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An Online Academy

A proven method for fiddlers at every level.

Become a Fiddle School Member.

CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL – CUSTOMIZE YOUR PROGRAM – LEARN AT YOUR OWN PACE 

Hi, I’m Katie Glassman. So many people want to learn to fiddle, pick it up again, or improve their playing but don’t know where to start. That’s why I created Fiddle School: to give you a path to musical progress.

Fiddle School is built on supportive community, consistent feedback, and friendly accountability. It’s a place to advance your fiddling step-by-step at your own pace, wherever you are in the learning process. The beloved tunes you’ll learn here will help you feel at home on the fiddle, be confident in jam sessions, and experience the joy of musical growth. Welcome to the jam!

Katie Glassman

  • Over 25 years of teaching experience
  • 6-time National Fiddle Champion
  • 7-time Colorado State Fiddle Champion
  • U.S. and international touring musician
  • Recording artist, singer, and songwriter

“Katie’s content is truly unique and valuable. No instructor I know compares.”

Leslie Osborne

Succeed with 20
minutes per day

It’s never too late
to start

Join a supportive &
vibrant music community

Learn songs
from day one

THE FIDDLE SCHOOL APPROACH

LEARN, LISTEN, BUILD, PLAY

Learn

Develop a solid foundation with guided warm-ups & sequential skill-building videos.

Listen

Educate your ears. Better listening
makes you a better fiddler.

Build

Learn by ear and build your fiddle tunes bit by bit with our guided videos.

Play

Get your reps in with our speed-adjustable backup tracks and play the tunes until they become your own.

THE FIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

Office Hours

Gather on Zoom every week with national champion instructors to play tunes, ask questions, and connect with fellow fiddlers.

Student Forum

A supportive group where students post videos, exchange feedback, and share tips on fiddle topics.

“Fiddle School, Katie, and her team manage to create a warm supportive community—using Zoom!”

-Margie G

CLICK BELOW TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER YOU:

BECOME A FIDDLE School MEMBER

CUSTOMIZE YOUR MEMBERSHIP BY ADDING ON:

  • Private Lessons

  • Swing Improv Workouts

  • Mastery Certification Program
  • Texas Style Tunes Webinar

Fiddle SCHOOL Membership

Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced (NEW!)

Skill-Building Videos

Track your progress,
learn efficiently, and
celebrate your wins!

Fiddle Tunes

Learn classic songs
by ear to
jam with friends!

Play-Along Tracks

Guitar, fiddle & harmony parts
at adjustable speeds.
Play with your at-home band!

Community

Connect with fellow fiddlers
at weekly office hours
and in the online community.

Testimonials

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT LEVEL PLAYER IS FIDDLE SCHOOL DESIGNED FOR?2022-12-18T22:18:20-07:00

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.

WHAT STYLE DOES FIDDLE SCHOOL TEACH?2022-12-18T22:18:44-07:00
  • 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.

WHAT SONGS ARE TAUGHT IN FIDDLE SCHOOL?2022-12-18T22:19:07-07:00

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!

WHAT IF I’VE NEVER PLAYED THE FIDDLE BEFORE?2022-12-18T22:19:30-07:00

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.

DOES THE SUBSCRIPTION INCLUDE PRIVATE LESSONS?2022-12-18T22:19:56-07:00

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!

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