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Reply 560

Libris Dedita

Original post by Maths_Lover

I wish I'd been able to start music lessons at a younger age... I feel so behind you guys. :emo:

@Libris Dedita - I see you sing? :five:

I love singing. ^^

Yes. Someday I am going to manage singing lessons :biggrin:

ah ah ah it may be really awkward but I love being a tenor always :biggrin:

sorry, little bit carried away. Ahem. What sort of singing?

Original post by Emissionspectra

:P it does help :smile:

speaking of Piano i learnt Sonata Pathatique today

Congratulations!

Original post by Llewellyn

The violin is so awful. I could ramble on and on but basically the sound you will make will be dreadful and tuning it (all the strings properly) is a major issue until you become really, really good (2,3 years min. unless you are very talented) and then you just become a violinist and it sucks because the violin isn't actually that great anyway imo.

Yeah, you can play the violin if you like but I... I don't like it :colonhash:

Yeah, I know what you mean. I know a couple of violinists - gr8+ - who make it sound wonderful, but the rest, it is not particularly special. And the tuning is awkward and whenever you have a group of strings someone will be out of tune. Alas.

Original post by wcp100

Violin? Why not cello.....it's much better!

Are you watching the Maestro tv show?

Yes! I watched it! :biggrin:

so much fun - leaning towards studying music again :tongue:

If I learn a string instrument, as I intend, it will be the double bass.

Original post by Maths_Lover

NEVAAAAR!

Good heavens, never have I met someone so opposed to the violin as you are. :K:

The pen lid...? :rofl:

Actually, come to think of it, my favourite pieces are either depressing, romantic or both. :holmes:

That probably has something to do with my adoration for the violin. :lol:

You can convey such strong emotion with the violin and piano that you cannot do as well with other instruments (mainly sadness but hey). :colonhash:

The clarinet, from what I've seen, is very versatile as well. Surprisingly so, in fact.

Reply 561

Maths_Lover

Original post by Libris Dedita

Yes. Someday I am going to manage singing lessons :biggrin:

ah ah ah it may be really awkward but I love being a tenor always :biggrin:

sorry, little bit carried away. Ahem. What sort of singing?

The clarinet, from what I've seen, is very versatile as well. Surprisingly so, in fact.

A tenor?

Whenever I sing in choir, I am a soprano. :smile:

I mostly like to learn the lyrics to songs that I like, though - I'm no expert. I love it as it's relaxing. :smile:

Oh, OK. I am much more interested in it now. I would like to be able to play wind instruments - as I said earlier whenever I try I become dizzy/lightheaded. :/

Reply 562

Llewellyn

Original post by Maths_Lover

I agree that reed and woodwind instruments are much more complex than the piano and violin, but I quite like minimalist things. It's the fact that you can recreate a variety of emotions, moods and moments with such simple instruments that is impressive to me, so I guess we just like different things.

There are numerous amazing string instruments - I never said the others weren't amazing, I just expressed a particular bias towards violin and piano. I do like the harp and it would be my third instrument of choice (or perhaps the flute but I seem to have troubles when I play it - I become lightheaded :frown:

).

In my opinion, no musical instrument is bad - they are all great in their own ways... I just favour violin and piano. I simply cannot see how anyone can say that any one instrument is inferioir/bad, just that they can prefer one to another.

Ok fair enough. I will say that my opinion on the violin is quite common though, and the violin is definitely the one instrument that I wouldn't play, and I wouldn't want to listen to, except at a professional level. I have nothing against the piano, I just get annoyed at some people (this is again quite common) who have 4million piano lessons, never play in a group, never really get a feel for music or harmony, and just play alone; when those people act like they know music I normally laugh because it's like finding a 12 year old who memorised all their times tables and thinks that's maths. It's just a tiny part of what the whole is, and I think the piano is particularly bad, principle because of that soloist effect it has. Playing the piano to augment your knowledge and appreciation further is fine, but I'm not a fan of those people who just play piano on their own with a teacher and never really get it.

And to backtrack on the violin, at the pro level (particularly some of the players on youtube (see: anything Bach at all) is wonderful. Violin parts in Baroque music in general is amazing (the four seasons, etc.) And I really do love that music, but I hate it when my school Orchestra tries to do it because not only is the sound dreadful, but it feels like the whole string section is being in some way disrespectful.

The problem is with the violin; it is really, really difficult and takes a lot of time and effort to get to a level where it sounds good. (And it suddenly sounds good). There is no gradual process. And it is very difficult if you don't have something/ someone to tune each string. There are a lot of (easier) and equivalent options available, which is why I would never recommend the violin.

But if you genuinely want to play the violin, that's fine. I'm not THAT much against it. I probably come across as elitist/ pretentious/ audacious with the whole "anything but the violin". But I just want people to enjoy music (playing and listening) and from experience, often that is difficult when the violin is involved.

Reply 563

Llewellyn

Original post by Maths_Lover

Oh, OK. I am much more interested in it now. I would like to be able to play wind instruments - as I said earlier whenever I try I become dizzy/lightheaded. :/

That's actually very common. It's because your not used to different breathing patterns (there is often a problem with people not blowing enough air out - which lowers the oxygen in your lungs). If you went further with a reed instrument you would also find your lip really hurts occasionally. But that does get better with time.

