My son and I had a spare minute and decided to try recording a tune on my new multitrack recorder. The heavy reverb wasn’t meant to be there, I only discovered it when all was done. We’ll do better next time. This is how it turned out: The Sunnyside

Sick’s Pack is an excellent band which luckily doesn’t make too many plans for Christmas. At least *most* of the members don’t. On Christmas night (last night), Sick brought some of his Pack to play on the radio. They are on-point, very entertaining, and it was a great Christmas treat. We all sat around, drank some bourbon & beer, and had a lot of fun. (Thanks to that bourbon and beer I’m not feeling particularly bright and shiny today, so this post may be shorter than some- the music is the most important part anyway….)

Sick played fiddle, a resonator guitar, sang, and slipped into his “Surly Joe of the Burlesque Show” character for the evening.

Roy Coon (who also plays with WinoVino and sometimes the Electric Mountain Rotten Apple Gang….and I’m sure many more) played clarinet.

Andrew (Dru) Pressman (who also plays with the Electric Mountain Rotten Apple Gang, Raina Rose and others) played the standup bass (or “doghouse bass”, as Sick put it last night.)

There are some Christmas oddities and plenty of other excellent (& sometimes hilarious) tunes on this recording.  We had plenty of guests in the studio and everybody had a blast. It’s hard not to when you’re listening to these guys play.

If you catch this in time, they’re playing tonight (December 26th) at Stubb’s in Austin with a full burlesque show attached. Sick’s the mastermind behind it all. Check it out!

Here’s a link to download it all for free. Great show. http://www.kaosradioaustin.org/node/23651

Here’s a link to the Sick’s Pack Myspace site- check it out! http://www.myspace.com/wreckcreationmusic

(I have LaLa Quarry and Dan Grissom posts coming up. Already recorded, but I’ve been slacking with editing because of the holidays. I’ll have ‘em posted here soon. I promise!)

A quick note to say I’ve just realised that the foot stompin podcast has reached 50 – woo hoo!!

You can listen to the current foot stompin podcast

Merry Christmas and a Happy NewYear and we will see you in January!

Eunice, a brand new rising star in the music business, made her dayview on the YouTube yesterday. A new musical video has been posted to generously thank her growing fanbase in her very own channel. Fasten your seat belts! This is going to rock!

Suffice to say, her phone call has not stopped ringing ever since.  We expect a record deal will be struck any moment now and anxiously await the release of her first album. A tour is in the works. The young superstar took a few minutes off her busy schedule to meet the fans and sign some autographs.

She is already inspiring the young generation with her bright personality and awesome fashion sense. We wish Eunice luck in all her future endeavours!

The following post was made in jest. Do not take seriously. If taken seriously, please follow these steps:

1. give it back
2. chill out
3. take five
4. smoke them if you got ‘em
5. take a chill pill
6. re-take it again

If you found yourself taking it seriously again, please repeat steps 1 through 6.

(Source: ABC The One)

Ok, now in all seriousness… This was once more an appearance of the fabulous Cailtin Evanson as her alter-ego, Eunice.

Caitlin is best known for her fiddle playing skills alongside the other members of Taylor Swift’s band, The Agency. A vital part of the Fearless Tour, set to resume on 2010, Caitlin has a co-starring role as Taylor’s opponent during the drum battle scene in the closing number, You Should’ve Said No.

The fiery performer has her own website at www.caitlinevanson.com. You can also follow her on Twitter as @caitlinbird.

Caitlin has also launched her own career as a solo performer with her own debut album, Caitlin Evanson. The album is available through iTunes. You can click on the link below to get to her artist page (US version):

You can also visit her Agency Profile.

(Sources: www.youtube.com/user/caitiinbird, www.caitlinevanson.com, YouTube, Twitter iTunes, MichelleTheAries)

Playing at the Main Street Public House last Friday was the band The Minivans, who I’ve had the pleasure of seeing many times. The Minivans are a band whose music swings, rocks 60’s style, and brings on the heartache just like a good country inspired band should. As they say, “It ain’t over till someone’s crying in their beer.” Okay, I don’t know if people actually say that, but they should. You know a band has skill when they can evoke sadness in an audience, as The Minivans can. Don’t worry though folks, they won’t leave you sad. Next song you’ll be dancing to a genial swing tune, guaranteed.

