What is the best age to start? There is an exact and definite best age to begin playing the fiddle and if you don't start then you're doomed. I'm kidding. The tune for this week is Horses in the Canebreak. Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube and Bandcamp. Here are…

People play the fiddle for all kinds of reasons, and as a fiddler and fiddle teacher they often tell me all about it. I talk about some of the variety of reasons I've heard from adult fiddlers for why they're voluntarily choosing to take up this rewarding and challenging new hobby! Our Tune this week is a funky Sally in the Garden I got from Marion…

Busking is playing in the street for money. I've done it. In fact, I've done in New York City in the subway! A few thoughts on busking, and some busking stories. Fun tune this week, Old Aunt Jenny With Her Night Cap On. Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube and Band…

Recently I tried to play jazz. It got me thinking about jazz, so I share some thoughts about playing jazz as a violinist, how I approach it, what it's like, how I practice, and how I take a solo. The tune is Ed Weaver's Cluck Old Hen. In the words of my friend Shane, it's a "nice, meditative tune". Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen a…

Have you thought about playing the mandolin? You could do worse. Welcome back to our regularly scheduled episodes, featuring a bunch of Old-Time tunes for the rest of June and July. We get caught up and talk about the mandolin. You may already know this, but the mandolin is tuned the same as a fiddle. Interesting! This week the tune is Shippensport…

Starting summer vacation this week so I'm replaying an episode I recorded in December of 2022 about double stops and drones. I'll be back next week with Old-Time tunes. My course for double stops and drones can be found here. This episode covers how Megan helps her students learn to play double stops and drones and presents a setting of Tail Toddle…

This week I have a conversation with Irish fiddler Ellery Klein. Ellery Klein performs across New England with the fiddle, flute, and guitar trio Fódhla and nationally with the three-fiddle Celtic powerhouse group, The Bow Tides, whose debut album, Sailing On, was released in 2022. She also teaches fiddle to all ages in the Boston area and beyond. …

Let's talk about playing harmonies on the fiddle. How can you get started with learning and playing harmonies and how do you get better at coming up with them on the fly? Our tune this week is the Irish single reel in D, Stoney Steps. Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on Y…

Andrew VanNorstrand performs with his brother Noah VanNorstrand and Chris Miller in the Faux Paws, a contemporary folk band that plays fiddle tunes and original songs with just about the best groove around. The Faux Paws are making an album and you can get involved and find out more here. The time window is closing soon! Andrew grew up playing fidd…

If you're a reader and a fiddler, here are some recommendations for books from children's books to YA and general fiction that feature fiddlers and fiddling. Some of these books have even been known to inspire folks to pick up the fiddle! Kids books: Mole music Just Enough and Not Too Much Fiddling Sam Nina’s Waltz A Fiddle for Angus YA or chapter …

We talk about the personalities of the different major and minor keys. What makes C sound so different from A on the fiddle? Why do players try out a tune in different keys, and how do the keys lay out on the instrument? Our tune is the Irish E minor reel Maid of Mt. Kisco. Love this one! Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen and subscri…

This is my second conversation with Rachel Eddy, since I forgot to record the first one! We talk about finding flow in fiddling, learning tunes off recordings (or not), remembering tunes, singing, some great stories about Rachel's dad and his fiddle journey, and some ideas for fiddle students to help relax and get balanced while playing. Rachel Edd…

We're talking about tapes on the fiddle, or stickers, or fingerboard stick on charts, or whatever you're curious about. Did you use tapes when you started? What are they useful for and how long does it make sense to use them? Our tune is Broken Down Gambler, an Old-Time reel in G. Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen and subscribe on Ap…

When I talk about articulation I'm referring to the beginning of the note, or the attack, and how long the note is generally. Articulation, or catching the string, or getting a "scrubby" sound, has a huge effect on your sound. Our tune is Dusty Miller, an Old-Time modal reel in A. Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen and subscribe on Ap…

Have you wondered what it's like to compete in a fiddle competition? So have I. So I signed up for one and we'll see how it goes. I talk a little about how I'm planning to prepare. Our tune for this week is Old Billy Hell, a half length crooked Old-Time tune. Our album release party contra dance will be May 30th at 7pm in Baltimore at the Mobtown B…

A repeat this week, as my family is on spring break. This very early episode has been pretty popular, and has a lovely slip jig for the Irish fiddlers. It's never a bad time to break out the old metronome. I'll be back with Old-Time tunes for you next week! -Meg This episode features the fiddle tune House of My Own and describes working with the me…

This week we have an interview with Tricia Spencer! Tricia is a well known, award winning Kansas fiddler who grew up on her family’s farm learning the tradition of old-time fiddling knee to knee from her grandpa and grandma, Vernon and Iona Spencer. Tricia takes us on a deep dive into Kansas and midwest fiddling, how she thinks about the left hand …

