Fiddle Tutors
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Stentor Student Fiddles (photo right) These instruments are well made and sound great. They are an excellent starting point for those wishing to take up this instrument without outlaying a lot of money. They cater for all sizes. These fiddles have:
How to choose the correct size fiddle
Pretend that the person wanting the fiddle is holding one with their arm out straight. Now measure from the neck to the wrist. This measurement will provide the most comfortable size fiddle. If you measure from the neck to the middle of the palm you will obtain the maximum size fiddle that can be held. The larger the fiddle the richer the sound and longer the time before upsizing. All the above fiddles are very playable and will produce an excellent sound. Students have no problems adjusting to a larger size fiddle after learning on a smaller one.
Hokum: Theory and Scales for Fiddle Tunes and Fiddle Improvisation by Leon Grizzard This book is written to teach theory and scales as applied to American Celtic traditional music, to teach fiddle improvisation and to present additional information to the fiddler who wants to play in other popular styles. The book teaches the theoretical framework of fiddle tunes and of fiddle soloing; scales and arpeggios that fiddlers actually use, fiddle improvisation, and also presents material to help the fiddler play in other popular styles. Addresses: major, minor, and blues scales, lydian and mixolydian modes, dominant chords and scales, diminished chords, more. Standard notation only. Size A4, 124 pages with wire binding for easy opening on music stands. Contents Book Price $45 MB272990 bk
Jazz Fiddle Wizard by Martin Norgaard This is a step by step instruction book designed for string players who wish to learn to improvise in the jazz tradition. Features 25 lessons that progressively introduce the player to the art of improvisation in a unique way designed for strings. Each lesson presents an easy to understand concept which is implemented in the exercises and tunes. Size A4, 124 pages with wire binding for easy opening on music stands.
Book Price $45 MB185690 bk/cd
The Irish Fiddle by Paul McNevin All Ireland Champion fiddler Paul McNevin has produced a book and cd, on how to play the Irish fiddle. The book contains
Contents
Book and CD Price $50 WM1309 bk/cd
The Irish Fiddle DVD by Paul McNevin This DVD is designed for the Absolute Beginner covering everything from holding the bow, bow tension and applying rosin to playing a variety of tunes. Paul McNevin is an excellent communicator who clearly demonstrates a variety of playing techniques. DVD Price $50 WM1445 dvd
The Irish Fiddle Book by Matt Cranitch The most complete tutor for playing the fiddle in the Irish Style. It takes you from basics through to styles. Includes 100 tunes and a demo CD comes with the book. Also recommended are two of Matt's tapes "Take a Bow" and "Give it Shtick" see below Size A4, 180 pages.
Contents Book Price $40 OP49 bk Book and CD Price $60 OP49 bk/cd Demo Tape $5 OSS4 t
Fancy Yourself Fiddling? by Sean Kenan For over 20 years Sean has been performing and teaching Irish fiddle at festivals, sessions and events throughout Australia. He has been a valued tutor for several years in Celtic Fiddle at Music Under the Southern Cross Celtic Summer School.
Sean has produced two excellent books of some of the best Irish tunes, with a CD to help the new fiddler hear the nuances that make the music uniquely Irish. Size A4, 32pages
Book and CD Price $40 each Volume Available directly from Sean at 0419 210 043 or Seankenan@hotmail.com or visit his website at www.seankenan.com
Play Scottish Fiddle - intermediate By Sarah Naylor Sarah was born on the Isle of Skye and is one of Scotland's leading young fiddlers. Sarah's relaxed and encouraging teaching style and phrase by phrase tuition makes learning easy and invites you into a world of authentic Scottish fiddle music. She teaches the style and techniques of rhythm, bowing and ornaments appropriate for intermediate level players and by the end of the session you'll by playing tunes such as Mrs Macleod of Ramsay, The Stool of Repentance, The Breas of Tullimet, Pipers Cave and many more. From this solid foundation in Scottish fiddle music you should gain the confidence to play for Ceilidhs.
