Fiddler's Folly

Cell Phone Diary

2011-07-09T16:08:00.003-04:00

Even if I can't remember what I've been doing, my cell phone has always been ready and willing to record moments in time. Of course, any time low lighting or movement of your subjects is involved, the pictures look almost as hazy as my memory.

Spring and summer have found me busy with all the normal tasks that seem to fill one's time when the warm weather comes, but I have managed to kick back a bit and relax. To that end, my cell phone relates this brief recollection of events.

To the left, an impromptu Cajun jam at the Roots Café, Naples, NY. That lovely, young bassist is my daughter trying her hand at Cajun music. You know it's a great time when the server gets a few moments, grabs his guitar and joins in!

Shortly thereafter, it was off to the Great Blue Heron Festival in Sherman, NY. It was a late night as my daughter and I took in the reincarnated band (from the Naples, NY area) the New Aliens for an all-night Cajun session in the dance tent.

Later in their performance, the New Aliens were joined by members of Donna the Buffalo and together they kept the music going past sunrise.

Brothers, Bill and Bobby Henrie, were awesome playing double Cajun fiddle. A treat not to be missed. It wasn't old-time, but it sure was fun and we sure were tired.

Then there was the matter of the henna tattoo...

Fiddle Rescue Results

2011-04-27T21:00:00.000-04:00

Some of you may remember that last October I posted about my then recent acquisition - a very old fiddle in need of some serious help. Paul Strelau from the Student String Shop in Fairport, New York took on the challenge (giving me plenty of time to change my mind if I came to my senses) and here are the surprising results. (Interior photos courtesy of Paul Strelau.)

Isn't she pretty? I have to say that it cleaned up really well. Cosmetically speaking, there was a lot of built up rosin on there and I'm certain it took Paul a good bit of cleaning to get it all off. The edges have a darker finish that accents its hourglass shape and at first, I wasn't sure I was too crazy about that, but it's kind of grown on me!

This violin definitely has character (ie, age-related damage) and had no shortage of cracks that needed cleaning and cleats. However, popping the top revealed a few more surprises than just several nasty cracks.

My violin has a dorsal fin! Well, not really, but it does have a bass bar that was "carved from" rather than "applied to" the top. Check it out. According to Paul, this was a somewhat common Bohemian practice of the time (prior to 1900), although he notes that this particular bass bar is quite small. It's a new one on me, but I'm first to admit that I haven't been prying into many violins.

Then there is the matter of the lower corner blocks that weren't...They looked like corner blocks, until the top came off! Paul also told me that although the top and bottom plates were graduated to the correct tolerances, the ribs were incredibly thick with some of the original rough saw cuts still visible.

So, with all these issues, one has to wonder what a violin like this is going to sound like? To quote Paul Strelau, "It sounds better than it should." - and I wholeheartedly agree.

When Paul called to tell me what he found inside, I admit that I was a bit queasy. After all, it was at the point of "fish or cut bait" and the pond wasn't looking particularly well stocked. I am happy to report (obviously!) that we decided to "fish" anyway and were pleasantly surprised by the result.

I couldn't believe it, but this violin actually has more volume than my Lowendall fiddle and has been holding its own at our weekly jam sessions. Tone is pretty good too, especially the low end (it's got a great rumble to it!), while the mid-range and high end are quite decent as well without being tinny or thin. My teacher played it for some time the other night without relinquishing it voluntarily (had to ask for it back!) which says a lot as he doesn't impress easily when it comes to fiddles. The sponged hourglass finish wasn't to his liking though...guess that is a love/hate thing. lol.

In the end, I'm very happy that I decided to have the fiddle repaired. It was a gamble though, and I wouldn't recommend investing your nest egg in any old fiddle. Listen to the advice of an expert (thank you, Paul!) and proceed with caution - mixed with gut instinct, because like in life, you never know what you're gonna get!

Old Yella Dog

2011-03-13T21:44:00.004-04:00

Woof! Another favorite tune of mine (well, come to think of it, I wouldn't really be posting tunes I didn't like would I? lol.), Old Yella Dog, is a great cross-tuned tune.

According to Charlie Acuff, (check out the YouTube video below) Old Yella Dog is a civil war era tune. You might even recognize his version of the tune as it follows the same melody as the childhood song, The Old Grey Mare.

The version I have written up is closer to Rayna Gellert's version from her Ways of the World CD. I say 'close' because Rayna is an awesome fiddler and I am a total amateur when it comes to learning by ear and transcription, but also because it is simply impossible to catch all of the little grace notes and finer nuances of her playing on paper.

My transcription says Cross G (GDGD) as that is a more common tuning, but it sounds even better, in my humble opinion, in Cross F (FCFC), which I believe, Rayna uses in her version. To play it in Cross F, your fingers will be in the same locations on the fingerboard, just tune down your strings!

I've actually been holding off on posting this, hoping to get it as close to accurate as I can. It's a bit syncopated, so things don't always fall on the beat you might expect they should. As such, please use this (and any transcription that I provide at Fiddler's Folly) as a jumping off point only and modify it to suit your needs or what you hear. (I could very well be wrong after all!)

If you are new to my blog, when a tune is played cross tuned, the transcription indicates this (i.e., TUNING: GDGD). The transcription itself is then written out for actual finger placement on strings tuned to that cross tuning. So, were you to play the actual notes as written and not be in that tuning, well, it will sound like yuck! Just so you know. lol.

Susannah Gal

2011-01-15T16:39:00.003-05:00

Time for a new tune, wouldn't you say? It's been some time since I've gotten to play, but now that winter has set in and the holidays are over, it's time I got reacquainted with my fiddle.

Susannah Gal has been one of my favorite tunes for quite some time. I never understood why, until I connected (light bulb moment) that this tune was also known as Pretty Little Pink. Growing up, I remember listening to my mother's old Tennessee Ernie Ford records and Pretty Little Pink was one of my faves. I know, not your normal kid...

Anyway, Susannah Gal is a standard tune on nights I'm lucky enough to make it to our friendly, neighborhood jam session. But to tell you the truth, up until now, I've just kind of muddled through it, cheating my way through the notier (is that a word?!?) parts. I don't know why, because it's really not at all difficult. I guess it was just easier to be lazy.

So, for the sake of redeeming my lazy you-know-what, I sat down this afternoon and worked up a nice sounding version of Susannah Gal. It's actually pretty similar to Tommy Jarrell's version, though I don't guarantee that it's note for note, as I know it's not.

However, what's that they say about "close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades"? Well, I've got good news for you --- it counts in old-time too!

I've intentionally left out the bowing directional markings on this tune as each time through I seem to be going the opposite way. However, I did include slur markings to indicate which notes I seem to consistently put together on the same bow. Give it a go and let me know what you think. It's a foot tapper, that's for sure.

Totally Self-Serving Christmas Wish List

2010-12-20T21:05:00.005-05:00

What fun would Christmas be if you didn't make up your own wish list once in a while? I'm tired of shopping for everyone else! So, in the interest of being totally selfish, with a good deal of humor thrown in, here is my fiddle-ish wish list for 2010.

1. A Genuine Stradivarius. Why not? If you're going to shoot high, you might as well start here and wouldn't it be awesome to fiddle on one. I seem to remember seeing Tommy Jarrell play one on a YouTube video and he wasn't too impressed, if I recall. However, I'm willing to give Stradivari the benefit of the doubt if anyone has one they've become tired of.

2. The Rockridge Brothers New Album. Expected release date was just announced as February 21st! Patience is a virtue, but I was so hoping to have this in my Christmas stocking...oh, and did I say autographed?!? The Rockridge Brothers have been one of my favorite old-time bands since I first saw them in 2008. Now, if Ralf Fredblad (resident Rockridge fiddler) was playing a genuine Stradivarius...but I digress. Get a sneak preview of their new album by watching this Woodsong's Radio Hour spot on YouTube.

3. A Coda bow. I've been interested in trying a non-wood, non-traditional bow for some time and let's face it, Coda has some beautiful looking bows that surely draw out some pretty decent sound. Being that I'm not a totally materialistic girl, I wouldn't even need the Gold level. I'd "settle" for the Silver or Nickel.

4. Karla-Therese Kjellvander's New Album, Dance, Monster, To My Soft Song!. Ms. Kjellvander has a great voice that is well-suited to the music she has selected for her album. She is also backed up by none other than my favorite, Rockridge Brothers! How can you go wrong with that? Gotta get me some of that old-time religion. Give Ms. Kjellvander's album a listen over at iTunes by clicking this icon.

5. Sprout Wings and Fly DVD by Les Blank. This 30 minute DVD profiles old-time fiddler, Tommy Jarrell. You can see a trailer of the movie on YouTube by searching for it by name or right here on my blog. Funny, it was on my list LAST year and NOBODY GAVE IT TO ME! Arghh! It's pretty sad when even your family doesn't read your blog...

6. More time. It's the one thing that's always in short supply around here and no one else seems to have any to spare either. I need more family time, more fiddling time, more fiddling with family time...

All kidding aside, I can't complain. I want for none of the truly important things in life. Even if I don't get a single thing on my Christmas list, I'll be happy. I have my health. I have a great family whom I think really love me and don't just put up with me because we're related. I have hobbies that mean I will NEVER EVER be bored and I've got my fiddle. What more could a girl want?

Happy Holidays!

Get Your History On!

2010-11-28T18:33:00.005-05:00

On a recent trip to New Haven, CT, I was most fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the Yale University Collection of Musical Instruments. Located at 15 Hillhouse Avenue, it is definitely a must see stop on any walking tour of Yale. Admission is free and trust me, if you have any kind of appreciation for ancient instruments, particularly strings, you will be blown away by what there is to see.

I was particularly surprised by the apparent excellent condition of the many pieces within the collection given their age and the full lives they have most likely experienced. Upon review of the Collection's website, they verify that many of these instruments are, in fact, in playing condition.

Armed only with a cell phone camera (and not a very good one at that), an unfortunately tight time schedule and no note paper, I took what pictures I could and tried to commit pertinent information to memory the best I could (silly me). Given more time, I would happily have stayed longer than my non-musical friends could have stood.

The bass viol pictured above was one of the highlights of my visit. If you think you've seen old fiddles, you haven't seen anything yet. This viol was made by G.B. Ciciliano in Venice, Italy ca. 1550.

The museum is also home to a genuine Stradivarius, built by Stradivari when he was 92 (What will you be doing when you're that old?). Unfortunately, it was not on display for security reasons. Don't worry, however, as there are many beautiful violins on display by master luthiers of similar skill with nearly as notable names.

It felt like such a privilege to see the works of makers such as Gagliano, Testore, Rogeri, and Stainer. I was a kid in a candy store - even if I couldn't touch them. I snapped off pictures of my favorites as fast as my horribly slow cell camera would allow. Unfortunately, my memory couldn't keep up with whose violin was whose with any type of reliable precision, so I am going to say that I think the lovely violin pictured to the immediate right is the Rogeri from ca. 1690. You'll have to go visit to see if I'm right or not. lol.

There were no shortage of musical curiosities as well. The instrument pictured below is called a Mayuri and is an Indian instrument. According to the description inside the display case the neck was placed against the player's shoulder so that the feet of the peacock could rest on the floor. Age was not known, but this piece like all the others we saw was beautifully conserved and preserved.

So, the next time you're in Connecticut take the time to stop and see this incredible collection. You'll be glad you did. It really opened my eyes to much of the history of stringed instruments that I was truly unaware of. It certainly increased my appreciation of my own violins, even it they are of more "humble" origins.

Fiddle Rescue Project

2010-10-24T12:49:00.001-04:00

We're knee deep in Fall here in the Finger Lakes and the leaf piles are ripe for jumping in. It's a great time of year to get outside for some last-minute fun before the snow arrives. When you get out for a bit of adventure, however, you never know what might turn up.

For years now, it seems that the local antique shops have been devoid of instruments except for cheap, old guitars that haven't gotten any better with age. But, for more or less kicks and giggles, I'll ask shop owners from time to time if they have any instruments tucked away somewhere. In hindsight, it probably would be cheaper if I didn't. lol.