The Minivans are Jim Krewson on bass and vocals, Seth Travins on guitar and vocals, sisters Kiki and Melissa Dufault (Kiki on guitar and vocals, Melissa on vocals), Pete Adams on steel guitar, Lukas Schwartz on fiddle, and Rick Leab on drums. The band has a charming, slightly rustic and rough around the edges kind of sound that makes them an authentic country delight. Jim and Kiki sang a number of songs in harmony on Friday and their vocals were gloriously heartachy and heartbreaking at times. Their duets are always extremely haunting and send shivers down my spine… There’s something majestic about steel guitar and Pete’s paying was magnificent, the sounds cascading over the audience in undulated glory. On the electric spectrum of guitar Seth had some hot solos, while Lukas’ playing was filled with energy and spark throughout the evening.

The Minvans always play a wide range of songs. Two-steps, swing dance numbers, occasionally a polka or two… They also play a couple of covers that they make their own, such as Elvis’ “Wearin’ That Loved-On Look.” One of my favorites, though, is a Minivans original: their self-titled theme song. It’s a song you just have to hear for yourself to understand how great it is. Towards the end of the night the band played a truly exquisite waltz, and it brought up feelings of unexpected nostalgia in me because of its sweetness and beauty.

The Minivans’ transport listeners. Each song is a story, which they tell with energy and refreshing truth. That’s exactly what their music is, refreshingly honest. The band’s music has a little bit of everything, and when listening one feels complete. All was right and perfect in the world, at least for me, during the three hours I enjoyed listening and dancing to The Minivans.

*You can catch The Minivans at the Brick House Pub in Housatonic, MA on December 12 at 9pm.

Blackwater River. Photo by Jim Clark.

I was born in Upshur County, West Virginia, an area where mountaintop removal and strip mining are an unfortunate way of life. I learned that even if the coal companies put the land back to something resembling its orginal contour, and planted it with trees and grass, the damage could not be undone. Where beautiful brook and rainbow trout once thrived, many watersheds are permanently ruined, creating acidic streams no longer capable of supporting fish or people. The acid main drainage will go on and on–long after the coal, the fish, and the people are gone. Other problems follow the coal industry as well, such as pollution, flooding, and the erosion of long-standing social communities.

Coal Country Music is a compilation CD produced by Andy Mahler and Jason Wilber for Heartwood®. Coal Country Music is a companion to the film Coal Country, which documents the devastation wrought by mountaintop removal and the cycle of coal mining and combustion. 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of the CD go to the Alliance for Appalachia to help stop mountaintop removal.

This collection is a real gem. It runs the gamut from heart-wrenching folk songs to ancient gospel and indie rock. From the opening number by Ralph Stanley to the final chorus by Willie Nelson, you will hear the likes of Gillan Welch, John Prine, Justin Townes Earle, Natalie Merchant, Jean Ritchie, and the Klezmatics–19 songs in all, and all for a good cause. Coal Country may be previewed and purchased on Amazon com. Here is a trailer for the movie.

WATCH: Coal Country

“Mountaintop removal is the most devastating peacetime activity in human history — in fact, if the destruction to our nation’s natural and
cultural heritage were being perpetrated by a foreign power, it would be considered an act of war — because in a very real sense, it is — it
is a war against the Earth. Every week, mountaintop removal coal mining detonates more explosive force on the land and the communities
of Appalachia than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, to extract the coal that is warming the planet and poisoning the water, air and land.
We should all be dedicated to ending this unsustainable, and ultimately suicidal practice. And to promoting renewable energy alternatives and the green jobs they will create.” – Woody Harrelson

Ok, so it wasn’t too frightful…but it was snowy and cold!!!! And it’s been more than a week since I’ve written, I know…but…that’s life.

And I was inside. Sick. More on that later. Let’s get down to it, shall we?

