FIDDLE

Darol Anger’s Bluegrass & Beyond: Fiddle-ology

One of the most influential fiddlers alive, Darol Anger has played and studied Bluegrass music all his life. More than traditional fiddling, a high level of ensemble skills are required for Bluegrass Fiddling.

The Bluegrass & Beyond Fiddle-ology workshop will probably include (but not be limited to)

• Soloing:

- Prepared or improvised solos- Playing and quoting lead melodies- Quoting important historical fiddle solos Uncle Pen
- Harmonizing melodies

• Backup skills:

- Techniques for playing fills

- Generating counterlines harmonies and double-stop textures
- Rhythms, bow shuffles, and the Chop

Also to be included in the Intensive:

- Bowing tricks, tips, and techniques
- Playing fiddle tunes at high speeds and difficult keys
- Intonation exercises
- “problem” areas of the fiddle
- high positions on the neck

• Other issues that might be diminishing our ability to have fun because they are difficult. Folded into the session, we’ll examine tonal concepts, phrasing, rhythm techniques, the Blues melodic environment, look at the Dominant 7th Cycle, and analyze some standard tunes to freshen, polish and possibly ruin them.

Participants can expect to come away with new or improved techniques and insights that will lend to increased understanding, ease, and fun when playing Bluegrass fiddle in either an accompanying or a solo role. Knowledge of these ideas and techniques will greatly increase fiddlers’ musical confidence and spontaneity in a Bluegrass jam or band.

This workshop is perfect for you if you...
can play some fiddle tunes up to speed from memory
have spent some time playing up the neck
have played some double stops
are able to understand notation (not sight reading).

The workshop is open from 5 participants on