Maintaining the Condition of your Violin (or cello, or viola, etc.)

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.  

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 ;) 

Maxy and me.  Man he's gotten big since then!

I'll keep you guys updated on Otis.  

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

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 

Hannah and I (mentioned above) on a field trip at the symphony

THE LAST TIP, TIP #10, OF "Easing your nerves before a recital."

Well it's been a fun ride with our "easing your nerves before a performance" week.  Quick recap:

1.  "You're already doing more than what the audience is doing....you're going up on stage." 
2.  Eat honey
3.  Be prepared.  The more you know your music, the less you have to worry about.
4.  Perform more often. The more you perform, the more you'll get used to it.
5.  Stop with the "what-if's!
6.  Visualize yourself doing well.
7.  View those nerves as "adrenaline."  In fact, replace it with that word.
8.  Realize that the majority of the audience likely won't even know if you make a mistake
9.  Breathe before the performance, during the performance, and after!!!
10.  HAVE FUN!

We often forget the reason we signed up to learn an instrument in the first place: for pleasure!  Of course there are times of challenge during your musical journey, but overall, the experience should be pleasurable. 

Let's check out the definitions for both "performance" and "recital." (Source: www.dictionary.com)

per·for·mance

/pərˈfɔrməns/ Show Spelled [per-fawr-muhns] 

noun

1.

a musical, dramatic, or other entertainment presented before an audience.

re·cit·al

/rɪˈsaɪtl/ [ri-sahyt-l]  

noun

1.

a musical entertainment given usually by a single performer or by a performer and one or more accompanists.

Both of these definitions are obviously very similar, and both have the word "entertainment" in them.  

en·ter·tain·ment

/ˌɛntərˈteɪnmənt/ Show Spelled [en-ter-teyn-muhnt] 

noun

1.

the act of entertaining; agreeable occupation for the mind; diversion; amusement: Solving the daily crossword puzzle is an entertainment for many.

If I really had no life I could break down the word "amusement" from entertainment, then break down that definition, and eventually...I just know....it will lead to the word "fun."  Even the Pittsburgh Symphony has really loosened up and made their performance more entertaining and "fun." .  They obviously have the same, amazing talent, but now, the conductor incorporates a few jokes, dresses up in costumes sometimes (while conducting,) etc.  These are just ways for them to eliminate so much "stiffness" in the room and I think it's an excellent move on their end. 

Just go and have fun.  Playing for people is a big portion of what anyone's musical journey is all about.  Save the stress for practicing at home.  Once you made it on stage, by the point, you obviously know your stuff.  So, play and have fun with it!!!!!!!!!!

Til Next Time
~Givi Girl

(My student Nathan and me)

Easing your nerves-tip #9

Hey everyone!!

Let's cut right down to business today:  Easing your tips before a recital, tip #9 (out of 10):  BREATHE.  Breathe before the performance, during the performance, and after!!!! 

I'm guilty of this:  while I'm playing, I realize after awhile that I actually "forget" to breathe.  It makes me so uptight which ultimately comes out in my playing. 

While you're waiting your turn to go up, breathe in slowly through your nose and out through your mouth.  If your heart's racing, this will slow it down.  Inhallleeeeee.....Exhaaaalllleee!!!  






Remember what I always say: you must be as relaxed as possible while playing.  This means at home while practicing and during performance pieces.  The more your body is tense, the more your playing will sound that exact same way: "tense."





















Til next time
~Givi Girl

Easing your nerves-tip #8

For those of you who haven't seen on Facebook, I got a new puppy!!!!! A little puppy pug, who I named Otis.  I already have a "Milo," so I always wanted to get him an "Otis" for the complete package!  (For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm referring to the movie "Adventures of Milo and Otis."  Order it on demand if you haven't seen it, because it is the best move ever!!!)

It was a bit spur of the moment...but he was the last of the litter and he needed to find a home.  My class every Tuesday is a "hybrid course," (only show up every other week), and it happened to be an off week.  The drive was 3.47 hours away (and easily 8 hours round trip with the stops and such), but man was it worth it.  My friend, Jimmy, was nice enough to accompany me on the journey since he was off work.