The Work Week:

Mmm, not a whole lot to report. I DID get my H1N1 vaccine though!!! I was so excited!!!! No flu for MEEEEEE!! Now I just have to get the regular flu shot and I’ll be set.

Thanksgiving was a blur, not enough time off!! Then last week…nothing to report really. It was work. So we’ll move on.

The Workout Week:

Well…I kind of sort of not really re-started P90X.

Kinda.

I managed to remember to bring it down with me after Thanksgiving. I did 2 days of it, then got a head cold of sorts. I’m thinking I’m going to do bits and pieces of it. It’s a very intense program, and I need to build back up to that level.

I also need to get back to training for a real race!!!! AND I want to do a few tri’s in the spring…and HOPEFULLY I’ve talked a few people in to doing them with me! *looks at her people* YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!!!!!

Also this week…I changed my first bike tire!!!

*bows*

Yes, yes, SO PROUD!!!

Well, I changed the tube. I’d never changed a tire on ANYTHING so this was an accomplishment for me!

First, I had to get the wheel OFF the bike…that wasn’t too bad.

Changing the bike tire.

Then…taking out the old tube and replacing it with the new one.

Ok...I can do this...

All in all, it wasn’t that bad. In fact, it was a heck of a lot easier than replacing strings on a string instrument….we’ll get to that in a bit. That involved puncture wounds. Not ok. *shakes head*

Tomorrow I’m hoping to get some yoga in, and later this week a run or two before the Jingle Bell 5K on Saturday.

Then on the 19th there’s ANOTHER 5K so I’ll get my 9 races in 09!!!! WHOOO!!!! Speaking of which, I need to update the Race Rollcall page.

Moving on…

The Knitting Week:

Not a lot happened over break. I looked at my projects. I glared at my projects. But I didn’t really do much on them.

I did re-start the gray scarf for Aunt Cynthia….I got mad at it.

Evil Scarf....

The old one is on the straight needle. I can’t do straight needles anymore, especially when purling!!! I wanted to rip my fingers off every time. So…I’m switching to Addi’s and doing a straight knit. It’ll go faster, because let’s face it, Christmas is COMING!!!

Then Aunt Sarah’s hat is coming along nicely. I don’t think I’m doing the decreases exactly right…because my number ended up a little off….but…I’m just going with it. It’ll be a beret, and she’ll like it no matter what.

It's almost done!!

Other than that…I worked a little on Aunt Connie’s socks…toe up for the first time. On DPN’s. Not so sure how that’s gonna go…

Now it’s time for this week’s….

Favorite:

I’m going to have to go with a good, wet, sticking SNOW. Just like the one we got this week!

Mmmm snow!

Big, fat, HUGE flakes. The kind that’s PERFECT for making snow men. The kind that’s great for sledding…the kind that gets you out of school. Mmm, snow.

I didn’t get to go sledding, or make snow men, but I did spend the day watching it snow from the coffee shop window with the BFF. We had a good time even though we didn’t play outside much!

Other Junk:

Well, over Thanksgiving I did get to see my best friend and new new baby boy. I took them out for her birthday lunch so that was nice.

During the week I did manage to get some work done in my house. I hung up some pictures finally!

Yeah, they are cheap frames from Walmart...but hey, for thirteen bucks...I'll take it!

Then I spent some time this weekend with Carly and Calypso…

Mom, I don't trust you...

And, upon coming home to see Tracy Friday night…I found this.

What's in that case???

FIDDLE!!!!!!!!

Yeah. I nearly screamed. He traded his guitar in to buy me a fiddle. I am still in shock.

So the fiddle caused me to also want my dulcimer. So that meant a trip to the music store to get strings since one was broken…and of course since we were at the music store, I had to buy a fiddle book!!! And some picks. And a mute for the fiddle (Which I cannot for the LIFE of me figure out how to put on…any suggestions?!?!) and other randomness.

Remember how I said changing a bike tire is easier than changing strings?

Yeah.

