So I live in Nevada, USA, and I have been playing the violin for about two or three months. I haven't had any lessons; been just practicing with myself; figuring it out. I know the Ashokan Farewell, quite a few traditional Christian songs, and I have learned to play The Contradiction song that the Celtic Woman group plays at about half speed, and my fingers are quite sore from all the hours of playing. At least my brothers have stopped yelling at me to stop playing for the most part. But at times I sound rather aweful. I seem to be able to play better when nobody is around. Another thing is I cannot read music, so I learn by ear. I've only been to this web-site a few times and I don't know a lot of the terms like, "rolls" etc.
If you have any suggestions, they would be very much appreciated.
Go to the following site. Study every word of every page. Then absorb not only the hard facts, but the attitude and, hmmm...ideology, for lack of better word.
I suggest you find yourself a teacher, especially because you have the will to learn by yourself
People who can guide us through active participation in worlds, such as music, which are not explicable just in terms of logics of any kind, those people are invaluable!
I don't play fiddle, but I've had a lot of advice from folk on this site about other instruments and tunes. Reading other threads about the same type of thing, I think it could be summed up:
- keep listening
- keep putting it under your chin and scratching
- try to meet other players better than yourself and learn from them
- try to find a teacher if you think you need it
Check out fiddlehub.com. It's a wonderful site for beginners. Go to Free Lessons/"How to" lessons, and here you'll learn about bowing and fingering.
Later, when you're ready, you can learn a jig, "Paddy's Return." Jim uses two videos to teach the tune, one showing the bowing and the other showing the fingering.
Hi there,
I live in Arizona, and can appreciate your relative isolation! I would suggest you consider ordering the instruction book by Matt Cranitch. He starts from scratch with holding the fiddle, has good introduction to reading music if you want to learn that, and the book is accompanied by a cd. If you can get comfortable enough to read the music, the bowings are written out. He explains the basic ornamentation (cuts, rolls, bow trebles) etc.
Dwarfperson I'm guessing you don't know what Irish music
is supposed to sound like. You won't get it from pop groups or
American folk music. Maybe azfiddle can steer you in the direction of
a session for the real, live stuff.
The Cranitch book will be really useful. Get some of the recordings he
lists in his discography. Cranitch himself has a wonderful style.
DwarfMaster, I have to agree with Hup--Celtic Woman is not the best example of Irish traditional music. Here is a web site that has info on lots of great Irish fiddlers: http://www.irishfiddle.com/
I can't believe I'm the first to say it but - it sounds like you're doing really well for working it out on your own for a few months. Congratulations.
Given the initiative you're showing, your next step to my mind, before lessons or buying books or any such thing, is to listen, listen, listen to the great players. (The presence of the word "Celtic" is usually a bad sign in this regard. The presence of the words "Tommy" and "Peoples" in that order is a very, very good sign)
Don't worry about learning any particular techniques at this point, learn the tunes and the rhythms, learn what it should feel like. Learn with your fiddle in your lap - if you can hear the tune all the way through in your head, it's a hell of a lot easier to play it. Get it as simple as you can, lose as much as you can lose and still have the tune.
Learn a bunch of tunes this way and when you get to talking to a teacher, they'll probably only confirm what you've already figured out.
And don't worry about picking up the jargon! Every interest has its own and you'll pick it up before you know where you are.
The instrument played in paradise has chosen you, so you'll just have to pick it up and enjoy learning!
