Shuffle Bowing Practice with 'Buffalo Gals'

Today, I thought I would backtrack a bit and add a practice piece to my blog that beginning fiddlers might find useful.

Although many new fiddlers are apt to think that learning the fingerboard is the most difficult part of their fiddle lessons, experienced violinists and fiddlers alike will tell you that a well developed bow arm differentiates good players from great players. And, seriously, who wants to be just good? lol.

Shuffle bowing is an integral part of fiddling and like staccato, martelé, etc. in classical music; shuffle bowing gives old-time fiddle music its distinctive sound. Yet for newer players, myself included, getting the feel for shuffle bowing can be a bit of a challenge and practicing 'long, short, short, long, short, short' on open strings, although effective, isn't very much fun.

So what better way is there to learn to shuffle than to learn an actual tune in the process? 'Buffalo Gals' fills that bill perfectly. The traditional tune itself has a very distinctive shuffle pattern to it and lends itself well to slight alterations that make it into an excellent practice piece.

Below is the sheet music for 'Buffalo Gals' in which the traditional tune has been altered to create a nearly continuous (and, oh so obvious) shuffle pattern. As you practice, remember to give your short bow strokes enough time in proportion to the long ones! It's easy to want to cut them a bit too short, but don't be tempted! This is also a good time to get used to using your metronome or (the ultimate sin for classical players) tapping your foot. Just 3-1/2 years of classical training were enough to immobilize my own foot into stony silence! lol.

The great thing about this piece is that once you have a solid grasp on the shuffle, you can begin to add back the embellishments and nuances to build this version of 'Buffalo Gals' back into the traditional tune. Please note, I have not included a separate drone file for this piece, as the piece is played entirely on the D and A strings. (Remember, when playing with drone strings, strive for even pressure across both strings.) Just another reason that this piece of sheet music is an excellent starter piece for the newbie fiddler!

If you're just starting out, please give this a try and let me know what you think. Did this piece help you understand and 'feel' the shuffle?