So I brought the dulcimer and fiddle home….much to the cat’s dismay…

Tomorrow, there WILL be a hairball on this, you do understand that, yes?

And I replaced the one broken string on the dulcimer.

And while tuning it…I broke another.

Good thing I bought a pack of strings at the store!!!

Now all the strings are replaced, and I’m working on remembering how to play. So far I can play a mean “Hot Cross Buns” and a pathetic first line of “O Little Town of Bethlehem”…

I haven’t done much on the fiddle yet. I can make it make a noise that doesn’t send animals and small children in to tears. That, I think, is progress.

That and my request for lessons from a local music school.

So now we shall close with our

Stellar Snowy Shoutout:

This week’s shoutout goes to Miss Chrissy….who has expressed a mild interest in doing a triathlon and I am using this shoutout as a shamless attempt to twist her arm in to joining me in April and doing a tri!!!

Chrissy you do NOT need someone there kicking your butt to do it. YOU can kick your own butt. I will be your online support system…but YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

DO IT!!!!!!!!!

Ok, have a great day/holiday/week/whatever everyone!!!!!!!!

Click on the pictures above to enlarge

Band: The Jubilaires
Year: 1956
Home: Chatham Ontario
Genre: Country
Formed: 1956

Members (L-R)
Lionel Richie – Drums
Oscar Demers – Rhythm guitar
Roland Lozon – Fiddle
Oscar Benoit – Lead guitar.

Circa: 1956 – 1961

  The Jubilaires have a long history that lasted through many decades.

 The original line-up was an instrumental group that put on their own dances in order to perform live.
They rented an old hall, which was originally for hay storage on the second floor of a horse stable in Pain Court, next to the Dover Hotel. Posters were made, a bouncer was hired and a refreshment booth was set up. When the “Bunny Hop” was played, the floor would bounce and it was concern for the band that the crowd would go through the floor. Lots of dust would fly up at each hop. There were no chairs and tables, just a board along the side walls.

  For the very first dance, the boys cleaned the hall on Wednesday, decorated it on Thursday, played it on Friday night, and cleaned it up on Saturday. They took the profit of $18 and split it 6 ways. These go getters put on a dance every Friday from June 30th to November 30, 1956. 
 
Sam Lozon did join the band as the singer and guitarist circa 1957 and decided to retire from music.

 During performances, the band would usually spot two female singers. Doreen Lecuyer and Louella Demers (Oscar’s sister)

In 1960, The Myers Brothers joined the band resulting in a name change to “Myers Brothers and the Jubilaires (The)”.  After that long run, they became known as the Jubilaires II, followed by a brief and final line-up called “Front Page News”.

By: S Beaulieu and R. Lozon

 ________________

Lately, I’ve had my Carolina Chocolate Drops CD playing in the car wherever I go. Since this excellent banjo/fiddle combo has been on my mind, I thought it must be time to post some samples here. I have posted their music before, back on the old blog, so some of you may have heard them there. They play traditional music of a style I guess you might call African-American stringband music. They’ve been playing together since 2005 and feature Rhiannon Giddens, Dom Flemons, and Justin Robinson.

Here’s an excellent piece about the group from Steve Kimbrell and Michigan Television • WFUM TV-28

Here they are playing with their mentor, Joe Thompson playing John Henry.

Here’s Sourwood Mountain.

And one more that everyone knows…Salty Dog

Here is another Original Vi Wickam Hornpipe. I’m not sure where I came up with the name, but I had fun with it.

I remember calling all of my fiddler friends to make sure that I wasn’t just “making up” a tune that I had heard someone else play.

I have also posted the sheet music to this original tune on my website: 

http://www.wickam.net/media/Cornstalk-Hornpipe-Vi-Wickam.pdf

Musician Speedy Tolliver with the Gibson Brothers. Photo by Maureen Staples

Ninety-two-year-old Speedy Tolliver, Washington’s musical treasure, received the first Virginia Heritage Award in October and was named a Master of Traditional Arts. Arlington County, Virginia has also named their annual fiddle and banjo contest after him.

