I have been teaching myself fiddle as there are no teacher around here. I've come to the point where Im not progressing at all, been there a while now. Would a new better fiddle get me moving again, make it easier to get a good tone and make it easier to play up to speed to join the local session? Or am I kidding myself and the story about a good player being able to make a poor fiddle sound great is really true?
The corollary of that is - a bad player will make a great fiddle
sound bad. Good tone isn't the main thing - it's playing in rhythm.
After that is playing in tune and hitting the notes. I'm only joking
a little. I have found by far the hardest thing is controlling the bow
enough to get in rhythm. There are a lot of little things that
contribute - from holding the fiddle to what the third finger of
your right hand is doing.
An excellent player can make a bad fiddle sound fair but why should he struggle? When I first learned the viola aged 40 with grade 1 violin under my belt aged 10 ( the fiddle came later), after a couple of years on a student viola all my initial joy and pleasure in the instrument had gone and it felt as though I was sawing away on a plank of wood, so unresponsive it felt. So I got a teacher and learned a lot about bow hold and left hand position and angles and stuff which was great, but finally I bought the best viola I could afford and it just came to life. I had got to the stage that I didn't want to practice any more because the instrument just gave nothing back. Now with the lovely viola it's always a joy and plaesure to play, even when I know my own limitations let the instrument down.
The same thing happened when I took up the fiddle. The borrowed one was ok for 18months then deeply unsatisfying, but my nice new fiddle is responsive and positively asks to be played. Well, not quite, but it's a good feeling.
I would say buy the best instrument you can afford. You'll enjoy it so much that you'll play it more and improve quicker. Life's too short not to!
That said, it certainly won't make you play quicker, but it might improve your tone a bit. You could look at online lessons - there are some on you-tube for free, but better yet subscribe to the online lessons at www.oaim.ie
Teaching yourself an instrument from the scratch is a mistake, in my opinion. Correcting bad habitsyou could have easily avoided by taking instructions from someone more experienced takes much more time than learning the basics properly.
Having no teachers around while you clearly have an Internet connection should not be an obstacle. You could get lessons from all over the world, from any fiddler that would accept a pupil and has a broadband internet connection, Skype or similar software, and an account to receive money transfers.
I wouldn't also place too much faith in one-way online communication, like tutorials (not that I criticize oaim.ie here, I haven't even been on their site, maybe it's an interactive class).
They are useful only when your technical awareness is developed enough to allow you for proper self-correction.
A good friend of mine whose geographical location and family obligations prevented him from going anywhere to get a teacher, got Skype lessons from one of great contemporary traditional flute players, and we couldn't believe the difference it made. When I want to learn something specific, instead of buying CDs or looking for online tutorials, I just contact the right guy/gal, be it US, Ireland, France, Israel or Japan. You learn, (s)he earns, and you may make friends on the way.
Today, getting a good teacher is easy, and it pays.
You need a teacher, at least to get you started on the right track, and along with that, you need to surround yourself with good players and people. Music in a vacuum is no fun, nor will you get anywhere.
If you actually have a local session to aspire to, it sounds like you might have some possibility for a teacher, even if it's informal. Go to the session, meet the people there, introduce yourself, tell them that you're just learning, and teaching yourself, and they can probably help you out!
Thanks for all the good advice. There are two fiddlers at the local session who have given me some tips but don't want to do anything in the way of lessons. As Janek suggested I have now contacted a teacher in England who will do Skype lessons. Really looking forward to that.
I am at the same stage. Using a Chinese made Skylark fiddle, I have reached a learning plateau, as there is only so much I can do on my own. I am currently looking for a fiddle teacher. Luckily, they are plentiful around here. Once I find the right one I will get him/her to assess my playing, then perhaps we can look at buying a better quality fiddle. I have looked at some really good, hand made instruments but I'd prefer to have an expert with me when choosing one. After all, a fiddle isn't just for Christmas!! Good luck with the Skype lessons.
A fiddle that has a nice tone, is responsive and properly set up so it is easy to play will encourage you to pick it up and play it, and that is what will improve your own tone production, timing, intonation, repertoire, etc etc.
New Fiddle
New Fiddle
I have been teaching myself fiddle as there are no teacher around here. I've come to the point where Im not progressing at all, been there a while now. Would a new better fiddle get me moving again, make it easier to get a good tone and make it easier to play up to speed to join the local session? Or am I kidding myself and the story about a good player being able to make a poor fiddle sound great is really true?
# Posted on November 7th 2011 by Iomhair
Re: New Fiddle
The corollary of that is - a bad player will make a great fiddle
sound bad. Good tone isn't the main thing - it's playing in rhythm.
After that is playing in tune and hitting the notes. I'm only joking
a little. I have found by far the hardest thing is controlling the bow
enough to get in rhythm. There are a lot of little things that
contribute - from holding the fiddle to what the third finger of
your right hand is doing.
# Posted on November 7th 2011 by Hup
Re: New Fiddle
How many hours a day do you play?