Have you ever been uncomfortable saying the name of a fiddle tune? How about tunes with slurs in the title or the Irish tune I Buried My Wife and Danced on her Grave? Without using racial slurs, I discuss problematic fiddle tune names, how I think about them and approach them. Find the Contranella album here: https://megwobus.bandcamp.com/album/con…

This week we talk about where the fiddle neck meets the hand. Different ways to grip the neck of the fiddle and how it can change- even while you're in the middle of playing! Our tune is Madam if You Please from a jam at the ArtHouse Bar. Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me …

Hear all about playing and performing on the 5 string fiddle with a bonus question from last week with Jenna Moynihan. Hear about Jenna's fiddle and how she uses it! Jenna's Interview: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2040333/14620847 John Blessing's Delight is an Irish jig in G major. Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen and subscribe on App…

An interview with Jenna Moynihan, a fiddler and an extraordinary member of the Boston music community. Jenna performs with harpist Mairi Chaimbeul, the Seamus Egan Project, the Hanneke Cassel Band, and has appeared as a soloist at Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops. In addition to touring, recording and teaching at fiddle camps, Jenna is also an As…

Let's talk about the different kinds of fiddling you find around the US and Canada. I share what I know about the genres more closely related to dancing and dance music, and a little about fiddling along with songs. Our tune for today is a version of Billy in the Lowground in the key of A, played in either Calico (AEAC#) or Cross A (AEAE) tuning. I…

What?! Stop playing the fiddle? Why would I ever do a podcast on that topic, and who am I to tell anyone what they should do or not do? Our tune for today is Chinquapin Hunting, a three part tune in A, played in cross A tuning. (I originally put the wrong tune up- even I can't keep these Old-Time tunes straight- but it should be Chinquapin Hunting …

Listen in to hear how you can supercharge your practicing, or at least give it a refresh. This is the last podcast devoted to a topic from my new course How to Play Faster, which is available now on Fiddle Studio! A quick addendum to the description of mindful practice: I somehow blanked on the best use of slow, mindful practice: improving your tun…

Janie Rothfield is a powerhouse Old-Time fiddler and banjo player who performs and teaches at camps and weekends all over the country and the world! Janie shares what she thinks is important for fiddlers to learn and work on. Is it the fingering or the bowing? Hear all about Janie's Jumpstart camps and about her current projects. The tune today is …

Any time you mess with the left hand technique it's going to interfere with your playing. With this in mind how are some ways you can work on unlocking your hand gradually, or consider what's it like to drop everything and completely relearn the left hand. I made a mistake with the tune. I call it Fred Finn's in the podcast. That is a different ree…

Slow practice and rhythms are two different ways to practice and make your playing faster. But how does slowing down help? And how is that different from practicing with rhythmic variations? Our tune for today is Ne'er Shall I Wean Her, a jig from a session at the ArtHouse bar in Baltimore, Maryland. Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen…

How to create speed by taking the thinking out of the left hand. My current favorite exercise for beginning and intermediate players. The tune for today is Tommy Mulhaire's, a jig by Tommy Mulhaire (or maybe by Martin his son). Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen and subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, or Buzzsprout. Find me on YouTube …

When I play out in the community and see folks who are still learning to play the fiddle, what is the biggest mistake I see them doing? Listen and find out! The tune today is The Birds, from a session with Brendan Hearn, Connor Hearn, and Dan Isaacson at the ArtHouse in Baltimore. Email me at meganbeller@fiddlestudio.com. Listen and subscribe on Ap…

An interview with fiddler and clawhammer banjo player Brad Kolodner. We talk a lot about the banjo, but Brad does more than just banjo. Topics include growing up as the children of folk musicians, the commercialization of Old-Time music, and the lack of women on bills at Old-Time Festivals. Hear all about Brad's upcoming projects, links below. Feat…

FIRST AIRED ON JANUARY 10th 2023 (BEST OF) Let's talk about how to improve your tuning on the fiddle. If you're struggling with this, you're not alone! We'll explore three key elements in tuning your hand on the fiddle; where your hand is on the fingerboard, finger spacing and placement, and the art of micro-adjustments. This episode presents a set…

What is it that makes fiddling sound like dance music? Why does it sound so different when you hear a classical violinist play a fiddle tune, what's missing? We're talking about the variety of accents, volume, and quality of tone within the running notes of a fiddle tune. It's what makes the music sound like fiddling! We present a setting of the Fr…

How does jamming help with your fiddle playing and how does practicing help your fiddle playing. We dive into this topic, exploring how each can help you improve on the fiddle and when one might be a little more useful to meet a specific playing goal. Our tune this week is called Sleeping on the Floor, from the French Canadian song Ma Pallaissse by…

This week we hear from New England fiddler Lissa Schneckenburger. Lissa has been performing and recording New England fiddle and folk music for the past 20 years. Her fiddling is one of a kind, intensely danceable, with virtuosic technique and fluidity. She shares what it was like to fiddle as a kid, traveling to fiddle contests in Maine, her exper…