Speedy is pictured here with bluegrass music artists, The Gibson Brothers, at the DC Bluegrass Union Fall Concert.  Notice that all three musicians are wearing pins designed by Busy Beaver Button Company.  The pins depict the cover art of the Gibson Brothers latest Compass Records CD, Ring the Bell. 

<<Back to Busy Beaver Button Co.

Fiddlin’ away at Chicago’s famous

jazz cocktail lounge, The Green Mill,

is Ollie O’SheaOllie performing his own tune

"honky tonk fever"

with John Rice. 

F Y I — Click on pix  . . . you MAY go places!

This is my first youtube video post. It’s a fiddle tune I wrote called C-Shell Hornpipe.

It’s in the key of C – hence the name.  The second part is in the key of A minor.

You Unix Geeks out there might also catch additional nerd humor in the name. Notice, it isn’t the Korn Shell, or the Bourne Shell, or even the Bourne Again Shell.

I hope you enjoy it:

Thanksgiving Eve  (Wed., Nov. 25, 2009)

5:00 – 7:00 pm – Ollie O’Shea Solo!Green Mill

4802 N. Broadway/ Chicago/773-878-5552

Ollie O’Shea is well educated in the field of American country music. He has been playing guitar and singing most of his life and has worked with some of the best country musicians Nashville  has to offer.

Ollie has been recently signed as a songwriter to “Good Bit Music,” a publishing company owned by one of Nashville’s most successful songwriters, Jim Lauderdale. Ollie has played fiddle with such artists as Hank Williams III, Garry Allan, George Ducas, Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale.

Email: ollie@ollieoshea.com

Ollie center stage!

Ollie’s latest CD!

Hotel cleaner with you doing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ungjK-ePRfs&hl=en

Tomorrow I will be….headin south….home. I can’t wait.

So yeah, kind of late….or early depending on how you look at it! But let’s get started!

The Work Week:

Well I spent the weekend in bed last week….trying to get better, and it worked!!!!!!!!! I made it through a whole week of work without getting too terribly sick!!!!!

This week is a TWO DAY WEEK so I am PUMPED!!!!! Tomorrow is our last day…so I can’t wait. I’m also being that really horrible awful mean teacher who gives a QUIZ the day before break.

MUAHHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!

Also, I may or may not have made all the True/False questions all one or the other.

Yeah. That’s how I roll.

But enough school-talk! On to better things!!

The Workout Week:

I RAN!!!!!!!!! I DID I DID I DID!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ran last Tuesday with my neighbor downstairs so that was awesome. I think I may have talked her in to running a half in the spring! Super excited about that.

Then I ran Saturday about 2 or 3 miles. It was a REALLY good run, I wanted to do more, but I’m still worried about pushing it. Plus my ankle was kind of acting up.

Sadly, now for some bizzare reason, my hip is KILLING me. Left hip, right at hip level, toward the outer side, almost rear area. It’s one very specific spot. It’s not bruised…it doesn’t hurt if I push on it, but the more I walk, the more it hurts. Just started today/yesterday.

Sperly? Any thoughts? IT band???

So…I want to do a Thanksgiving race here but we’ll see. Maybe Carly and I will walk it with her family. We’ll see.

But moving on…

The Knitting Week:

Got a lot done on my aunt’s hat. I should have it done this weekend! Didn’t really work on much else. I have packed several projects to take home tomorrow though! The plan for the week off is to maximize ME stuff and minimize work stuff!!! WHOOO!!!!!!

And now it’s time for this week’s

Favorite:

Mmmm what to choose….so hard….

I think, in honor of the special weekend it was for me, I’ll pick my favorite song. The title of this week’s blog is actually from that song.

The song is Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show.

<3

I love that band, and that song so very much. So take a listen!

I know it’s not for everyone, but for me…I can’t get enough. I want to learn to play it….which leads me to…

Other Junk:

SO much junk this week!!!!

First, this weekend was my one year anniversary with Tracy and Wagon Wheel is “our song” so….yay for that. It’s been one awesome year and I can’t wait for more.

