New Toy!

There are many of you on here, understandably, who get really excited about cameras and camera stuff. As I explained on 31st Dec 2010, as long as I have a reasonable camera that will fit in my handbag, I'm happy!

There are also many of you, again understandably, who get really excited about your computers - you fall in love with them and adore them, particularly, it seems, when they are macs. Again, as long as my computer WORKS and doesn't cause me too much strife, I'm happy!

However:

if you want to see what sort of kit REALLY sets my heart racing, check out the picture above! It is my "present to myself for securing a new job"! It arrived at 11.34 this morning, and I'm already in love. I've replaced the side chin rest with the beautiful Flesch one that I ordered the other day. I've been playing it "silently" (its acoustic sound is very soft, but audible) and also through headphones (I can certainly say that I have never put a battery into a viola before today!). At some point I shall hook it up to the amp (which, currently is a small one, though there are plans to get a bigger one sometime because my bass needs something more substantial) and see what games we can play!

I've also had to have a bit of a reorganize of my study. Maybe I should move the futon somewhere else and make some custom-built instrument shelves? Maybe something to think about for the future - for the time being my posh acoustic viola is now sitting on a sturdy box, a bit higher and further back than it was to allow me to keep my electric with the case open for any time I wish to have a quick scrape!

There are, of course, many excuses for getting an electric viola. Yes, it's true that it will extend my practising hours considerably - even though I have the study that doesn't link to next door (we're in an end-of-terrace), there is a limit to the hours that are sociable for playing music at any volume. Yes, it is also true that it extends playing possibilities, given that I could now join a band and match electric instruments volume-wise if such an opportunity arose!

But today I am simply IN LOVE! I adore musical instruments in a way that most people probably think is stark staring bonkers, but who cares! I am now the proud owner of an electric viola, and it's WONDERFUL!