Fjordlandia Viking bar & kaffistove, main str. 221B, Needlehole [2]

Yeah, would probably be better if I asked so you don't have to just pull something out of the hat.  

Probably more relevant when I get the violin back in playable shape, but something about usual begginers mistakes perhaps.

I have mastered, to a degree, Amazing Grace, though mostly I just play melodies from ear. It might very possibly not be the stringent rehearsal regime to go with if one wants to become a great violinist, but it's quite fun.

usual beginners mistakes? well.. apart from holding it correctly, the bow and the violin, where to put fingers and playing in tune? naah.. can't think of any. just remember to loosen the bow hairs when you're not using the bow. and change bow hairs as soon as they start to break easily. since the first to break are the ones at the sides, the pressure of few hairs on the middle can twist the bow (happened to mine, although it is bent the right way and it's a school-bow) also.. don't touch the strings where you play with the bow. The oilyness of the fingers ruins the strings. u want friction between the bow hairs and the strings, that's why u put "harpiks" on (dunno the english name, but i think that is irrelevant now) and touching the strings there and the bow hairs for that matter, ruins it.

Thanks for the advice.  

I'll see how I get on and if I can get any way with it.

Now if you're ever in need of any guitar advice. Just ask. (Though, I guess, compared to the bratsj/violin the guitar is probably boringly simple.)

How would you say the bratsj differs from the violin? Is it easier or harder to play?

aah... well, guitar isn't my strong side  i am better at one string at the time lol.. and although thanx for the offer, it's easier to ask my sister or my dad

the viola (bratsj) is bigger, both in thickness and in length. So obviously u have to stretch your fingers longer, and since it's millimeter precision we're talking about, switching between can be tricky, although i am kinda used to that now and don't have a problem with it. but overall, short fingers + viola + little person/short arms can be a bit tricky at times. sometimes u also have to work more with the strings, since they go deeper than the violin and getting a full and proper sound can be difficult. it's also heavier than the violin, especially mine (it's psycho big! like the russian lady i sat with at that thing i was on, she laughed at it.. cus i am a rather small person with a small head, so having a huge instruments kinda looks silly) )

the trickiest part is the key. I think viola is like one of very few instruments that plays in c-key (c-nøkkel) as opossed to the g-nøkkel or an f-nøkkel on cello. 

and this is a bit tricky to explain rather than show but i'll try. the viola has the strings (from highest to lowest) A D G C and the violin as E A D G. the A and D and G are "the same" but the A string on the viola would be where the E string on the violin is. and also the notes have completely different places on sheets with the two keys (as shown below) so when learning the two keys it can be VERY tricky and confusing because you would read with your violin head a G (two fingers on the E-string on violin) while you in reality should be playing a loose A. confusing. i would say that that is the trickiest part of viola. the key. switching between them. especially when u change within a piece (for two bars !) also playing in position on viola can be daunting as it seems waaaaaay too high... because the notes are set "higher". 

Oh, that's interesting.  I certainly feel elucidated and a lot more knowledgeable on the topic of the bratsj.

I get that the different keys can be dificult. I played a bit from notes when playing the conretto, but we luckily kept to the G-nøkkel.

I figures you probably had some closer options for any guitar questions, but I thought I might at least reciprocate the offer.  

I don't think you're missing much. I think all the advice I would give anyone who wanted to play the guitar is: Find out how the chords go; find a song you want to play; play the song. That's basically how you get going I guess.  

yeah.. guitar is an instrument that really can be self taught  let me know how u get on with the violin though

I will.  

Not sure I'll get anywhere, but it's been fun so far so I'll keep playing.  

do that  don't break any more strings though

also. it's finally christmas spirit here too

Giant public Christmas trees are awesome! Last year I was in DC for something in December and I got to walk over to the back of the White House where they set up the National Christmas Tree, surrounded by little trees representing all of the states, territories, and the federal district. I didn't get to see it at night, but it was still really neat.

I'd love to go to NYC to see some of their Christmasy stuff one day. We were thinking about going up this year but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

Ooh, that looks christmassy.

They turned the christmas tree lights on here in Oslo as well only yesterday. Right outside my school:



That's interesting to hear Eldo. The DC tree probably isn't a norwegian one, but both the London and New York christmas trees are from Norway. And specifically from Oslo, if I remember correctly.


Anyway, a whole day spent talking about violins and violas and what not. That has to be one of those things that makes the world a better place, no.

indeed they are Blue

Bluebottle wrote:That's interesting to hear Eldo. The DC tree probably isn't a norwegian one, but both the London and New York christmas trees are from Norway. And specifically from Oslo, if I remember correctly.

