| I agree with Bob about the teacher thing, but let me answer your question about where the notes are. The more you look for them, the less you will be able to find them. I know that sounds like some Zen koan or something, but, well playing these things is kind of Zen. The trick is improving your ear to the point where you can play the notes - not looking at the fretboard and saying "ahah - the F on the G string is right where the fingerboard meets the body!" (though you'll do plenty of that as you get used to the fingerboard, but it won't help you actually hit the note in tune). As you are doing this, going to lessons, and PRACTICING, eventually your ear will train your hands to know where the notes are. But the thing is, always rely on your ear. If you change your stance slightly without knowing, if your endpin is pulled out a little longer, if your wearing different shoes, or if the planets are simply out of alignment, you'll all of the sudden be playng slightly out of tune at the beginning of a rehearsal or gig, and its up to your ear to correct your body. In other words, don't rely too much on rote repetition, always be listening to yourself, always play along with other instruments (or albums) whenever you get the chance, and have a teacher that will give you good constructive criticism all the way. You'd think to learn such a physical instrument, it would be ALL repetition, but its really kind of a super-strong finesse thing when you get right down to it...
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