Learning Lemni

Adult violin student

[transfixingart]

Ophélie, 1851 - Léopold Burthe (1823-1860)

Lain in the dappled sunlight

[lord-des-fleurs]

Light and dark academia collage wallpaper.

[classicarte]

Détail de « Ange Déchu (Fallen Angel) » Alexandre Cabanel, 1868

[strictly-indian-fashion]

Manimukta by Preeti Mohan x Weaver Story | Festive 2019

[harmonypictures]

[classicarte]

Concerto pour violoncelle en la mineur, Op. 129: III. Sehr lebhaft – Robert Schumann

Violoncelle avec Un Orchestre (Cello with Orchestra) Quang Ho

[take-me-to-your-lieder-deactiva]

Classical Music Explained

Symphony

Opera

Lieder

Fantasia

Toccata

Chorale

[whatshouldwecallconservatory-de]

Concerto

[take-me-to-your-lieder-deactiva]

I’m so glad that this has become my most popular post.

[cassiekutev-deactivated20160620]

Mélodie

[manuelx22]

Percussion

[you-had-me-at-e-flat-major]

mahler: all of the above

[practiceviolin-blog]

How to Structure a Productive Music Practice  Log#2: Problem Solving without Wasting Any Time.

  Many students are wasting their time practicing doing something called mindless/brainless practicing. This is one you are running your pieces of a couple times and not actually fixing anything or when you are repeating a passage and not finding the problem. In order to have an efficient and productive practice, it is best if you use the problem-solving process:

  1. Define/Analyze the Problem - Find out what appears to be wrong, then see what is the cause of the problem. For example, string crossings are not clear because I am not at the right part of the bow.   2. Identify Possible Solutions - Come up with ways that will make your playing sound the way you want it to. For example, I will use the middle of the bow with more pressure.    3. Select the Most Effective Alternative - See which solution seems to work the best.   4. Implement the Best Solution - Practice with the new solution to make a permanent change.   5. Evaluate Implementation - Make sure your solutions are working. If the they aren’t, you may have to look for more solutions.

     Make you are using your practice time wisely. Life is short.  Time is valuable. Don’t waste precious time.

[whatshouldwecallpiccolo]

That stage of memorizing a piece where you’re like

[learninglemni-blog]

I remember this opening, and the next part comes from another song, but wait there is the original song, and finish off with some improvisation.

[fororchestra]

[afireinsidex03]

Also known as sight-reading trainwrecks…

[worthyfitz-deactivated20170621]

So does anyone know of any good online resources (YouTube channels, websites, whatever) for learning violin?

[learninglemni-blog]

violinlab.com

[whatshouldwecallflautists]

When I accidentally play something right and my teacher asks how I did it

[exxhale-desire-deactivated20150]

FUCK MY LESSON IS TOMORROW I HAVENT PRACTICED SHIT

ancient music major proverb (via exxhale-desire)

[learninglemni-blog]

At first I thought my teacher drew a star and then I realized it was just an "A"... I started wohlfahrt étude no. 3!!! Check out my post on learninglemni.tumblr.com #violin #suzukiviolin #wohlfahrt #learninglemni #etude3

[learninglemni-blog]

Hi, I'm an adult about to take up the violin, and I love your updates. Did you play other instruments before the violin, or did you take it up cold?

Thank you. Years ago, I taught myself how to read basic sheet music since I have a keyboard at my house. I don’t know why I have a keyboard at my house but I just do. I also went through a super easy Piano book by myself.

However, I never really played any songs and I don’t even know how to play chopsticks.

If you gave me the notes “F-A-C-E”, I would stare at the keyboard for a long time. 1. I would find my Middle C. 2. I would count up until I got to F. 3. I would skip two notes to get to the A. 4. At that point, I would probably give up. It’s almost like sitting with a 4 year old as they read SUPER SLOW. And that was the extent of my knowledge and capabilities. So yes, I do have experience with another instrument but it is so minimal that I’m not sure if that really counts.

 I personally consider the violin as my first instrument. Everything about the instrument and reading music is new to me. After deciding to learn to play the violin, I started learning theory. It still confuses me most times but I think I am getting the hang of it.

———————

Fun Fact 1: I got interested in learning to play the violin after seeing videos online. I ordered my violin online and when I received it, that was the closest I have ever been to the instrument in my life. I picked it up and thought “this is really light!”

