Any Violinists on here ?

kw1998

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Curious if any Violinists took up the uke ? I did and love both !
I play an English violin from 1790 and a Joseph Gaffino from 1745, and also a Yamaha electric.
Trained classically originally, and still play orchestral music, but folk now also, in an improvised Guitar/fiddle duet.

Tell me about your violin skills ! I'm sure there are some virtuosos on here; I'm far from one !


Happy Uke-ing
 
I am a fiddle player, primarily old time music but have also played other genres over the years. I have been playing all sorts of fretted instruments including ukes for over 4 decades.
 
Well, I'm not a violin player, but I do have a violin. My Grandfather played the violin. Actually my mother told me he was a "fiddler". He played in bars, for dances, and things like that. Then my Mother played his violin in high school. It is a Francois Salzard, and my Mother told me that my Grandfather brought it back from France, where he fought in WWI. I don't know if that is true or not, as he died when my Mother was only three years old, so that is just what she said. But it appears to be old enough. I've had it for probably thirty years. I have never tried to play it. The neck is separating from the body of the violin, and I don't want to play it bad enough to get it fixed. If it weren't for that, I might have tried.

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Bumping up an old thread... I would love to try to learn the violin, and have ordered a used one off of eBay. Is there a good violin/fiddle forum comparable to UU?
 
Bumping up an old thread... I would love to try to learn the violin, and have ordered a used one off of eBay. Is there a good violin/fiddle forum comparable to UU?

For fiddle, Fiddle Hangout would be good.

More general for violin playing: Maestronet

However, I would suggest that you take some lessons from a good teacher. Violin is one instrument that you want to get the correct technique from the start. It is more than a little difficult, esp in the beginning to get the subtleties of bowing and tone production. Many people start and give up easily.
 
I found Fiddle Hangout but not the other one. And I'm planning on at least a few lessons because reality says I don't even know the proper way to hold it when it arrives. :)
 
It is not so easy to transition from ukulele to violin/fiddle. Just be prepared to take deep breaths and be patient with yourself. It also helps after some time to have other people with abilities similar to you to play slowly with. That is how I learned many decades ago. Good luck!

I do see from your signature that you play dulcimer so I assume that you are not interested in classical violin, more old time fiddle? In that case, if you can go to some fiddle festivals or camps. Fiddler Magazine BTW is a generally good source for many styles or Old Time Herald if you are primarily interested in old time music.
 
LOL I expect to be absolutely terrible at it for a while! Hopefully a few lessons will get me off on the right foot though and I can go from there.

I'm honestly interested in either style, but I do have a soft spot for old time music. I'll keep a look out for fiddling events nearby that I might be able to attend. I'll check those magazines out as well. Thanks. :)
 


I bin "playing" that squeaky scrape box about 3 months now, so this 'll be a larf...a bit of George Formby doesGypay Jazz...lol....
 
My mom played and was a prodigy. Her mom was first violinist in her dad's bands, then my mother was. He was the NBC Orchestra leader for quite awile waaaaay back. My Mom just died and I inherited a Thir and a Magini. I would love to take lessons but my uncle asked for them, and since he is dying of cancer I sent one and will pack the other to go soon. I hate to let them go. When he steps out the family promised to send them back. Hope so. Those violins were long time companions to my mother, who played beautifully, it was astonishing. She played piano and bari uke too.

Even with all the musicians, it was a very dysfunctional family, I wasn't much of a part of it even though I was the first born of the first born, and no one ever thought to ask if I wanted to learn to play anything.

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When I was a kid, we had an organ and my mom had two old guitars I can't remember anyone ever picking up. I would occasionally pluck the strings as a child. I took organ lessons and later on played flute in junior high band, but I don't feel like I have any real musical talent like some people seem to exude. But I enjoy it, I like learning new things, and it's a better hobby than say drugs... Lol.

As to the family thing, my dad I'm sure was bipolar and my mom is somewhat simple. My grandmother mostly raised me and the extended family basically shunned us. My relationship with my mom infinitely improved once I moved out though.
 
I realize my earlier comment might have been taken wrong- it was in jest, and you're so much better a player than I can even imagine being right now. I had my first violin lesson today and it went well. Knowing I don't know anything about it, we started with anatomy, some basic music theory, how to tune it, how to rosin the bow, and proper form... which I think if I can get that right the other issues I am having with what she's asked of me will fall into place.

I have two weeks to hopefully learn to play a progression of notes on one string smoothly and at an even tempo and then I'll see her again. I'm really excited though to get started learning.
 
When I am wearing shoes, I am playing the violin.

When I am not wearing shoes, I am playing the fiddle.
 
Not a violinist, but my sister is a violin teacher, my mom learned some to help out with my sisters learning and I have a son and daughter that play (I'm the major parental support on that - my wife does the cellist).

That leaves me in the place where I know how to play the violin (that is, I have most of the basic knowledge), but I can't actually play (never developed the physical skills). I thought about taking the time to pick up the skills, but I think I'm going to spend my time learning bass instead.
 
I play the violin at a reasonable amateur standard, mostly classical. I've been a member of a large amateur symphony orchestra for 30 years and have played a lot of the standard repertoire. This band has regular weekly rehearsals, but I also get roped into more ad hoc groups that have perhaps just a couple of intensive rehearsals before the performance - a bit scary but very good for concentrating the mind! I've also done quite lot with choirs, including both the Bach Passions and the B minor Mass, several Handel oratorios, Haydn's Creation, etc, etc.

I am also in a ceilidh band that performs in care homes and old folks' clubs. At full strength we have three fiddles, two accordions, a mouth organ and piano as well as a singer. It is great fun and very rewarding to see how people, some quite far gone with dementia, respond to the music.

My church is planning to start a weekly drop-in club for the elderly, including a slot for singing old favourites. To begin with I think I will have to bang out the songs on the piano but I hope that my uke playing will improve to the point that I can use that instead - the piano is an old honky-tonk, and I would have my back to folk. Accompanying on the uke would be much friendlier, I think.
 
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I been fiddling since May . Not too bad, if you like tuneless whistling .
 
I'm glad I'm not into learning violin. I can't imagine how bad VAS would get.
 
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