The National Christmas Tree has always been grown and harvested from within the United States, but they've used the Norway spruce species several times. The Colorado blue spruce is more commonly the choice, though.

Turns out Oslo does donate a tree yearly to DC,  though it's probably a different one from the National Christmas Tree.

The Norway spruce is also widely planted for use as a Christmas tree. Every Christmas, the Norwegian capital city, Oslo, provides the cities of New York, London (the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree), Edinburgh and Washington D.C. with a Norway spruce, which is placed at the most central square of each city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picea_abies

So you might have seen a norwegian tree already, Eldo. Though, rest assured. You certainly will if you get around to seeing the Christmas Tree on Rockefeller Plaza in New York.

Bluebottle wrote:Turns out Oslo does donate a tree yearly to DC,  though it's probably a different one from the National Christmas Tree.

The Norway spruce is also widely planted for use as a Christmas tree. Every Christmas, the Norwegian capital city, Oslo, provides the cities of New York, London (the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree), Edinburgh and Washington D.C. with a Norway spruce, which is placed at the most central square of each city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picea_abies

So you might have seen a norwegian tree already, Eldo. Though, rest assured. You certainly will if you get around to seeing the Christmas Tree on Rockefeller Plaza in New York.

I notice Wikipedia doesn't have a source for that.  DC's "most central square" would probably be the National Mall, which is right next to where the National Christmas Tree goes, but that one isn't imported as noted above.

Edit: Seems that the Rockefeller Christmas tree, while a Norway spruce, is typically donated by someone in America who owns such trees.

http://www.today.com/news/rockefeller-center-christmas-tree-new-york-8C11553858

Eldorion wrote:Giant public Christmas trees are awesome! :DLast year I was in DC for something in December and I got to walk over to the back of the White House where they set up the National Christmas Tree, surrounded by little trees representing all of the states, territories, and the federal district.  I didn't get to see it at night, but it was still really neat.

I'd love to go to NYC to see some of their Christmasy stuff one day.  We were thinking about going up this year but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

Unless you can maneuver to arrive in NYC right after a nice snowfall I don't recommend visiting in the winter.  No leaves on the trees makes for a dreary concrete island.  I'd say if you get lucky during the christmas break, as soon as the snow is done falling hop on a train or bus.  If you decide to drive your parking will be stymied by the snow: look for a parking garage north of 125th street for decent prices, and take a subway down to touristy areas.  Actually, if you drive you should ALWAYS park in northern Manhattan (can find free parking if no snow) and ride a subway down. Use the George Washington bridge, NOT one of the damned tunnels.

  one day I will do all that, its on my list. Is Greenwich Village as cute as I imagine it? Its strange I have a subconscious New York world in my head made up of all the many many films I have watched and loved set there. Splash and Ghostbusters and the Christmassy ones with Santa. fab  

You are right Eldo. Apparently Oslo stopped sending a tree to DC in 2003. When we did it apparently was placed in the main hall at Union Station.

It was probably written by a overzealous norwegian.

Treebeard would probably have sued us for Tree Trafficking had he known

 

Had a quick prorper look into it that "overzealous norwegians" assertions, Eldo.

The Rockefeller tree is not norwegian, as you say. Though I can't rule out that there is some norwegian tree somewhere else in New York.

The places Oslo sends christmas trees at the moment are Rotterdam, Reykjavik and London. Frogn just south of Oslo also sends a tree to Berlin every year that stands in front of the Brandenburger Tor. The DC tree was sent and stood in the Main Hall at Union Station until 2003.

So it looks like you might have to come to Europe to see a real norwegian christmas tree.  

Yeah, I did a bit of poking around myself and seems the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree in London has been sent by Oslo since WWII as a token of gratitude.  If I'm ever in London (or any of those other cities) over Christmas I'll definitely be sure to check that one out.

They won us the war, we give them trees - someone struck a good deal

Its a typical Whitehall civil service long play strategy- they wont have cancelled the money allocated to buying a tree, they will just count it as a saving- and free trees for ever, it'll add up  

We certainly have enough of them.

Eldorion wrote:Yeah, I did a bit of poking around myself and seems the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree in London has been sent by Oslo since WWII as a token of gratitude.  If I'm ever in London (or any of those other cities) over Christmas I'll definitely be sure to check that one out.

Well, there's a perfectly good one in Oslo as well. Just saying.

Maybe not Oslo before London, but maybe before Reykjavik and Rotterdam.

Violin pics (as promised)  :





The broken string is rather apparent.