Case in point, "Oliver". (You name your fiddles, don't you?) He was stashed away in the back room of a local shop. Along with Oliver was a decent Pernambucco bow in need of hair, several packets of unused silk E strings and a couple of gut strings (which don't exactly age well - they looked rather, well, nasty...). My significant other was looking rather longingly at that bow and offered to split the purchase price with me. He'd get the bow and I'd get everything else (including those scary strings).

Well, the price was decent and I guess I felt sorry for the fiddle, so it came home with us. I always get caught up in the history of stuff and this fiddle is no exception. It was wrapped in the 1941 sports section of a newspaper that headlined Ted Williams. I'm guessing that newspaper is worth more than the fiddle now!

Kidding aside, this was obviously a fiddler's instrument. There is no chinrest and no evidence that there ever was one. There is a wear spot on the back of the fiddle though that would be indicative of a shirt button rubbing against as it was played held against the chest. The existing bridge was also cut down so low and at such an angle that it would be nearly impossible to play a single string without hitting another - not unlike the bridge on Tommy Jarrell's fiddle as seen on the video 'Sprout Wings and Fly'. Finally, there is a judicious crust of rosin embedded in the finish, which was enough to convince my boyfriend that I should restore it as "obviously, it was well-played at some point in time".

There's also no label, although labels don't carry a lot of weight with me anyway. To me, it looks like a turn of the century import of decent quality when it was built - lightweight with nice flame, lower corner blocks. That said, I can count at least six cracks on the top, which itself looks to have been off at one point and reinstalled askew. It could use new pegs, there's a "bump" in the fingerboard, it will need a new bridge...and the list goes on.

I'm calling this my rescue project (aka, basket case). Like I said, I kind of feel sorry for it stuffed away since the 40's. So, I've sent it off for repair. We'll see how much the crack repair alone sets me back before I get in any deeper, but I'm hopeful it will be worth it in the end. The luthier is backlogged a bit, so he's given me a couple months window in case I come to my senses...I'll let you know if I do!

Arkansas Traveler

2010-09-05T16:40:00.000-04:00

In the continuing vein of demystifying incredibly notey tunes, this week's lesson tune is Arkansas Traveler (and as long as I don't think about a big, purple dinosaur singing about a bumblebee, it's a pretty cool tune. lol.).

My teacher seemed to think that Arkansas Traveler would be a great follow-up to Whiskey Before Breakfast. I guess they do seem to have a pretty similar tune structure and each does have a decidedly good amount of shuffle built in.

Like Whiskey Before Breakfast, I can see that it is really not that difficult to streamline some of the extremely notey areas while still retaining the essence of the tune. Nothing is really lost.

And if you stop to think about it, wanting to play every little note correctly, right out of the gate, can really hold you back. As long as you have a good grasp of the basic structure and the basic melody, you have the tune. You can play with others - even if they are playing more notes than you are! The intricacies can come later when you've had a chance to develop your bowing and your fingering dexterity.

I've learned this the hard way and still struggle from time to time with wanting to play pieces that I'm really not technically prepared to play yet - and get every note in. However, learning that some of my friends, who have played for years, still leave out a few notes here and there on some of the more difficult tunes makes me feel a bit better about letting go of perfection.

Anyway, off my soapbox and back to our tune. One thing that I particularly love about Arkansas Traveler is that it gives you lots of string crossing practice. Additionally, it gives you plenty of time on the lower strings and I just love the sound of a fiddle G string.

As far as difficulty goes, I had no problem getting the A part up to a decent speed in a relatively short time - my fingers just seemed to take to it without a problem. The B part, however, was a lot slower to come to me and I still stumble a bit on the descending part every couple of times I play it. But maybe that's just me!

As an interesting note, according to Wikipedia, the tune was written by a Colonel Sanford C. Faulkner in the 1800s. The lyrics, however, weren't written until 1947 when Arkansas Traveler was set to become the official state song of Arkansas. I have included those lyrics for your enjoyment along with my notation.

Happy fiddling!

Whiskey Before Breakfast

2010-08-09T13:50:00.006-04:00

Described by my teacher as a "notey" tune, Whiskey Before Breakfast has a jaunty, energetic lilt to it and gives you the opportunity for lots of string crossing practice, double stop practice and shuffle bowing practice. Did I just say 'practice' three times?!? lol. Yes, I did. This tune has a lot going on.

However, as it is so notey, 'Whiskey' can seem a bit intimidating for the novice fiddler. Thankfully, I have a patient teacher who willingly adapts (aka simplifies) tunes as needed to accomplish certain tasks. With Whiskey Before Breakfast, it meant smoothing out a few of the extra notey areas while retaining the original melody and feel so that I didn't spend all my time trying to untie my fingers!

I think he did a great job! This slightly simplified version is much easier to play and sounds very much like the original. With this adaption, I was able to concentrate on the feel of the tune rather than obsessing over all those little notes.

Also, as of this tune, I have decided to discontinue (at least temporarily) providing a separate drone version of the tunes that I post. Unfortunately, I have come to realize that there are simply not enough hours in the day to do EVERYTHING that I would like (Suffice it to say, my bucket list is huge and I am NEVER bored.) Things are beginning to eat into my actual practice time! And, being that I really don't have any 'natural talent' (plumb outta luck there!), practice is a must for me if I am to become any sort of decent fiddler. Practice and focus.

So, I have come up with what I hope will be a workable compromise. I will post one version of each tune. In that version, if there are any double stops they will, of course, be notated. Drones, however, will only be notated if the open string to play is not obvious. This seems like a workable solution and will free me from a significant amount of laptop time and get me back to my fiddle.

Please note, with this tune in measures 2 and 6, you will need to 'rock' your bow a bit (making a small circle with the frog end) to move between notes (on the A and D string) to have the piece sound as it should. You can't just 'drone your way through' using equal pressure on the two middle strings.

So, check out the tune and let me know what you think! Is this a viable solution?

More Shuffle Bowing Practice

2010-07-18T18:24:00.001-04:00

Summer is flying by and I haven't been practicing like I should. (Ah, confession is so good for the soul. lol.) You're also probably aware by the dates of my blog posts that I haven't gotten in much writing either! Sorry about that!

I do, however, check my blog stats to see who is visiting, where they are from and what they are looking for - and I've noticed a pattern. Many of my visitors are looking for help with shuffle bowing and quite honestly, after not playing for some time, I could use some work in that area as well. I don't have what some might refer to as a 'natural talent' for music, so it's a lot work (aka practice) for me to get things sounding like they should and sometimes it just takes a very simple, repetitive tune to bring it all back.

To that end, I turned to my teacher for assistance (after an appropriate level of groveling and apologizing for my lack of discipline). I was looking for a familiar tune that could be adapted to a nearly continuous shuffle with no tricky fingering to slow a novice fiddler down. I also wanted a tune that would take only minutes to memorize, so that I could concentrate on my bowing rather than what note comes next. We settled on Cripple Creek as it is such a well-known tune and is literally a part of nearly everyone's repertoire. Our 'ultra' easy adaption is humorously called Simple Creek.

In reviewing shuffle technique, my teacher reminded me that emphasizing the first short stroke in each shuffle pattern will help you to obtain an old-timey sound. In other words, long SHORT short long SHORT short long SHORT short, etc. Sometimes that's a bit tricky for me as I tend to want to emphasize the long bow stroke instead. Go figure.

Anyway, here it is. Simple Creek in all its glory. I won't do a separate file to include drone notes this time as there is really no need. It's played almost entirely on the A and E strings with only a brief shift to the D string to catch that lower E. Get your shuffle on!

Profile: The Rockridge Brothers

2010-06-12T11:18:00.005-04:00

Who would have thought that awesome American old-time music would be coming to us from Sweden? I certainly didn’t. Not until a trip to the Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg, NY in the summer of 2008. It was there, on a sultry Sunday morning that I was fortunate enough to catch a performance by the Rockridge Brothers at the Infield Stage. They were energetic and enthusiastic despite the heat and their driving rhythms held my interest for their entire performance. I promptly scooped up their then recently released CD, Rockridge Hollerin', and have been a fan ever since (Which, without the likes of YouTube, could be a bit of a bummer when one of your favorite bands is an ocean away.) The Rockridge Brothers (left to right in photograph) are: Ralf Fredblad (fiddle), Peter Frövik (guitar), Kristian Herner (clawhammer banjo), and Pontus Juth (upright bass).

Luckily for me, technology is what it is and these gentlemen graciously responded to my request for an interview. Besides being tremendously talented musicians, I think you will find that they collectively possess a great sense of humor and have a firm grasp on where they are headed and how they intend to get there. Here’s the transcript from our “conversation”.

Melissa: It appears from your YouTube videos that old-time and bluegrass are becoming quite popular in Europe. Just how popular is it compared to the States?

Rockridge Brothers: It is still very small even compared to other non-mainstream music genres, though it has been growing the last few years and continues to do so. Also, the situation is very different in different European countries. For example Sweden, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands have a very vital bluegrass scene, while at the same time bluegrass is virtually unheard of in some of their neighboring countries. One reason is that the various European countries all have their own traditional folk music. Maybe European folk music traditions will start to merge more with American folk music, at least there seems to be such tendencies here in Sweden. That would probably help in attracting a larger audience for bluegrass style music, but it will probably always be more popular in the States than in the Europe.

Melissa: Just what is it about old-time and bluegrass that you enjoy so much?

Rockridge Brothers: It’s honest, simple, straightforward, hard driving, in-your-face music. This is probably the reason it seems to have this unexpected pull on punk rock fans.

Melissa: I understand from a recent interview for Balcony TV in Germany (on YouTube) that you have a third album in the works. Do you have a planned release date yet?

Rockridge Brothers: The exact date has not been decided yet, but it will be released this fall.

Melissa: So, besides ‘Down South Blues’, [performed for the Balcony TV interview] would you share the names of another tune or two that will be on your new album?

Rockridge Brothers: ‘John Henry’ will be on the record. We like to have some really classic standard songs on every recording we do. ‘Raleigh and Spencer’ is one of our favorite live songs, we play it on almost every gig, so it was about time that song got recorded. ‘Wild Bill Jones’ is another song that we have been playing live for quite some time, so that one is also going to be on the record. All and all there will be about thirteen or so songs on the record. At this time, we are trying to make up our minds about which songs will not be on it. We have deliberately recorded more songs than will fit on a single album, since we like to have the option of scrapping the tracks we are least satisfied with.

Melissa: I understand that you are also collaborating with Karla-Therese Kjellvander. Is there a planned release date for that album? Is this a one-time collaboration or something you hope to continue? It sounds great, by the way! ? (Check out a track from the upcoming album on YouTube.)

Rockridge Brothers: Karla-Therese contacted us for a recording session some time ago. We rehearsed for a bit and made the whole of the recording during a weekend in a studio here in Stockholm. While we were waiting for the painstakingly slow post recording process to come to an end, we started playing a few gigs together. The record will be released on the 8th of September, was the last thing we heard, and we will continue to play together, hopefully for many years to come.

Melissa: I see from YouTube that you have a professionally done video [Sugar Hill] as well. Can you tell me where it was filmed?

Rockridge Brothers: It was filmed at various locations in and around Stockholm.

Melissa: What was your favorite part about doing a video?

Rockridge Brothers: I think planning it, and eventually seeing the end result. The creative part of it, that is. The actual filming of it could be quite boring at times, to tell the truth. Though it doesn’t show in the video, some of the outdoor scenes were cut in terrible weather conditions. Most of us and the film crew got a cold from making that video at one point or another.

Melissa: So, aside from germ warfare and the boredom factor, what was the most difficult aspect of creating the music video?

Rockridge Brothers: Timing - to have everybody doing their part in sync with everybody else. Fortunately for us, that was the director’s job.

Melissa: I’m sure my readers, of whom many are beginning players, will be interested in knowing a bit about your musical education. Can you tell me what was the very first instrument each of you played, how old you were when you started to play and how long have you been playing your main instrument?

