Learning Fingerboard Positions

I found this awesome template online. It's a blank viola fingerboard. I printed it out onto A4 paper and put it behind a plastic cover. I left it in the bathroom with a dry erase marker. I made sure to practice filling it in from memory every day. There are different versions for each 'position' on the viola fingerboard. Obviously, I started with first position.

Then, I made myself a cardboard 'fingerboard' that fit in my left hand. I used it to finger the notes to the song I was listening to on my ipod. I got a few funny looks from people in the dog park as you can image. I had this cardboard thing in my left hand, bluetooth headphones on, eyes fixed on the digital sheet music scrolling across my ipod held in my right hand with the occasional stop to pick up dog poop. Good times.

I learned the fingerboard before I even got my hands on a viola. I'm glad I did because it really took the pressure off. I was making music within a day.

Reading Music

iPhone Games

The most useful tool I've found to help me re-learn reading music was an iPhone app called: CLEF TUTOR FREE

It was really useful because it allowed me to set the clef [alto], the range of notes tested [3, 4, 6, 8], the type [flats, sharps, naturals] and the number of ledger lines above and below. It was set up as a sight reading speed game. I was just competed against myself but it placed you in a funny little category [for motivation I suppose] once you finished the game. Good times.

Oh, How I Love the Internet...

Then once I could read the notes on the Alto Clef, I had to figure out their relative position in context on the piano. I found a lot of information just by searching Google Images. These are just a few images that helped me solidify that knowledge.

This image was very helpful in showing me where the alto clef fits in relation to the bass and the treble. It all made a lot more sense after I discovered this.

I made myself some quizzes [which I kept on my iPhone using EVERNOTE]. I just flipped through them when I had a few extra moments. 

The "Plan"

I have this plan - to teach myself how to play the viola. Obviously, it sounds a lot easier than it is. So, I've broken it down into a number of steps.

1. Learn (re-learn) how to read sheet music
2. Learn the viola finger board positions
3. Study music theory (so I can understand the notations on sheet music)
4. Study bowing techniques
5. Learn how to take care of a viola
6. Research where to rent/buy a viola and supplies
7. Learn a few songs to prove to myself that I'll persist before I rent
8. Get a viola for my birthday
9. Practice every single day
---- to build finger callouses
---- to develop my 'skills'
---- to train the people around me to expect to hear this painful racket...
---- so I can observe myself improve! [make a weekly video to track improvement]

10. Make a list of questions for a tutor
11. Once I make it to a level that I feel I need a teacher - find a teacher
12. tbc