Running time 55 mins includes booklet DVD Price $50 TNT74 dvd
Traditional Scottish Fiddling A players guide- encompassing music from the West Coast, East Coast, Shetland, Orkney and the Boarders of Scotland. The book is filled with excellent instruction on fiddle techniques and includes a demonstration CD with 68 tracks. Most tunes in the book are played once.
Book size A4, contains 146 pages, music, chords, fiddle instruction and demonstration CD. Book and CD Price $50 TNT060 bk/CD
Contents pages
The Fiddle Workshop by Karen Steven Here is a double CD by well known Scottish fiddle player and teacher, Karen Steven. The aim of the Cd is is to assist with increasing your repertoire of tunes. you may manage to pick up one or two stylistic techniques, however, these are not formally taught with this recording. Three sets are taught. The sets include 4 jigs, 8 strathspeys and 3 marches. Karen plays each phrase 3 times and then adds that phrase to previous taught phrases until she covers the whole tune. Her playing is clean and precise. Double CD Price $40 can be ordered from Burkes Music, Castlemaine
Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music by Mary Anne Alburger She provides a stimulating and scholarly account of many of the notable fiddlers of the 17th, 18th and 19th and 20th centuries. It gives extended treatment to outstanding composers such as Niel and Nathaniel Gow, William Marshall, Simon Fraser and James Scott Skinner. Size A5, 256 pages contains 100 tunes and variations, and history. Book Price $50 HP25 bk
Strathspey Players - Past and Present by William C. Honeyman First published in 1922, this booklet tells the stories of Niel Gow, Scott Skinner and Peter Milne. The author argues against the dilution of the traditional style of strathspey playing. Size A6, 51 pages Booklet Price $16 HP06 bk
Scottish Folk Fiddle Tutor A comprehensive beginners book but with great tunes. Useful photos illustrate the points as they occur. A CD is included. Contents of book / An Clar-Innse Size A4, 43 pages. Book/CD Price $30 TNT006 bk/cd
A Guide to Scottish Fiddling by Bill Cook Bill Cook is a violin teacher, leader of the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra and conductor of the Stirling Caledonian Strathspey and Reel Society. This book provides a sound base for fiddlers and violinists to learn to play the distinctive rhythms of Scottish music. Size A4 44pages include instructions. Book Price $25 BC01 bk
Four Hour Celtic Workout - backup and lead for all instruments by Steve Kaufman Steve Kaufman's popular workout tutor is a powerful practice tool for intermediate and advanced players who want to get into shape for sessions and festivals. Steve plays 50 celtic pieces slowly, then up-to-speed. With you stereo balance control you can turn off the lead and play along with the rhythm to get your soloing together. The solo lead is on the other channel, so you can practice your back-up parts and learn the tune. This system will improve your ear and build stamina, power and confidence. Book size A4, contains 50 tunes on 4 cds, with tab and melody lines and chords for all tunes, chord charts and helpful hints. Book and 4 CD Price $95 HL641537 4cd/bk
A Fiddle Lesson - Intermediate Level by Cape Breton Fiddler Natalie MacMaster One of the best presented fiddle tutors available, this video begins with an introduction on grace notes and bowing, followed by teaching and performance of five traditional tunes. The video features
Natalie MacMaster CDs can be ordered from music@burkesmusic.com.au
My Roots are Showing - TRAX163 No Boundaries - TRAX142 In My Hands - TRAX 180
Deluxe Fiddling Method by Craig Duncan Craig Duncan guides the fiddler through studies and 49 great American fiddle solos of all the classics in the keys of A, D, C and G. Included is a CD and 80 min DVD Book size A4, contains 104 pages, 47 tunes with melody lines, chords and instruction for all tunes, and helpful hints. Book, CD and DVD Price $65 MB376690 bk/cd/dvd
DVD only, Price $25 MB376690 dvd
Four Hour Bluegrass Workout for all instruments by Steve Kaufman Steve Kaufman's popular workout tutor is a powerful practice tool for intermediate and advanced players who want to get into shape for sessions and festivals. Steve plays 49 classic bluegrass pieces slowly, then up-to-speed. With you stereo balance control you can turn off the lead and play along with the rhythm to get your soloing together. The solo lead is on the other channel, so you can practice your back-up parts and learn the tune. This system will improve your ear and build stamina, power and confidence. Book size A4, contains 47 tunes on 4 cds, with melody lines and chords for all tunes, chord charts and helpful hints. Book and 4 CD Price $95 HL641379 4cd/bk
Old Time Mountain Fiddle by Stan Gottschalk Stan Gottschalk was born in America and has been living in Tasmania for over twenty years. He is noted here as being a researcher and multi-talented musician. Audiences have enjoyed Stan's presentations at the Huon, Tamar and National Folk Festivals where each year he presents different aspects of early American music and history. This instruction manual is based on the styles of the traditional fiddlers and includes over 40 tunes, in both music notation and tablature.