I'm kind of in the same boat as you. Only difference is I'm lucky enough to be Scottish and have grown up surrounded by traditional music, all we have to do is switch on the TV or radio and we get it any time we want. So it's in my blood. I too have taught myself to play a few tunes inside a few months and am really enjoying it. I just recently re-taught myself to learn music (learned in primary school). My advice is this: surround yourself by as much of the music as you can so you get a real feel for it. Everyone learns differently, but I personally have tried learning tunes both ways - by ear and by sheet music. I find learning by ear much better everytime, because I find the tune sticks in my head a lot quicker if I find the notes myself in the first place, rather than if they're already found for me. It's more difficult to start with (more time consuming)but (for me anyway) it saves a lot of time and it's more encouraging, because if I learn a tune from sheet music I get reliant on the page in front of me and keep checking it to make sure I'm playing the right thing, which totally slows me down, it also means that because I'm not looking at where I'm putting my fingers, the bow etc I'm concentrating less on how I'm actually playing it, which is really important, and also as soon as you know the tune off by heart, that's when you'll find yourself automatically getting quicker and putting your own style into it, and all the extra bits and pieces will fall into place a lot quicker. I don't know if other people are the same? So I'd say keep going the way you are, just keep putting in the hours and you won't go wrong. But definitely try to find a radio station or something that plays trad music so you can get as much of it as you can. And don't ever worry about the terminology etc. Remember the whole reason this music exists in the first place - it was the ordinary working people who passed it on down through the generations, they taught each other to play for enjoyment and to entertain at gettogethers, nobody was ever worried about getting the lingo right, as long as they could get a decent tune out of it and put a smile on peoples faces and/or get them up dancing, that's what it's still about in my mind and hopefully you'll get the same enjoyment from it over time. About playing better on your own - don't worry, it's just a confidence thing, I'm sure over time you'll overcome that no problem, just start off playing in front of a friend or something until you get more confidence. It won't take long until you're getting them all up dancing!
Tips For A Beginner
Tips For A Beginner
So I live in Nevada, USA, and I have been playing the violin for about two or three months. I haven't had any lessons; been just practicing with myself; figuring it out. I know the Ashokan Farewell, quite a few traditional Christian songs, and I have learned to play The Contradiction song that the Celtic Woman group plays at about half speed, and my fingers are quite sore from all the hours of playing. At least my brothers have stopped yelling at me to stop playing for the most part. But at times I sound rather aweful. I seem to be able to play better when nobody is around. Another thing is I cannot read music, so I learn by ear. I've only been to this web-site a few times and I don't know a lot of the terms like, "rolls" etc.
If you have any suggestions, they would be very much appreciated.
# Posted on December 4th 2008 by Invincible
Re: Tips For A Beginner
Go to the following site. Study every word of every page. Then absorb not only the hard facts, but the attitude and, hmmm...ideology, for lack of better word.
irishtune.info
# Posted on December 4th 2008 by Tadhg mac Saoirse
Re: Tips For A Beginner
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/19944
# Posted on December 4th 2008 by Henk Bos
Re: Tips For A Beginner
I suggest you find yourself a teacher, especially because you have the will to learn by yourself
People who can guide us through active participation in worlds, such as music, which are not explicable just in terms of logics of any kind, those people are invaluable!
# Posted on December 4th 2008 by deFacto
Re: Tips For A Beginner
I don't play fiddle, but I've had a lot of advice from folk on this site about other instruments and tunes. Reading other threads about the same type of thing, I think it could be summed up:
- keep listening
- keep putting it under your chin and scratching
- try to meet other players better than yourself and learn from them
- try to find a teacher if you think you need it
Good luck with your music.
# Posted on December 4th 2008 by dee.
Re: Tips For A Beginner
Check out fiddlehub.com. It's a wonderful site for beginners. Go to Free Lessons/"How to" lessons, and here you'll learn about bowing and fingering.
Later, when you're ready, you can learn a jig, "Paddy's Return." Jim uses two videos to teach the tune, one showing the bowing and the other showing the fingering.
Good luck with your fiddling : )
# Posted on December 4th 2008 by macnasparade
Re: Tips For A Beginner
Good for you, DwarfMaster!
I have heard good things about the "how-to" DVD by famous fiddler Kevin Burke. You can get it from Amazon.com, etc.
There's also http://uk.youtube.com/fiddle4u (I see he is up to 162 video clips now! lots and lots of good tunes).
# Posted on December 4th 2008 by John Galt
Re: Tips For A Beginner
Hi there,
I live in Arizona, and can appreciate your relative isolation! I would suggest you consider ordering the instruction book by Matt Cranitch. He starts from scratch with holding the fiddle, has good introduction to reading music if you want to learn that, and the book is accompanied by a cd. If you can get comfortable enough to read the music, the bowings are written out. He explains the basic ornamentation (cuts, rolls, bow trebles) etc.
Feel free to contact me directly
# Posted on December 5th 2008 by azfiddle
Re: Tips For A Beginner
Dwarfperson I'm guessing you don't know what Irish music
is supposed to sound like. You won't get it from pop groups or
American folk music. Maybe azfiddle can steer you in the direction of
a session for the real, live stuff.
