Lisa, you'll likely get all kinds of advice on this, from, "Stick with just a small handful of tunes for the first year or, and focus on playing them well," to "Polkas, polkas, polkas."
I lean toward the former myself. Better to play a few tunes well than a lot of tunes slipshod.
That said, there are plenty of "easier" tunes for fiddle. I typically start fiddle beginners out with the following tunes, all of which are in the tune database here:
Jigs
My Darling Asleep
The Kerfuntuen
Kesh
Morrison's
The Swallowtail Jig
Stan Chapman's
Tripping Upstairs
Reels
Rolling in the Ryegrass
Silver Spear
Tommy People's (the one in Bm off of Altan)
Concertina Reel
Mulqueen's
Bantry Lasses
Of course, the main thing is to focus on tone, rhythm, intonation, and above all staying relaxed and free of tension at this point, regardless of what you play.
Lol, I was expecting that comment to come from Zina. What can I say...it's an easy, repetitive tune, and it helps beginners develop a clear tone on an open string. In fact, it's _all_ an open string, right? Besides, the hourly recompense for a lesson takes some of the sting out of listening to a newbie saw away, even at the Concertina Reel.
The Concertina reel is a work of genius, imho. Not played on its own, mind, but as a lead into a rousing tune like the Bucks, or the Star of Munster. A beautiful utility tune, if you will, Will.
I'll grant you it's utility, but "beautiful" is a bit of a stretch.
My only real problem with the Concertina Reel is that on fiddle it's one of those all-too-common saw-off-your-bow-hair tunes. And melodically it doesn't go anywhere. In either half. I prefer a more developed melody line, like Dr. Gilbert's, or Maudabawn Chapel, or Beare Island Reel, etc.
But Greg's right--the Concertina Reel is a good foil next to a more intricate tune.
I've been playing for 6 months and all I can do from memory right now is
"Old Joe Clark" (obviously not Irish)
"Flop Eared Mule" (ditto)
"Soldier's Joy" (yup again... not Irish)
"Swallowtail Jig"
"Faery Dance"
"Ash Grove" (Welsh not Irish)
"King of the Faeires (which was NOT a good beginner tune, but I'm playing it well enough that people throw money in my case at the park and it's our band's first performance)
I'm also working on "Irish Washer Woman", mostly because we want to sing "Do virgins taste better to dragons for dinner" which is a filk to that tune.
I'll start working on some others on the list
If people are going to hang around at the park when I'm pracitcing instead of just walking past, I'm going to need more than the 7 tunes I have.
Cluck Old Hen is and Old Timey tune. But it is a great tune....but I guess Lisa won't mind, unless she's looking for only Irish tunes at this point.
Lisa, practicing in the park is a great idea, it gets you used to the feeling of doing a performance, but not quite so nervewracking. I force myself to do it sometimes.
Hey Andee, my first tune ever was Seamus Cooley's jig
I noticed Lisa has some old timey kinda stuff mixed in her list which is fine. But if you are serious and really want to learn to play Irish music, I'd recommend finding a teacher who specializes in Irish Trad Music. You'll learn all kinds of great Irish tunes suited for your level and ability
Isn't Red Haired Boy an Old timey tune also? I was never sure. It's a great tune, but I've only heard it played by old timey players. Just curious......
Hmmm re: Red Haired Boy, not familiar with that one, but I do know a small handful of tunes cross over. I've heard Wind that Shakes the Barley as an Old Timey tune.
Yup, Wind that Shakes the Barley gets played by the old timey crew here in Burlington.
But at the same time my box player friend/mentor who's a seasoned session playing treasure from Ireland also plays this tune. He was going to teach it to me but I already knew it so he just helped me fix it up
Did you already try "John Ryan's Polka"? I think it's a rather easy one, it was one of the first tunes I tried to play and I was getting on fine with it. But I don't know whether the notes are on this site, sorry.
Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Could someone please suggest, or point me towards a previous discussion some good beginner fiddle tunes?
Perhaps a list of the first 10 tunes a beginning fiddler should learn?
I've only been playing 6 months and need to add some new tunes to my repitorie.
~L
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Lisa Lawrence
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Good opportunity to try out the brand-spanking-new search feature on the first page: http://www.thesession.org/index.php/search
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Phantom Button
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Hey, cool, when was that put up?
-Max
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Oops, duh, just saw the discussion for it.
-Max
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Lisa, you'll likely get all kinds of advice on this, from, "Stick with just a small handful of tunes for the first year or, and focus on playing them well," to "Polkas, polkas, polkas."
I lean toward the former myself. Better to play a few tunes well than a lot of tunes slipshod.
That said, there are plenty of "easier" tunes for fiddle. I typically start fiddle beginners out with the following tunes, all of which are in the tune database here:
Jigs
My Darling Asleep
The Kerfuntuen
Kesh
Morrison's
The Swallowtail Jig
Stan Chapman's
Tripping Upstairs
Reels
Rolling in the Ryegrass
Silver Spear
Tommy People's (the one in Bm off of Altan)
Concertina Reel
Mulqueen's
Bantry Lasses
Of course, the main thing is to focus on tone, rhythm, intonation, and above all staying relaxed and free of tension at this point, regardless of what you play.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Concertina reel, Will? Don't do as I do, do as I tell you.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Lol, I was expecting that comment to come from Zina. What can I say...it's an easy, repetitive tune, and it helps beginners develop a clear tone on an open string. In fact, it's _all_ an open string, right?
