Many a Good Tune ..........

As the saying goes ......... but not on this one.

This is in spite of the fact that, if you peer carefully through the "f" holes while shining a accurately directed torch, you can just make out the maker's label; it reads, "Stradivarius", just as many others in this affordable price range do.

I bought a photo mag. the other day which listed a few assignments for its readers to try; I'm obviously not the only person to have bought this issue as I've seen a few blips based on them. I had no photograph today so decided to try this exercise at the twenty third hour; while it is not fantastic (or wildly original), I achieved a far better result than they did.
They also printed an article on using flash guns, the author didn't understand guide numbers, but that didn't prevent him from giving a detailed explanation of them.
The magazine had a similar title to one that I often buy, it is not a mistake I'll make again.

I have hardly played this instrument since leaving school twiddly-umpty three years ago. My tutor was a witch who, hopefully, has since been burnt at the stake. However, I had an unshakeable love of the instrument that she couldn't destroy so I still enjoy hearing it played properly. When I try to play, the noises I produce confirm the old adage that, "the violin student does not play wrong notes, he plays the right ones - out of tune."
I think it was Isaac Stern who said of Jack Benny, "He walks onto the stage wearing a white tuxedo, with his violin tucked under his arm and he looks every inch a virtuoso - but then - he starts to play."

It is ironic that, after all the money The Old Man paid for me to learn to play this violin, I achieved far better results, untutored, on the mouth organ.