The Cranitch book will be really useful. Get some of the recordings he
lists in his discography. Cranitch himself has a wonderful style.
# Posted on December 5th 2008 by Hup
Re: Tips For A Beginner
Yeah, I don't know a whole lot. I have an aunt that teaches more of the concert/orchestra type, but she lives quite a ways away.
# Posted on December 5th 2008 by Invincible
Re: Tips For A Beginner
DwarfMaster, I have to agree with Hup--Celtic Woman is not the best example of Irish traditional music. Here is a web site that has info on lots of great Irish fiddlers: http://www.irishfiddle.com/
That should keep you busy for a while! ;>}
# Posted on December 5th 2008 by John Galt
Re: Tips For A Beginner
I can't believe I'm the first to say it but - it sounds like you're doing really well for working it out on your own for a few months. Congratulations.
Given the initiative you're showing, your next step to my mind, before lessons or buying books or any such thing, is to listen, listen, listen to the great players. (The presence of the word "Celtic" is usually a bad sign in this regard. The presence of the words "Tommy" and "Peoples" in that order is a very, very good sign)
Don't worry about learning any particular techniques at this point, learn the tunes and the rhythms, learn what it should feel like. Learn with your fiddle in your lap - if you can hear the tune all the way through in your head, it's a hell of a lot easier to play it. Get it as simple as you can, lose as much as you can lose and still have the tune.
Learn a bunch of tunes this way and when you get to talking to a teacher, they'll probably only confirm what you've already figured out.
# Posted on December 5th 2008 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Tips For A Beginner
And don't worry about picking up the jargon! Every interest has its own and you'll pick it up before you know where you are.
The instrument played in paradise has chosen you, so you'll just have to pick it up and enjoy learning!
Good Luck.
# Posted on December 6th 2008 by Ebor_fiddler
Re: Tips For A Beginner
Go to www.toddehle.com
He's a great teacher with many free online videos.
# Posted on December 6th 2008 by baylady
Re: Tips For A Beginner
I'm kind of in the same boat as you. Only difference is I'm lucky enough to be Scottish and have grown up surrounded by traditional music, all we have to do is switch on the TV or radio and we get it any time we want. So it's in my blood. I too have taught myself to play a few tunes inside a few months and am really enjoying it. I just recently re-taught myself to learn music (learned in primary school). My advice is this: surround yourself by as much of the music as you can so you get a real feel for it. Everyone learns differently, but I personally have tried learning tunes both ways - by ear and by sheet music. I find learning by ear much better everytime, because I find the tune sticks in my head a lot quicker if I find the notes myself in the first place, rather than if they're already found for me. It's more difficult to start with (more time consuming)but (for me anyway) it saves a lot of time and it's more encouraging, because if I learn a tune from sheet music I get reliant on the page in front of me and keep checking it to make sure I'm playing the right thing, which totally slows me down, it also means that because I'm not looking at where I'm putting my fingers, the bow etc I'm concentrating less on how I'm actually playing it, which is really important, and also as soon as you know the tune off by heart, that's when you'll find yourself automatically getting quicker and putting your own style into it, and all the extra bits and pieces will fall into place a lot quicker. I don't know if other people are the same? So I'd say keep going the way you are, just keep putting in the hours and you won't go wrong. But definitely try to find a radio station or something that plays trad music so you can get as much of it as you can. And don't ever worry about the terminology etc. Remember the whole reason this music exists in the first place - it was the ordinary working people who passed it on down through the generations, they taught each other to play for enjoyment and to entertain at gettogethers, nobody was ever worried about getting the lingo right, as long as they could get a decent tune out of it and put a smile on peoples faces and/or get them up dancing, that's what it's still about in my mind and hopefully you'll get the same enjoyment from it over time. About playing better on your own - don't worry, it's just a confidence thing, I'm sure over time you'll overcome that no problem, just start off playing in front of a friend or something until you get more confidence. It won't take long until you're getting them all up dancing!
# Posted on December 6th 2008 by eenymo
Re: Tips For A Beginner
Thanks :D
# Posted on December 7th 2008 by Invincible