Besides, the hourly recompense for a lesson takes some of the sting out of listening to a newbie saw away, even at the Concertina Reel.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
The Concertina reel is a work of genius, imho. Not played on its own, mind, but as a lead into a rousing tune like the Bucks, or the Star of Munster. A beautiful utility tune, if you will, Will.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by grego
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
I'll grant you it's utility, but "beautiful" is a bit of a stretch.
My only real problem with the Concertina Reel is that on fiddle it's one of those all-too-common saw-off-your-bow-hair tunes. And melodically it doesn't go anywhere. In either half. I prefer a more developed melody line, like Dr. Gilbert's, or Maudabawn Chapel, or Beare Island Reel, etc.
But Greg's right--the Concertina Reel is a good foil next to a more intricate tune.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Reels
The Cow that Flew the High Road
Hole in the Hornet's Nest
Jigs
Jig-o-Mortus
Sleep Walking in Polkaville
Polkas
Roll out the Window
Paddy Polka
Airs
Take a Breath of This
Fly Me to the Bat Cave
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by The Merry Highlander
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Will, the missing piece of the puzzle is this: I'm an engineer. We think elegant utility can equal beauty.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by grego
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
There you go, trying to slip in unwarranted modifiers like "elegant." Face it, engineers think plain utility equals beauty.
Hmmm...they must be burning the hemp crop in again in Maryland....
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
My first coupla tunes were hornpipes. I think they were Silver Spear and the Boys of Bluehill.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Zina, I know I was involved in a similar discussion could you pull it up maybe.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Why Bother?
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Oh I remember what it was it was something about making a tune book for someone.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Why Bother?
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Fisher's Hornpipe
Miss McLeod's Reel
Temperance Reel
Flowers of Edinburgh
Red Haired Boy
Kitty's Wedding
-dogma
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by dogmageek
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Avery, I get 16,297 hits when I type "beginner fiddle tunes" into the search feature on the discussions page. Among them,
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/3331/comments#comment66181
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/1367/comments#comment22296
You can discover this wealth of advice yourself by typing your own query in here:
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/index.php
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
These are all great links and tunes. Thanks.
I've been playing for 6 months and all I can do from memory right now is
"Old Joe Clark" (obviously not Irish)
"Flop Eared Mule" (ditto)
"Soldier's Joy" (yup again... not Irish)
"Swallowtail Jig"
"Faery Dance"
"Ash Grove" (Welsh not Irish)
"King of the Faeires (which was NOT a good beginner tune, but I'm playing it well enough that people throw money in my case at the park and it's our band's first performance)
I'm also working on "Irish Washer Woman", mostly because we want to sing "Do virgins taste better to dragons for dinner" which is a filk to that tune.
I'll start working on some others on the list
If people are going to hang around at the park when I'm pracitcing instead of just walking past, I'm going to need more than the 7 tunes I have.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Lisa Lawrence
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
hmmmmm...dogmageek.those are common tunes but not neccessaritly easy ones to execute
i'd try Cluck old Hen for 4'4 and Out on the Ocean for jig
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by vboyd100
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Cluck Old Hen is and Old Timey tune. But it is a great tune....but I guess Lisa won't mind, unless she's looking for only Irish tunes at this point.
Lisa, practicing in the park is a great idea, it gets you used to the feeling of doing a performance, but not quite so nervewracking. I force myself to do it sometimes.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Andee
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
The first jig I learned on fiddle was Seamus Cooley's. It's great because it doesn't go up on the e string.
Another early one I learned was the air Hector the Hero.
Merry Blacksmith is pretty easy for a reel and Off She Goes for a slide.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Andee
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
...and Britches full of Stitches and Egan's are easy polkas. Father O' Flynn for another jig.
Maryland Highlander, what was *that* all about? That's not being very nice to a new and enthusiastic member.
# Posted on May 25th 2004 by Andee
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Hey Andee, my first tune ever was Seamus Cooley's jig
I noticed Lisa has some old timey kinda stuff mixed in her list which is fine. But if you are serious and really want to learn to play Irish music, I'd recommend finding a teacher who specializes in Irish Trad Music. You'll learn all kinds of great Irish tunes suited for your level and ability
Joyce
# Posted on May 26th 2004 by JMH
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Isn't Red Haired Boy an Old timey tune also? I was never sure. It's a great tune, but I've only heard it played by old timey players. Just curious......
# Posted on May 26th 2004 by JMH
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Hi Joyce!
Hmmm re: Red Haired Boy, not familiar with that one, but I do know a small handful of tunes cross over. I've heard Wind that Shakes the Barley as an Old Timey tune.
# Posted on May 26th 2004 by Andee
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Hi fiddler on vermouth,
I'm nearly positive that the Silver Spear is a reel.
-M
# Posted on May 26th 2004 by Maple
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Yup, Wind that Shakes the Barley gets played by the old timey crew here in Burlington.
But at the same time my box player friend/mentor who's a seasoned session playing treasure from Ireland also plays this tune. He was going to teach it to me but I already knew it so he just helped me fix it up
Joyce
# Posted on May 26th 2004 by JMH
Re: Beginning Fiddle Tunes?
Did you already try "John Ryan's Polka"? I think it's a rather easy one, it was one of the first tunes I tried to play and I was getting on fine with it. But I don't know whether the notes are on this site, sorry.
# Posted on May 29th 2004 by Little Whistlecat