#7: All new and somewhat fixed.

So for those who do not know I wear glasses but I am near sighted (can see objects up close but not far away). Lately I've noticed that things have been a little blurry so I went to the optometrist and sure enough my eye sight has been weakened once again (this has been an ongoing problem). I first noticed it was bad when the white boards were fuzzy while sitting in the front row. I then noticed when I went to take my glasses off while practicing one day. I could see the music but I had to squint just enough to make it way too annoying. Today that was fixed when my new glasses arrived (I got some popular frames) and I love them not only because they're cool but the fact that I don't have to squint while wearing them. I'm not saying this is going to make me a better player but it should help somewhat. The only thing I need now is my bangs trimmed (more like hack three inches off but anyways...) so they don't fall in my face while I'm trying to read the music.

Eyesight is not the only problem that has been somewhat solved, some issues in the music are working out. Dynamics are working out much better now. I've been paying a lot more attention to if they come up. The one major thing to make them even better would be to make the pianos much softer and quieter. Also a problem I was having in the duet with being in fifth position on the E string and then playing the actual E without playing open E string (did ya get that?) has been tweaked to work out. I was getting sick o hearing the open E because I am a person whose pinkie can stretch far and that's one of the best qualities I have, so I didn't want to waste it. But I just couldn't get it right by shifting from second finger in fifth position to fourth finger in first position. So then I tried going to second finger in third position, but still couldn't get the shift to work out every time I tried it. I sat back, grumbled a little bit about not being able to do the stupid shift and went back at. Still, no luck. Somehow, I seriously have no idea, the idea popped into my head, isn't E pretty close to where you are in fifth position, and it is. I stretched my first finger back some and found E! That mystery was solved and needs some reviewing in intonation but then it'll be all good. The new tempo I've set has been going okay but a new problem has risen because of it. Before I sped it up my staccato bowing was doing well, now it sounds sloppy and sounds like something is bouncing off a tin can sometimes. I guess that's just something I'm going to have to work on every time I change the tempo, yippee.

I do have to say practicing went much better this week, probably because I've been practicing keyboard for assessment for credit. Whatever it is hopefully it stays instead of like last time. Orchestra camp is 8 days away!