Suggestions for slurs: Visualise the two halves of the bow, each of which will produce one note.  Even mark the middle of the bow - having big colourful smiley-face stickers handy helps (like these => but in many different colours, Staples sell sparkly ones), but a small post-it note or a piece of string will suffice!  If this doesn't help, then try fingering the notes alone, without playing, then similarly while shadow-bowing above the string, before returning to playing normally.  Another way which can help tackle the independence-of-hands is to try slurring many repetitions of notes in one long smooth bow, say A-B-A-B-A-B-A-B, then reducing it to A-B-A-B-A-B, and so on, each time pacing it to last a full bow.

I still have an ebay search on violins and accessories, and have seen those mutes on offer. I'm still tryng to pluck up courage for lesons 

Anyway on ebay interesting items are always turning up. I see this little old booklet on

tone and muscle development

I wondered what pain and laborious exercises our players here have to endure to maintain certain muscle development?

Heh, heh, I reckon I could just about play that, could be a useful little lullaby. I would need that mute too 

For best/easiest fingering, which note for the first Baa ? 

You are quite right Martle, although it is 'normally' played starting on the D string . Take care John on the 'yes sir'... put all three fingers down on the D string at once then take them off one by one!!

A

A violist writes:

Dear Violinists,

I realise you go through the world without a care in the world, playing the chune & signing autographs,  whilst we lowly functionaries are left to play "tiddle-tiddle-tiddle-rest", "chug-chug-chug-chug", or "rest-pah-pah".

However, in those moments when there is not a violist around to help you with things like "Oy, Oistrakh, you've left yer bleedin' fiddle behind in the pub again!",  please take a moment to ensure that you have that four-stringed thingummy and the thing you scrape it with about you when entering or leaving public transport?

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article3746488.ece

Why you need to drag it around with you remains a mystery to the rest of us who leave our instruments in our lockers from one gig to the next

Well Reiner , at least one of my viola playing friends takes his viola around with him... he lost it in a gents' loo  in Germany whilst on tour with a well known orchestra. His viola playing daughter didn't let the matter rest... the number of times 'daddy' had told her to be careful with her valuable viola.

A 

I did once manage to leave my trombone on the train.  I'd been down in London for a Prom, and also had a Prommers' Orchestra rehearsal.  Got a latish train back to Peterborough (having had a few drinks after the concert).  Got on the train, but the trombone up on the rack, shortly before we got into Peterborough the guard was having an entertaining time with tow other lads in the carriage who didn't have tickets, got off the train, and was halfway across the bridge when I suddenly realised I didn't have the trombone.  Legged it back and got onto the platform just in time to see the train pulling out.  Reported it immediately and os wsa able to collect it from the lost property office the following day for the princely admin fee of £1.50 I think it was.