Pontus: I started playing the piano when I was 7. Then I turned to the guitar in my teens, the obvious choice if you like to impress the girls, of course. Then I started playing bass in a punk rock band. It was when I got into more acoustic music that I got myself a double bass. I’ve been playing that for about 8 years.

Kristian: Impressing the girls with my guitar playing didn’t work for me; there were simply too many guitar players around when I was in my teens. But my dad is a banjo builder, one of the few professional in Europe, so there were plenty of banjos lying around. So banjo was a pretty obvious choice.

Peter: I started nagging my parents about getting me a guitar when I was as young as two years old, but I didn’t get one until I was 10.

Ralf: I got a guitar when I was 15. When I was 16 I got my first banjo. I started playing it picking style, but I used tabs for clawhammer. I didn’t know the difference, and there was no one around to ask. I’ve been playing the fiddle for 12 years, concentrating from the start on old time fiddling. My favorite tunings are A cross-tuned and D raised bass.

Melissa: What other, if any, instruments do each of you play besides those you just mentioned?

Pontus: The banjo, mostly. I have a bunch of string instruments that I play, or play with, rather, for my own amusement. My latest purchase is an accordion.

Peter: I only play the guitar, but recently I have started to pick up the Cajun triangle, one of the most underestimated instruments there is. I see myself as a champion of the Cajun triangle, fighting for it’s acceptance as a serious musical instrument.

Kristian: I play a little mandolin and guitar, besides the banjo.

Ralf: Banjo, guitar, mandolin, autoharp, bass, and the Cajun accordion.

Melissa: Beginners know how important practice is, but what about after you've been playing together for awhile? How often do you practice as a group?

Rockridge Brothers: We only practice when we want to learn new material or prepare for a recording or a tour. During those periods we practice once a week, Wednesdays.

Melissa: Do you each have a favorite tune or song? You realize, of course, that this is a trick question because I can’t even answer it myself.

Pontus: ‘Angeline The Baker’ is a good one. I think we should play it with the band some time. There are just too many good songs and too little time, which is a great problem to have.

Peter: I’m very pleased that one of my favorite songs will be on the coming album: ‘Wayfaring Stranger’. It was sort of scary recording it since some of my musical heroes have done it, but I hope we do it justice.

Ralf: Right now, it’s ‘Brown’s Dream’.

Melissa: In just a few short weeks, you will be stateside. What are you most looking forward to when you visit the States this summer?

Rockridge Brothers: Meeting old friends, making new friends, picking tunes, going to festivals, playing and hearing other musicians play. This year we will be able to see two of our favorite bands at the same festival: the Hackensaw Boys and Old Crow Medicine Show. It is not very often you have the chance to catch bands like that in Europe.

Melissa: Have you had the opportunity to meet any of the artists who inspired you?

Rockridge Brothers: We have been involved in organizing some workshops here in Stockholm over the years and have met several great musicians in the process including the Forge Mountain Diggers, Tom Brad and Alice and Bruce Molsky. Some of the great musicians we have met during our travels in the states are Joe Thompson, Crooked Still, Riley Baugus, and the Balfa Toujours.

Melissa: I have a feeling that before long, the Rockridge Brothers will be an inspiration for many up and coming players as well. If you had one piece of advice to offer beginning musicians, what would it be?

Rockridge Brothers: Don’t try to please the audience if it would cost your integrity, because in the end, you will only do it well if you love what you do.

Melissa: How very well said and an excellent parting line for our interview. I would like to personally thank each of you for taking the time to speak with me and share a bit of yourselves and your love of American old-time music with Fiddler’s Folly and our followers. Best wishes for your continued success. I look forward to many enjoyable years of listening to your music!

To my readers, these guys are definitely worth a 4-hour road trip (or more). You can check out the Rockridge Brothers’ schedule for their upcoming East Coast tour beginning in mid-July at their MySpace page. Save the dates and put in for your vacation time now!

Finger Exercises and Unison Notes

2010-05-30T09:57:00.002-04:00

Great News! I have my teacher back! I am so happy that I'm longer self-directed. lol. Even though I love my fiddle, I freely admit that I am not particularly disciplined at forcing myself to work on trouble spots, practicing with regularity, etc. Having regular lessons pushes the envelope for me as I am suddenly accountable for my progress (or lack thereof). It's really a welcome relief to be under someone's watchful eye and tutelage again.

So, this past week, my teacher gave me a little exercise to get my pinkie back into shape as well as to release my leading fingers from their death grip on the fingerboard. With regard to leading fingers - in my classical lessons, I was taught to keep all leading fingers down as an economy of movement. For example, more than likely you will return to a B or C# if you are playing a D on the A string so (with that in mind) keep your index and middle fingers down on the B and C# when you play the D. I realize this rule isn't set in stone (and is still good general practice in old-time too), but you wouldn't believe how quickly your leading fingers get used to this and literally, don't want to lift off the fingerboard before their latter siblings.

The following exercise is just the remedy and I still haven't got it perfect. (My teacher tells me that these four measures are actually from the seldom played third part of Sally Ann. Hopefully, I'll learn the rest of the tune soon.) This exercise is played in standard GDAE tuning. Your pinkie spends most of its time playing a unison D on the G string (check your intonation and don't let your pinkie flatten the D as mine tends to do), while the leading fingers play mostly on the D string. The only time you lift your pinkie, of course, is to play the lower B and A on the G string.

It might be me, but this isn't as simple as it appears! Give it a try!

Water Bound

2010-05-16T10:48:00.002-04:00

A few weeks back, I began jotting down the names of tunes that my longtime musician friends play when they jam together. I not-so recently set about joining them somewhat regularly (How do you like that English? lol), but still don't know that many tunes by ear.

That being said, I figure if I'm ever going to get anywhere I'd better learn a few of their favorites before they get tired of hearing me say, 'Sorry, I don't know that one.' (On the other hand, the upside to not knowing a tune on the fiddle is that I can snatch up my little Stewart mandolin banjo and attempt to follow the guitar player. I know, I know, I should be trying to figure out the tune on my fiddle, right? It's just that it's a lot of fun to play the mandolin-banjo too!)

Of course, then there is the matter of key. It seems that there are many tunes that are commonly played in more than one key. Ugh! So, the last time we met, I jotted down several of the tunes that I liked (and, more importantly, seemed do-able!) in the keys that my friends prefer to play them in.

Here is one of those tunes - Water Bound (or 'Stay All Night' as some might know it) in the Key of A. I think this is quickly becoming one of my favorite tunes.

One quick note: In the 5th measure, the 'A' quarter note followed by two 'A' eighth notes shuffle, sounds really great if you use a pinkie finger 'A' on the 'D' string for a doublestop. If you're not quite up to using your pinkie yet, then simply drone on the open 'E' string for these notes (as indicated in my drone version file). I do, however, encourage using your pinkie finger.

Big Eyed Rabbit

2010-05-01T13:25:00.008-04:00

Finally, a new tune. Things have been a bit crazy around here lately (and at work - can you say audit? Ugh!), and while I have several "irons in the fire" for Fiddler's Folly, nothing was "up to temperature" until now! lol.

Big Eyed Rabbit is one of those tunes that is just a LOT of fun to play. It also seems nearly impossible to find a familiar fiddle version of it online. There is plenty of banjo tab, but nothing for fiddle. That really surprised me, so a long overdue remedy was in order. I think this simple version of Big Eyed Rabbit will be a great addition to Folly's online library.

This particular version is in the Key of A so you'll want to cross tune your fiddle to AEAE (also known as sawmill tuning). With sawmill tuning, there are many ways to add variety to your tunes. Remember, anything that you can play on the top/higher two strings you can play on the bottom/lower two strings.

Additionally, as much of the melody is actually carried along on the A string, you can also vary your drone between the adjacent low or high E strings to your heart's desire. In my drone version, I have suggested one way to do just that, but I don't always play it that way myself. As I have come to accept (which is very difficult for an OCD accountant-type brain such as mine), the only rule in fiddling is that there aren't any rules and there are many paths to the same destination - each with a slightly different view along the way.

Bowing is also, for the most part, purely subjective as I have come to reluctantly accept (but in the end, wholeheartedly appreciate). There is some variation in classical as well, but in an orchestra you come to one consensus and EVERYONE bows that one way EVERY time. So, take my bowings as a mere suggestion. If they aren't right for you, work out your own. No problem. It's all good. lol.

Lastly, this is another tune that is great for getting your shuffle in gear. If you've got a reluctant shuffle, play this tune a few times through to get it going. You may even find a few more spots to work in even more shuffle!

Enjoy. And if you like this version, please let me know. If you don't, well...lol.

Instruments As Art

2010-04-11T16:49:00.008-04:00

Today was just a 'picture perfect' day and I've got a case of spring fever like you wouldn't believe! So intense was this fever that I just had to get outside and, yes, I did inhale! The air was fresh and crisp, the grass greening up nicely and buds were popping all around me (I swear I could almost hear them!).

Where is this heading? Well, I've been thinking about photographing my instruments for some time. The walls in my house are neglectfully bare and although I covet many forms of art, I have yet to rationalize the expense of purchasing the works I would be most interested in. Therefore, I'm left with my digital camera, a trip to Walmart with my memory card, some chic, simple black frames and white mattes from the art supply store and for what it's worth - any artistic sense I might have (or not)!

In my photos, I attempted to capture the natural textures that only b/w photography seems to replicate with such wonderful precision while having the instruments remain the focal point.

So, here is a sampling of the results. If I had to pick favorites, they would be the fiddle/bow, the fiddle scroll, and the mandolin against the barn door. Of those three, I am partial to the fiddle scroll with the bark. The camera captured such depth and detail and the curve of the scroll against the rounded edge of the log is pretty cool.

Perhaps one of these might might even make a pretty decent desktop wallpaper. Please feel free to let me know what you think. Should I keep my day job? Just kidding. Should I stick to transcribing music and not get off-topic? Wait, don't answer that...(there's more sheet music in the pipeline, as we speak)

Angeline the Baker

2010-03-29T20:08:00.001-04:00

Confession time. I recently purchased a new, old instrument - but it's not a violin. There I said it...no more guilt. lol. It's a SS Stewart mandolin banjo and it is so sweet! I purchased it from Bernunzio Uptown Music in Rochester, New York (an awesome place to find both new and vintage stringed instruments) and had Steve Ryan, a highly skilled banjo luthier from Middlesex, New York set it up for me.

At first glance,this little mando reminds me of a banjo uke as the pot is a petite 7-1/2" rather than the traditional large 10-12" rims you typically see on mandolin banjos. It has an old-timey sound that is a blend of both a ringing mandolin tone and the plunky sound of a banjo - truly unique. The really cool thing, however, is that since mandolins have the same fingering as violins it's not at all difficult to learn to play and it's LOTS of fun too. (Don't worry, though, I still love my fiddle so Fiddler's Folly isn't in any jeopardy!)

Anyway, this past week I was noodling around on the Stewart (when I should have been practicing the fiddle - yeah, I know...) working out a version of Angeline the Baker that I had stuck in my head. As it's such a great tune (easy and very melodic) and as long as I was learning it for the mandolin banjo, I decided why not notate it, work out the bowings for the fiddle and and post it here for you.

I looked around on the Internet and pulled some of the most popular lyrics as well. Hope you like this version. Enjoy!

ABC Notation - Unravel the Code

2010-03-14T10:18:00.002-04:00

ABC notation is nothing new (it's been around since late 1991), but for many musicians it remains a bit of a mystery. For those still 'in the dark', ABC notation is a computer language that was created so that people could notate tunes in plain text format.

Unlike many other musical program languages, ABC is relatively easy to read/comprehend just by looking at it once you have a very basic ABC education.

Speaking of basic, (and I'm really going to date myself here) - anyone remember the first programming language learned in high school in the early 1980s? It was called BASIC. I remember learning it on a Commodore 64 (and playing lots of Space Invaders on that same machine)! lol. I mention it because ABC was written with much the same intent as BASIC - so that someone with only little or basic knowledge of the language could look at the script and read/understand what the program was meant to do. BASIC used terms that we were already familiar with like 'input' and 'print' and 'go to'. ABC is no different - a 'G' is the note G and a 'G2' is a G held twice as long as a 'G'.