So this weekend I made one of my very favorite dishes, Chicken Tetrazzini. Mmmmmmm.

So good!

See? Doesn’t it look AMAZING?!?! It is. I promise. And if you want the recipe, I’ll share.

I also baked cookies, put up the Christmas tree, the Christmas lights, cleaned, started packing, and oh yeah, BROKE MY WASHING MACHINE!!!!!

Ok, well…I didn’t do it, persay, it broke it’s self. It has always been loud on the spin cycle, and normally I have to go adjust the load distribution…and when I went to do it this time…it got worse and I definetly heard something metal fall off the back.

So Sears needs to come deal with this because I’ve only had it since August and they never properly installed my dryer either…ugh.

In other news, after cleaning…I decided it would be a good idea to dress up the dog.

And yes, Sperl, I was SO thinking of you when I took this picture.

It's Uri Potter!!!

I’m proud.

Not much else to talk about, just SUPER excited to be going home. I am trying to finish packing tonight so I can sprint out of town tomorrow. I’m leaving the cat here, because it’s only 5 days and he’s pretty self sufficent.

However, he doesn’t like it when I leave…so when I was setting out excessive amounts of food and water tonight…I got this look….

Ok, either you're leaving me, or fattening me up for Thanksgiving. Either way, EVIL!!!

I’m pretty sure by morning he will have manifested some sort of evil in or on something I love.

Oh, almost forgot! Dear OldCrowFans….your website hates me and won’t let me register. Please resolve before I get cranky.

I need to get on that site so I can ask all my 5 million questions about learning to fiddle. I’m on a mission. I want a fiddle, and I want one now.

I also want a voice recorder. Dang. I gotta call mom for the Christmas Wish List.

Anyway.

Shoutout:

This week I’ve got to say hey to Miss Kris and her brand new baby, Lyla!!!!!!! LOVE YOU BOTH and CONGRATS Jason and Kris!!!!!!!!! She’s adorable!!!

See everyone in a week!!!!!

AUSTRALIA’S cricket stars are in danger of being upstaged by a bunch of hopeful no-names…. From The Australian. Full story

This site may contain information about: primary education. For a different topic see las vegas crowd levels. The blog is also related to: educators.

[CD des Monats November 2009]

Altan ist für mich schon seit langem eine der wichtigsten Gruppen des Irish Folk. Die zentrale Figur der Formation ist die Sängerin und Geigerin Mairéad Ni Mhaonaigh. Ihre Stimme verzaubert, und man glaubt sich bei den in gälischer Sprache vorgetragenen Songs (auf dieser CD sind es fünf,  die anderen Titel sind Instrumentalstücke) in eine Welt der Märchen und Mythen versetzt.

Ich habe Altan vor einigen Jahren bei einem Auftritt in Solingen erlebt, und die Gruppe hat – auch – dort bewiesen, dass sie ihr Publikum fesseln kann und dass ihre Mitglieder ihre Instrumente virtuos beherrschen. Abgesehen vom hinreißenden Gesang  Mairéad Ni Mhaonaighs hat mich das Spiel von Dermot Byrne auf dem Melodeon besonders begeistert. Dessen Fingerfertigkeit auf diesem zur Akkordeon-Familie gehörenden Instrument war für mich als Gelegenheitsspielerin auf dem diatonischen Akkordeon sehr beeindruckend.

Die hier vorgestellte CD Blackwater stammt aus dem Jahr 1996 und enthält 12 Titel.

Tracks: 01 Johnny Boyle/King of the pipers / 02 Dark Haired Lass/Biddy from Muckross/Sean Maguire’s / 03 Stór, A Stór, A Ghrá / 04 Strathspey/Con McGinley’s/The Newfoundland / 05 Tá Mé Mo Shui / 06 An Gasúr Mór/Bunker Hill/Dogs Among the Bushes / 07 Molly Na gCuach Ni Chuilleanáin / 08 Farewell to Leitrim/Jenny Picking, Cockles/John Doherty’s / 09 Ar Bhruach Na Carraige Báine / 10 The Dance of the Honeybees / 11 Blackwaterside / 12 A Tune for Frankie

Auf Youtube habe ich nur wenige Videos mit Songs gefunden, die sich auf dem vorgestellten Album befinden. Aber das hübsche Stück “Stór, A Stór, A Ghrá” war dabei.

