Fiddle Studio

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. 

I teach fiddle lessons!
Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching

I also have a website for learning to fiddle: Fiddle Studio has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

My Fiddle Studio Book 1: Fiddling for the Complete Beginner is FREE on Amazon! It has over 30 easy beginner fiddle tunes with sheet music, tab, and a link to a video for each tune!

• Fiddle Books 
• Bandcamp
• YouTube   

You can reach me at [email protected].

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. 

I teach fiddle lessons!
Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching

I also have a website for learning to fiddle: Fiddle Studio has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

My Fiddle Studio Book 1: Fiddling for the Complete Beginner is FREE on Amazon! It has over 30 easy beginner fiddle tunes with sheet music, tab, and a link to a video for each tune!

• Fiddle Books 
• Bandcamp
• YouTube   

You can reach me at [email protected].

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. 

I teach fiddle lessons!
Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching

I also have a website for learning to fiddle: Fiddle Studio has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

My Fiddle Studio Book 1: Fiddling for the Complete Beginner is FREE on Amazon! It has over 30 easy beginner fiddle tunes with sheet music, tab, and a link to a video for each tune!

• Fiddle Books 
• Bandcamp
• YouTube   

You can reach me at [email protected].

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.

I teach fiddle lessons!
Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching

I also have a website for learning to fiddle: Fiddle Studio has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

My Fiddle Studio Book 1: Fiddling for the Complete Beginner is FREE on Amazon! It has over 30 easy beginner fiddle tunes with sheet music, tab, and a link to a video for each tune!

• Fiddle Books 
• Bandcamp
• YouTube   

You can reach me at [email protected].

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.

I teach fiddle lessons!
Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching

I also have a website for learning to fiddle: Fiddle Studio has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

My Fiddle Studio Book 1: Fiddling for the Complete Beginner is FREE on Amazon! It has over 30 easy beginner fiddle tunes with sheet music, tab, and a link to a video for each tune!

• Fiddle Books 
• Bandcamp
• YouTube   

You can reach me at [email protected].

In this episode we cover how and why we put sets of fiddle tunes together, both for contrdances, and in Irish sessions. How do fiddlers decide what tunes, what order, and how to string them together?

We also present a setting of Charley's Waltz from Meg's new album Broke the Floor. Find the album here: megwobus.bandcamp.com.

I teach fiddle lessons!
Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching

I also have a website for learning to fiddle: Fiddle Studio has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

My Fiddle Studio Book 1: Fiddling for the Complete Beginner is FREE on Amazon! It has over 30 easy beginner fiddle tunes with sheet music, tab, and a link to a video for each tune!

• Fiddle Books 
• Bandcamp
• YouTube   

You can reach me at [email protected].

Is it better to sit or stand to play the fiddle? Sure, we know that in the end you should do whatever works for you, but there must be a reason classical violinists always stand to play except in orchestra. But fiddlers always seem to be sitting unless they are performing. What's the deal?

We present a setting of On the Loose from Megs's new album Broke the Floor from Meg Wobus and Charley Beller. 

I teach fiddle lessons!
Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching

I also have a website for learning to fiddle: Fiddle Studio has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

My Fiddle Studio Book 1: Fiddling for the Complete Beginner is FREE on Amazon! It has over 30 easy beginner fiddle tunes with sheet music, tab, and a link to a video for each tune!

• Fiddle Books 
• Bandcamp
• YouTube   

You can reach me at [email protected].

Discover the captivating journey of Irish fiddler Joanna Clare, from her first toe-dip into the world of music through the Suzuki Method to the high-stakes sphere of traditional Irish music competitions. Hear about Joanna's years of lesson with  legendary teacher Brian Conway and how it shaped her approach to the fiddle. Joanna also fills us in on her musical collaborations in Baltimore with Billy McComisky and others, and her passion for composing fiddle tunes.

This episode features the g minor hornpipe Amédée by Joanna Clare from her project with Richard Osban. Find Joanna online at joannaclare.com.

I teach fiddle lessons!
Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching

I also have a website for learning to fiddle: Fiddle Studio has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

My Fiddle Studio Book 1: Fiddling for the Complete Beginner is FREE on Amazon! It has over 30 easy beginner fiddle tunes with sheet music, tab, and a link to a video for each tune!

• Fiddle Books 
• Bandcamp
• YouTube   

You can reach me at [email protected].

Step into our shoes as we guide you along creating an album as independent musicians. Brace yourself for a fascinating dive into the artistic process, engaging in discussions about the significance of selecting music that resonates, arranging that music into a harmonious blend, and maintaining the rhythm with the help of a metronome. We reveal the trials and triumphs of long practice sessions, the anxiety of studio recordings, and the meticulous task of putting together the final masterpiece.

This episode presents a setting of the tune Home Ruler, by Frank McCollum, from the Arthouse Bar in Baltimore, Maryland.

I teach fiddle lessons!
Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching

I also have a website for learning to fiddle: Fiddle Studio has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

My Fiddle Studio Book 1: Fiddling for the Complete Beginner is FREE on Amazon! It has over 30 easy beginner fiddle tunes with sheet music, tab, and a link to a video for each tune!

• Fiddle Books 
• Bandcamp
• YouTube   

You can reach me at [email protected].

Ever felt the stirring call of the fiddle after a prolonged break, but felt anxious about picking it up again? Today, we're going to hold your hand through this journey. We'll share effective strategies to help you ease back into practice, while tackling the physical and mental challenges that come with it. We'll talk about revisiting old tunes, exploring new music related to your current life phase and even creating your own compositions. The key is to be gentle with yourself, take it slow and keep an open mindset - it's not going to be easy, but it will be worth it.

We present a setting of the hornpipe Kitty's Wedding from a session at the Arthouse Bar in Baltimore, Maryland.

I teach fiddle lessons!
Find out more at meganbeller.com/teaching

I also have a website for learning to fiddle: Fiddle Studio has courses and a mailing list and my Top 10 Fiddle Tunes!

My Fiddle Studio Book 1: Fiddling for the Complete Beginner is FREE on Amazon! It has over 30 easy beginner fiddle tunes with sheet music, tab, and a link to a video for each tune!

• Fiddle Books 
• Bandcamp
• YouTube   

You can reach me at [email protected].