So, that's pretty cool, but why bother to learn it when there is a ton of free music out there that is already transcribed onto our traditional staffs? Let me just answer that with a few 'becauses':

Because for every traditionally transcribed tune you are seeing (on my site and others), there are hundreds of ABC notated tunes out there. Who wouldn't want to add those tunes to their library as well?
ABC notation is like shorthand for the musician. Although most traditional players learn aurally (by ear) and simply commit tunes to memory, if you're learning a new tune and have limited time to "lock it in" or simply don't trust your memory (grimace) ABC is a fast, efficient way to jot down a tune and be able to read it later (when your memory has unashamedly taken an eraser to the chalkboard of your brain).
Traditional tunes seem to invariably have multiple variations and, of course, we will want to find 'the one' we heard and 'the one' may be a bit difficult to find. ABC notation provides an additional hunting ground. Many ABC notation sites currently offer several takes on the same tune (or even tunes transcribed in different keys).
Because it's just cool to learn something new, something someone else might not know. Remember wanting to be a spy as a kid (Maybe you're old enough to remember decoder rings? This time, I'm NOT! - lol) and wanting to send notes that only you and your best friend could read? ABC kind of resembles spy code, no?

So, have I convinced you to try ABC? I hope so. Learning ABC is like being given a key to a treasure chest of tunes and as I stated above there are several great ABC sites on the Internet. Simply type 'ABC notation' into a Google search and it will return an abundance of sites. The first result abcnotation.com will likely be your primary learning source. The tutorials located there are top notch and the search function for finding tunes is awesome. Another great source for tunes is JC's ABC Tune Finder.

Additionally, this post wouldn't be complete without mentioning the fact that there are several, excellent programs out there that will transcribe ABC notation into our traditional staff notation. So, if you find an ABC file for a particular tune, you need only to open it with one of these programs and it will transcribe the tune for you. You can also write your own tunes in ABC notation within these programs and they will generate the traditional staff notation for you. Nice, huh?

Even nicer, is that many of these programs are freeware or shareware. abcnotation.com has a link that lists several options for you to try. Currently, I have been testing out BarFly (I have a Mac) and am very happy with it at the time of this writing. Their icon is pretty cute too:

Bottom Line: If you haven't heard of or haven't taken the time to familiarize yourself with ABC notation you're missing out on a whole lot of possibilities. And why would you want to do that?

Learning to Love the Metronome

2010-02-21T12:44:00.012-05:00

Okay, let me rephrase that. How about learning to "appreciate" the metronome? Because, let's face it - I don't love my metronome. The two of us sort of have this grudge match going on. I'm convinced my metronome just wants to annoy me, but grudgingly admit that it has a purpose and, even more grudgingly, that I am in need of that purpose. Having someone tell you they followed you all around a particular tune (ahem) isn't exactly a compliment.

Metronomes quickly make you realize just how unreliable your internal clock really is. When you check yourself against a metronome you will find that you invariably speed up in some parts of a tune (usually those you are very comfortable with) and slow down in others (the challenging spots).

In practice, I have found that the best method for me to bring my "unruly internal clock" back in line is to set the metronome for a speed slightly slower than I normally play the aforementioned "challenging" spots of a tune, thereby forcing myself to "slow down" the easier parts back to proper tempo. Once I am comfortable working at this pace (and have been able to resist the urge to rush the easier parts), I reset my tempo a couple of beats per minute faster and work through it a few more times. I repeat this process until I can reliably play the more challenging parts at the correct tempo while still not rushing the easier parts. Not exciting by any means, but "grudgingly" effective.

Metronomes have come a long way since the mysterious pyramidal box on top of your grandmother's piano. (However, that's not to say that the old-fashioned standard is ready for the museum. If you spend any time at all reading online reviews of various electronic versus mechanical metronomes you'll find that modern isn't always better.) There are simply a ton more options out there with multiple feature sets. With all these choices, finding the right one for you can be a bit tricky.

Thankfully, the Internet comes to the rescue yet again. There are several free online metronomes each just a bit different than the other. I recommend experimenting with each of them to find the feature sets which are most important to you. Perhaps you will even discover that a free, online metronome site is all you need - particularly if you have a portable web source like an iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, etc.

Here are a few of the sites that I located with a simple Google query for "online metronome":

Some of the features to consider before purchasing any metronome are:

Volume Control - Some metronomes are too quiet and you can't hear them once you start playing. Others are too noisy to the point of annoying and end up only distracting you. You want to be able to find the volume that is right for you and your particular instrument.
Time Signatures/Accent Notes - Having a metronome that is capable of counting out the most common time signatures (2/4, 3/4, 4/4) via a different or louder sound rather than just straight clicking is helpful (1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3). Even better, the ability of the device to place some kind of emphasis on a particular beat (not just the first beat) makes following the metronome much, much easier (1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4).
Light or Visual Response - Sometimes it is easier to follow a visual stimuli to keep yourself in time. Mechanical metronomes rely on the swinging pendulum, while digital rely on either a flashing light (usually red) or a digital LED pendulum indicator.
Mute and/or Headphone Jack - Not everyone wants to hear the clicking. If you're not the one practicing, it can seem more like water torture and as stated above, sometimes a visual is better than sound. Having the option to turn the sound off is a lifesaver (or relationship saver, lol). Keeping the sound to yourself via a headphone jack is also nice and can make concentrating on following the metronome easier.

So, if you tend to "meander" through a tune from time to time, please consider my nemesis, the metronome. It's not nearly as nefarious (lol) or difficult as you might think and although it's not at all glamorous, a metronome will "repair" that internal clock of yours and make you once again, able to "play well with others!"

Down In the Willow Garden

2010-02-07T15:19:00.019-05:00

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought a nice waltz might be in order. Rather ironically, however, my favorite waltz turns out to be 'Down In the Willow Garden' - an Irish murder ballad of love gone wrong! Ouch. Seriously, I don't have a morbid sense of humor - I just like the melody. Lots. lol.

To date, my absolute favorite rendition of this tune is perfectly executed (did I just say "executed"?) by the Evil City String Band from Ithaca, New York. Evil City performs 'Willow Garden' in the Key of D while most other versions I have seen transcribed are in either the Keys of G or C and as I have mentioned in previous posts, I am a huge fan of the Key of D.

Just as there are transcriptions in several different keys, there are just as many or more versions of 'Willow Garden' with slight to not-so-slight variations of the basic melody. The version played by Evil City is, once again, unlike most of the transcriptions I have seen online, so this weekend I decided to notate their particular version along with the lyrics. If you haven't heard the Evil City version, you can have a listen at iTunes by clicking the little iTunes logo here -

Keep in mind that my transcription is only the bare bones melody (as near as I can tell) and that both Richie Stearns (on banjo) and Steve Selin (on fiddle) do much to flesh it out with grace notes, hammer-ons, pull-offs, etc. For example, some of the notes which I have transcribed as quarter notes may actually be a triplet or hammer-on combo of a couple of different notes. The quarter note that I have used indicates the main melody note for that particular segment of the tune. Make sense? This way, one can take the basic melody and ornament it as they see fit making it their own unique rendition.

Hope you like it. Oh, and 'Happy Valentine's Day'! '<3'

Fiddling for Viola?

2010-01-24T12:19:00.004-05:00

So, I've got this viola...and I've already lost any fiddlers that started to read this post, haven't I? lol. Sorry about that! Stick with me though - this really does pertain to fiddling. Honestly.

Since playing with an amateur community orchestra several years back, I have found myself intrigued by the viola. Its voice is throaty with lots of overtones. Suffice it to say, it's an instrument with guts, but still easy to lug around! So, about a year or so ago when I saw this viola for sale on eBay, I couldn't resist purchasing it.

The viola is a 15" Andreas Eastman VA200, made in 2004, and originally purchased from Kamimoto Strings in San Jose, CA. Although my camera and lighting give it a bit of an orange cast, it really has a lovely amber finish. The back also has nice flame. The VA200 is the first model of the Eastman line of advanced instruments and I have to say that I was truly impressed with the quality of this level of instrument. The grain on the spruce top is very fine, the book matched back, the purfling, the fittings - all executed with care.

It's such a great instrument, I'm dying to figure out the best way to play old-time music with it - which isn't as simple as it first seems. At least, not that I'm seeing.

The viola is tuned CGDA which means that it lacks the violin E string, but gains a C string on the lower end.Thus, you are one-fifth lower than the violin.

As a fiddler, my first "lazy" thought was: Why retrain/confuse myself on note/string locations when you can just play the viola like a violin? Just leave it tuned the way it is and finger it just like the violin. Silly me, if life were only that simple... You can do this and it sounds great, but only if you want to play alone. Why? Because you are playing one fifth lower than your violin friends. Hence, you will be playing in a different key than everyone else. When they are playing in D, for example, you will be playing in G. Damn.

My next fleeting (and once again, "lazy" fiddler) thought was to tune the viola up to violin tuning, but I don't think I would ever try this because of the increased tension on each string. I tend to think raising each string one entire fifth could lead to string breakage and that perhaps the viola is not designed for this higher tension in the long run either. I'm also guessing that pitch would be somewhat effected as well due to string thickness, length, etc. - things that I don't even want to begin to wrap my brain around.

Not wanting to take an inordinate amount of time on this at the moment (as I have committed myself to the violin and my Brad Leftwich DVDs), I'll continue to experiment with transposition, cross tuning, etc. to see how this effects key and droning/double stop issues. It's actually kind of fun working this out, once you take out the frustration factor of wanting everything to immediately fall into place. lol.

However, I'd be most interested in hearing from anyone who does fiddle on the viola. Do you have any suggestions or is there, as some of my initial Internet research seems to indicate, pretty much a need to adapt your playing on a tune by tune basis? Do you cross tune the viola to DADA or CGCG? Please share your thoughts and experiences with me!

UPDATE: Regarding my previous post on the Brad Leftwich old-time fiddle lesson DVDs, I have now advanced to Sugar Hill, the 2nd lesson on the first DVD and can now play through that tune fairly well at about 50% speed. The fingering when playing on the lower strings takes a wee bit longer to get used to as the fiddle is tuned ADAE (not symmetrical like the AEAE tuning for Shortenin' Bread.) It's a really fun tune to play though.

Learn to Play Old Time Fiddle

2010-01-10T11:17:00.003-05:00

Since I've been sans a teacher, I hate to admit that I've recently found myself skipping around from tune to tune and truly not accomplishing much of anything - except to drive myself crazy. Arghh!

So, in an effort to give myself some kind of direction and quit the "flitting" about, last week I dug through my bookshelf of fiddle goodies and pulled out Brad Leftwich's old time fiddle lesson DVDs. I received this two DVD set as a gift several years back when I was just toying with the idea of learning to fiddle, but was still wrapped up in classical lessons. Hence, these DVDs have largely been gathering dust since I got them (another thing I hate to admit - lol). This time, I am going to give them a run for their money. Maybe that's my New Year's resolution! Anyway, I'll see how far I get.

Currently, I am working on the first tune on the first DVD of the set. The tune is 'Shortenin' Bread' and it's in the key of A which means cross-tuning your fiddle to AEae. Personally, I have to say that I find the key of A gives tunes an incredibly old-timey sound compared to other keys. However, it's a bit of a "sharper" tone (That's not really quite the word I'm searching for, but it sort of fits - after all, the key of A does have three sharps in it!) and I find that it's a bit hard on my ears after a lengthy practice session. I think if I had to pick a favorite key it would be D - but, alas, I digress.

Leftwich does a really admirable job of breaking down the tunes for his audience on these DVDs. First, he breaks a tune down by phrases then goes back and demonstrates the individual notes for each phrase as they fall on the fingerboard.

Following this, he demonstrates the bowing as it relates to the notes (ie, what notes are played on the up bow and which are down bow). Leftwich is teaching a method of fiddling called down-bowing which is primarily a southern-style of fiddling. Down-bowing simply means that the emphasized notes are generally played on the down-bow (when you "pull" your bow down [or away] from your fiddle). Tommy Jarrell, as Leftwich indicates, was a down-bower.

