Fiddlosophy

Site Updates – November 2021

Here’s a short video explaining some recent updates to the FiddleHed site. In a nutshell: Core lessons now have links to the next lesson in the module. This means you can more easily navigate through the site. There’s been some re-shuffling of core lessons. For example, Drunken Sailor is now a core lesson in Module 1.7. We’re … Continued

What I’m Practicing Now: October 2021

Hey folks, It’s day 11 of the Fall Practice Challenge 2021! Fiddlers around the world are playing every day for two weeks straight. We help each other by coming together in live zoom meetups. Here’s a summary of stuff I’ve been practicing Technique: –Fifths double stops –A and D pentatonic scales with slur patterns –Slur … Continued

Alternate between listening and playing

Here’s a simple but extremely powerful practice strategy to develop your ear and improve your technique. Take a small piece of music, and then alternate between listening and playing that piece. If possible, do it continuously in a loop. This practice is training you to listen constantly stop and listen. Do your best to make … Continued

15 Ways To Practice Sail Away Ladies

In this lesson, I demonstrate fifteen ways to practice the tune Sail Away Ladies. You’ll learn the tune more deeply as you improve various aspects of your technique. What I really want you to learn is how to practice well. Take a journey with each session. Learn more about that here: A Travel Guide For Your … Continued

Fiddling With Transposition Loops

Here’s a powerful practice strategy called “Transposition Loops.” Take a small musical chunk, transpose it, and then alternate between the original and the transposed piece. Say you’re trying to learn the first quarter of Shady Grove D0-0-0-0-0-0-1-0-G3-1 This is in the key of D Dorian. Once you get the basic idea, then try to start it … Continued

Alternate between a tune and its scale

Here’s a simple yet powerful practice technique: Alternate between a tune and its scale. If you’re practicing Arkansas Traveller, alternate between playing the tune and the D Major scale. Use a D drone to help with tuning and to make the practice more fun. Also alternate between playing small phrases from the tune and the … Continued

Mairi’s Wedding: group lesson preview

Hey folks, I’m here in beautiful Michigan 🌳 . We just had some rain, now the sun is out. Here’s an Irish polka called “Mairi’s Wedding.” My in-laws just through a wedding party for Melissa and I, so I guess the stars sort of align on this ✨ Polkas are great beginner tunes because there’s … Continued

Three Warmup Steps For Fiddling On A Tune

Like a sprinter placing their feet in the blocks and their hands on the ground, you can do a few things to prepare for playing a tune. On your mark, get set, go…⁠ ⁠ Check your posture, breathe and relax the body. Bring awareness to what you’re doing now. 👁⁠ Visualize how the tune goes. … Continued

Big-eyed Rabbit

Here’s an old-time tune called “Big-eyed Rabbit.” It’s in the Round Peak tradition of Tommy Jarrell. It was filmed by a pond in Kenneth Hahn Park in Los Angeles. The only thing missing was the smell of duck poop 🦆 💩

Do You Realize??

Here’s one of my favorite songs of all time, “Do You Realize??” by the Flaming Lips. I play chords and sing a version arranged for the fiddle. At the end of the video I offer some tips on singing and playing.  I played the song on “The Fiddle That Michael Gave Away” which was … Continued