Reply 564

Etoile

Original post by Llewellyn

If you like string instruments then get a Harp or a Cello or a Double Bass, but don't get a violin (imo)

I tried a double bass in the shop but I am too much of a small person </3 Forever alone with my ukulele...

Original post by Maths_Lover

Indeed. When I combined both, I was on fire... then I stopped... but I will start again! :colone:

WHAAAAT. I disagree vehemently. The violin is amazing... I started school lessons and did it for a month or so but then they became a problem as I was missing important lessons (i.e. maths) all the time. :frown:

I absolutely loved it and got quite far (probably due to the fact that I was slightly obsessive :ninja:

but then again, I am about piano too... ) My brother plays the violin and I am acquainted with his teacher, so she could probably help tune the strings. :smile:

¬.¬

It's a shame that I can't carry a piano around with me to play when I want to and many times the school's piano is in use by music students. :emo:

In all fairness, if I had a violin, I would probably become extremely antisocial. :lol:

I would play it in many breaks/lunches/frees and spend the rest doing maths/physics.

I do have a teacher... it's just that I started rather late and feel like I am playing catch-up. :sigh:

Awesome!!

I wish I had a job... employer people... WHY U NO GET BACK IN TOUCH?! :shakecane:

I agree, violin is awesome :ahee:

I don't have a job :tongue:

I haven't even written my CV yet :L

Original post by .snowflake.

Naughty E! If I did that in german, he'd probably just leave me. Either that or use it to take the piss at a later date.

We were just planning an essay. I had a small 'discussion' with the assistant that I'd got 10 points already. She pointed out that only about 7 of them were actually in French. I pointed out that I translate as I go along and went back to sleep :lol:

Reply 565

bananarama2

Original post by Libris Dedita

Yes! I watched it! :biggrin:

so much fun - leaning towards studying music again :tongue:

If I learn a string instrument, as I intend, it will be the double bass.
.

I thought that Marcus was good and I didn't really care about his facial expression. It's odd though, I'm a fan of the Bernstein school of conducting but the flamboyance annoyed me. It wasn't communicative flamboyance.

I'd love to learn cello and piano.

Reply 566

Libris Dedita

Original post by Maths_Lover

A tenor?

Whenever I sing in choir, I am a soprano. :smile:

I mostly like to learn the lyrics to songs that I like, though - I'm no expert. I love it as it's relaxing. :smile:

Oh, OK. I am much more interested in it now. I would like to be able to play wind instruments - as I said earlier whenever I try I become dizzy/lightheaded. :/

Yup.

Ah yes, I see. What sort of songs, generally?

Mm. Might go away with practice. I can't remember if I used to get dizzy with the flute - I mean, I do now but only with long phrases. (Looking at you, Vivaldi.)

Reply 567

Folks

I love seeing that I'm the only person studying a particular subject in this thread. Too indie for french :tongue:

Reply 568

Libris Dedita

Original post by Folks

I love seeing that I'm the only person studying a particular subject in this thread. Too indie for french :tongue:

Which subject? (sorry if I'm being dense...)

Reply 569

bananarama2

Original post by Libris Dedita

Which subject? (sorry if I'm being dense...)

Japanese

Reply 570

Llewellyn

These types of video bring back a burning desire for me to do a Biology degree. I may actually get round to doing something constructive with my life if I ever stop just being amazed at how absolutely anything and everything works.

Reply 571

bananarama2

Just got my C2 result. I ballsed it up. I'm off.

Reply 572

.snowflake.

Original post by Libris Dedita

Yup.

less of the hating on Vivaldi. Admittedly his Gloria for choir is an arse to sing. SO GODDAMNED FAST!!

Reply 573

NutterFrutter

Original post by VictorDeLost

Do any of you know how many marks you normally need to get an A in C2? I know the grade boundaries are different for every exam. But I just need a rough idea.

Depends on the exam board. Roughly I'd say 60-63 (for Edexcel) but like you said it varies each year.

Reply 574

Llewellyn

Original post by VictorDeLost

Do any of you know how many marks you normally need to get an A in C2? I know the grade boundaries are different for every exam. But I just need a rough idea.

The exam I did was 58/75 for an A (which is lower than average for my board). It will vary depending on difficulty and which board you are with, but generally an A is ~60/75 (for maths modules in general)

Reply 575

Heptapus

Original post by --emma--

Good.

Haha, I've done that so many times in physics before. :tongue:

I didn't do very well on my mock. :colonhash:

I still got an A though. :biggrin:

I arranged two pieces yesterday too. :colone:

My pareents were out, and I saw it as "I am either just not going to do anything" or "I should do some arrangements" The arrangements was more productive. :colone:

Reply 576

Heptapus

I just found a letter that I wrote to myself from 4 years ago. :lolwut:

I wanted to be a lawyer. :lolwut:

Reply 577

Heptapus

Yesterday, our music teacher basically told us that we were going to fail. :lolwut:

Thanks for the support miss. :colonhash:

Reply 578

Libris Dedita

Original post by Heptapus

I didn't do very well on my mock. :colonhash:

I still got an A though. :biggrin:

I arranged two pieces yesterday too. :colone:

My pareents were out, and I saw it as "I am either just not going to do anything" or "I should do some arrangements" The arrangements was more productive. :colone:

Congrats!

Definitely productive :biggrin:

what were you arranging them for?