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I am exhausted with this site.

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 5:08 am
by Musicmaker
I just do not know what to make of it.
Nobody with the exception from " the four" seems to answer.
I am intrigued and full of enthusiasm with matters Zither.
I have tried to promote ideas.
I have arranged a song " The White Rose of Athens " which is beautiful.
Two responses.
I am eating my heart out here trying to be constructive, to give my ideas, demonstrate what I am doing.
I do this because I love the Zither.
It comes across to me that no one cares one ounce.
OR....that you think I am trying to be smart.
I am now in the state that I do not really know WHERE I am.
For Gods sake, we are a small minority .
We need each other what what?
If not, then there is little point of this forum.
Yes I am angry.
Yes I am stressed at lack of reaction.
Yes ...I am human and can be calmed.
Above all....
If you feel I am too prominent...write too much....
Then say so.
I make no apologies for my enthusiasm for learning the Zither or my posts with what I thought might be helpful or vaguely interesting.
For the expert Zither players who "view" the post and remain quiet....I find this attitude totally unhelpful, elitest and the foundation to the demise of Zither playing.
You are nailing your coffin.
Harsh words but by heck you have stirred me now.
I realise that by what I have said I could well be excommunicated from the forum.
Finally, Dear Dave, Andy, Ken, Rudi and last but not least Tom who always answers and like me is a struggler,
I thank you all for your co operation.
I just do not know where I am with you.
Pete

Re: I am exhausted with this site.

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 7:45 am
by NutmegCT
Good day Pete!

You're at the point where I was over four years ago when I started trying to learn zither.

There were times back in 2014 and 2015 when I'd post a question or a video - and absolutely no one would reply or comment. Man, talk about feeling isolated. That put me in the mind of "gee - why bother". One member told me of a zitherist who gives Skype lessons. I emailed him as requested, and finally got a reply after three weeks. I sent him a video example of my playing - never heard another word even after I sent two more emails. Wow.

Another member said she'd help me over Skype. So I bought a camera, set up Skype, finally made the connection - and she just talked straight for 45 minutes without playing a note. More like a social call than anything else. She couldn't get her camera focused or microphone level adjusted even during the 45 minute call.

I think we've got at least three forum issues:

1) - there aren't many zither players in the world.

2) - the few zither players that exist don't use internet for zither purposes - and probably don't feel a need to - especially for teaching others.

3) - with over 100 members here on the forum, very few actually read the forum on a regular basis.

One way to get more participation would be to have any new post or topic automatically emailed to each member. At least that way all the members would know the forum is active, and might provide replies or comments.

I actually contribute toward the forum's expenses, but that only keeps the forum running. Doesn't get people involved!

Frankly it's amazing to me how few active users actually want to post a video of their own playing. One member's "video" was almost 40 years old! We beginners post a video, asking for comments and suggestions. We get words from a few members - but never any video examples of actually "how" to do something.

In the immortal words of Governor William J. Le Petomane in Blazing Saddles -

https://youtu.be/JN99jshaQbY

Onward through the fog.
Tom M.

Re: I am exhausted with this site.

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 8:32 am
by kenbloom
Hi Guys, I contribute comments when I think I can help. I first started trying to play the zither in 1972. No internet. No one even knew what it was. All I had was an instrument to use ( icouldn't afford to buy one) and the Darr book. I did have lots of enthusiasm and a vision of what I wanted to do. I just kept at it. Perseverance furthers. I did eventually find someone who played that I could observe. I continued on. When we moved to Chicago, I eventually found Ludwig Karlbrunner and found out about Zapf's Music and Sofian Zapf. Those folks along with Rudi Wacek really helped me. I am grateful to those who were so instructive to someone who was totally isolated from any community of zither players.
Remembering what I went through to gain even the smallest crumb of real information, I now try to give back offing help whenever I can to those who ask questions. I am grateful that this forum exists and to those who do contribute. To those who don't, I think they are missing out on a very worthwhile experience. There are many people who play but who don't know how to answer the specific questions. Thanks Dave for providing this place for people to exchange ideas and offer a place for someone like me to be able to help. It allows me to return the favors shown me in years past.

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org

Re: I am exhausted with this site.

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 3:27 pm
by Rudy Mueller
Like Ken, I also am grateful this forum exists, and grateful for those who contribute. For those who do not, ces les vis. You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.

Die zither ist eine Zauberin..the zither is an enchantress. Learning her ways requires a certain level of intellectual horsepower and determination; in addition, learning her ways without a teacher requires extraordinary levels of self discipline, desire, and time.

It seems as if 90% of potential players get lost along the way. Perhaps this should be no surprise. At any rate, I will keep on practicing, trying new works, flexing the neurons, and encouraging new players as I can.

Pete, don't get discouraged. Start thinking about Silent Night!

Rudi

PS: I've had issues with skype in the past, and don't have the intellectual/computer horsepower to get a recording going. I have however, gotten up to "facetime".

Re: I am exhausted with this site.

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2018 6:13 pm
by Andy
Hey Pete!

I'm sorry your feeling frustrated, but don’t give up hope! I really don’t think what your experiencing is personal or any sort of elitism as much as the reality of the space. There just aren’t that many Zither players. Our little community here is sifting through history together. The best we can do is compare our notes while we work through these old lessons.

And I’ll second Rudi’s sentiment, think about Silent Night! Take out your frustration in your practice, let your fingers hurt and callus, and your skills will follow in kind. Übung mach den Meister, as it says in many of the books.

Hope to see you around!
- Andy

Re: I am exhausted with this site.

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2018 2:10 am
by Musicmaker
Hi all,
Thanks for your inputs which were nice.
I was just letting off steam!
To be clear...I will of course keep on the site and I too am very grateful to Dave for its existance.
Of course I WILL battle on regardless as I love the Zither and now have my Meinel up and running which is lovely to play
It has a nice rich sonorous sound to it.
Yep...I play till the fingers are sore and now have the start of some nice calluses.
We are indeed .... the "few " which I suppose makes me feel special.
Ich mache weiter die Ubungen.
Funnily enough I AM ALREADY prcaticing Silent Night!
Pete

Re: I am exhausted with this site.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2018 7:50 am
by Rudy Mueller
Whew! also exhausted, but for a different reason.

The last of the company is gone. We have had a combination of 7 visitors (5 from Germany, not all at one time) continuously (without even a one day break) from June 23 to August 22.

Time to get back to the strings! I'm re-starting from the beginning of Kabatek and Darr, as a 15 minute warm-up prior to practice,

Rudi

Re: I am exhausted with this site.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2018 8:03 am
by kenbloom
Hi Rudi,

I know what you mean. I find myself doing something similar but my way of going about it is a little different. I often have gigs that I have to prepare for on instruments other than the zither like guitar, bouzouki and balalaika. When I get back to zither I first do a warm up of scales and arpeggios on the fingerboard and the accompaniment, bass and contrabass strings. Soimetimes I have to gradually build up the calluses on my right hand and that takes about a week. Then I start in on the pieces that I play that have a lot of counter parts out on the bass and accompaniement strings. Usually takes me about two weeks to really get back in the swing of things. I hope your "re-entry" is easier than mine!

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org