 Otis was waiting for me in the middle of nowheresvilla, PA..  Beautiful place, but seriously, in the middle of nowhere.  More specifically, it was around 45 minutes from Harrisburg, in a very, very, Amish area.  In fact, his owners were Amish, which I had no idea about.  Aren't Amish people supposed to not use electricity?  How were they texting me, and how did I find out about them online in the first place?  Either way, it was interesting to get a glimpse of their lifestyle.  When Jimmy and I got there, we saw the horse carriage parked in the garage.  There were several puppies of different breeds outside in cages.  An Amish lady came out and led us into her home.  When we walked into their log cabin home and it was pitch dark.  No lights anywhere.  Their entire family was eating dinner in silence.  I never realized Amish people had an accent.  It was difficult to understand what they were saying!  Then, in comes Otis!  He was a wobbly little thing.  Extremely cute.  I asked to meet his parents.  I felt terrible for ripping him apart from his mommy.  I promised her I'd take good care of him and I intend to keep that promise!

Honestly though, the potty training is a little rough.  I'm trying to teach him how to use a puppy pad and he just doesn't get it.  Any suggestions??

Otis saying bye to his mommy.  Or should I say his "birth mommy" (since I'm his new mommy! lol)

The beautiful view from where Otis was born.

On the journey home in the car

Getting some much needed rest after a long journey home.

Making a new friend-my sweet student, Amelia!!!! (She even wore her pug shirt for Otis!!)

Otis making friends with my student, Nathan's mom.  Look how happy he looks!

I could obsess over Otis all day, but we better get started.  Easing your nerves before a recital tip #8:

Realize that the majority of the audience likely won't even know if you make a mistake.

Let's think about who the audience is for a typical recital.  Perhaps a bunch of parents, siblings, and grandparents.  If you play a piece, do you think they will really know if a note is "out of tune" or not?  Or perhaps, do you think they will know if you accidentally skip a line in the music, per say, or skip a note?

The answer is:  Some will, but most will not. 

These people are just happy to be there to enjoy some music and watch their own family member/friend.  They realize they are not at a professional symphony concert!  Just try to keep in mind that while your expectations of yourself should be high, they still should be reasonable.  If you mess up, it's really not that big of a deal.  The sun will still set and rise...and all will be OK!  Sure, if you're playing a familiar tune that everybody knows, that increases the likelihood of them knowing if or when you play a wrong note.  However, if you're playing some classical piece that they may have heard once in their life, odds are, you're in the safe zone.



Til next time
~Givi Girl

Taking a quick break from the tips for this...

I figured I'd lighten the mood with the "easing your nerves" tips for a day. They will continue in the near future though.  Definitely by the time this weekend is over, they will come back on track. 

A student of mine actually sent me this link. I loved it!!!!! Of course he's an amazing player...and extremely on "que"...but I just can't help but point out the fact that he has way too much time on his hands. Maybe I'm a bit jealous, but come on? Do you have any idea how long it would take to remember each little sound for whatever Mario gets himself into. On the other hand...he could've very well grew up playing lots of video games (in between practice his violin) so memorizing the sounds wasn't so hard. It requires a lot of detail and quick thinking,  so I definitely respect his talent and punctuality. 

I also like how this video exposes the fact that music is everywhere, and a lot of times we don't even really notice that!

It also shows that you can have fun with your instrument...it doesn't have to be so serious all the time. After all, at the end of the day...it's music.  Music is a pleasure, and sometimes we can all get so caught up in the exercises and strict routines that we forget about that.  Notice I said "we," because it's myself included!  

Whoever this guy is, i thoroughly enjoyed this video and I hope you do too! Get your popcorn out and have fun!!!


 Til next time
~Givi Girl

Easing your nerves before a recital-Tip #7

Heyyyy from sweet and loyal readers!!

Got three new students this week, and that is so exciting!!!!!! I know I've said this before, but I just love getting new students.  They all have so much potential...but then again, EVERYONE has potential if they apply themselves. New students are also so sweet and enthusiastic. I hope their novelty NEVER runs out!  LoL!!!

As far as my weekend goes...going to good ol' Weirton, West Virginia tomorrow to see my eight students there. Then, I'm teaching a quick lesson back home (Pittsburgh), THEN rehearsing with my fellow musician friends, and then going to see the Pittsburgh Symphony perform!!!!!!!! As described by the PSO website, here is what I'll be attending tomorrow:

 "Manfred Honeck leads the PSO in a celebration of Pittsburgh composers.  Five composers representing different Pittsburgh universities contribute a movement to the world premiere of this five-part PSO commission inspired by archaic elements such as earth, water, air, fire, and metal. NASA video footage of the planets accompanies this performance of The Planets.  From bellicose Mars to mystical Neptune, Holst's iconic musical portrayal of the planets and their astrological significance has delighted audiences with its richly-colored orchestration and memorable melodies." 

