Session 1: Texas Fiddle Foundations contains 12 (30-day) lessons that are the foundation of my fiddling philosophy. Whether you’re starting from scratch, haven’t played in years, and want to pick it up again, your want to level up, or if you play classical and want to bridge over to fiddling — 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, the tunes can be used as your core repertoire, or vehicles to learn the new technique. Each tune is carefully crafted to teach fiddlers how to 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. Since the tunes are in sequential order, Session 2 begins with three intermediate lessons covering The Integrated Bow Arm, Left-Hand Essentials, and Music Theory. Then the level jumps up to Intermediate II (or advanced intermediate) with 9 Texas Style Contest tunes. Session 2 delves further into bowing and left-hand technique, practice method, performance tips, variations, and how to take your playing to the next level. The 12 lessons are designed to take roughly 12-15 months to work through. 

Session 3: The Advancing Fiddler (COMING DECEMBER 27th) will follow the sequential path. We can’t tell you too much before it’s released, but what we can tell you is that it will include shifting, vibrato, trick fiddling, and so much more. This Session will include 5-10 part Texas Style fiddle tunes for advanced fiddlers. There will be 12 lessons and we’ll be releasing one lesson on the last Monday of every month. 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, however, 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 learning 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, 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… 12 more coming in 2020.

Fiddle School is designed to get the inspired fiddler started. It’s never too late to start, we can also help you get a great fiddle. 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

There is an additional cost for private lessons and progress reports. To sign up for a private lesson, click on the lessons link and you will be guided through the process of how to pay and schedule your lesson time. 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!