Fun Fact 2: I have only touched an actual piano twice in my life. The first time was at school and my roommate actually took a picture of me as I pressed one key since it was a special moment.

Fun Fact 3: I realize my fun facts are not that fun. Instead, they show my lack of experience and proximity to musical instruments.

[nannyfeline]

Your fun facts are fun to me, because it makes me less scared of picking up the violin! I’ve had very little musical training (but I did take piano for a year in high school and can pick out a tune on my ukulele), so I’ve been scared to move onto anything as scary (but wonderful) as the violin.

Your posts are really inspiring to me. I’m so happy that you’re sharing them! And thanks for the response! xoxo

[learninglemni-blog]

It sounds like you have more musical experience than I do. Not going to lie, the initial sounds you are going to make will sound scary. I tried to look at blogs, forums, and videos showing what beginners sound like. It became comforting to know that other people shared the same struggle and that it is possible to get better.

Here is a facebook support group for violinists. The people are friendly and you can always ask them any questions

https://www.facebook.com/groups/119127121451810/

[learninglemni-blog]

Hi, I'm an adult about to take up the violin, and I love your updates. Did you play other instruments before the violin, or did you take it up cold?

Thank you. Years ago, I taught myself how to read basic sheet music since I have a keyboard at my house. I don’t know why I have a keyboard at my house but I just do. I also went through a super easy Piano book by myself.

However, I never really played any songs and I don’t even know how to play chopsticks.

If you gave me the notes “F-A-C-E”, I would stare at the keyboard for a long time. 1. I would find my Middle C. 2. I would count up until I got to F. 3. I would skip two notes to get to the A. 4. At that point, I would probably give up. It’s almost like sitting with a 4 year old as they read SUPER SLOW. And that was the extent of my knowledge and capabilities. So yes, I do have experience with another instrument but it is so minimal that I’m not sure if that really counts.

 I personally consider the violin as my first instrument. Everything about the instrument and reading music is new to me. After deciding to learn to play the violin, I started learning theory. It still confuses me most times but I think I am getting the hang of it.

———————

Fun Fact 1: I got interested in learning to play the violin after seeing videos online. I ordered my violin online and when I received it, that was the closest I have ever been to the instrument in my life. I picked it up and thought “this is really light!”

Fun Fact 2: I have only touched an actual piano twice in my life. The first time was at school and my roommate actually took a picture of me as I pressed one key since it was a special moment.

Fun Fact 3: I realize my fun facts are not that fun. Instead, they show my lack of experience and proximity to musical instruments.

[learninglemni-blog]

15th Lesson

 Today was my 15th lesson and the first blog post to be done on the same day as the lesson. This time, I brought my recorder and captured my entire lesson.  We started off with the A minor scale and played the natural, harmonic, and melodic minor. The shift to D# and crossing strings to A is a little challenging but overall it went well. I will be practicing my scales by saying the note names out loud to make sure I am playing the correct notes.

 I have been practicing the Minuet no. 2 so it sounds better but I kept hitting the strings. I need to stop the bow from moving before moving two strings below or you hear all these extra sounds. I don't know how long it will take before I am successful but we shall see. And the dotted half notes need to stretched out more. My teacher wrote in "Add vibrato whenever possible." I did memorize half of it and hopefully will get this piece on my review list next week.

 Surprisingly, we then started working on Minuet no. 3. I need to learn the notes and be careful with bowings. I think the sight-reading was fairly successful  and will start to observe dynamics. These string crossings are tough!

 Wohlfahrt was up next. I was able to practice the fourth line in the second etude but it became messy when I added the other lines.  I believe my piano dynamic is fine but my fortes can be a lot louder to showcase the contrast. He set the metronome at 66bpm but sometimes I would speed up sections naturally to 80bpm. Metronomes are still a pain to work with. I am either too focused on playing that I tune out the metronome or it gives me anxiety and I just mess up. But if I want to get better, I must face the tick-tock.

 And then I got another surprise. We started looking at the Wohlfahrt etude no.3! I just sightread the piece and I can see patterns similar to the first two etudes. My assignment is to write in dynamics and just play through the notes. So I started out the lesson with Minuet no.2/ etude 2 and then added on Minuet no.3/etude 3 by the end of it!