow correctly once more. I’ve made good progress, and I feel pretty good about my consistent practice. I hope I can come back next week and write that this has continued!