2022 Block 2 Fiddle Practice – NORTH EAST FIDDLE SCHOOL

2022 Block 2 – Fiddle Practice Calls

Welcome to Block 2

Weds 2nd March – Weds 30th March inclusive (five weeks).
Optional Social play-along evening on Weds 6th April.

2022 Block 2 Social Play-along: 6th April 2022 – full tune listing with links in the Video Description on YouTube.

Fiddle Practice Call Recordings

Link to Playlist

Technical Nugget Call Recordings

2022 Block 2 Week 1: 2nd Mar 2022 – Looking at the movement of the bowing arm.
2022 Block 2 Week 2: 9th Mar 2022 – Smoothing the movement of the bowing arm.
2022 Block 2 Week 3: 16th Mar 2022 – Smoothing the movement of the bowing arm.
2022 Block 2 Week 4: 23rd Mar 2022 – The circular movement of the bowing arm.
2022 Block 2 Week 5: 30th Mar 2022 – Recapping the circular movement of the bowing arm and adding in the bow.

Link to Playlist

Tune Surgery Call Recordings

2022 Block 2 Week 2: 9th Mar 2022 – The bowing hand when moving from pizzicato to arco.
2022 Block 2 Week 3: 16th Mar 2022 – The bowing hand when moving from pizzicato to arco.
2022 Block 2 Week 4: 23rd Mar 2022 – Recommendations of fiddle related books – collection of tunes and teaching books. (See below for a list of those mentioned)
2022 Block 2 Week 5: 30th Mar 2022 – Comments and recommendations for Eileen Ivers’ videos. Recommendations of fiddle manuscript publications, other books and the Traditional Tune Archive.

Link to Playlist

Manuscript Publications from Stewart
1. Andy Hornby, “The Winders of Wyresdale” (http://andyhornby.net/Winders.html)
2. John Offord, “Bonny Cumberland” (https://www.johnofthegreen.co.uk/index.htm)
3. Rob Say: “The John Rook Manuscript” (https://www.wallpapermusic.co.uk/)

From Melissa:
1. The Highland Music Trust (https://www.heallan.com/)
Marshall Collections / Mackintosh Collections / Highland Collections and others
2. Traditional Tune Archive (https://tunearch.org/wiki/TTA)
For comparing transcriptions/collections. Turns out it hasn’t been the Ibiblio website since 2012!

Others:
1. Geoff Bowen, “How to Play Folk Fiddle” (https://pjmusic.co.uk/how-to-play-folk-fiddle-geoff-bowen/)
2. Marion Thede, “The Fiddle Book” (I can’t easily find this in print, but quite a lot of it is available to view in Google Books: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/_/LI_IDgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1)
3. Tomas O’Canainn, “Traditional Slow Airs of Ireland” (https://pjmusic.co.uk/tomas-o-canainn-traditional-slow-airs-of-ireland-cd-edition/)
4. Derek Hobbs, “Folk in Harmony” (https://www.rossleighmusic.com/folk-in-harmony)

Scottish Collections from Melissa
1. Ceilidh Collection for Fiddlers series (link)- These are the Scottish tunes I grew up learning. They’re the ‘core’ session and ceilidh tunes, mostly traditional with a few more modern ones thrown in. The books can be bought individually with/without a CD or as a book only package.
2. Ho-Ro-Gheallaidh series (link)- A great source of Scottish session tunes. The 3rd and 4th books include more recent compositions.
3. The Caledonian Companion (book only – link, book and CD – link)- This book is aimed more towards those at Level 3+. It takes aspects of Scottish bowing/ornamentation and breaks them down through written explanations. Also includes a CD.

English Collections from Stewart
1. Hardcore English (compiled and edited by Barry Callaghan) (link)
2. English Fiddle Tunes (Pete Cooper) (link)
3. John of the Green The Cheshire Way (John Offord) (link)

Teaching Books from Melissa
1. Abracadabra Violin Book 1 (link)- The original edition of Abracadabra Violin made me the player I am so I might be a little biased! This book is great for sight reading practice or if you are self-taught and want to go back to basics. It breaks down the first 1 – 2 years of learning into easy to understand steps. The melodies are well known but simple so could be a useful stepping stone for applying new bowing techniques. Worth buying the book with CD!
2. Position Shifts – Nico Dezaire (link)- To be honest, I’ve been impressed with anything by Nico Dezaire so Position 2, Position 3 or Position 4 and 5 are worth a look. This is a really good introduction to position shifting with this particular book focussing on 3rd and 2nd position (probably the most useful in folk music). Each new skill is introduced with a technical exercise followed by a couple of pieces. The repertoire varies from ‘fake’ folk/jazz/classical to recognisable pieces within those genres.
3. The Violin Lesson – Simon Fischer (link)- This book is really interesting but it’s quite heavy (in every sense!). Every aspect of violin playing is broken down into sections with amazing explanations. I would recommend only taking it one chapter at a time though!

Zoom details

Wednesday evenings, from 2nd March
6.45 – 7.00 pm Tune Surgery (call open from 6.40 pm)
7.00 – 7.45 pm Fiddle Practice Call
7.45 – 8.30 pm Live Teaching Call
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86797175297?pwd=ZDFvenRpR3Z1UFlUa0tlc2FuSGVjQT09
Meeting ID: 867 9717 5297
Passcode: nefs2022b2

Tech Tools Worksheet

NEFS 2022 Block 2 Tech Tools worksheet

Additional Resources from Stewart

Technique Video Playlists

Introduction to Melodic Motifs

Stepped Scalic Patterns
Introduction to Note Clusters
Bumps
Ditches
Hills
Valleys
Mountains
Abysses
3 note scales, Jumping a third, Finger Patterns, 4 note scales
Three note scale patterns:
Do-Re-Mi
Three Blind Mice
Jumping a third:
Frère Jacque
Jacque Frère
Sœur Jill
Jill Sœur
Finger Patterns (Broken Thirds) introduction
Summary of Finger Patterns
Four note scale patterns:
4 Note Ascender (or Riser)
4 Note Descender
Unders and Overs, Overs and Unders, Ticks and Hooks
Unders and Overs
Overs and Unders
Ticks
Hooks

Introduction to Bowing Patterns

Introduction to Ornaments – Cuts and Flicks

Introduction to Bow Hold

Finger Positions

Finger Positions (Open String) (pdf)

Open String Hand Frames (images)

Open String Hand Frames PDF worksheets:

Melissa’s Technique Videos

Melissa has provided recordings of her Technical Nuggets in short, bite-sized pieces to remind you how to do the different exercises. It is also hoped that you will be able to see more detail than from the Zoom recordings to help you get the most from them. The Technical Nuggets will continue as part of the Fiddle Practice Calls – this is just a reminder of exercises that have previously been covered.

Link to Playlist