I did a little github pushing in the very beginning back when we were called Pocket Conservatory. Really simple stuff that made me respect my cofounder Rose, as well as the rest of our dev team for what they do.

Fiddle stuff: I played a few bluegrass pieces by Edgar Meyer (those violin + bass duos) and some basic hoe-downs. Also extreme respect for bluegrass fiddlers was developed in light of those experiences. One of my favorite fidllers is Jeremy Kittel, you should listen to his track "Chrysalis" - just divine!

Hi Ray! With the knowledge and expertise that you have now, is there any advice you would tell your younger self? Or anything you wish you could have done differently?

Appreciate you carving time out for this AMA! Your performances have inspired me very much as an adult beginner on the violin :)

Nerd question: did you actually do any of the coding on Tonic?

Music question: have you ever played any fiddle songs and, if so, which is trickier for you, classical or fiddle?

Not Ray (obviously) but I'm in there with you, 35 and self study (never played before Oct though). I see comments on YT videos and fiddle/violin sites where people are picking it up at 60+, 70+. People like us aren't going to make it to Ray's level, obviously, but my goal is to get good enough to play at church, at least for like Christmas and such.

One note, one song at a time. Literally just the other night I finally played Lightly Row by myself all the way through with no sheet music. My next goal is Song of the Wind and to do Lightly Row with a metronome.

The great thing about being adults starting, we're never going to get to Ray's level! We're not competing for scholarships and such. We can learn at our own pace, doing what we can as we get there, and most importantly, for fun.

Thanks for answering Ray! Gonna do some brainstorming and thinking about my goals during my next practice session on Tonic!

Hi Ray !!! What's your favorite violin concerto ?

I remember seeing you play at the Bowdoin festival years ago, you played the andante from the 3rd Bach sonata as an encore and I can't say that I've ever heard a version I liked more, before or since! It was a really special moment that definitely changed how I think about and approach his music. Thank you!

I'm wondering what your thoughts on improvisation are? I grew up with a classical training as well as playing a lot of folk music, and have been fascinated for some time with all things improvisation, be it jazz or coming up with interesting ways to play around with Bach, who I'm convinced would be the greatest jazz musician of all time if he lived in our time!

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Thank you for your music!

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thank you! :)

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hey there ray! 17yo cello gang member here. i'm currently practicing the elgar concerto for my first real concert as a soloist in may and it is a real challenge. when you were my age, how did you manage your practice time/productivity while also being a high schooler? much love from minnesota <3

Hi Ray. What is your top 3 favorite pieces to perform? Please explain if possible. Also, mad respect to you for creating a platform/opportunity for people to have fun while practicing.

Hah I was more worried about other Pittsburgh fans! I think the Flyers make some people hate the Eagles just by default hah!

That’s nice about your jersey - I appreciate that rationale.

Thank you for your advice. I have a hard piece I keep coming back to from time to time to see if I have made a bit of progress. But since it's really difficult, I don't expect to play it ever for real. Luckily there is no external pressure, my teacher has no idea ...

Hi Sammy,

Do you know the ramifications of using a less energy dense source in wind/solar than modern hydrocarbons? Throughout history, humanity has always moved on to more energy dense sources and wind/solar would be for the very first time a step back.

Uranium is a more energy dense source than modern hydrocarbons on the other hand so a logical progression for humanity is to transition from hydrocarbons to nuclear. What is your opinion on nuclear energy?

I am an old 45 year old who last played the second last year of high school and learned the first movement of the Mendelsohn concerto and passed my Grade 10 violin with RCM. I flamed out so bad with the play with ray challenge. I didn't have a teacher. I tired to learn the notes like I remember my teacher telling me. I couldn't make it to tempo. Don't have intonation anymore. Is it possible for an old dog to relearn old tricks and how should I be practicing . I played the second part first movement from susuki book as a kid, slower, but can't keep up with you. Any practice tips? I can't learn it in a week. Couldn't learn it in 8 ish Any practice tips for apt? I have a mute on but still worried about getting kicked out and I can learn the notes but I can't learn the bowing arm properly cause I have to play soft all the time

I am willing to find a teacher but I have always spent more time trying to learn notes than work on the music

And is there hope for a 45 year old. I want to sound decent. Apparently I can't play anymore.

Love your playing. Hope to see you live one day.

Hello! What are your thoughts on being included in fanfics, if that's okay to ask? (It does say to ask ANYTHING right?🥲)

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Hi Ray, how's it going. How did you find the concerts in Japan? I was gutted that I couldn't make it.

It's so great to see that you're a huge influence and a great role model for young musicians. Recently, funding for the arts has been cut in many countries around the world, which is so disappointing. How can we preserve classical music and these ensembles from disappearing? And how can we encourage young musicians to not feel disheartened?

For more AMAs on this topic, subscribe to r/IAmA_Music, and check out our other topic-specific AMA subreddits here.

Picking a piece that's slightly above your technical level can be very good for technical growth. If you decide to go with a piece that's multiple levels higher, then make sure you remind yourself that you're having fun (1-2 sessions is fine) and that you don't have any external pressure. Otherwise, chances are you might become frustrated which could affect your overall relationship to the piece (don't wanna ruin it for later) or even to your instrument.

Have you ever had a crush on a fan?👀

GOLDEN WIND!!! Any chance we can hear a Ray cover of il vento d’oro on Tonic? 👀

Just going to drop in here for anyone reading and note that I've been covering energy and climate change for nearly a decade, and there's an extremely robust scientific consensus around the dangers of rising temperatures. I'd encourage folks to check out all of our coverage at the L.A. Times: https://www.latimes.com/environment

Hey there, thank you for the question. I'm not aware of any significant CPUC reform efforts right now, at least anything that would result in different results to the recent net metering decision. It's certainly fueled a lot of public frustration, though.

For those not sure what we're talking about, here's some background: https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-12-15/california-just-slashed-rooftop-solar-incentives-what-happens-next