As an avid mandolinist-it was a slow start on fiddle in the past year, played on my own-started studing with a local bluegrass fiddler which was a complete disaster! I became afraid of touching the bow to the strings without a tongue lashing-shoot I'm 56, I want to play and have fun. I bought a wonderful violin from "Opera House" Chinese supplier-it's a Ivanov/Ning (Russian & Chinese maker working together). I'm playing mostly fiddle at the local jam (old time/ celtic-read alot in "Fiddlers FB") and since I play cello & mando at church-I can now add a song here and there on violin.
Good for you Jon. It's pretty fun once one gets a handle on it, eh?
Hey, Jon,you're right, play to have fun. I'm 63 and just started fiddle over the last 3 months and i'm having a ball. Played guitar for 50 years or so and mandolins for the last year. The fiddle sure has it's own challenges, too,doesn't it? I don't have anyone to jam with just yet. I play a lot of the tunes we chose in the Song A Week social group here at the Cafe. That's a great place to find tunes and the sheet music to go along with them. you should check it out sometime.
Glad to see there are a few other late bloomers in the fiddle world. The bow sure is a challenge. I did find that using a clip-on chromatic tuner helps intonation a lot. Its response is pretty slow, but I am beginning to hear when I am and am not in tune.
Yes, it is no undertaking for the fainthearted to begin fiddle study at an advanced age--kudos to you gentlemen. I've been playing for the better part of 20 years, and it's still one of the more challenging things to do! I guess the adage about "things worth doing" applies well to the fiddle.
"Advanced age?" Well now you've done it! ;-)
Oooh...I mean, compared with a 6 year old, I mean...
That don't bother me none, Cat. my knees and fingers remind me of that every day. I know that you're only young once, but You can be immature forever. You can ask my wife if you don't believe me.
Oh my, don't ask my wife about that!
Walt, never thought about using the tuner, great idea that i'm gonna steal! one trick i've been using to help tame that bow position is to put a plastic soda straw into each of the circular ends of the f-holes. That will keep the bow right in the 'sweet spot' of the strings whilst you concentrate on fingering and up/down strokes, at least it works for me, YMMV.
Well Mike, I'd say your soda straw idea is an even trade for my chromatic tuner tip! Good one! You can find computer-based chromatic tuners online. I prefer the clip-on, despite its slow reaction time; mic'ed tuners seem to hear my 'fridge and heating unit as well as the fiddle. Walt
Thanks Walt. LIke to trade tips and tricks with others. I have several clip-on tuners, now. seems like every time i turn around i lose one, buy a new one, then suddenly the other one turns up in my gig bag! Or maybe it's my advanced age catman, ya just know i couldn't help myself
