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jonboat - Posted - 06/14/2023: 08:01:25
About forty-five years ago, when I first started learning to play the fiddle, a fiddle-playing friend gave me this book, so that I could learn to read music. I did learn to read music from following the book, it was very well written. I would also play a tune I knew by ear while looking at the notation for it, to learn where on the fingerboard I needed to place my fingers to play a particular note, as well as the duration of it. Has anyone else used The EZ METHOD OF VIOLIN
Brian Wood - Posted - 06/14/2023: 13:15:37
I typed in EZ METHOD OF VIOLIN in google and found a copy right away - for $129.95! People trying to make money on anything old seems to have gotten out of hand. And what's the 95 cents about? Good luck. But I'm sure there are any number of good instruction books out there without having to use the one you once started with. Basically, you can get the fundamentals for free by searching online. Then just practice it daily.
But maybe you're just asking if anybody else used this book and aren't trying to find a copy, you just want to talk about it?
Edited by - Brian Wood on 06/14/2023 13:19:00
TuneWeaver - Posted - 06/14/2023: 15:13:56
I have not heard of that book. When I was 18, I ordered a violin course from the US School of Music.. For about $50 (then price).. I got a full course book which included a pitch pipe and a fold out piano keyboard. I'd do a lesson from the book and send in answered questions to Chicago and get responses. Surprisingly, I did actually learn to play the Merry Widow Waltz. Life took over and I only completed a handful of lessons.. Have any of you 'old timers' heard of the US School of Music? They advertised is many magazines.. Remember, this was before ANY technology other than a party line phone!!!
Lonesome Fiddler - Posted - 06/14/2023: 15:31:30
I already knew music notation from my childhood piano lessons and, despite the fact David Bragger absolutely refused to use musical notation, his habit of organizing the tunes he taught us by key made it easy to put two-and-two together and suss out how to employ the dreaded dots. When I eventually took the plunge and bought my manuscript-based Irish tune book I was on my way. To be sure, my sight-reading ability pretty much ends when forced to go north of First Position, but I'm a fiddler, not a violinist.
Erockin - Posted - 06/15/2023: 04:43:50
I'm envious. Reading music is a skill in itself. I was torn at the beginning and continue to contemplate but at this stage of the game, I'm going to push on through learning the way I am at this time.
NCnotes - Posted - 06/15/2023: 08:42:18
These days, there are apparently apps for that!
For example this one gets good reviews... "The ultimate music reading training app. Designed like a video game and with strong pedagogical concepts in mind, Complete Music Reading Trainer is the fastest way to learn to read sheet music and improve your sight-reading skills. Whichever clef you want to learn and whatever your instrument is, the app will make you master any chosen clef or clef combination while rendering the learning process enjoyable."
DougD - Posted - 06/15/2023: 11:36:27
Looks like there are lots of books still available teaching music reading. I also came across this blog page that I think does a good job explaining the basics of reading: musicnotes.com/blog/how-to-rea...et-music/ I think anyone who takes their time would come away knowing the FUNdamentals.
If I were going to try and teach music reading aimed at fiddle playing I would start by pointing out that the space below the bottom line of the treble clef is D - the note of the open third string of a (properly tuned) violin. Each line and space above that represents the next higher note ( or finger). If you skip a space, the next above is the open A string, from there if you skip another space, the next is the open E string. Just with that much you should be able to play a D (minor) scale.
Then on to sharps and flats and note values....
DougD - Posted - 06/15/2023: 11:40:18
Lee, it looks like your old "alma mater" is still around, with a slightly different name: usschoolofmusic.com/
TuneWeaver - Posted - 06/15/2023: 11:52:37
Thanks for finding that, Doug... It is a good read..
DougD - Posted - 06/15/2023: 13:19:55
Correction - A scale beginning on D and using just the "natural" notes on the staff (no sharps or flats) will be the Dorian mode, not "minor" (Aeolian). Still quite useful though, and a good starting place.
TimeTension - Posted - 06/15/2023: 18:00:17
quote:
Originally posted by DougD
Lee, I think many people will recognize this famous ad: swiped.co/file/they-laughed-wh...n-caples/
Truly a blast from the past, and its amazing they're still in business!
The old people always quoted that ad as "They laughed when I sat down at the piano, but they roared when I fell off the bench."
I mean really old, not just the 70's.
TuneWeaver - Posted - 06/15/2023: 18:27:10
quote:
Originally posted by TimeTension
quote:
Originally posted by DougD
Lee, I think many people will recognize this famous ad: swiped.co/file/they-laughed-wh...n-caples/
Truly a blast from the past, and its amazing they're still in business!
The old people always quoted that ad as "They laughed when I sat down at the piano, but they roared when I fell off the bench."
I mean really old, not just the 70's.
With me it was, "They laughed when I said I could play a fiddle, and laughed louder when they actually heard me play."
NCnotes - Posted - 06/17/2023: 06:43:34
Tuneweaver I liked that cuz I thought it was funny, not cuz I agree that your fiddling is laughable!
Edited by - NCnotes on 06/17/2023 06:43:56
TuneWeaver - Posted - 06/18/2023: 06:47:48
quote:
Originally posted by NCnotes
Tuneweaver I liked that cuz I thought it was funny, not cuz I agree that your fiddling is laughable!
When I play the crowd is ''on their feet'' ....... as they walk out!!
NCnotes - Posted - 06/18/2023: 07:06:23
LOL!
Almost as good as the banjo jokes!
Saltcured - Posted - 06/18/2023: 08:11:21
I like to say if Nero played the fiddle like I do it's no wonder they burned Rome
Dick Hauser - Posted - 07/31/2023: 11:41:39
I don't purchase things advertisted as "easy", "instant", etc.. The best instructionals I have purchased required studying and work to accomplish my goals. To learn basic scale theory, you don't need a violin/fiddle book. You can probably get a book like this at most libraries.
Studying and figuring things out for yourself will teach a person many new things. I studied
the book "Edly's Music Theory for Practical People". Music theory applies to all instruments.
I also paid a profession to record one and two octave scales. Practicing along with the recording trains a persons "ear" to recognize what each note shold sound like.
Start out playing the simplest versions of tune you can find. As your playing and reading skills develop, learn more sophisticated versions of tunes. The melody for tunes is much more recognizable in the simple versions. BTW, before you attempt to learn to play a tune,
listen to a recording and be able to hum/whistle/sing the melody. You must have the melody in your head before you can create the melody with your fingers.
