Violin Forum/Message Board

caeman · Member Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 143

I had kinda gotten away from much fiddle practice this last year while I was working getting playing time on bass guitar, but now that the bass practice time and gigging is stabilizing, I am finding I have some chances to pay fiddle for a local bluegrass band this fall. I will begin attending their practices in August.

As such, I have committed myself to making the fiddle my third proficient instrument. The first is drums. I've been playing drums since age 10 and that isn't going away. Bass guitar is #2 and is proving to be a lot of fun and has netted me a lot of chances to fill in at various local churches on Sunday mornings. I am a gospel musician first and foremost, so that only makes sense.

But, in the last 4 years, a love and desire for MORE folk music has possessed me, to the point that I have started my own acoustic trio. I am lead vocals while playing a bodhran, accompanied by a whistle player and guitarist. I want to my fiddle skills up to par so I can make it part of my own band for instrumental tunes.

In the last month, I have averaged nearly an hour a day of practice on ye olde fiddle and I have a lot of fun doing it.

Also, I've been absent from this forum for quite a while now. I like the slightly slower pace here than some other much larger and busier forums where it is easy to get lost.

caeman · Member Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 143

What was supposed to be just a 15-minute nightly ritual turned into 45 minutes. Oops. Smile

Now that I actually know a bunch of music from memory, it makes practice a little more fun once I've completed scales and arpeggios.

I am fairly comfortable with C, G, D and A major so far. I am working on F and E-flat now.

caeman · Member Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 143

A short 15-minute session tonight. Between a migraine and my injured ankle, I just wasn't up for much else tonight.

caeman · Member Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 143

Tonight's practice included the usual scales and a few tunes. And, to practice my by-ear learning, I attempted to play Hatikvah. I came REALLY close, but ended up looking at some sheet music to fill in the gaps near the end.

caeman · Member Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 143

#MusicPractice

One whole hour of practice on the fiddle! w00t!

Open strings

Simple scales (G, D, F, Bb, Ahava Raba)

Arpeggios (G major scale)

String crossingss

Tunes from memory
*Leaving of Liverpool
*Suo Gan
*Ashokan Farewell
*I'll Fly Away
*Star of the County Down
*Will The Circle Be Unbroken
*Desert Lullaby
*Little Orphan Girl
*Amazing Grace (traditional)
*Angel Band
*Wayfaring Stranger
*National Anthem