scales and alligators

No, this is not a post on amphibians and reptiles. (nosebleed for the sciences again). Most likely I haven't posted anything about my violin lessons.

Yes, I've been taking up violin lessons this semester. Yes, on my last sem, at the same time with my thesis. I'm trying to look for diversion and stress relievers, you know.

Growing up watching Sailormoon and having the violinist a favorite character, I must say, I've always dreamed of learning to play the violin. I actually did start praying for that when I was in grade 5 and quite amazing, when I was in Grade 6, a missionary whom I met for the first and last time, handed my mother a Skylark violin instructing her to give it to me.

I felt it the first part of my long time prayer and I did continue to pray for it until I started having more friends and getting out of that loner zone (2nd year highschool, I think). Seeing Jake and Tetel enrolled in the Extension Program of the College of Music, I was reminded of that childhood dream I had.

I've had 5 sessions out of the 14. Aside from the position and bowing (crap. it may seem easy but it really isn't), my teacher already taught me a scale (two strings, 3 finger positions each) and it's actually quite rewarding to hear yourself playing some notes when I am not really musically-inclined.

Aside from the scales, my teacher also taught me three patterns of bowing which she calls the alligator-apple, alligator-alligator and fried chicken. Sounds weird, I know. Actually, every syllable of the words are to be translated to a pull of the bow.

Say, alligator-apple is actually pulling the bow short down, up, down, down, up, down, pause, shorter pull up. Alligator-alligator is just short down, up pull four times and friend chicken is a long pull down, short up, short down.

Interesting. I actually felt weird bowing while saying words. Makes me feel funny. I wonder what the next set of words would be...