FIRST AIRED ON JANUARY 10th 2023 (BEST OF)
Let's talk about how to improve your tuning on the fiddle. If you're struggling with this, you're not alone! We'll explore three key elements in tuning your hand on the fiddle; where your hand is on the fingerboard, finger spacing and placement, and the art of micro-adjustments.

This episode presents a setting of The Kilmovee from a session at the Arthouse Bar and covers how Megan works with her students on playing in tune.

I mentioned Music Learning Theory, Alice Kanack, and the fiddler Dermot Grogan.

The Fiddle Studio Books are getting a new edition! The 2nd edition of Book 1 is available now: Fiddle Studio books

Reach me at [email protected]
Bandcamp
YouTube
My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

What is it that makes fiddling sound like dance music? Why does it sound so different when you hear a classical violinist play a fiddle tune, what's missing? We're talking about the variety of accents, volume, and quality of tone within the running notes of a fiddle tune. It's what makes the music sound like fiddling!

We present a setting of the French Canadian fiddle tune La Moquine by Claude Méthé that I learned at a jam at Fiddle Hell.

The Fiddle Studio Books are getting a new edition! The 2nd edition of Book 1 is available now: Fiddle Studio books

Reach me at [email protected]
Bandcamp
YouTube
My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

How does jamming help with your fiddle playing and how does practicing help your fiddle playing. We dive into this topic, exploring how each can help you improve on the fiddle and when one might be a little more useful to meet a specific playing goal.

Our tune this week is called Sleeping on the Floor, from the French Canadian song Ma Pallaissse by La Bolduc. UPDATE: I discovered Mary Bolduc's connection to this tune after I recorded the podcast, so the composer/collector note is an update to what I said in the podcast. Thanks!

The Fiddle Studio Books are getting a new edition! The 2nd edition of Book 1 is available now: Fiddle Studio books

Reach me at [email protected]
Bandcamp
YouTube
My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

This week we hear from New England fiddler Lissa Schneckenburger. Lissa  has been performing and recording New England fiddle and folk music for the past 20 years. Her fiddling is one of a kind, intensely danceable, with virtuosic technique and fluidity. She shares what it was like to fiddle as a kid, traveling to fiddle contests in Maine, her experiences studying music at the New England Conservatory, and her latest projects to come out of the period of the pandemic.
Lissa Shneckenburger is well known for teaching adult fiddlers how to learn by ear, and she breaks down the different roadblocks her students run into when trying to get the hang of it.

We present the tune For Grada from Lissa's album Falling Forward.
Lissa's Website: https://lissafiddle.com/
Bandcamp: https://lissafiddle.bandcamp.com/
Mailing List: https://lissafiddle.com/contact/
Ear Training Course: https://lissafiddle.com/store/learning-by-ear-video-series/

The Fiddle Studio Books are getting a new edition! The 2nd edition of Book 1 is available now: Fiddle Studio books

Reach me at [email protected]
Bandcamp
YouTube
My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

The bow hair can be flat. The bow can tilt away from you. The bow can tilt towards you. How does tilting the bow affect your tone and why and how do different players in different genres use this technique?

The tune today is Half Past Four, a tune played by blind fiddler Ed Haley from West Virginia. This setting is from the Baltimore Old-Time Jam.

The Fiddle Studio Books are getting a new edition! The 2nd edition of Book 1 is available now: Fiddle Studio books

Reach me at [email protected]
Bandcamp
YouTube
My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

Harmonies are a great addition to fiddle tunes, in most cases, and with some exceptions and guidelines. Get the lowdown on when it's appropriate and welcome to harmonize, a little about why you might not want to harmonize in an Irish Jam, and how to get started learning and creating your own harmonies.

Our tune is a setting of Boys Them Buzzards are Flying by Gary Harrison from the Baltimore Old-Time Jam at the Peabody Heights Brewery in Baltimore, Maryland. 

The Fiddle Studio Books are getting a new edition! The 2nd edition of Book 1 is available now: Fiddle Studio books

Reach me at [email protected]
Bandcamp
YouTube
My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

Does playing faster make it better? As a fiddle teacher, I've got a lot to say about this. It's pretty common for intermediate students to play faster just because they can, but I'm here to suggest a better way.

Our tune is a setting of Gilsaw, a tune collected from Pete McMahon as played at the Baltimore Old Time Jam. 

The Fiddle Studio Books are getting a new edition! The 2nd edition of Book 1 is available now: Fiddle Studio books

Reach me at [email protected]
Bandcamp
YouTube
My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

Casey Murray is a cellist who fiddles on the cello! They also play fiddle, banjo, guitar, and mandolin. They teach and perform in the Boston area with the band Corner House, play contra dances, and collaborate with a wide range of folk and trad musicians. Hear how the cello, an unusual instrument in folk music, became Casey's voice and passion and what it was like to study folk music at the Berklee School of Music.
Casey's website
Casey's instagram
Album After the Sky Weeps

The tune this week is Caribou Party, a tune by Casey Murray from their album After the Sky Weeps with Molly Tucker. 

The Fiddle Studio Books are getting a new edition! The 2nd edition of Book 1 is available now: Fiddle Studio books

Reach me at [email protected]
Bandcamp
YouTube
My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

Cross Tuning is changing the tuning of the strings of the fiddle from the traditional G-D-A-E to better match the key of the tune. It's mostly used in Old-Time music. We talk about different ways to cross tune, why it's done, and how it feels to play in a different tuning. It's not as hard as it sounds!

We present a setting of All's Quiet from Meg's new album Broke the Floor, from Meg Wobus and Charley Beller. Find the album here: megwobus.bandcamp.com.

The Fiddle Studio Books are getting a new edition! The 2nd edition of Book 1 is available now: Fiddle Studio books

Reach me at [email protected]
Bandcamp
YouTube
My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

Let's talk about playing by ear. How to start learning it, how to get better at it, and what the challenges are. Playing by ear is an integral part of fiddling in all folk traditions. For some it comes naturally, but others of us have the learn to do it from scratch. 

We also present a setting of Heater Don't Stop from Meg's new album Broke the Floor.

The Fiddle Studio Books are getting a new edition! The 2nd edition of Book 1 is available now: Fiddle Studio books

Reach me at [email protected]
Bandcamp
YouTube
My website for learning to fiddle is Fiddle Studio which has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!