Next, he puts the tune back together and plays it through in its entirety (melody notes only) indicating aloud the bowings (up or down). Leftwich then adds the drone notes to the melody indicating which strings to drone on depending upon what string your melody falls upon. If it is possible to drone on more than one string, Leftwich indicates he preference and explains why.

During this entire process, Leftwich explains that fiddling is built upon learning licks. He defines licks as types of bow strokes that give old time fiddling its sound. In 'Shortenin' Bread', he covers four types of licks: short and long saw strokes, a basic ending lick and a beginning lick.

To wrap up the lesson on 'Shortenin' Bread', Leftwich plays it through up to speed with accompaniment from his wife, Linda Higginbotham, on banjo uke (and I do mean, up to speed! lol)

Right now, I would say that I've got the tune up to about 75-80% speed. There is just one spot on the B part that my bow hand insists should not be bowed the way Brad says it should. Let me say that I firmly disagree with my hand (and that Brad is correct), but every now and then my hand gets the better of me and switches things up just enough to trip me up. The best way I can describe this is with the old simile of patting your head and rubbing your stomach. At this one particular point in the tune, my hands want to "go the same direction" so to speak, when they shouldn't. Really frustrating, but kind of funny when you stop to think about it. Anyway, until I can quell that urge every time I run through 'Shortenin' Bread' (or at least 99.9% of the time!) I won't move ahead to the next lesson.

As this post has ended up being somewhat of a review of Leftwich's DVDs (not my original intent as I had truly started out wanting to share with you the current direction of my fiddling education), I do want to add the following advice as was shared on Amazon reviews by others who had purchased the Leftwich DVDs.

In my mind, these lessons are not for absolute beginners. Although it is possible (and anything is) to pick up a fiddle (having never done so before) and start to play with this DVD - I don't recommend it. Leftwich does not cover the basics such as bow grip, posture, how to hold the fiddle, how to tune your fiddle, alignment of your bow with the fiddle, etc. In my mind, these basics (once ingrained in your head and muscle memory) make learning a particular style of playing much easier. Pick up a basic method book such as String Builder V1 Violin (Belwin Course for Strings) and, at the very least, work through the first few pages. Even better, work through an entire level one book. IMHO, you won't be sorry.

That being said, I am highly impressed with Leftwich's instructional style and do recommend these DVDs to anyone desirous of learning old-time fiddle. I just think that you will find them far more rewarding (and hence won't become discouraged) if you already have some violin/fiddle basics beneath your belt.

Subsequent lessons on the first DVD include the tunes 'Sugar Hill', 'Old Jimmy Sutton', 'Black-Eyed Susie', 'Great Big Taters' and 'Jeff Sturgeon'. I better get back to practicing!

Danelectro HoneyTone N-10 Mini Amp

2009-12-29T23:31:00.012-05:00

I hope this post finds you well and that your holiday was a safe and happy one. Christmas was indeed a merry one at our house.

Thankfully, I didn't get any coal this year and Santa delivered the goods! lol. I was especially excited to see a Danelectro N10 HoneyTone Mini Amp under the tree. Although I purchased my Yamaha SV130 electric violin for "silent" practice, I wanted to be able to play it amplified as well. The Electric Violin Shop (where I purchased my violin) recommended the HoneyTone as a practice amp and so far I'm quite pleased.

Here is a quick summary of the HoneyTone and its features:

It's small - only 5-1/4" high by 5-1/8" wide by 2-1/2" deep.
Plastic construction. Features a semi-glossy plastic case with an applied plastic, silver-colored emblem on the front over the speaker area, plastic strap handle, and plastic (at least I think they are!) silver-colored twist knobs.
Metal belt clip on back of the unit.
Comes in four "fab" colors - Nifty Aqua, Beatnik Burgundy, Daddy-O Yellow and Black. Santa brought me a black one!
Powered by a 9 volt battery or AC adapter (adapter is NOT included with the amp).
Three twist knobs for operation: OFF/VOLUME, TONE, and O. DRIVE.
Line-In, headphone and AC adapter jacks.
Includes an instruction sheet with suggestions for sixteen different presets all of which are various combinations of adjustments to the three control knobs featuring catchy names like "Killer Blues", "Woodstock Fuzz" and "Send the Cats Under the Bed".

At first impression, this tiny amp looks like little more than a toy, but it has a surprisingly good sound. I will say that I have yet to explore all sixteen of those presets with my electric fiddle as I'm really more interested in hearing its straight up sound rather than terrorizing the family pets so I've pretty much settled on the "Clean & Spanky" setting for the time being. "Clean & Spanky" is just as described and delivers a crisp, crystal clear ringing tone from my fiddle. The drones and double stops really sound great too and if you do want volume, you'd be surprised just how loud this little amp can get. If one were so inclined, I also think this amp would be great for busking. The built-in belt clip and 9 volt battery power make mobility a non-issue.

My only criticisms of the unit are truly minor in nature. I would say that a few of the presets that I did try seemed to deliver a somewhat similar tone. For me, this isn't an issue as I'm not really interested in having my fiddle sound like anything but a fiddle.

Additionally, as it is plastic construction durability could definitely be an issue. However, I think the low replacement cost pretty much trumps the durability issue when you stop to think about it. You can find the HoneyTone for anywhere between $20 and $30, so if something unfortunate does happen to it, it's not the end of the world.

Bottom line: If you're thinking of going electric and want a great little, inexpensive practice/busking amp that accurately reproduces the true sound of your instrument, I think the Danelectro HoneyTone N-10 would be a great choice and sound investment. How can you go wrong for $20? Yeah, I know, it's kind of cutesy-looking, but that retro, nostalgic look kind of grows on you after awhile and it does sound sweet!

Building Your Old-Time Fiddle Music Collection

2009-12-17T19:06:00.001-05:00

What better time to think about building your old-time fiddle music collection than the Christmas holidays? If you're a fan of old-time music like I am, your wish list is never empty!

That said, believe it or not, buying those first few albums for your music collection can be a bit intimidating too. Likely, your interest in old-time fiddle began after you heard someone playing at a festival or local event. You weren't familiar with any names of well-known old-time fiddlers, nor many names of fiddle tunes for that matter. So where should you start? Whose music should you pick up first?

The best advice I can give you here is to do your research (Google is a great starting place) and see what turns up. There are quite a few remastered, vintage recordings out there of now famous old-time players as well as a handful of relative unknowns. There are also many younger musicians that have really taken to this genre and have served to rekindle much of the popularity that this music once enjoyed in the 1920s and 30s.

Most importantly listen, listen, listen......and buy what you like. In the end, it's all about what YOU like - not someone with a name known to be important to the genre. Listening to music you truly love encourages you to play more and, I believe, helps you develop your own unique style (as you pick up and adapt the various nuances of the artists you listen to).

Below is a smattering of albums (most from the 1920s/30s heyday of old-time) that I personally think offer tons of inspiration in the way of style, syncopation and emotion. Perhaps if you are still unsure of where to begin, one of these selections just might be the start of something good.

(NOTE: Amazon offers previews of every tune on these albums, enabling you to get a great feel for what the music is like.)

Jingle Bells For Holiday Fiddling

2009-12-10T22:28:00.017-05:00

With Christmas nearly upon us, I thought it might be a good time to do a little holiday decorating here at Fiddler's Folly. Aren't my twinkly lights totally awesome? lol. And, what better way is there to revel in the Christmas spirit than with a traditional, long-time favorite Christmas tune - fiddlized?!?

Jingle Bells has to be one of the most beloved Christmas tunes of all time by kids and adults alike. But did you realize just how old this song is? The answer even surprised me. According to an entry on Jingle Bells at Wikipedia, "It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and copyrighted under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" on September 16, 1857." Those bells have been jingling a long, long time!

The following sheet music is my own variation on the original Jingle Bells. I wanted to give it a bit of an old-timey feel without compromising the original tune too much while keeping it simple so that everyone can play it. (Of special note, trying to pick out simple, familiar tunes like Jingle Bells or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star are excellent ways to improve your ear training abilities. You ear will immediately tell you if you have the correct note or not!)

I've also gotten so I like the sound of my fiddle when it is tuned FCFC (called Cross F tuning), so I worked out this particular version in Cross F. To use this sheet music (or any other pieces on this site with alternate tunings) simply tune your fiddle to the tuning indicated and then read and play the music as if you were in standard tuning.

I have included lyrics for the first verse and chorus as well. These lyrics accompanied the information I found at Wikipedia and there you can find the remaining verses if you are so inclined. The third verse is really quite charming and as the article states it is often omitted - so often, in fact, that I had never heard it before. I would like to have included these verses on the sheet music for you, however, I have yet to find a way to insert a page (solely for text) within a Finale PrintMusic project. At this point, it is looking like I don't have that capability with this particular level of Finale software (although I know the full fledged version of Finale can do it).

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good time fiddling! Ho ho ho.

Amazing Slow Downer Product Review

2009-12-05T13:29:00.021-05:00

Amazing Slow Downer, created by Roni Music is software that allows musicians to slow down music playback without distortion. Amazing Slow Downer has been available for quite a few years now (it was first released in December 2000), but it wasn't until I'd gotten "serious" about learning the fiddle that I gave Amazing Slow Downer any "serious" consideration.

When you think about old-time fiddling there are several factors that make this software the near perfect addition to your musical toolbox.

Most learning is still done in the traditional fashion - by ear (aurally) and not from sheet music.
Many fiddle tunes have a quick tempo and it can be difficult for a beginner to discern the different pitches, notes, tunings, riffs, etc.
Not many of us are personally acquainted with a really great fiddler who would be willing to play a tune slowly over and over until we get it (unless we have the good fortune of having a great teacher or hooking up with a workshop offering).
Many of the fiddle tunes we like best are on recordings we already own and many times we want to learn those particular versions.

So let's cut right to the chase. Here is what Amazing Slow Downer can do for you. I've been wanting to learn 'Old Yeller Dog Come Trottin Through the Meetinghouse' for some time and I found that I really like Rayna Gellert's recording of this tune. Rayna plays this tune with an upbeat tempo, so as I stated above, it's not always easy for a beginner, like myself, to pick out each note when listening to a tune played back at full speed.

Amazing Slow Downer allows you to open a music file (either an MP3, AIFF, AAC/MP4 or WAV) and slow it to any speed increment (down to 20% of its original recorded tempo) where you can comfortably figure out the notes. The amazing part is that there is no distortion of sound! When slowed down to the 20% mark, I could even begin to figure out Rayna's bowings on this tune (You can actually hear when the bow grabs the strings to change direction.).

Below are three sound clips from Rayna's 'Old Yeller Dog' to illustrate the capabilities of Amazing Slow Downer (also called Amazing X):

This first clip is an excerpt of the original tune at normal playback speed.

This second clip is the same excerpt reduced to 50% of the original playback speed.

This third clip is the same excerpt reduced to 20% of the original playback speed. (Listen for those bow changes!)

You can also save these reduced speed music files to store on your computer, iPod, iPhone or other media player as practice pieces. I can even plug my Yamaha SV130 Silent Violin into my computer and play along with my slowed recordings! Sweet.

Amazing Slow Downer's user interface is uncluttered and very easy to understand. It features:

A drop-down arrow box for accessing your files from either a file player or CD player.
An easy scroll through box for locating your specific music file on the selected device.
Controls for setting the Start and End points of a loop so that you can isolate one particular section of a tune. Great for learning difficult passages!
A slider to adjust the playback speed.
A slider to adjust the playback volume.
An equalizer for tweaking the sound of the playback. This can help to isolate one instrument if you are listening to a multiple instrument playback (ie, banjo and fiddle together).
Five different slow-down profiles that use various algorithms (utilizing more or less processing power resulting in better or worse sound quality) as well as bypass mode to hear the tune in its original form.
Check boxes for enabling/disabling the Equalizer (EQ), karaoke mode (KA) which depending upon how the recording was made may reduce or remove vocals, and stereo (ST) playback mode.
A mix feature that allows you to listen to either the left or right channel (or anywhere in between) if the recording of the instrument is more prominently heard on one channel over the other.
A cue slider to get you to where you want to be in the tune.
Finally, the standard Play, Pause and Stop buttons we expect to find on any audio player.

