Violinknitter

Violinknitter, 5 days ago to random

Dear podcasters, it’s very sweet that you read your patrons’ names on each episode. But you read them ALL. At the beginning of every episode. And it takes so long!!

Can you please just move them to the end of the podcast so I’m not having to fast forward through several minutes of beginning material that’s the same EVERY WEEK?

Violinknitter, 11 days ago to random

If you hear beginning band or string players and wonder how their teachers can handle those awful sounds…

…it’s because of how excited the kids are. They’re holding a sax in their hands for the first time. They’re blowing into it and REAL SOUND is coming out!! And they can CHANGE the sound! And play a tune they recognize!!!

We teachers don’t teach beginners because of the sound, we teach because we get to share in children’s joy, and it’s like nothing else in the world.

Violinknitter, 13 days ago to books

Just started I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons, Peter S. Beagle’s latest book. I don’t know why I was afraid I might not like it… I’m loving it from the first chapter. The author of The Last Unicorn hasn’t lost his touch.

Right now it’s pure normal fairy tale silliness, but I’m eager to see where it goes. #books #bookstodon

Violinknitter, 15 days ago to random

Why it’s fun teaching teens: you’re so often there for their “lucky 10,000!” moments. Example from yesterday:

Me: And that system of tuning is called Pythagorean tuning

Student: Wait, like the Pythagorean thing from math?

Me: Yeah, Pythagoras was interested in music as well as math!

S: Wait, there was a guy?!? I thought it was just a name for a math formula!

Violinknitter, 21 days ago to random

So there’s this Murderbot Bot on Mastodon, and the number of times I’ve read one of their posts w/o seeing who posted it and then wondered what the heck new apocalypse thing was happening is… more than just a few. https://botsin.space/@murderbotbot/112462854639476568

Violinknitter, 22 days ago to random

Is it Doctor Who o’clock yet?

Violinknitter, 29 days ago to random

The funny things about being around young tweens/teens (12-14 y/o, approximately) is that they have, like, ZERO emotional memory.

They’ll be talking to their friends, and they’ll be fully animated & excited. And then you ask them to focus on something boring like whatever you want them to learn at the moment, and every bit of joy leaches from their bodies and they become little hollow simulacra of themselves.

Violinknitter, 1 month ago to random

I bought rhubarb, because it’s spring and that’s what the farmers market had. But I have no plans for it 🙃

Violinknitter, 1 month ago to random

I just heard someone describe mowing the lawn at 7 am on weekends as “Vacuuming the grass before Jesus gets up.”

So if you see me burst into random uncontrolled laughter today, that’s what I’m thinking about.

Violinknitter, 1 month ago to random

On a random hallway whiteboard

Violinknitter, 1 month ago to random

Me when I’m reading a fantasy novel and the protag has a busy draining day ahead and they’ve only eaten a pastry and a piece of fruit for breakfast: “Protein! For the love of fantasy, eat some dang protein before you fall over!!!”

Violinknitter, 1 month ago to random

When Composers Write for Violinists at the Piano and It Sucks, example #5981

This run includes five notes, easily played within a five-finger pattern on the piano. I have now tried SIX different fingering options on violin, none of which work great. Either the string crossing lands weird, the repeated A & G land on weak fingers, or the half step is in such a location that simply shifting up a position isn’t the elegant solution it often is in similar five-note patterns.

Violinknitter, 1 month ago to random

Why You Can’t* Play Violin With Long Nails: An Extensive Rant

Look, playing violin in a modern style is a risky proposition, ergonomically. You mess with one small aspect of a player’s set-up, and suddenly 10 other things are impacted and the player is at greater risk of injury

*Ok, yes, you can play basic stuff. Badly. #AskAViolinist

**This rant brought to you courtesy of me avoiding feeding the trolls elsewhere online

Violinknitter, 2 months ago to random

Every once in a while I see someone say “Such-and-such artist had no formal training in music,” even when that artist was heavily involved in their high school’s music program. (E.g. Beyoncé, Lin-Manuel Miranda, etc. etc. etc.)

Dear internet: music education in school IS formal training in music!! Choir, band, and orchestra directors are not babysitting the students! They are formally training them in their art.

Support the arts in public schools.

Violinknitter, 2 months ago to random

Video of contractor talking to an elderly woman offscreen, while examining a sketchy outlet & power switch on a basement ceiling:

C: “Who’d you say did the electrical work?”

W: “My nephew Thomas, he’s very handy.”

C: “What year did his house burn down?”

W: “About two years ago” sudden audible confusion “How did you know his house burned down?”

Violinknitter, 2 months ago to random

The annoying violin problem of having to relearn a symphony because the last time you were playing the other part.

Violas don’t have this problem.

😭

Violinknitter, 2 months ago to random

I have no scientific proof for this whatsoever, but I believe with all my heart that the Venn diagram of:

• people who say “Music brings everyone together! Music is the universal language” &

-people who absolutely will judge you for listening to music they don’t like

is a perfect circle ⭕️

Violinknitter, 2 months ago to knitting

Dark Academia sweater by River Road Knits. These rose-window-ish medallions make me so happy. :ablobcatcoffee:
#knitting
#knittersofmastodon

jonobie, 2 months ago to til

deleted_by_author

Violinknitter, 2 months ago to random

Royals: Kate had surgery & is going to be healing in private until Easter. We’ll give more details if the situation changes.

Also royals: releases awkwardly doctored photos like they’ve done in the past

Entire internet: OMGWTFBBQ?!?!?!!!! Is Kate ok??? Is she alive/dead/undead/kidnapped/absconded/definitely-a-werewolf???

Kate: just lying on the couch trying to heal from an entire surgery

Easter: still more than two weeks away

Violinknitter, 2 months ago to random

If your time zone changed this past weekend, how long is it taking you to change that last clock in your home and/or car? I changed my last one this morning, which I feel is fairly prompt, honestly.

If your answer is “Saturday evening before the time change,” I’m sorry to tell you that you are definitely a replicant.