ANYONE CAN PLAY FIDDLE

Session 1: Texas Fiddle Foundations contains 12 month-long lessons that are the foundation of my fiddling philosophy. Whether you’re starting from scratch, picking up the fiddle after years away, bridging over to fiddling from classical, or just looking to improve, Session 1 contains all of the how-tos. From technique to musical style, you’ll learn tunes and gain the ability to bring them to any jam session or performance. Depending on your level, you can use the tunes as your core repertoire or as vehicles to learn new techniques. Each tune is carefully crafted to help you internalize good bowings and bowing techniques. After learning the Fiddle School tunes note for note and bow for bow, fiddlers will develop an instinct to bow correctly.

Session 2: How to Reach Your Next Level is designed for the intermediate and advanced intermediate fiddle player. With lessons in sequential order, Session 2 begins with three intermediate lessons covering The Integrated Bow Arm, Left Hand Essentials, and Music Theory. Session 2 moves into advanced intermediate territory with nine Texas-style contest tunes, then delves further into bowing and left-hand technique, practice methods, performance tips, variations, and how to progress at higher levels.

Session 3: The Advancing Fiddler is releasing one new lesson each month in 2022. Its 12 lessons include shifting, vibrato, trick fiddling, and so much more. Crafted to build your skills in sequential order, this Session will include Texas-style fiddle tunes with five to ten additional unique parts each for advanced fiddlers. We, the Fiddle School team, cannot wait to share these new tunes and techniques with you! Stay tuned.

Many of our students are very experienced and have played for years. They wanted to get to the next level. By going back to foundational techniques, even advanced players have improved significantly using Fiddle School Sessions 1 & 2.

• Texas Style Fiddle 
• Western Swing
• Early Jazz Melodies
• Old-Time Texas Fiddle

Fiddle School’s sequential program is friendly to fiddlers of all genres. The Texas-style tunes are nearly all traditional and include Civil War songs, Celtic melodies (played in a Texas style), waltzes, and classic pop songs from the 1930s-50s. Session 2 includes many Western Swing twin and triple fiddle songs, as well as a couple of cowboy crooners. Session 3 will include a whole bunch of surprises within the above genres. What will be different? Staying true to my step-by-step program, I’ll teach lots of variations. Nearly all of the Fiddle School songs are suitable for either a square dance, country dance, or swing dance. All of these tunes are a breakdown, waltz, or tune of choice in the Texas fiddling repertoire.

Every lesson includes two fiddle tunes taught step-by-step and by ear. These tunes correlate to the techniques being presented within the lesson. Tunes are taught in sequential order with Tune Tutor videos and sheet music. The sheet music includes chords (the book includes lyrics), and many of the tunes have harmony parts.

Session 1: Boil the Cabbage, Liza Jane, Oh! Susanna, I Don’t Love Nobody, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Goodbye Liza Jane, Peek-A-Boo Waltz, The Girl I Left Behind Me, Arkansas Traveler, Arkansas Traveler Variation, Red River Valley, Eighth of January, Tennessee Waltz, Redwing, Soldier’s Joy, Corrina, Corrina, Bonaparte’s Retreat, Marie, Golden Slippers, Liberty, Tears on My Pillow, Wind That Shakes the Barley, East Texas Drag, Old Joe Clark, and Pig Ankle Rag.

Session 2: Dixie Hoedown, Streets of Laredo, Turkey in the Straw, Florida Blues, Texas Quick Step, Soppin’ the Gravy, Walk Along John, Red Fox Waltz, Missouri Waltz, I Don’t Love Nobody Variation, Me & My Fiddle, The Plainsman, A & E Waltz, Sally Ann, Lily Dale, Speed the Plow, Blackberry Rag, Milk Cow Blues, Home in San Antone, Kentucky Waltz, Rye Straw, Red Wing Variation, and Black & White Rag.

Session 3: Stay tuned!

Fiddle School is designed to get the inspired fiddler started. It’s never too late to start—and we can also help you get a great fiddle if you need one. Fiddle School is built to develop all of your foundational skills and get you started in the comfort of your own home. We also offer complete beginner webinars several times a year, as well as in person retreats 1-2 times a year. If you’ve never fiddled before, you’ll find a welcoming and safe learning environment in Fiddle School.

There is an additional cost for private lessons and progress reports. To sign up for a private lesson, click here. What is a progress report? You send us a video of you playing one fiddle tune and we send you video feedback. One-on-one feedback will help you reach your goals!