| Author |
Subject |
cellofeign
Registered User
(9/7/00 1:37:39 pm)
Reply |
adding
viola
My wife and I have been taking cello
lessons for only one year (we share an hour-long lesson) and I can
barely scrape through Dotzauer 3 and 8, but we're about to start
viola lessons as well! Are we crazy? Any pointers from anyone out
there juggling both instruments plus a full life? Is there a board
like this one for beginning adult violists? Many thanks. --PR
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JanJan
Registered
User
(9/7/00 2:20:17 pm)
Reply |
Re:
adding viola
Well, I wouldn't say you're crazy,
BUT....
First, ask yourself what your goals are. If you want
to make good progress on the cello, I'd suggest skipping the viola.
If you want to be able to noodle around on a bunch of different
instruments, then go for it.
I found studying viola and
cello simultaneously to be a very confusing combination (I did it
for 6 months before dropping viola). Your strings are the same, just
an octave apart. But your frame of reference is completely reversed.
On cello your C is on the right side, on viola it's on the left side
as you look down the instrument. Combine this refersal with the joy
of learning yet another clef, and for some folks it can just be too
much. And you'll end up learning 2 different styles of vibrato,
too.
I haven't used Dotzauer myself, so I'm not sure what #3
and #8 indicate about your current playing level. Are you reading
any tenor clef yet?
I'd be concerned that after just 1 year
of cello study, taking up the viola as well will inhibit your
development on the cello. Although they're in the same family, they
ARE different instruments, with slightly different techniques. When
I finally decided to drop viola, it was because I wanted more than
anything to be really good at the cello. And for my particular
learning style, that required me to really focus on JUST the
cello.
Some people will probably disagree with me on this
one. But I'm just sharing from my own personal experience. But then
again, everybody has different learning styles and maybe it will
work out fine for you. Good luck!
Janet
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DWThomas
Registered User
(9/7/00 4:12:49 pm)
Reply |
Re:
adding viola
This caught my eye -- my wife and I
play viola and cello --- except -- she plays the viola and I play
the cello. It's difficult for me to imagine mixing these together,  especially so
early in the learning process.
I do remember reading of a
forum or mailing list for beginning adult violin students some time
back -- don't know if it covered viola, though those do tend to go
together due to much greater similarity. It had something very close
to "bavs" in the URL, but alas, I can't find anything like it in my
bookmarks here at work.
Ah -- but a search via Liszt, the
directory of mailing lists turned up www.ka.net/carolina/lists/lists.htm
You
could find (or arrange) pieces to play together, and get coaching
for that, but I'd think each of you ought to concentrate on one
instrument, at least until you become relatively skilled at
it.
My 1.24 cents (after taxes),
Dave
|
Andrew
Victor
Registered
User
(9/7/00 5:39:36 pm)
Reply |
Re:
adding viola
I think it's going to be a problem
of mental dexterity - and of course you will have to learn the
bowing touch for a lighter instrument and essentially how to play a
violin that is too large - the whole under the chin twisted right
arm bit. (If you thought it was hard on a violin, you ain't seen
nothin yet!)
I started playing the cello at age 14 after 10
years on the violin, and the heavier bow and reverse strings were no
problem (without any cello music around, I just transposed some
violin treble clef stuff for the first few days). In fact from a
purely mechanical standpoint, the open strings on a cello read in
the bass clef as though they are one note higher than a violin's and
the 4th fingers (first position come out at the same place). I was
playing chamber music on cello in a week. Sharps and flats gave me
problems for a short time, but being young then, I got over it. I
did go on to start lessons in a few weeks and with over 2 years of
them I became a credible cello player.
The viola is a
different story. It's just physically hard to play that sucker, even
as a violinist. However, the open strings read in the alto clef as
though they were just one note higher than the open strings on cello
(in bass clef) - but the cello 4th finger notation is the viola
second finger. At least the sharps and flats are on the same part of
the strings. I do play some viola parts in chamber music and
consider it my best method for fighting off encroaching senility.
I suggest you borrow a viola (of reasonable size, about
15-1/2 inches body length) and buy the first Suzuki viola book - or
whichever one looks to you like it's both playable and challenging,
and see what you can do with it in a few weeks. If you are still in
a good mood, go for it!
Andy
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