It's finalllyyyyy starting to show some signs of spring around here!! I'm so over winter...I think everyone is. Not to be a Debbie downer (sorry to my good friend Debbie...I know you hate when I use that expression!!) but I really dislike the January-March time of year. It's just so depressing and boring...and COLD! I don't mind the snow when it's Christmas time...but after that it's just repetitive and annoying. I do like having four seasons, and I realize it makes us all appreciate the warmer weather that much more...but enough is enough!!!!!!!!!!
I just got back from the orthodontist. In case you didn't know by now, I have braces. #Nerd #Braceface #WhydidntIdothislongago. I know I know....I'm 25!! I honestly only had two teeth in the front that annoyed me. They weren't bad enough to get braces, but I decided instead of being semi-annoyed every time I looked in the mirror, I should just suck it up and get them. I paid an extra $500 to get the clear braces since apparently Invisalign (or however you spell it) wouldn't work for my teeth.
Well...aside from the snow, another thing I'm over are my braces!!!!!!!!!! My orthodontist is awesome; him and I have both lived in Buffalo, so we always have a ton of stuff to talk about in that regard. The only thing I don't understand is why he asks me questions when my mouth is open and he's fixing stuff. These aren't even "yes" or "no" questions. Today, he was like, "What street in Buffalo did you live on?" I tried my hardest to answer, but I know he had absolutely no idea what I responded. "adklfjaslkfjaslfkj" is probably along the lines of what my response sounded like. Did you ever ask someone a question even though you really didn't care what the answer was? Don't lie, we all have. Well, I'm pretty sure that's what he was doing to me...since he never asked again after my mouth was more available to give him the answer again. Haha.
I've said this before and I'll say it again: it's always super simple for me to come up with blog articles. There are sooooo many aspects of playing an instrument, and I see them first-hand every day with my students. I love my students dearly, but some of them don't understand their violin is fragile!!!! It stresses me out just thinking about the things I've seen them do right in front of me. Sigh...I better just begin, otherwise I'll need to go out for a drink and it's too early in the day for that plus I don't think my students or their parents would appreciate that too much. Well...maybe my students would, since I'll be less apt to be on their cases during the lessons. (No pun intended with the "on their cases"....since I'm going to be talking about violin care today.) Let's get started:
Maintaining the condition of your violin (or viola, or cello, etc.):
Wipe down the strings with a cloth after each time you're done playing. That will eliminate any rosin residue from building up on your strings/instrument.
Between practice sessions, make sure the instrument is covered with at least a thick cloth of some sort. Usually cases come with one. This will forestall any dirt and dust from coming into contact.
Make sure it's out of reach of anybody who is not you! Your violin is not a toy, and younger siblings (especially) might not always realize that, or care! People who do not know how to handle the instrument, especially young children, can likely damage it easily.
If you don't know how to tune, stay away from the pegs. I've seen numerous times students (or their parents) trying to be ambitious and tune...and then their string breaks. If you (whether you are a student or a parent) want to learn, you must learn the proper way how to tune from your teacher.
Rosin your bow before playing every time. However, be careful not to over-rosin. If your strings become too white and dusty, then you have too much rosin. Rosin is like vitamins: too much of a good thing will not be good.
Speaking of rosin, the darker the rosin, the better.
Keep your violin away from hot or cold temperatures. If the humidity is high, this can be especially harmful to the instrument. Instrument humidifiers are available at the store. I have one and I recommend purchasing one; they aren't expensive.
What a violin humidifier looks like
Change your strings every 6-12 months. In my opinion, it's better to couch up the cash and pay for the better quality strings. They sound better and last longer. I prefer dominants.
Re-hair your bow every 6-18 months, depending on the amount you play. You'll be able to tell when it's time to do this; your bow hair will become thinner and probably a little bit dirty.
DO NOT use store cleaning products, such as Windex or wood cleaners, to clean your instrument. THIS WILL PERMANENTLY damage your instrument. They sell cleaning products at the music store, so use those. I recommend Hill or Supersensitive brands.
Loosen your bow after EVERY time you play. If you don't , the bow will become crooked and eventually useless!
Avoid touching the horse hair of your bow unless you are checking the bow pressure. The oils from your skin can be damaging to the bow.
Do not hold your violin by the strings, place it on the case by the scroll, throw the case down when putting it on the floor, tap your bow on anything, use it as a sword to hit your younger brother with, or anything else along those lines. I'VE SEEN IT ALL-TRUST ME!!! It makes me crazy!!!
Alright...I have to start teaching here. I love my teaching schedule today!!! Erin...Hannah...Dailyn...Megan...I think that's it today. They are all so POSITIVE and SWEET. I love starting my week off with them.
