It's never too late to start fiddling! Learn the fiddle from scratch from setting up to play and holding the instrument to playing easy tunes. In this book Megan Beller, the founder of Fiddle Studio, takes the tunes and techniques from a whole year of fiddle lessons and puts it all in one place. It's the information you need to start with no experience, and you can reference it again and again. Megan covers the common questions and concerns and answers with her expert perspective from 25 years of teaching. The 30 fiddle tunes are organized in an intuitive order that builds new skills one at a time. Each tune is presented first with fingerings and strings, and then in standard notation with chords. You do not need to read music to learn the tunes in this book!
Book 1 topics: fiddle, bow, accessories, tapes, rosin, tuning, bowgrip, set up, hand position, bowing, reading, high and low fingers, tension, the pinky, highway, hitting the right string, playing by ear, singing, string care, listening, playlists, the mirror, mutes, finger care, slow practice, writing in, teacher ears, breaks, playing with others, sessions per week, and planning practice.
Book 1 scales and tunes:
A major: Boil Them Cabbage Down, Jenny's Gone to Linton, Steamboat Quickstep, Speed the Plow, Britches Full of Stitches, Jessica's Polka.
A Major Modal: Old Joe Clark, Sandy Boys, June Apple.
D Major: Angeline the Baker, Julianne Johnson, Daniel of the Sun, Sean Ryan's Polka, Off She Goes.
A minor: The Bear Dance, Star of the County Down, Griffin Road, Hommage Led Zepplin, Frosty Morning.
G Major: Mari's Wedding, Golden Slippers, Rakes of Mallow, Rebel Raid.
D Major Modal: Bill Harte's Jig.In
E minor: The Dancing Bear, The Butterfly, Drowsy Maggie. Plus Margaret's Waltz, St. Antoine's Reel, and All the Rage.
For teachers: Megan brings a unique perspective from studying classical violin and music education at Eastman, Suzuki training, and growing up fiddling. If you teach violin and are looking for authentic fiddle tunes your students will love this book has all the tunes you need for students in Suzuki Book 1 and 2. If you are a fiddle teacher looking for a classical perspective for your students this book covers topics in depth such as bow grip, left wrist, gear, and practicing.