This is an excellent book to learn how to play old time fiddle. Book Price $30
Singing with the Fiddle Accompanying Old Time Songs and Ballads taught by Bruce Molsky The violin can be used to accompany old time country songs with beautiful results, and no one does this better than Bruce Molsky. On this DVD lesson, he shows you how you can achieve distinctively rich and compelling harmonies in a musical interaction between your fiddle and your voice. Bruce covers all the basics, starting with simple exercises to develop your ear and tune your singing to the pitches of the fiddle. He shows the most common chords for folk songs and how to use your instrument to harmonise with the sung melody. You will learn to accompany songs using a variety of tunings, with detailed instruction in rhythmic effects, chord movement, harmony variations, syncopated bowing patterns and other techniques to bring out the drama and excitement of your song. Bruce teaches Omie Wise, Stay all Night, Bachelor's Hall, June Apple and I Truly Understand. The written music is provided. Length is 95 mins. DVD Price $40 HL996 dvd
Southern Old-Time Fiddle Tour An in-depth lesson in traditional styles taught by Bruce Molsky This 75 minute video teaches six tunes, each from a geographical area in the southern US that's known for great old time playing - West Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee and Mississippi. You'll learn licks, bowing patterns and the special tunings that give this music it's haunting sounds and toe-tapping drive and excitement. Video Price $30 MOLFI51 video Special
Fiddle Tunes for Beginning Cello by Stacy Phillips This book contains a selection of American fiddle tunes arranged for the beginning cello player. The only technical prerequisite for this music is the ability to play a major scale of some sort. Fingering and string position are shown under each note. Each tune is played on the 31 track included CD. Price $38 MB178190 bk/cd
Crossing to Scotland by Abby Newton The book of tunes, plus the CD of this cello player with Alasdair Fraser. Book size A4, contains 31 pages, music and chords. Book/CD Price $50 CUL110 bk/cd
The Ceilidh Collection for Cello/Bass Tunes are in order of difficulty. The fingering is included for cellists only while chords are given to facilitate the collection's use in group settings. Size A4, contains music Book Price $20 TNT012 bk
Celtic Fiddle Tunes for Solo and Ensemble, Cello and Bass
by Craig Duncan This collection contains 14 set arrangements of 22 traditional tunes from Ireland and Scotland in a variety of styles including jigs, reels, hornpipes, slip jigs, strathspeys, waltzes and airs. The harmonies are written so that various combinations from solo instrument with piano to duets and trios to full string quartet/orchestra are possible. This cello book includes melody (solo cello), cello harmony, bass and piano accompaniment. A companion book for non bass melody instruments is available. Size A4, contains tune sets and variations plus pull out section with melody, cello and piano accompaniment. All tunes are written in bass script.
Book Price $20 MB427890 bk
Last updated 30th June 2008
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