Amazing Slow Downer's more advanced capabilities include:

The ability (via a slider tool) to alter the key of the tune by changing the pitch in semi-tones. You can do this while playing back at either full speed or any incrementally reduced speed.
Fine tuning the playback of the tune to suit your fiddle, rather than vice versa by adjusting the pitch in cents (using the arrow buttons to the right of the Pitch slider). (Cents are 100ths of a semi-tone.) A fine tuner for your computer. lol.

Amazing Slow Downer is available for both Mac and Windows along with a recent release of a version made for iPhone and iPod Touch so there are plenty of ways to get your hands on this "amazing" software. It retails for about $50 and I've got to say that it's worth every penny.

When I hear my significant other, Joe, tell me how he used to learn from cassette taped recordings of festival jams that he attended I realize just how lucky we are to have this type of software at our disposal. Slowing down a cassette was well, shall we say, less than rewarding.

Drones and Double Stops

2009-11-29T17:21:00.009-05:00

As I have reviewed the stats for my blog and the search queries that have sent people my way, I have come to realize that there are many beginning fiddlers out there who are confused by drones and double stops. They want to know,

What is a drone?
What is a double stop?
And, what the heck is the difference?!?

Quite simply, a drone can be described as the tone produced on an adjacent open string that is bowed at the same time as you are bowing your melody string. The open string harmonizes (creating a two note chord) with the fingered or open note you are playing on the melody string.

[02/14/11 - It has come to my attention that my choice of wording was confusing to certain individuals and that they have misunderstood my definition of drone, so I have edited appropriately. Please let me be clear that a drone is not an actual "string" (as my wording apparently led some to believe), but rather the tone produced by that string in relation to the tone being produced by the melody string. When people refer to a 'drone string', they simply mean the string that they are droning on as opposed to the string they are playing the melody on. To "Strumelia": According to several sources that I have researched, there are, in fact, two note chords. They are an interval, but they are still a chord. Wouldn't want to get run over by a "wingless rolling airplane" now would we? lol. I do make it perfectly clear throughout this blog that I am an amateur, yet I think you take your 'position' of knowledge all too seriously.]

A double stop, on the other hand, is the combination of a fingered (noted) tone produced on an adjacent string that is bowed at the same time as you are bowing a fingered note on the melody string. Like droning, the 2nd fingered string harmonizes (creating a two note chord) with the note you are playing on the melody string.

Double stops are especially popular in classical music - I remember playing more than my share during my stint with classical lessons! That's not to say that fiddlers don't use double stops - they do - lots of them. Double stops do take practice, however. You've got to be extra careful that your intonation is correct on both fingered notes or your chord will sound, well, discordant. Yuck, nasty, ouch. You get the picture!

Generally speaking, old-time fiddlers fill their tunes with both drones and double stops. (Other types of fiddling, like Irish, use drones and double stops much more selectively.) In old-time, there is seldom a note left unaccompanied by a harmonizing note. In fact, fiddlers will often use their pinky to play a fourth finger note on one string in order to harmonize with the adjacent open string. (For example, a fiddler will play a fourth finger E on the A string to harmonize with his open E string.)

As a beginning fiddler, be sure to practice these fourth finger notes, as they are an integral part of old-time fiddling. It may be a bit of a stretch for your pinky at first! Keep an ear on your intonation while you practice and keep practicing until your chord sounds just right. Listen carefully, your ear will tell you when you've got it!

If you're still having a bit of a problem finding that sweet spot with your pinky, here's a tip that I learned from my classical teacher. Slide your pinky up and down (above the desired note and below it) as you bow both this string and the adjacent open string. You will hear the extreme flat and sharp of the fingered note and will then be able to more easily narrow the sound down to the correct pitch. Repeat this process until you can readily hear the differences in pitch and can then match the pitch of the open string. Eventually, your pinky will develop muscle memory for the perfect spot and your ear will let you know if your pinky gets lazy or your fiddle gets out of tune!

Corelli Alliance Vivace - Bulletproof Violin Strings?

2009-11-24T21:07:00.007-05:00

Are Corelli Alliance Vivace the perfect violin string? Well, with a recent change to the Corellis my fiddle does sound awesome and if their longevity is a good as their sound this may, as the saying goes, be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

Why did I make a switch? Well, my last set of my favorite Pirastro Tonicas were very old, worn and becoming quite dull sounding. When I got online to shop for a replacement set, I discovered that Pirastro had reformulated their Tonica strings. After reading several reviews of the recently reformulated strings, the resultant opinions were mixed and I was on the fence whether to stay with Tonica or try a different string.

Naturally, the same string can vary in overall tonal performance and projection depending upon the violin you put them on so I wouldn't base my decision solely on one reviewer and one violin. However, of the several reviews that I was able to find the general consensus seemed to be that the reformulation of the Tonica string had significantly changed its' tonal qualities from a darker, warm sound to one that was much brighter. I decided that since a warm-sounding string had worked so well on my Lowendall fiddle that perhaps I should look for another string that espoused that same tonality rather than taking my chances with the reformulated Tonicas. (Sorry, Pirastro - but don't worry, I still love your Evah Pirazzis for my classical violin!)

So I then tracked down a review that Strings Magazine had done in 2001. The article was really helpful and gave me an idea of what violin strings might perform similarly to the old formula Tonicas. The Corelli Alliance strings in particular sparked my interest - though the price per set ($110) listed in the article most definitely did not!

Fast forward a few years to another review from 2008 on Violinist.com. Article author Tasha Miner had the following to say about the Corellis:

"While focused, they also provide rich overtones. They tend to be more powerful in terms of projection than Obligato strings, if not quite as sweet, while lacking the harshness that the Evah's can bring to some instruments."

She also commented on their long life, adaptability to many instruments and their quick response in all positions. Hmmm, I thought, it all sounds good on paper...

Decision time. Luckily for me, after shopping around for the best price on Corelli strings I discovered that, believe it or not, not everything gets more expensive over time. The price on Corelli Alliance Vivace strings now hovers around $50 per set, a decent mid-range price for a synthetic core string. This reasonable price ultimately made my decision for me.

So, what's the verdict? Well, from my opening statement you can see that I am impressed so far. According to Savarez their secret is 'a composite multifilament core wrapped with a combination of sophisticated metal wires'. I understand from my readings on these violin strings that this composite core they speak of is Kevlar, giving this string a longer life than a typical perlon core. We'll have to wait and see on that - I'll have to post back in a few months and let you know.

The particulars that have me loving this string so far are:

Quick settle-in period. The Corellis only took a couple of days and very few retunings to truly find their groove.
They sounded great right out of the package too. No funky tone during the settle-in period. It was then that I had a feeling these strings were going to really amount to something.
Not muddy sounding on the lower strings in 3rd position and up. Okay, okay. I know. Who fiddles up there? What can I say? I had to dip into my classical roots to give them a decent tryout.
They weren't kidding about projection either. Although a light touch will give you the pianissimo you desire as a classical player, as a fiddler there are no worries about being drowned out by the banjo player.
The sound is rich and full. On my violin, they are simply a great sounding string.

Bottom line: If you're ready for a new set of strings and are considering a change of brand, Corelli Alliance Vivace might be a violin string worth checking into. Particularly if a warm-sounding string works for your violin, you are looking for a string with great projection and long settle-in times make you crazy.

'Grey Cat On a Tennessee Farm'

2009-11-22T15:23:00.022-05:00

It's most definitely time for a new tune! Since I'm flying solo here without a teacher to pull my next tune out of his expansive repertoire, I opted for suggestions from my significant other - who is a darn good fiddler in his own right. He suggested 'Grey Cat On a Tennessee Farm' and I couldn't be happier with his choice. Thanks, Joe!

As I hadn't heard 'Grey Cat' before, I hopped on over to YouTube and found this version played by user 'kbrigby' on the mountain dulcimer. Joe confirmed that this is the version that he was familiar with as well and that 'kbrigby' did an excellent job of staying true to the tune. Ken's dulcimer playing is top notch and I'm so happy that he posted this on YouTube for us to listen to. Thanks, Ken!

In my opinion, 'Grey Cat' shapes up to be another nice, simple, beginner tune. Like my shuffle bowing practice piece 'Buffalo Gals', it has a very definitive shuffle to it. Nothing tricky here and you can dress it up as little or as much as you want by adding a few grace notes or slides.

This particular tune is also an excellent choice for ear training work. The notes are clear and distinct and there weren't really any places where I was left wondering whether I had the right note or not. As many fiddlers do, 'kbrigby' also varied his B part just a bit, so I have taken one version for my notation.

My suggestion is to give the tune a listen and try to pick out the notes before looking at the sheet music I have provided. You may find that you don't even need it! Oh, and when you play the drones, don't forget to use your 4th finger on the D string for the melody A against the open A string drone (measures 5 and 7).

Good luck, enjoy, and as always if you find that I have really messed something up - please let me know. Or, even if I haven't and I'm doing okay - I wouldn't mind knowing that too! lol. Then I have a better idea of what direction I can take this blog in so that it can be the most beneficial it can be for you, my readers.

A Fork In the Road

2009-11-22T15:21:00.001-05:00

Sounds like the name of a fiddle tune, huh? Well, whatever it sounds like it simply means that change is in the air. I am without a teacher at this point - you may have noticed a gap in my lesson postings and, well, that is the reason.

My teacher recently took a new job that forces him to be on the road for many days at a time. I was waiting to see if it would work out for him before deciding on a future course of action for myself. This time also coincidentally worked into what became a busy time for me in my own 'work' career as well, so my fiddling took a brief hiatus.

I'm happy to report that for my teacher, at least, he appears to be enjoying himself so the job looks like a keeper. Unfortunately for me, it means that I need to find another fiddle teacher or strike out on my own.

For the moment at least, while I decide on my ultimate course of action (with the holidays fast approaching) I think I will move forward on my own and see how I make out. And quite honestly, I am not without advisors. My significant other, Joe, is a fiddler too with 30+ years experience. I just don't force him to teach me - haha - we do have to get along after all. Wish me luck!

Shuffle Bowing Practice with 'Buffalo Gals'

2009-11-14T16:24:00.018-05:00

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?

Adding Drones and Double Stops to My Transcriptions

2009-11-07T11:37:00.006-05:00

As I have worked to transcribe the tunes I am learning, I have begun to consider whether I should be notating the drones that I use as well, as they do tend to clutter up the measures a bit.

However, learning which strings to drone or double-stop on can be confusing yet this is an essential part of making a fiddle tune sound, well, like a fiddle tune. [NOTE: A double-stop differs from a drone only in the respect that the harmony string is not played open, but rather with a fingered note.] So, to that end, I think from this point forward, I will try to provide two versions of each tune that I transcribe.

Both versions will be available for you to print out. To access the drone versions of each tune, I will provide a link beneath the window displaying the original melody-only version. I again offer my standing disclaimer that I am totally amateur at music theory, transcription and fiddling so although I strive for, I cannot guarantee 100% accuracy. I am a fiddle student, not an instructor. For that reason, if you find something that you feel is inaccurate in any of my transcriptions, please don’t hesitate to tell me. I won’t be offended (well, maybe a little…haha).

If I myself find an error on any of my transcriptions, I do re-post them with the correction(s) (even if significant time has elapsed since the original posting). Therefore, I encourage you to go back and take a look at tunes that you may have printed previously and see if they have been updated, especially if they aren’t sounding, shall we say, copasetic.

As time permits, I will go back and add drone versions to the tunes that I have already notated. Currently, I have already done so for:

Cluck Old Hen

Sugar In My Coffee

Old Molly Hare

The more I learn about drones and double-stops the more I realize that there is still much to learn about chords and music theory if I wish to be a really serious player. As I look into my crystal ball (or should I say, chunk of old rosin), I foresee several blog posts on that subject in my future. Yeay.