 I must say that I'm disappointed in my dad.  He WORKS for NASA and didn't really want to go.  It's not like he said "I don't want to go," but when I told him about it (multiple times,) he didn't say "no" but didn't say "yes."  Aka, he wasn't overly enthusiastic.  I DO get that I tend to care about music-related things more than others, but come on...that's right up his alley!  And there is VIDEO FOOTAGE while the orchestra plays in the background.   Whatever.  His loss.  (And no, he won't read this, because to my knowledge he doesn't read my blog.  He doesn't have any type of social media account either.  At least, not that I know of.) 

 Moving on....what tip number are we on?  7 I believe? Let's hope so!  Remember, there will be 10 "easing your nerves before a recital" tips altogether!!!


 Tip #7:  View those nerves as "adrenaline."  In fact, replace it with that word.
 





Let's substitute playing your instrument in front of people to bungee jumping off a bridge.  Just hear me out, OK?

 You've been scared to bungee jump your entire life, even though you've always wanted to accomplish the task.  You finally get enough guts to sign up to jump off  the bridge; the bridge that has been waiting for you day in and day out for years.  Your ankles get tied up....the adrenaline is at it's all time peak.   You're sweating bullets.  You're regretting this horrible decision.  "WHAT WAS I THINKING???" you ask yourself. You're shaking. It's safe to say you're in total panic mode, and on top of that, you are in front of a ton of people watching you panic. Talk about humiliating.  You're so scared....but you're so close.....oh so close....yet so far....literally.  The bridge never looked half as scary as now.  Everything down below looks microscopic.  "It's too late to back out now without looking like a total wimp...but at this point I'm willing to chicken out.....I want my mommy."  That's what your mind is saying, but deep down...and I'm talking DEEP, DEEP down, your heart wants this.  You've waited so long for this moment.  You've worked so hard to get to this point. And.........as if your body had been taken over....you jump.  You're off the bridge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!  IT'S SCARY!  IT'S FUN!  IT'S CRAZY!  (note: IT'S 500 OTHER EMOTIONS THAT I CAN'T SAY BECAUSE I'VE NEVER BUNGEE JUMPED IN MY LIFE!)  IT'S THE MOMENT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!!!!!!!!  What an adrenaline rush!!!!!!!!!  

And, like that, it's over!  YOU HAVE SURVIVED.  You cannot believe your feet are on the ground.   You feel like the most accomplished person on the planet...and that...is a good feeling. 

After any sort of adrenaline rush, your body feels a "type of way."  I can't speak for everyone...but I'll speak for myself and hopefully you'll understand what I mean.  I'm no daredevil by any means...but I do know what it's like to be super afraid of doing something and then completing it.  I physically feel more relaxed than ever...and it's an amazing feeling.  Like I'm light as a feather, or something, (too bad that feeling doesn't last long...esp after I eat.  Ugh....I love food, I wish it just loved me a bit more. Ok, back to my point.) 


People don't associate the word "adrenaline" as a bad thing.  In fact, a little adrenaline is actually good for you.   It will make you focus, and feel like you are in your own world and everything else around you is still. After the rush is over, you feel so...good.  I don't know what other way to describe it. 


 ***And for the record, let's be real:  what's scarier, playing in a recital or bungee jumping??? That could be a tip in itself, but I'll throw it in this one.  Before freaking out about a recital...remind yourself...it's a RECITAL.  IT'S NOT BUNGEE JUMPING.  By any means!***


Have a good weekend everyone.  I can almost guarantee no post for tomorrow since I already told you how chaotic my day will be.  I'll shoot for Sunday, though. 


Til next time
 ~Givi Girl

Easing your nerves-Tip #6

We are on tip #6 out of 10 for our "Easing your nerves before a recital" tips week!







This entry is very quite simple:  Before a performance, visualize yourself doing well. 

Before you're about to play, just envision yourself playing beautifully! It's simple as that.  You can use this before an exam too...visualize yourself going through each question easily.  It really works!!

Don't mean to make this entry short...but I have a ton of homework to do and it takes even longer on "Bachelor" nights!!!!!!!!!


Til next time
~Givi Girl