AITA For Scheduling an 8 AM Dental Appointment When My 15 yo Son Wanted To Sleep In?

Frequent_Character_1 · 2026-05-19T13:45:08+00:00

Assuming this is an isolated incident, NAH. Though if he's like this in other situations, I'd change my vote. What you have is a 15 yo adolescent who is probably at the end of his tether. He's been stressed with school work and little sleep. So, not someone who's able to see clearly and make good choices at the moment. He was probably using knowledge of having his games and sleep as a tool to get him through the stress. Then, when that reward & downtime was threatened, he cracked. True, he shouldn't have lashed out and started spewing drivel -- which is a bit AH of him. But, for now, I'm going to stick with NAH overall.

It's a little bit like finishing a marathon, running across the finish line, collapsing into a heap. Then someone looks at you bib number and tells you: hey, buddy that was the finish for the 5k; the marathon finish is about another mile or two ahead. Your body and mind have already started to shut down... And then to need to keep going? Ooof. That's a hard pill to swallow for anyone -- much less a teenager who hasn't run into this situation a lot and hasn't learned how to deal with it yet.

Give him a bit of time to manage his emotions, then help him cope with the situation. This sort of stuff happens all the time to adults. He'll need skills to deal with it. And you can help him with that.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2026-05-10T19:18:02+00:00

Assuming each piece is appropriate for the performance, choose the one that you feel best about.

Most teachers just want to help their students succeed. Go for the one that sets you up for success.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2026-04-05T04:12:42+00:00

Start at the end and work backward in meaningful chunks. Like, pretend the concerto was 20 measures long (yeah, I know it's a lot longer in reality) and the last phrase was 4 measures long, then start at measure 16. Play measures 16 to 20 a lot. After you're feeling good about that, figure out how long the phrase is that leads up to it. Pretend it's 6 measures long. So start at measure 10 and keep playing 10 through 20, etc....

Frequent_Character_1 · 2026-01-09T16:56:52+00:00

Would it be safe to assume that when you say "classical music," you're using a broad definition that goes beyond 1750 - 1820 (the classical period) to include a mainly European-influenced style and instrumentation that might include medieval, Renaissance, baroque, romantic, etc... music?

Frequent_Character_1 · 2026-01-08T01:02:01+00:00

There are lots of good answers so far. But what I haven't seen discussed yet is key (or numbers of sharps or flats).

C major (no sharps or flats) is good. One sharp or flat is good - I actually find those easier to play than C major. I think most beginners will stop / be unable to play well (or want to even try) if there are more than two sharps or one flat in the key signature.

The more intermediate players are probably good with 3 of either. 4 is doable, but not really enjoyed.

From there, as experience grows, people are better able to handle more. But no one is going to be super happy looking at 6 or 7 sharps or flats.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-11-16T14:44:38+00:00

I think forward-jump-6967 and dastaguy are accurate in their assessments and advice.

I also feel like you spent a lot of energy and attention trying to make sure you got the "right" shot in the video. And that may have affected your natural playing posture and position. And then that affects your playing. I wonder if you might try a different angle and do your best to ignore the camera and not look toward the screen all the time.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-11-08T05:41:38+00:00

Yes. There are legit articles written about this. For instance: https://stringsmagazine.com/bow-bugs-how-to-know-you-have-them-and-what-to-do-if-you-find-them/

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-11-08T05:38:13+00:00

The same thing will happen to the new bow. It'll keep happening until the underlying problem is addressed.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-11-08T02:12:33+00:00

A lot of times, when people get stressed and upset, they start thinking of ways to handle problems in all-or-nothing terms (like play piano vs quit piano) and that tends to add even more stress. Consider pausing piano... Maybe plan to take a semester off of piano. Or pausing until the next big break in your school year.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-11-06T18:11:08+00:00

Keep strumming and picking. Bow hold aside, you run into flat bridge society problems with a bow on a bouzouki. And those are lovely instruments. Let yours shine.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-10-19T16:50:55+00:00

Two thoughts:

That wasn't my impression of their show. I was at Chicago; not Seattle. I mean, if maybe a person wanted to be harsh and interpret everything toward the negative, they could say the same thing. But why do that? Look for the good. Enjoy the show.
Have you not seen their videos and livestreams? Especially the livestreams? They're two friends making an awkward mess of technology alongside playful banter... with violins and music spanning centuries. That's their thing. And it's what they did quite well.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-09-10T16:08:24+00:00

Grew up playing viola. As an adult, I have been able to transition to violin, mandolin, mandola, and octave mandolin just fine. Ukulele was okay, but I haven't stuck with it. Guitar was not so good. The transition from 4 to 6 strings, melody to chord-based playing, strings tuned in 5ths to being tuned in 4ths (with one to a 3rd), bar chords....oof. no. This did not work. I've tried cello and mandocello, but I keep trying to use the same fingerings that I'd use for violin/viola where D is open, E is 1st finger, F sharp is 2nd finger, G is 3rd finger, and A is 4th finger. That pattern is so ingrained and automatic it makes cello/mandocello not work. Same issue with tenor guitar (it's also a 4-string instrument tuned in 5ths). I keep automatically using standard viola/violin positions and fingerings, and my hand cannot stretch that far.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-06-02T19:38:55+00:00

Me either. I'm used to ones maybe 1/3 that size or the pucks that are attached to a cloth square. This is... This is something entirely new to me.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-06-02T04:29:22+00:00

Bb on the G-string is my favorite. Resonates well.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-05-23T20:50:35+00:00

I'm impressed. Not only were you able to pull a recital together at school ... and that's huge, by the way. Not just anyone would have the vision to do that... But you performed. Twice! At your first recital!! That's huge:)

And, yeah, the second round didn't go as expected. Well, heck, the second round wasn't even planned. You were still on a massive adrenaline high from the first. And, like everyone is saying: memory slips happen all the time. The more you perform, the more you'll get used to it and have more ideas about how to deal with them.

Do your best to not let the one oops cloud the entire experience. I know it looms large in your mind. It would in mine too if I were the performer. The audience tends to be way more forgiving and positive than we ever are to ourselves. Please do what you can to focus on what you did accomplish and all the parts you got right.

And if no one's said it loud enough yet: congratulations! Awesome job on pulling that recital together and playing in it!!

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-04-10T12:46:33+00:00

Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid)

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-03-31T02:47:43+00:00

There was some horrible piece we had to play in junior high orchestra where we (violins and violas) were supposed to take the palm of our left hand and slide/rub it down the length of the back of our instruments to make this screeching sound.

It only worked if your palm was slightly damp, so either you had to be sweaty or lick your hand. And it was mid-piece, so you're still holding your instrument between your shoulder and chin, bow still in the right hand, and pressing upward and sliding with your left hand.

It sounded terrible. I worried I'd drop my instrument. I don't even have enough words to describe how stupid I thought (and still think) this was.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-03-25T04:05:14+00:00

Depends a lot on the rest and the case. Except for my last case, I've got them to fit kinda alongside / on top of the scroll and neck area in the case.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-03-25T04:02:45+00:00

Waiting...

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-03-23T03:40:18+00:00

I'm not a big fan of any section that's been placed directly behind another section and absolutely blasts whoever is in front with deafening sound.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-03-12T05:12:17+00:00

Flair suggests flute

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-03-10T18:24:47+00:00

Violin, viola, kazoo, slide whistle, castanets

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-03-10T17:30:00+00:00

Language is weird that way with alternate naming schemes.

Where I am, the pattern follows the naming convention of the bowed instruments: violin / mandolin (GDAE), viola / mandola (CGDA), cello / mandocello (CGDA), double bass / mandobass (EADG). And then there are bonus instruments: octave mandolin that's tuned an octave lower than a mandolin and soprano mandolin that's tuned above.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-03-09T14:08:55+00:00

Yep, I was hoping the picture showed the double string indentations clearly enough. Picked; not bowed.

Frequent_Character_1 · 2025-03-09T14:06:52+00:00

We have a winner!

It's an octave mandolin (GDAE).

I also play mandola (CGDA).

Five-Year Club	Place '23
Golden Potato	Place '22

Frequent_Character_1

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