'Sprout Wings and Fly' - Tommy Jarrell

2009-10-31T17:27:00.002-04:00

Ah, another DVD to add to my Christmas Wish List. This excerpt is enough to make me ever so envious of Tommy Jarrell's skill with the bow. I have seen this video on YouTube for quite some time, but didn't realize that this film is still available on DVD from Flower Films.

Enjoy! You've just got to love the lyrics to Tommy's version of 'The Drunken Hiccups'. His pizzicato is spot on. Check out his bridge as well - he's really got the bridge cut down where the E and A strings pass over it! Those drones can't help but come out loud and clear.

Fiddler's Folly Goes Custom

2009-10-30T23:32:00.012-04:00

Now that I have a few posts under my belt, I'm starting to think that my blog could use a bit more color and pizzazz - stylistically speaking. I liked the old-timey, nostalgic look of my modified Blogger template called 'Scribe', but it was a bit bland and I was beginning to tire of all that brown. So, over the course of the next few days (ie, this weekend, lol) I will hopefully transition into something a little more fun, that will still retain a somewhat nostalgic feel.

However, I'm no master designer by any means, so feel free to let me know what you think as this progresses. Hopefully, nothing will go horribly wrong. Although I'm not one to backup stuff ahead time (and have lived to regret it more than once) I did have the foresight to download a copy of my template before beginning to cannabalize it this time. It seems the less confidence I have in doing something, the more likely I am to do a backup. Funny how that works, huh? Anyway, wish me luck.

Old-Time Goes Hi-Tech Via the Yamaha SV130 Silent Violin

2009-10-28T21:29:00.015-04:00

Feeling sorry for my family, I decided to give them a break and give myself a present. Their tolerance level for my practice sessions is high, but let’s face it – repeated phrases of anything can drive one bananas after awhile. So, I bought myself a Yamaha SV130 Silent Violin for my birthday. What you might call a win-win situation. lol.

My initial reaction after a few days of playing the SV130 is that it is shaping up to be an excellent practice tool. I'm really quite impressed. The Yamaha SV130 is the entry level silent/electric violin in Yamaha’s lineup. Currently, they offer the following models: the SV130, SV150, SV200, SV204 and the SV205. Both the SV130 and the SV150 were designed as practice rather than performance instruments, but I can see where the SV130 would be quite capable of handling some performance situations.

The following options really drew me to the SV130 as the best choice for me:

➢ A headphone jack (earbud headphones are included) and built-in preamp – I can listen to myself (without first having to plug into an amp), but no one else has to. (The SV130 is not truly ‘silent’ as there is still string noise [at about the same volume as an unplugged electric guitar], but it IS quieter than a muted violin. Someone can watch TV in the same room with you and not be distracted.)

➢ An Aux-In jack w/separate volume control (a nice long aux cable is included as well) – I can play along to my recorded practice pieces on my iPod or laptop and control the volume of that playback so that I can hear both myself and the tune I am trying to follow.

➢ Three reverb settings (Room, Hall 1, and Hall 2) that allow you to get an even fuller more traditional violin sound. Hall 2 has a longer decay time than Hall 1. I liken it to playing in a larger chamber with more echo.

I found the sound itself to be really good, actually better than I expected for what is their entry-level instrument. The A and E strings sound the most like an acoustic violin, with the D and G needing a bit more tweak (from the reverb settings) to get them all the way there. I think that perhaps it is the lack of overtones that you get from an acoustic violin. The sound is just too clean maybe, but like I said, if you add the reverb they sound just fine. You can tell it's not an acoustic, yet the sound is still pleasing to the ear.

The only real concern that I had when I ordered the SV130 is that it has a fixed chinrest (you can’t use your own) and a custom 1/2-3/4 sized Kun shoulder rest that has limited adjustment for height and angle. I like my shoulder rests set quite high (the neck of a swan, I guess… haha), so I wasn’t sure how it would all work out. Thankfully, the chinrest is comfortable and the shoulder rest has adequate height to it – all good.

Of note, Yamaha's violins do NOT come with a case. That you will have to buy separately if you want one. Yamaha has both a hardshell case and a soft gig bag available, but quite honestly I have my doubts about how well the gig bag could protect the violin or any bow that you would carry with the violin as it looks like the compartment for the bow is on the outside of the bag where it would be quite vulnerable. The bag is a bit weird looking too - my daughter was quick to point that out (being a diva of sophisticated teenaged taste) and I have to agree with her. The SV130 will fit into a standard violin case, though so...maybe it's time for another Bobelock?

I also have to give the Electric Violin Shop a plug here as well as they were great about answering all my questions as I compared the NS Design WAV violin to the Yamaha and tried to make up my mind. They also set up the violin for me before they shipped it – set the bridge, tuned it, installed the batteries and gave it a test drive. So when I opened the box all I had to do was install the shoulder rest, turn it on, plug in my headphones and I was good to go. Nice. Not to mention, the handwritten note inside the box, along with my receipt, thanking me for my purchase and letting me know they were available if I had any more questions or concerns about my new purchase. A very nice touch, gentlemen – great customer service.

Oh, and what color Yamaha SV130 did conservative little old me get? Uh….Candy Apple Red, of course.

'Sugar In My Coffee' Notation

2009-10-25T11:54:00.008-04:00

Well, I finally got around to writing up the notation for 'Sugar In My Coffee' (aka, 'Coffee-O'). I love this tune, but it threw me for a bit of a loop when I decided to notate it. I've gotten used to tunes that have the same number of measures in both the A and B parts. Not so with 'Sugar'. There are 4 basic phrases (taking up 6 measures) for the A part and only 2 phrases (taking up 3 measures) for the B part. At least that's how it works out for me - being totally amateur at this notation thing. lol. Hope you like it!

'Cluck Old Hen' - It's Only Natural

2009-10-24T11:38:00.014-04:00

Before I came down with the dreaded pneumonia, I was fortunate enough to pass my lesson on 'Old Molly Hare' after one extra week of practice. Finally, we could move on to the minor tune that my teacher had been promising.

The extent of my music theory education has been sketchy at best with whatever I learned in grade school added to here and there along the way, so I was quite surprised that such a thing as a 'natural minor' scale existed. This version of 'Cluck Old Hen' is based on just such a thing - also known as the 'Aeolian' scale. Sounds pretty cool, huh? Basically, this scale starts on the 6th note of a major scale, in this case - A, the 6th note of the C Major scale. It progresses from A to A with no flats, just natural notes, but because of the starting position it has this wonderful melancholy sound to it. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

My teacher also tells me that using a few longer bow strokes for 'Cluck Old Hen' works particularly well, so I have indicated on the notation my current bowings. However, if something else works better for you, by all means, do whatever works! I have found that sometimes one little change can make all the difference in the world. I ended up reversing my bowing directions for 'Old Molly Hare' and that simple change made the entire tune so much easier to execute. Go figure!

Singin' the 'Pneumonia Blues'

2009-10-20T19:47:00.002-04:00

Lessons and fiddle posts will have to wait a few more days as I recover from a bout of pneumonia. The mind is willing, but the body... My lungs are crackling like a bowl of Rice Krispies. Alas, not much energy for anything else...

Bobelock's Basic Fiddle Case Rocks

2009-10-14T18:36:00.022-04:00

Prices for violin cases seem to run the gamut from $50 to well more than I paid for my fiddle (or some of my cars for that matter). The more bells and whistles the more $$$.

Needless to say, as I watched my old fiberboard case slowly disintegrate over the last several years I began researching and considering my options - and resisting the urge to succumb to some of those bells and whistles.

I have a Protec case (about 6 years old) for my orchestra violin and it's a great case, but it's an oblong (plywood shell) so is quite heavy and a bit bulky. I also don't need the extra storage that the oblong case provided. No sheet music to stash, just my shoulder rest, my tuner and some rosin.

My answer came to me this last year when I purchased a used Andreas Eastman viola on ebay® (which in itself is a subject for a later blog post - I love the viola!). The viola came with a basic Bobelock® shaped case with a velour interior. The case is solidly constructed (plywood not foam core), not too bulky nor too heavy. It has a zipper closure and a keyed lock/latch that is covered by a velcro flap and has a decent sized accessories compartment (inside) as well as an exterior pocket. It seemed like the perfect choice when I finally decided it was time to replace my old violin case.

So I shopped around for the violin version of that case and found a great price online at J.S. Fisher Violins. The violin version on Fisher's site is actually a step up from the viola case that I already have. It features a velvet interior (rather than velour) with full suspension, a velvet/satin instrument blanket, shoulder strap and a larger accessories pocket on the outside. (NOTE: The case pictured on Fisher's page does not show the suspension pads, instrument blanket or the shoulder strap, but they are included. Also, the wine red color is in reality more of a purple shade [much more attractive] than what the picture shows - at least on my monitor.) This case was so affordable that I bought two - Anna's Salvador de Durro will need a case once it is restored.

I also want to thank Jim Fisher at J.S. Fisher Violins for his superior customer service. Jim kindly emailed me just to confirm the fact that I had actually wanted two of the same item and had not mistakenly done so. In an era where personalized service is difficult or next to impossible to find, I was surprised and impressed.

I intended to post a picture of one of the cases, but my feline friend, Luna, was also so impressed with the cases that I had a hard time getting a clear shot.

'Old Molly Hare' Revisited

2009-10-10T11:14:00.007-04:00

Well, that minor tune will have to wait another week. I bombed my lesson. lol. I wowed my teacher with my total inability to remember 'Old Molly Hare' after practicing it all week (and I truly did - practice, I mean). It was really laughable. Make that pitiful. I'm blaming my long day at work (government will do that to you), but it was just like my brain had a short circuit. Once my teacher played a few bars, I thought all was good and started playing along. Pieces of the tune would come out beautifully, but then just as suddenly it would be all gone. I would draw a blank! It was totally weird.

I think that maybe part of the issue was that my teacher was playing at a speed slower than I had practiced the piece. This left me hesitating a bit as I anticipated the next note (almost like a hiccup). That threw off my bowing pattern that I had become accustomed to and I would frequently end up on an 'up bow' when I was expecting a 'down bow'. Add that to my standard level of nervousness at lessons and well, that spells 'F'. It was pretty funny though.

Maybe I should be less concerned with 'up bows' and 'down bows' and just let it ride, but my classical training is extremely resistant to that train of thought. Either way, I'm lookin' at another week of 'Molly'.

The Rockridge Brothers - 'Coo Coo Bird'

2009-09-30T21:17:00.004-04:00

Next week, my teacher says we will be doing something in a minor key. He's not just sure exactly what tune yet, but it got me to thinking about tunes that I know in minor keys - which in turn reminded me of this Rockridge Brothers tune.

I have to be honest - I love every tune that they play. Am I a groupie? Maybe. lol. Anyway, 'Coo Coo Bird' is an awesome tune. Don't you agree?

'Old Molly Hare'

2009-09-28T17:57:00.012-04:00

This week's lesson tune is 'Old Molly Hare'. For me, this has been a quick and easy tune to learn. I like to think that my ear is getting a bit better at picking out the notes and maybe it is, but the tune is admittedly very basic and does have large areas in both the A and B parts that are identical. It also lends itself to an easy shuffle as most of the long and short bows are on the same note (ie, long E, short E, short E).

Below is the melody as I learned it, notated with Finale's PrintMusic®. (BTW, I see Finale just came out with PrintMusic® 2010. Since I just got 2009, I'm up for a free upgrade. It'll be interesting to see what's new.)

This version of 'Old Molly Hare' probably varies slightly from other versions that you may have heard, but isn't that the cool thing about old-time fiddle, after all? There really isn't a wrong version, only a different one!

I also took a look around on the Internet for some lyrics, just in case you might like to sing along to your own fiddling. The lyrics I've included seem to be the most prevalent off all the versions that I looked at. Like most fiddle tune verses, they are quirky. Enjoy!

A Fiddle For Anna

2009-09-20T19:02:00.015-04:00

Lately my teenaged daughter, Anna, has expressed an interest in the fiddle - which surprises me as her favorite bands are Green Day and My Chemical Romance. Not your typical old-time bands. lol.

