Curious Question: Looking thru Your Strings

[rod-c]

I found it interesting to hear Kay mention having a guest, in a print dress, stand next to

[unknown-user]

Yes indeed – I have an eye imbalance where

[rod-c]

John: Your reading glasses solution sounds right on target. I think I will try that.

Cheers,

Rod C.

[sherry-lenox]

I was wary of trying a double strung lever for this reason so I’m taking it slow with trying to keep my eyes open while I play it.

I just realized in reading these posts that the problem is changing focus from the music to the strings, isn’t it? In order to read my music I have to keep it right under my nose anyway so that helps me a little. When I play viola it’s very difficult for me to be a stand partner, except of course for the fact that it’s then the conductor and the music, not looking at the viola.

I had bought stick on magnifying lenses but they didn’t work for me either, so I have returned to my childhood propensity to memorize everything. I guess this precludes learning highly technical music but maybe I’ll be able to wear contacts by then.

[tony-morosco]

I definitely have this problem if I am playing on a rug that has too busy a pattern.

Also the one time I tried to play a triple strung harp I nearly fell out of my chair it made me so dizzy.

[darth-mom]

Rod –
I had this problem, too.

[rod-c]

I asked my harp teacher, who is

[unknown-user]

I used to practice my harp while

[luanne-oreilly]

I realized I had this problem at my first gig, what a shock!

[Diane Patenaude]

Bringing your own background is a great solution – until last weekend at a wedding, the only place for the harp was beside the guests sitting down in the “audience”.

[Audrey Nickel]

I actually first noticed this problem when I GOT wood floors (well, bamboo, but it’s figured like wood).

[carl-swanson]

I can think of only one time that the background really threw me. It was about 10 years ago when I was giving a solo recital for the Connecticut chapter of the AHS. It was in a church meeting hall and the rug was a vibrant green with HUGE red roses all over it. Holy Christmas did that throw me. I managed to find a solid color blanket to place on the floor area that I would be looking at through the strings and that took care of it.

[David Ice]

I honestly don’t remember who said it, but she said “all it takes is one moving plaid in the first violin section and you’re toast.”

[unknown-user]

One of my very first jobs many many years ago was a very crowded cocktail party with me jammed in and people almost on top of me – a lady in a light beige dress with red and black horizontal strips came and stood with her buns about 18 inches from the strings on my right – not only that, but she moved side to side as she chatted so my strings disappeared completely and I got slightly seasick – took her a good 20 minutes to wend her way out of my visual path.

[unknown-user]

I’m so glad you brought this up!

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