I’m not good at second fiddle
I have to be out in front
I’m not the kind who fakes it
I never learned to punt

I’m not that good at second string
I have to lead the way
I don’t know how to follow you
I never learned to play

So hold my hand as steadily
As you rosin up the bow
Teach me how to pluck the strings
That’s all I need to know

For when I sit and think about
The darkness of the night
The quiet times between the songs
My eyes don’t have the sight

For I never learned to see through pain
I haven’t got the knack
But shattered souls are gifts from God
‘Cos light shines through the cracks

No, I can’t stand for second fiddle
I have to sing the lead
So pick a song you silly one
And try some harmony

For you will be much happier
If I win this one for now
You can show me what to play
And I can show you how

The next folk club will be in the MacRobert Hall and will start at 7.30 PM.

The guest artists are-

Doris Rougvie – Scots Song

Paul Anderson – Scots Fiddle

Jim Stevenson – Bagpipes

Sandy Stronach – Compere.

You are now ready to learn to play the fiddle.  Sadly, being ready to learn to play the fiddle is not enough.  You must arm yourself with information and motivation to take the next step.  You must be prepared to select an instrument, identify the parts of that instrument, find a teacher or method of learning, and set aside adequate time for study and practice.

Selecting your instrument is the first step as you learn to play the fiddle.  The choices are many, and the wise consumer does his/her homework before making a choice.  Are you going to buy a new or used fiddle?  How much are you willing to pay?  Are you going to buy a beginners model fiddle and upgrade as you get more proficient, or are you going to make the larger investment up front?

Fiddles can vary in cost from $100.00 for a beginner’s model to multiple tens of thousands of dollars for a vintage violin.  Most fiddles are made by hand, but various components of them may be mass produced.  Obviously, the more time the artist puts into the fiddle, the more it will cost.

You may notice we use the terms fiddle and violin interchangeably.  That is because there is no difference between a fiddle and a violin.  The only difference is in the genre of music played on them.  An artist who plays classical music may be referred to as a violinist, while the one involved in folk music is called a fiddle player.

You should be readily able to identify all of the parts of your fiddle.  The scroll, tuning pegs, neck, strings, fine tuning pegs, and body are all individually identifiable.  Recognizing these parts, and speaking of them with a degree of intelligence and knowledge, will help you in purchasing your fiddle.

What type of learner are you?  Are you a highly motivated self learner?  Do you like to learn at your own pace?  If the answer to these last two questions is yes, then a nontraditional style of learning may be for you.  There are many Internet sites dedicated to teaching you to learn to play the fiddle.  There is online video instruction, as well as classes in music theory.  One distinct advantage to online training is being able to listen to many instructors and teaching styles.  You’ll also be able to hear examples of songs in the genres in which you are most interested.

A more traditional approach to learn to play the fiddle is hiring a teacher/ instructor.  It is recommended that you interview several people for this position.  You are hopefully developing a long-term relationship and care must be taken as you enter it.

A major hurdle to clear as you learn to play the fiddle is establishing a routine of practice and study.  This is probably the most critical component to your success.  You must be willing to commit ½ hour to 2 hours each day for five days a week in order to be successful.

You now have basic understanding of how to select a fiddle, identify its parts, hire a teacher, and set aside a time for study and practice.  You are well on your way to learn to play the fiddle.

i’ll be the only book you’ll ever finish reading

and you’ll be the only key that fits in my lock.

i’ll be every color you’ll ever see

and you’ll be the fiddle i play

while we dance around the kitchen.

you’ll be every line of poetry i have ever tried to write

and i’ll be the only piece of music you’ll ever know the words to.

you’ll be the only paint brush i’ll ever dip

and i’ll be the only art you ever contemplate

and we will melt together

and be a puddle

on a hot dirt road

in the middle of nowhere .