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Christmas and January Music Thread *Thread title edited by MNHQ*

365 replies

Wafflenose · 07/12/2018 16:54

Hi all,
Here's a new thread for the festive period - possibly including a bit of January if I'm away and unable to start another one in time. The old thread was making me nauseous.

I am a music teacher, so pretty busy athis the moment. I have just had results for 12 pupils' exams... 3 pass, 7 merit and 2 distinction. My DDs didn't do any this term, but have 9 concerts between them. Goo is 13 and plays the flute and piano. Rara is 10 and plays the cello and clarinet. What are you all up to musically?

OP posts:
NeleusTheStatue · 30/12/2018 11:07

folk, is it 3/4? I think it's a great choice. As long as the player loves the sound that'll cater the needs well! DS's 3/4 was £650 or so and the bow was less than £100 but together they produced lovely sound and DS loved it. He got a new violin just before G8 (technically just a month before the exam), but he could have taken G8 with the 3/4 without problem. He's just outgrown the size. Well, the last few months of playing the 3/4, he preferred his teacher's and complained about the high pitches sound too thin on his small violin, but he could have survived easily with upgrading a bow or strings or adjusting the setting, sound post, etc.

glorious · 30/12/2018 17:50

As a pianist most violins sound relatively cheap to me (though admittedly it is possible to spend a lot on violins too) Grin. I'm quite looking forward to when we need to size up from DD's 1/8th as when we got that she couldn't really play and therefore had no opinion. I appreciate it's a more stressful business with older offspring who take their music seriously (DD is only 5).

hertsandessex · 30/12/2018 19:26

Don't often have to take your piano to a concert to perform so can get away with a cheap one :)

NeleusTheStatue · 30/12/2018 20:22

Ha ha. Yes, you can start violin quite reasonably - most pianos would cost a lot more than a beginner's violin kit. It's also very doable to keep the whole cost under £1k all the way through to G8 and enjoy music making at uni and beyond. However, once you stepped in a bit of the serious zone, it's terribly astonishingly expensive. A bow alone can cost more than a brand new Yamaha grand. And more than just a regular service of tuning is needed to maintain good health. I assume it can get damaged more often than piano too, as you can't keep it in a safe place at home all the time...

catkind · 30/12/2018 20:27

Pretty much any instrument you choose will sound good sizing up from 1/8 glorious. We only had standard factory made (stentor type thing) up to 1/4 but each felt like a big upgrade in sound 1/10 to 1/8 to 1/4. Slightly posher factory made 1/2 with naice strings is making me think I need to upgrade my own violin...

The cost of our reasonably decent piano was nothing to the cost of the space to have one at all.

glorious · 30/12/2018 20:39

True. It's just the early stages that seem comparatively good value Smile

Though at least other instrumentalists never have to play whatever ghastly instrument is knocking around...

glorious · 30/12/2018 20:42

Oh and you're completely right about the space to put a piano in catkind. There's a reason we've never lived in a flat! Or anywhere completely open plan, come to that.

NeleusTheStatue · 30/12/2018 20:45

These days you can get a slim digital piano with decent enough quality so less issue for securing space. But yes, if you want acoustic, you need more than just space but good strength of the flooring to support it and also understanding neighbours...

hertsandessex · 30/12/2018 21:21

glorious Sun 30-Dec-18 20:39:55

Though at least other instrumentalists never have to play whatever ghastly instrument is knocking around...

Apart from percussionists - have to play whatever marimba is there for solo stuff and often bars are slightly different sizes depending on make. Imagine if piano bar size varied between make :) And for orchestral bit of pot luck sometimes on timpani etc. Drum kit also although can take own cymbals/snare which are the most important bits.

NeleusTheStatue · 30/12/2018 22:06

glorious, our acoustic piano is nicely sitting in the open plan family room. DS has Clavinova in his bedroom but always plays the one in the family room! The only time he touches Clavinova is probably at bedtime. You know, once you managed your child to have done shower, brushing teeth, in pjs and ready to sleep, then suddenly start chatting with mum, building LEGO, drawing or, making noise.Grin

bostik · 31/12/2018 13:44

Thanks folkmama, useful to know and hopefully this will last her a while as she's a bit of a titch! x :)

I am feeling grateful that we don't have to fork out for a brass instrument. She plays the piano but less so, and we've got a good electronic one.

folkmamma · 31/12/2018 13:56

Mine is a titch too! We bought the 3/4 but teacher is keeping her on the half a bit longer and she's desperate to use the 3/4!!!!

Hertsessex · 02/01/2019 21:31

Happy 2019 everybody with a bit of help from Jacob Collier...

www.facebook.com/JCollierMusic/videos/2263616280584597/

catkind · 03/01/2019 14:31

Smile happy new year music folks Wine

littleladsdad · 03/01/2019 19:00

Happy New Year everyone! We have now got the musical cogs turning again - DS is practising again and we are zooming down to London tomorrow for an overnight stay so that DS can attend JD. We're coming straight back afterwards as he doesn't start school until Tuesday.

violinmama · 04/01/2019 22:50

Happy New Year everyone!
We’re in search of a half size violin case that will accommodate an Everest shoulder rest. I’d wrongly assumed that by upgrading to a rectangular case with an oblong cut out section would be fine but alas we now have 2 cases that don’t do the job 😫

catkind · 04/01/2019 22:59

Oh no violinmama! Can you exchange the new one? Sorry don't know about brands, any chance of trying out in the shop?

violinmama · 04/01/2019 23:40

Hi catkind! Our only local (and brilliant) luthier has just sold up and moved back to Germany 😢 We are only left with a high street style store which only sells complete violin outfits in small sizes.

The oblong case I bought was off eBay so not returnable but I think I will be able to resell it if/when I find something that will do the job 🤞.

Notanotherpokemon · 09/01/2019 11:18

Violinmama, where are you in UK? I have one for sale, ordered two different cases from Germany, and now have one that is hardly used. It has space for a shoulder rest and also a tube for strings. It’s a bit heavy but does the job well.

minisnowballs · 10/01/2019 14:27

Just popping on to say thanks to those who were encouraging about dd2s flute exam, where she messed up all of her scales and came out in tears. Just had the results - a solid merit (and she passed the scales element!). Phew!
Hope all are well.

Doubleup · 10/01/2019 15:15

Well done minisnowballs junior! While scales can be a solid banker with regard to bumping up the marks, it isn't the end of the world if there is a blip. Still waiting here for DD1's result from the end of November........ Sad

Mendingfences · 10/01/2019 17:26

Well done mini minisnowballs

Not much to report here, all back to lessons and general normality now.

NeleusTheStatue · 10/01/2019 19:28

'Big yay' 🥳 to minisnowballs DD2, 'oh no' 😥 to Double and 'hello' 😃 to Mending.

Nothing really exciting to report from me. Just all back to normal (school, work, no tree in the living room...). DS has school on Saturdays from this term though. Haven't got used to it yet. Feel weird.

Mendingfences · 10/01/2019 19:34

Ah yes the treeGrin the combination of tree plus Christmas guests occupying the usual homes of music stuff resulted in assorted instruments and accessories all over the place. Opening doors was something of a hazard with the risk of being asaulted by a crash cymbal or similar Grin

NeleusTheStatue · 10/01/2019 19:44

Sound like you really had a 'merry' Christmas, Mending!