Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Fiddlin'
It's official, my fiddle is definitely a fiddle and not a violin: I showed it a sonata and it said 'nah'. Then I introduced it to Alison Krauss and it said 'oh yes!'.
Saturday, 4 February 2012
Bad business acumen
I bought a violin last week. It kind of came upon me all of a sudden like.
I used to play the violin when I was a teenager, I don't remember enjoying it much but was evidently good enough to pass Grade 6. I never had the natural flair that my brother had with music though so didn't carry on; and my niece (who has inherited her father's natural flair) inherited my grandmother's violin from me.
I can't remember why now, but recently I suddenly decided that I wanted to play fiddle (rather than classical violin) so borrowed a friend's violin. It hadn't been played for 25 years and was in dire need of new strings, and wasn't a particularly good instrument (she didn't risk her best one on me!). But I found that the sound I made was not as awful as I thought, and ended up bidding for and winning an old violin on eBay.
When it arrived, it turned out to be 3/4 sized. Oh.... First I thought I'd send it back but then it looked up at me and pleaded to be kept and loved. Things tend to do that to me and Mr H, it's a nuisance but we can't help it. So, having decided that I'd still be able to play it, and negotiated a partial refund on the price because it was advertised as full size, I decided to take it to a local violin lady to look at, because it looked to me as though the bridge and strings were set up wrong.
She is an esteemed expert in her field (according the website), but when we met her she was the most inconsiderate, uncaring person, and seemed to be only just holding herself back from being downright rude. She didn't listen to what I said about why I had a 3/4 size instrument instead of a full size one. She then quoted me a ridiculous price for sorting it out but obviously didn't think it was worth it, she was the sort of person who would completely put me off trying to play. Mr H and I both took an instant dislike to her and we were there about 5 minutes before leaving with a polite "I'll think about it", knowing very well we wouldn't be back.
Mr H then suggested asking the chap who he sometimes goes to for guitars and associated bits and pieces. "Oh yes," he said, "I can sort that out for you no problem." No tut-tutting that it was too small for me or looking at me as if I couldn't possibly have ever played the violin. We discussed what was needed and how much it would be, I left it with him and I should have it back next week (I'd better warn the neighbours....).
Sometimes being a long-time 'expert' doesn't get you the business, however superior you believe yourself to be. If you piss off the customer, your credentials don't matter a bit!
I used to play the violin when I was a teenager, I don't remember enjoying it much but was evidently good enough to pass Grade 6. I never had the natural flair that my brother had with music though so didn't carry on; and my niece (who has inherited her father's natural flair) inherited my grandmother's violin from me.
I can't remember why now, but recently I suddenly decided that I wanted to play fiddle (rather than classical violin) so borrowed a friend's violin. It hadn't been played for 25 years and was in dire need of new strings, and wasn't a particularly good instrument (she didn't risk her best one on me!). But I found that the sound I made was not as awful as I thought, and ended up bidding for and winning an old violin on eBay.
When it arrived, it turned out to be 3/4 sized. Oh.... First I thought I'd send it back but then it looked up at me and pleaded to be kept and loved. Things tend to do that to me and Mr H, it's a nuisance but we can't help it. So, having decided that I'd still be able to play it, and negotiated a partial refund on the price because it was advertised as full size, I decided to take it to a local violin lady to look at, because it looked to me as though the bridge and strings were set up wrong.
Mine is the one on the right
She is an esteemed expert in her field (according the website), but when we met her she was the most inconsiderate, uncaring person, and seemed to be only just holding herself back from being downright rude. She didn't listen to what I said about why I had a 3/4 size instrument instead of a full size one. She then quoted me a ridiculous price for sorting it out but obviously didn't think it was worth it, she was the sort of person who would completely put me off trying to play. Mr H and I both took an instant dislike to her and we were there about 5 minutes before leaving with a polite "I'll think about it", knowing very well we wouldn't be back.
Mr H then suggested asking the chap who he sometimes goes to for guitars and associated bits and pieces. "Oh yes," he said, "I can sort that out for you no problem." No tut-tutting that it was too small for me or looking at me as if I couldn't possibly have ever played the violin. We discussed what was needed and how much it would be, I left it with him and I should have it back next week (I'd better warn the neighbours....).
Sometimes being a long-time 'expert' doesn't get you the business, however superior you believe yourself to be. If you piss off the customer, your credentials don't matter a bit!
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Still on a high
Last night's performance of 'We Will Rock You' - well what can I say? I'm not a big musical or theatre fan, my friend bought tickets for this for an early birthday present and WOW! I was glued from start to finish with the talented dancing and incredibly powerful singing. It was much funnier than I'd expected (although non-Brits wouldn't get all the quips), and had poignant moments too. The choice of Queen tracks for each scene were well chosen and interestingly/amusingly adapted for some.
The second half started with 'One Vision', and when the intro began both my friend and I could close our eyes and imagine ourselves back at Wembley or Knebworth Park, with crowds screaming and Freddie about to strut on stage.
The story is set in the world of 2300 when live music is illegal and all instruments have been banned, all music is digitally produced and danced to by clones. A small group of underground 'Bohemians' hold on to ideas from 300 years previously, found in the video scrolls telling of rock and roll, and a 'dreamer' (our hero) who will save the earth by bringing back live music.
If you're in the UK and any sort of fan of Queen's music or just want a good night out, see it!
I think I'll be getting the record deck out later and playing my Queen LPs from the 80s, loud ;-)
The second half started with 'One Vision', and when the intro began both my friend and I could close our eyes and imagine ourselves back at Wembley or Knebworth Park, with crowds screaming and Freddie about to strut on stage.
The story is set in the world of 2300 when live music is illegal and all instruments have been banned, all music is digitally produced and danced to by clones. A small group of underground 'Bohemians' hold on to ideas from 300 years previously, found in the video scrolls telling of rock and roll, and a 'dreamer' (our hero) who will save the earth by bringing back live music.
If you're in the UK and any sort of fan of Queen's music or just want a good night out, see it!
I think I'll be getting the record deck out later and playing my Queen LPs from the 80s, loud ;-)
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