Til next time
~Givi Girl
I just got back from the orthodontist. In case you didn't know by now, I have braces. #Nerd #Braceface #WhydidntIdothislongago. I know I know....I'm 25!! I honestly only had two teeth in the front that annoyed me. They weren't bad enough to get braces, but I decided instead of being semi-annoyed every time I looked in the mirror, I should just suck it up and get them. I paid an extra $500 to get the clear braces since apparently Invisalign (or however you spell it) wouldn't work for my teeth.
Well...aside from the snow, another thing I'm over are my braces!!!!!!!!!! My orthodontist is awesome; him and I have both lived in Buffalo, so we always have a ton of stuff to talk about in that regard. The only thing I don't understand is why he asks me questions when my mouth is open and he's fixing stuff. These aren't even "yes" or "no" questions. Today, he was like, "What street in Buffalo did you live on?" I tried my hardest to answer, but I know he had absolutely no idea what I responded. "adklfjaslkfjaslfkj" is probably along the lines of what my response sounded like. Did you ever ask someone a question even though you really didn't care what the answer was? Don't lie, we all have. Well, I'm pretty sure that's what he was doing to me...since he never asked again after my mouth was more available to give him the answer again. Haha.
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| Here's a picture of me where you can see my braces if you look closely.
And yes......Otis is a happy and healthy puppy who just can't give enough kisses in a day. He is certainly full of life and has so much love to give. Him and the cats are best friends...except for Max. Max tolerates him, and sometimes even gives in to his stubbornness and plays a bit with Otis, but I think it's going in the right direction. Before, Max wouldn't even sleep with me if Otis was on the bed, or even in the room. Now, they don't exactly cuddle with me...but he tolerates it. Max was the baby of the family and he LOVESSSS attention. Then Otis came around and is the new "baby" and is also a big attention craver. He's a dog; of course he is. But I try my very best to remind Max that I don't love him any less and he'll always be my Maxy, and no one will ever replace him! Like I said, Max is coming around. Rome wasn't built in a day, and Max won't make a complete 180 over night...but gradual progress is being made, and that's what's important. Just like violin playing ;)
I'll keep you guys updated on Otis.
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I've said this before and I'll say it again: it's always super simple for me to come up with blog articles. There are sooooo many aspects of playing an instrument, and I see them first-hand every day with my students. I love my students dearly, but some of them don't understand their violin is fragile!!!! It stresses me out just thinking about the things I've seen them do right in front of me. Sigh...I better just begin, otherwise I'll need to go out for a drink and it's too early in the day for that plus I don't think my students or their parents would appreciate that too much. Well...maybe my students would, since I'll be less apt to be on their cases during the lessons. (No pun intended with the "on their cases"....since I'm going to be talking about violin care today.) Let's get started:
Maintaining the condition of your violin (or viola, or cello, etc.):
Wipe down the strings with a cloth after each time you're done playing. That will eliminate any rosin residue from building up on your strings/instrument.
Between practice sessions, make sure the instrument is covered with at least a thick cloth of some sort. Usually cases come with one. This will forestall any dirt and dust from coming into contact.
Make sure it's out of reach of anybody who is not you! Your violin is not a toy, and younger siblings (especially) might not always realize that, or care! People who do not know how to handle the instrument, especially young children, can likely damage it easily.
If you don't know how to tune, stay away from the pegs. I've seen numerous times students (or their parents) trying to be ambitious and tune...and then their string breaks. If you (whether you are a student or a parent) want to learn, you must learn the proper way how to tune from your teacher.
Rosin your bow before playing every time. However, be careful not to over-rosin. If your strings become too white and dusty, then you have too much rosin. Rosin is like vitamins: too much of a good thing will not be good.
Speaking of rosin, the darker the rosin, the better.
Keep your violin away from hot or cold temperatures. If the humidity is high, this can be especially harmful to the instrument. Instrument humidifiers are available at the store. I have one and I recommend purchasing one; they aren't expensive.
What a violin humidifier looks like
 |
| Changing the strnigs |
DO NOT use store cleaning products, such as Windex or wood cleaners, to clean your instrument. THIS WILL PERMANENTLY damage your instrument. They sell cleaning products at the music store, so use those. I recommend Hill or Supersensitive brands.
Loosen your bow after EVERY time you play. If you don't , the bow will become crooked and eventually useless!
Avoid touching the horse hair of your bow unless you are checking the bow pressure. The oils from your skin can be damaging to the bow.
Do not hold your violin by the strings, place it on the case by the scroll, throw the case down when putting it on the floor, tap your bow on anything, use it as a sword to hit your younger brother with, or anything else along those lines. I'VE SEEN IT ALL-TRUST ME!!! It makes me crazy!!!
Alright...I have to start teaching here. I love my teaching schedule today!!! Erin...Hannah...Dailyn...Megan...I think that's it today. They are all so POSITIVE and SWEET. I love starting my week off with them.
Til next time
~Givi Girl
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| Hannah and I (mentioned above) on a field trip at the symphony |
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