She is currently taking guitar lessons (electric) and doing well (Billie Joe Armstrong better watch out), but can pick up the fiddle and pick out a tune that she's heard me practicing and have all the basic notes down within a few minutes. What can I say? She has the ear that I wish I had.

So, on the off chance that I can shamelessly convert her to playing some old-time fiddle with me, I went on the hunt for a decent old fiddle. A search through Craig's List didn't net anything in my geographic vicinity, so I opted once again for ebay - which for the most part I've had good luck with.

After a few evenings of searching the listings, I found a Salvador de Durro violin (see the pre-cleaning photo from the auction listing) in need of some TLC. I'm not familiar with too many violin makers, but according to an older post on the Maestronet Forums, Salvador de Durro is a trade name for violins sold by the Buegeleisen & Jacobson Co. in New York around the turn of the 20th century. Quality varies instrument to instrument and some are purportedly quite good. This one looked to be somewhat solid - no one had stepped on it - and the price was right, so I tossed in my bid at the bitter end and as luck (or not) would have it, it was mine.

The violin arrived in one piece, albeit very dusty. It cleaned up better than I imagined it would and is quite pretty with very stripey ribs and back. The front is a nice narrow grain spruce and there doesn't appear to be any cracks anywhere on the instrument. There is, however, an open seam on the lower bout and it definitely could use some better fitting pegs and a new bridge (the old one stood atop the violin like a cowboy - all bow-legged).

Since about all I'm skilled enough to do is clean a dusty violin or change a broken string, today I took the de Durro to Steve Selin's violin shop in Ithaca, New York and entrusted it into his care. If you're looking for a skilled luthier (to revive your own ebay® treasures) within the Finger Lakes region, be sure to check out Steve's shop. Located at the top of the hill above Buttermilk Falls State Park, the scenic drive alone will make it worth the trip. And, if you stay in the area for dinner, you're just as likely to find Steve out and about playing his own fiddle at one of Ithaca's many fine eateries.

When the de Durro is finished, I'm going to have to rethink giving it to my daughter. It just might be nice enough to keep for myself...

Kidding, really!

My Final(e) Pick - Finale PrintMusic® 2009

2009-09-10T14:19:00.012-04:00

Well, I bit the bullet and made my selection.

I was really hoping that I would be satisfied with Finale's $9.95 NotePad® notation software (in keeping with my frugal tendencies..) and while it did notate the basic tunes, I found that it was missing a few key features that I wanted in a notation software. I was able to find these features in Finale's $99.95 PrintMusic® product, which if you shop around you can actually find for about $80. Amazon actually has PrintMusic® available on their site as well. They seem to have everything, don't they?

The features that I found lacking in NotePad® which I absolutely didn't want to be without were:

The ability to have a pickup measure;
The grace note feature, and;
The ability to change keys within the score.

Now that I have my 'paid for' version of PrintMusic®, I am discovering even more cool features. One is the ability of the MIDI playback to play your score back with what they call 'human playback'. Human playback plays your score in different rhythm styles (jazz, latin, pop, reggae, rock, etc.) and you can determine how much 'swing' you would like to apply (either none, light, standard, or heavy). Unfortunately, there is no 'human playback' choice for old-time fiddle. Not that I thought there would be. lol. However, if I set it for 'rock' and the 'swing' level at either 'standard' or 'heavy' it does approximate the old-time syncopation. That is, as much as a MIDI playback can!

In the end, I wish the software wasn't quite so pricey, but I have consoled myself with the fact that I very seldom need to purchase software and that I will be much happier "down the road" with this upgraded version. Especially as I continue to discover how much this software can really do. Isn't it great when you can rationalize treating yourself to something?

End of Summer Treat - Dinner and the Evil City String Band

2009-09-08T20:18:00.046-04:00

It was an awesome way to spend our last summer holiday. My sweetie, my daughter and I all took a road trip to Ovid for some evening entertainment. The weather was perfect - fading sunlight with a balmy breeze carrying aloft the scent of fresh-mown hay.

The Evil City String Band was playing at Sheldrake Point Vineyard at the Simply Red Bistro (along the western shore of Cayuga Lake) and we had 7:15pm reservations. Our dinner was tasty (the T-burg Sweet Potato Fries with curry mayo as an appetizer can't be beat!) and the service was excellent - the music, however, was outstanding. Richie Stearns, Steve Selin and the rest of the Evil City String Band played a sweet blend of traditional old-time tunes.

I don't think there was a tune I didn't like, but I can tell you that Chinquapin, Down in the Willow Garden (nothing like a good old murder ballad), and Big Eyed Rabbit were particular favorites of mine. If by chance you haven't heard Evil City before, you're really missing something. Click on the little mp3 widget at the end of this post and you can hear clips of some of the same tunes I heard last night. See if you don't agree with me!

That First Comment

2009-09-06T23:20:00.002-04:00

Tonight, I went to see the movie 'Julie & Julia'. What a great, 'feel good' movie. For those yet unfamiliar with this recent release it is the story of a young woman named Julie who, looking for something more from life than her doldrum government job, begins a blog in which she relates her experiences as she cooks her way through all of the recipes in Julia Child's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking.' As I watched, I kept thinking what a great idea that was for a blog. When I began to wonder how I could relate this to my own blog I got to laughing. What could I do? Fiddle my way through Tommy Jarrell's entire repertoire? Hmmm. What do you think? Lofty goals never hurt anyone, right?

At this point, as my blog has yet to extend beyond a couple page scrolls I, like Julie, am simply wondering if anyone at all is reading it. In the movie, Julie gets so excited when she receives her very first comment - until she realizes it's from her mom! lol. But I can understand her excitement. So, until I get MY first comment I'll just keep fiddling and blogging. Good night all!

'Say Darlin' Say'

2009-09-05T13:03:00.082-04:00

Well, I have a reprieve from last week's ornamentation lesson so we're back to working on the basic tunes themselves. Yeay! I'm sure we'll revisit ornamentation soon enough, but I'll appreciate it more when I have a firmer grasp on my shuffle.

My new tune is Say Darlin' Say as performed by Tommy Jarrell on the album The Legacy of Tommy Jarrell, Vol. 2: Rainbow Sign. Although I have heard some people comment that Jarrell's playing style is somewhat sloppy or scratchy, I don't think it is a distraction and seems only to add to the nostalgic feel of the tunes he plays and no one can argue that his syncopation is anything but wonderful.

As for the tune itself, I remember 'Say Darlin' Say' as the childhood lullaby 'Hush Little Baby', so I was quite surprised when I heard it played for the first time as a fiddle tune. Moreover, the verse about "starch and iron will be your trade, and I'll get drunk and lay in the shade" made me laugh out loud - THAT was never in the lullaby I was used to!

This is a fun tune to learn. It is very simple in its composition as the B part varies only ever so slightly from the A part. aka - less work for my lazy ear! As of now, I (think I) have the basic notes down and am trying a few different bowing patterns to see which one feels the best and conveys the same syncopated feel that Jarrell's version has.

Since I'm still playing around with Finale NotePad®, here is my interpretation of 'Say Darlin' Say' as notated with NotePad®. I'm purely amateur at fiddle, ear training and notation so I make no guarantees as to its accuracy. Enjoy!

This Week's Assignment - Ornamentation!

2009-08-29T15:21:00.013-04:00

Now that I have a somewhat firm grasp on the basic melody of 'Sugar In My Coffee' I am working on adding some ornamentation to 'flesh out' the tune and give it some polish. Basically, a couple of quick hammer-ons here and there as well as a few slides should to do the trick.

However, I'm finding that adding those grace notes isn't as easy as it seems. It's likely just a matter of more practice, but adding those tiny notes seems to be just enough to throw off my shuffle rhythm. Faster fingers. I need FASTER FINGERS! Oh, and did I mention coordination?

Not to mention that finding a balance of just the right amount of ornamentation and placement of said ornaments takes a little practice too, but I'm thinking that what everyone's mom tried to tell them about makeup (less is more) likely applies here too.

Listening to my teacher (and other fiddlers) play a piece, I have also grown to realize that a piece is seldom played through exactly the same way twice. Quite often it seems like the location of the ornamentation changes. Coming from a classical background where sticking to the notation was a way of life, this 'artistic freedom' is new to me... Geez, I'm sounding like a classical snob here, aren't I? Sorry. lol.

I've got only a couple of days to shine up 'Coffee' before I'll have a new tune to tackle, so I suppose I should stop writing and keep practicing! ttyl.

'Sugar In My Coffee' Is Pretty Sweet

2009-08-25T21:48:00.016-04:00

Just had a lesson today and I'm happy because my teacher is happy. lol. Last week, he gave me the tune 'Sugar In My Coffee' to learn by ear. The ear didn't do too badly this time.

However, up until now, I haven't really been able to fully 'get' the shuffle. I do it, yet it sounds very mechanical. Apparently, 'Sugar In My Coffee' is just the remedy for a 'stiff shuffle' as my teacher tells me this is the first time that I have sounded truly old-timey. What better compliment could a girl want?!?

I tend to think that part of the reason I did so well is that I REALLY like this tune. I had never heard it before, but it has a nice little melody to it - quite catchy and fun to play.

Don't suppose there are any 'tea' tunes out there?!?

Addicted to Written Notation

2009-08-24T09:27:00.027-04:00

One thing I have learned rather quickly in fiddling is that you've got to have a good ear or at least one that pays attention. Coming to fiddling with a few years of classical lessons behind me, I had gotten used to relying on sheet music to know what notes to play and how long to hold them. My ear was on the ball enough to tell me if I was flat or sharp so I have developed good intonation, but my ear really didn't care what note I was playing - only that it was on key.

Now I find myself struggling to listen closely to what my teacher is playing. Sometimes just figuring out if one note is higher or lower than another (when they are close in range) is challenging. I also have to force myself to consciously "not look" at my teacher's fingers as he plays as I can see myself developing another "sight" crutch.

I've only had a half dozen weekly lessons at this point, so I won't be too hard on myself, but reading music does make one a bit lazy, I think. Yet, I have decided that there is still a place for notation - that is, to record tunes that I have already learned in an arrangement that I like. I may be able to develop a good listening ear, but I'm still not convinced on how good my memory is! lol

To that end, I have been auditioning the Finale product line of notation software. I really only need a step above the most basic notation program, but oh, the capabilities of some of their packages makes one want to do so much more. Above is a screenshot of Finale's PrintMusic® 2009 in action. I was trying it out by "typing" in a handwritten Irish reel for my friend, Adrienne, so that it would easier for her to read. Finale looks to be quite a powerful tool, but I have yet to work out how to do a few things on it so I'm not sold yet. I think I may keep my options open a bit longer. Although, I have a MacBook Pro so my choices might not be as diverse as a PC user's may be.

Nonetheless, I'll be sure to post back if/when I make a decision in that direction. If you have a recommendation, please feel free to comment and let me know what your experience has been.

A Bit About My Lowendall Fiddle

2009-08-23T08:25:00.016-04:00

My fiddle is a trade violin from around the turn of the 19th century. It's got a Lowendall label inside and from what I understand from various articles circulating on the Internet, these violins were available via mail order from the Sears Roebuck catalog. Luthiers and collectors give these violins various rankings as apparently quality varied instrument to instrument.

Myself, I am quite pleased with it. It is a very sweet sounding fiddle yet very robust. Although it is setup with an alloy tail piece with fine tuners to accommodate numerous changes in tunings, I do have a few carryovers from my classical days. I love my Guarneri chinrest and I still swear by my Kun shoulder rest. Plus, I'm hooked on synthetic strings (girlie fingers, I guess) so I've got "Louie" strung up with Pirastro Tonicas.

My bows are nothing special, but seem to suit me fine. One is an old unmarked Pernambucco round bow with a decided curve to the left in it that probably shouldn't be there and with hair about as unmanageable as mine. The other is a newer Brazilwood octagonal bow that is straight as an arrow and neat as a pin, hence lacking the character of my other one. They both see quite a bit of action depending upon my mood.