The bow hair can be flat. The bow can tilt away from you. The bow can tilt towards you. How does tilting the bow affect your tone and why and how do different players in different genres use this technique? The tune today is Half Past Four, a tune played by blind fiddler Ed Haley from West Virginia. This setting is from the Baltimore Old-Time Jam. …

Harmonies are a great addition to fiddle tunes, in most cases, and with some exceptions and guidelines. Get the lowdown on when it's appropriate and welcome to harmonize, a little about why you might not want to harmonize in an Irish Jam, and how to get started learning and creating your own harmonies. Our tune is a setting of Boys Them Buzzards ar…

Does playing faster make it better? As a fiddle teacher, I've got a lot to say about this. It's pretty common for intermediate students to play faster just because they can, but I'm here to suggest a better way. Our tune is a setting of Gilsaw, a tune collected from Pete McMahon as played at the Baltimore Old Time Jam. Email me at meganbeller@fiddl…

Casey Murray is a cellist who fiddles on the cello! They also play fiddle, banjo, guitar, and mandolin. They teach and perform in the Boston area with the band Corner House, play contra dances, and collaborate with a wide range of folk and trad musicians. Hear how the cello, an unusual instrument in folk music, became Casey's voice and passion and …

Cross Tuning is changing the tuning of the strings of the fiddle from the traditional G-D-A-E to better match the key of the tune. It's mostly used in Old-Time music. We talk about different ways to cross tune, why it's done, and how it feels to play in a different tuning. It's not as hard as it sounds! We present a setting of All's Quiet from Meg'…

Let's talk about playing by ear. How to start learning it, how to get better at it, and what the challenges are. Playing by ear is an integral part of fiddling in all folk traditions. For some it comes naturally, but others of us have the learn to do it from scratch. We also present a setting of Heater Don't Stop from Meg's new album Broke the Floo…

In this episode we cover how and why we put sets of fiddle tunes together, both for contrdances, and in Irish sessions. How do fiddlers decide what tunes, what order, and how to string them together? We also present a setting of Charley's Waltz from Meg's new album Broke the Floor. Find the album here: megwobus.bandcamp.com. Email me at meganbeller…

Is it better to sit or stand to play the fiddle? Sure, we know that in the end you should do whatever works for you, but there must be a reason classical violinists always stand to play except in orchestra. But fiddlers always seem to be sitting unless they are performing. What's the deal? We present a setting of On the Loose from Megs's new album …

Discover the captivating journey of Irish fiddler Joanna Clare, from her first toe-dip into the world of music through the Suzuki Method to the high-stakes sphere of traditional Irish music competitions. Hear about Joanna's years of lesson with legendary teacher Brian Conway and how it shaped her approach to the fiddle. Joanna also fills us in on h…

Step into our shoes as we guide you along creating an album as independent musicians. Brace yourself for a fascinating dive into the artistic process, engaging in discussions about the significance of selecting music that resonates, arranging that music into a harmonious blend, and maintaining the rhythm with the help of a metronome. We reveal the …

Ever felt the stirring call of the fiddle after a prolonged break, but felt anxious about picking it up again? Today, we're going to hold your hand through this journey. We'll share effective strategies to help you ease back into practice, while tackling the physical and mental challenges that come with it. We'll talk about revisiting old tunes, ex…

This episode discusses what to do about a locked-up right wrist. If your bow arm is stiff and you're not sure why and you don't know how to fix it, get some tips on why a loose, flexible arm can help your tone and the best ways to work on it. We present a setting of Tighe's Rare form the Arthouse Bar in Baltimore Maryland. Email me at meganbeller@f…

Noah VanNorstrand, a fiddler, singer, mandolin player, and percussionist joins us to discuss his unique approach to music and fiddling. Alongside his brother Andrew, Noah spent his childhood homeschooling and playing for contra dances, where he developed a habit for creating his own tunes instead of practicing existing ones. Hear all about Noah's n…

Ever had a fiddle mishap that made you gasp, or laugh out loud? Welcome aboard! This episode delivers a hilarious set of instrument horror stories from the Facebook Fiddlers Association. From snapped bows to fiddles left in hot cars and even those accidentally run over, you'll find yourself either cringing or chuckling at these tales. And yes, your…

The bow is a crucial if under appreciated component of fiddling, and in this special Bow Studio episode, we dive into the whys and hows of bow selection, care, and handling. We'll touch on everything from the nuances of holding rosin, to the significance of tightening and loosening, and even the fascinating materials used in their creation. This ep…

Is speed really a necessity when it comes to playing the fiddle? We're about to challenge your preconceived notions in this comprehensive episode that dives into fast fiddle playing methods. Mastering fast reels isn't an overnight project. By the end of this episode, your perception of speed will be transformed and you'll have tips to play fast, fe…