12-28-2011, 06:37 PM
I played violin - well actually I just fiddle around.
I started off as a kid - oh around age 9 on and off. By the time I was shipped back to my father at nearly 15 years of age I had missed out on lots of formal training. My mother wouldn't let me play the instrument more often than not - so I didn't get a lot of practice in except at school between 11-14.
My Father, unlike my mother, is the one who wanted me to play the instrument. Thus once I was shipped back to him he insisted I make up for the 3 years I was not playing at my mothers.
In Kentucky I learned 'bluegrass' style. (See video of what bluegrass style is like).
We went to shindigs and hoedowns, hoodang, hootenannies and other various get-togethers
where I would play with the 'band'.
In high school my music teacher was a ______________. She said I had the form, the fingering, the precision to be a great classical violinist, if only I didn't play like a machine with all the feeling and warmth of a January freeze. I had the knowledge, just not the heart for the music.
By the time I hit seminary I had pretty much put the instrument away. I did "street performance" - you know, playing in order to beg, standing there with the open violin case on the ground in front of you hoping that people walking by will stop and stand a spell and then pay you a few coins for your music more than once in order to raise a few extra dollars. I played for 'fun' never pursuing any more formal training.
I no longer have the calluses on my left fingers from the strings. I doubt I could play as 'wild' as I did back 20+ years ago. Vibrato most likely would hurt - a lot.
On top of it I had my left ulnar nerve transposed (moved) about 5 years ago, my left hand is partially in permanent "Benediction mode". Aka Ulnar Claw. I am told that the sensations in my left arm are my the signals of my nerve dying....
![[Image: 800px-Ulnar_claw_hand.JPG]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Ulnar_claw_hand.JPG/800px-Ulnar_claw_hand.JPG)
I tried to play about 6-8 months ago - my left hand just didn't want to comply...
I started off as a kid - oh around age 9 on and off. By the time I was shipped back to my father at nearly 15 years of age I had missed out on lots of formal training. My mother wouldn't let me play the instrument more often than not - so I didn't get a lot of practice in except at school between 11-14.
My Father, unlike my mother, is the one who wanted me to play the instrument. Thus once I was shipped back to him he insisted I make up for the 3 years I was not playing at my mothers.
In Kentucky I learned 'bluegrass' style. (See video of what bluegrass style is like).
We went to shindigs and hoedowns, hoodang, hootenannies and other various get-togethers
where I would play with the 'band'.In high school my music teacher was a ______________. She said I had the form, the fingering, the precision to be a great classical violinist, if only I didn't play like a machine with all the feeling and warmth of a January freeze. I had the knowledge, just not the heart for the music.
By the time I hit seminary I had pretty much put the instrument away. I did "street performance" - you know, playing in order to beg, standing there with the open violin case on the ground in front of you hoping that people walking by will stop and stand a spell and then pay you a few coins for your music more than once in order to raise a few extra dollars. I played for 'fun' never pursuing any more formal training.
I no longer have the calluses on my left fingers from the strings. I doubt I could play as 'wild' as I did back 20+ years ago. Vibrato most likely would hurt - a lot.
On top of it I had my left ulnar nerve transposed (moved) about 5 years ago, my left hand is partially in permanent "Benediction mode". Aka Ulnar Claw. I am told that the sensations in my left arm are my the signals of my nerve dying....
I tried to play about 6-8 months ago - my left hand just didn't want to comply...
![[-]](https://gayspeak.com/images/duende_v3_local/collapse.png)