# Posted on November 7th 2011 by gam
Re: New Fiddle
An excellent player can make a bad fiddle sound fair but why should he struggle? When I first learned the viola aged 40 with grade 1 violin under my belt aged 10 ( the fiddle came later), after a couple of years on a student viola all my initial joy and pleasure in the instrument had gone and it felt as though I was sawing away on a plank of wood, so unresponsive it felt. So I got a teacher and learned a lot about bow hold and left hand position and angles and stuff which was great, but finally I bought the best viola I could afford and it just came to life. I had got to the stage that I didn't want to practice any more because the instrument just gave nothing back. Now with the lovely viola it's always a joy and plaesure to play, even when I know my own limitations let the instrument down.
The same thing happened when I took up the fiddle. The borrowed one was ok for 18months then deeply unsatisfying, but my nice new fiddle is responsive and positively asks to be played. Well, not quite, but it's a good feeling.
I would say buy the best instrument you can afford. You'll enjoy it so much that you'll play it more and improve quicker. Life's too short not to!
That said, it certainly won't make you play quicker, but it might improve your tone a bit. You could look at online lessons - there are some on you-tube for free, but better yet subscribe to the online lessons at www.oaim.ie
Enjoy your music!
# Posted on November 7th 2011 by Sky fiddler
Re: New Fiddle
Sorry http://www.oaim.ie
Haven't posted a link before - hope this does it
# Posted on November 7th 2011 by Sky fiddler
Re: New Fiddle
Teaching yourself an instrument from the scratch is a mistake, in my opinion. Correcting bad habitsyou could have easily avoided by taking instructions from someone more experienced takes much more time than learning the basics properly.
Having no teachers around while you clearly have an Internet connection should not be an obstacle. You could get lessons from all over the world, from any fiddler that would accept a pupil and has a broadband internet connection, Skype or similar software, and an account to receive money transfers.
I wouldn't also place too much faith in one-way online communication, like tutorials (not that I criticize oaim.ie here, I haven't even been on their site, maybe it's an interactive class).
They are useful only when your technical awareness is developed enough to allow you for proper self-correction.
A good friend of mine whose geographical location and family obligations prevented him from going anywhere to get a teacher, got Skype lessons from one of great contemporary traditional flute players, and we couldn't believe the difference it made. When I want to learn something specific, instead of buying CDs or looking for online tutorials, I just contact the right guy/gal, be it US, Ireland, France, Israel or Japan. You learn, (s)he earns, and you may make friends on the way.
Today, getting a good teacher is easy, and it pays.
# Posted on November 7th 2011 by Janek
Re: New Fiddle
1.Get a teacher.
2.Failing that, get at least 2 tutorial DVDs, one for proper violin technique and one for basic Irish fiddle playing.
3.Get help. Make friends in music.
(In other words, I agree with what the above posters have already told you)
You might also mention where you live in your bio - there might be a fiddler you do not know about right down the road from you.
Good Luck.
# Posted on November 7th 2011 by Piece
Re: New Fiddle
You need a teacher, at least to get you started on the right track, and along with that, you need to surround yourself with good players and people. Music in a vacuum is no fun, nor will you get anywhere.
# Posted on November 7th 2011 by sara505sings
Re: New Fiddle
If you actually have a local session to aspire to, it sounds like you might have some possibility for a teacher, even if it's informal. Go to the session, meet the people there, introduce yourself, tell them that you're just learning, and teaching yourself, and they can probably help you out!
# Posted on November 7th 2011 by Reverend
Re: New Fiddle
Thanks for all the good advice. There are two fiddlers at the local session who have given me some tips but don't want to do anything in the way of lessons. As Janek suggested I have now contacted a teacher in England who will do Skype lessons. Really looking forward to that.
# Posted on November 8th 2011 by Iomhair
Re: New Fiddle
Some very useful information here in these three linked web pages by a great violin teacher: http://rkviolin.com/writ_fund_one.html (holding the violin)
http://rkviolin.com/writ_fund_two.html (holding the bow)
http://rkviolin.com/writ_fund_three.html (oractice tips)
# Posted on November 8th 2011 by Trevor Jennings
Re: New Fiddle
"practice" - not "oractice"!
# Posted on November 8th 2011 by Trevor Jennings
Re: New Fiddle
I am at the same stage. Using a Chinese made Skylark fiddle, I have reached a learning plateau, as there is only so much I can do on my own. I am currently looking for a fiddle teacher. Luckily, they are plentiful around here. Once I find the right one I will get him/her to assess my playing, then perhaps we can look at buying a better quality fiddle. I have looked at some really good, hand made instruments but I'd prefer to have an expert with me when choosing one. After all, a fiddle isn't just for Christmas!! Good luck with the Skype lessons.
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by Pi
Re: New Fiddle
A fiddle that has a nice tone, is responsive and properly set up so it is easy to play will encourage you to pick it up and play it, and that is what will improve your own tone production, timing, intonation, repertoire, etc etc.
# Posted on November 13th 2011 by Bernie 29