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Learn an Irish tune set, complete with learning videos! The Banshee Swinging On the Gate Maid Behind the Bar -
Included are four one hour Radio Hours with Katie Glassman as our DJ, over 200 downloadable tracks, and 40 pages of historical handouts. She takes you on a ride listening to every legendary fiddle in each genre -- there's nothing like it!- Country & Western Radio Hour
- Western Swing Radio Hour
- Texas Style Radio Hour
- Mastery Plus Musicianship Class: My Favorite Fiddle Albums (includes the albums)
- My Favorite Swing & Jazz Fiddlers: Handouts & Recordings Only (if I ever find the video, I'll add it in)
- BONUS: Women of Country Music with Celeste Johnson!
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New to Fiddle School? Had to miss a month of your favorite webinar? Enjoy learning tunes from past Swing Improv Workout series! Select a tune to see what resources are included in your purchase.- Become an improviser and a swing fiddler!
- Learn how to embellish the melody
- Fine-tune your swing bowing style
- Learn how to tastefully create your own solo
- Take a deep dive into the dos and don'ts of jazz, swing, and Western Swing
- Workout themes can include: melodic workouts, chord outlining, pattern workouts, lick workouts, rhythmic creativity workouts, and more.
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Enjoy a very special collection of interviews and presentations that we've done at Fiddle School online camps, plus accompanying materials. The interviews all begin with 10 minutes of the featured musician's music, followed by a one hour interview, and a Q & A for those who were there live. The presentations included are all very special, and you won't find them anywhere else. Interviews include:- The Life and Times of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys with expert and author Brett Bingham
- Larry Franklin
- Evening Interview with Jim "Texas Shorty" Chancellor, a Grand Champion and Legend of Texas Fiddling with Adam Kulakow
- Women in Western Swing Presentation with Celeste Johnson & Grammy Award-winning dobro player, Cindy Cashdollar
- A Conversation with Jazz Violinist, Andy Stein with Adam Kulakow. Do you love jazz violin? This one's for you!
- A Conversation with Country Fiddler, Hank Singer with Katie Glassman. If you love classic country, don't miss this legendary interview.
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New to Fiddle School? Had to miss a month of your favorite webinar? Enjoy learning tunes from past Texas Tunes series! Included in your purchase:- Recordings of two 90-minute classes. Learn the tunes step-by-step over the course of the first two classes and hear performances/feedback in the final class (speed adjustable)
- Listening tracks to get the tune in your ear before you begin learning it (high quality WAV file)
- Handouts including sheet music with notes and chords. Though I recommend learning it by ear!
- Play-along track for you to jam along with after learning each part (download and adjust the speed)
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ADD-ON TO FIDDLE SCHOOL'S MASTERY PROGRAM! (Open only to students currently enrolled in Mastery 1-5 2024) Includes:- 11 monthly 1:1 lessons with Katie Glassman (once per month, except in June 2024)
- One 60-minute Musicianship Class per month (no extra student preparation needed, topics vary)
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Level up your rhythm guitar!
Class topics include:
- How to improve your rhythm
- How to strum with a groove
- How to solidify the F, F#m, Bm, D#0 and C#0 chords
- How to play up the neck using closed chords
- What to listen for while the fiddler is playing
- How to make a simple chord progression fancier
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Join the Jam! Back up your fiddle friends on guitar!
Class topics include:
- How to hold a pick
- How to strum on breakdowns, waltzes, and rags
- How to incorporate bass notes into your strum and sound like a Texas-style guitar player
- How to create a groove so that every fiddler wants to play with you!
- How to read a chord chart
- Learn the three most common Texas-style fiddle tune progressions
This recorded series includes three 90-minute classes, handouts, and practice recordings.
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Week 1: Common Country Chord Progressions - Learn how to navigate classic country songs with chords, melody, bowing, and embellishments. Learn 1-4-5 finger patterns, finger blocks, secondary dominant chords, and more on tetrachords.
Week 2: Common Pop & Folk Chord Progressions - These are the progressions you've heard all your life. Play your favorite pop tunes on fiddle! Ear training: How to hear chord qualities, intervals, and chords. Week 3: Playin' the Blues - It's one thing to learn how to play Folsom Prison Blues, but it's another skill to learn how to incorporate blue notes where you wouldn't expect them. Learn blue notes, double stops, and riffs to spice up all kinds of solos. Week 4: The Minor Keys - Relative minors, parallel minors, harmonic minor, and natural minor scale. Using popular songs of the 40s - 70s, learn everything about minor keys and scales. -
This 90-minute recorded class covers:- Application of "notes as numbers" in real-time.
- How to use theory to help sound out a melody on the spot.
- Tips for identifying chord progressions.
- How and when to play backup (chords & chops) on fiddle.
- Using scales and chord tones to play solos and fills on classic singing songs.
- Lifetime access to the recording, which you can start and stop at any time to practice concepts
- A folder of course materials
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Take your fiddling to the next level with featured tunes including:- Paddy on the Turnpike
- Shenandoah
- Bill Cheatum
- Morningstar Waltz
- Maiden's Prayer
- Dill Pickle Rag
- Ostinelli's Hornpipe
- Boot Heel Drag
- Corrina, Corrina
- Tears on My Pillow
- Sopris Waltz
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"That was a great class! It takes music theory to a whole new level." Heather Bennett The word got out about this course and we've had tons of requests from fiddlers who'd like to join. We hear you, so we've reopened the registration -- to access the entire recorded course -- you won't miss a thing. Sign up now to receive the class videos and teaching materials from Building Blocks #1-4. Thinking of each concept as a tool, learn the process of applying theory to your fiddle playing. Here’s a sample from our toolkit:- Find your way around your fingerboard
- Understand major & minor scales and how to use them
- Navigate key signatures like a pro
- Learn the basics of intervals and why they’re your friends
- Notes as numbers can help you jam – or play with anyone!
- Understand how chords are built and find that dream double stop
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Texas Style Tunes With Katie Glassman 1st, 2nd, and 4th WednesdaysTime: 5:00 – 6:15 PM MTLevel: Intermediate/Advanced---This 1-Month Class Pass registers you for all three classes in July-August. To purchase a full 3-tune, 9-class series at $24 off per month, check out our Texas Tunes 3-Month Pass. 3-Month Passes are available for a limited time at the beginning of each quarter, so if you don't see them available, check back soon.---IMPORTANT DEADLINE NOTICE: To make sure you are registered for the month of your choice, please purchase your monthly pass by 11:59 PM MT on the first Tuesday of the month (or, the Tuesday night before the first class). If you purchase after this deadline, you will automatically be signed up for the following month. Please be advised that monthly passes have a limit of 1 per order, and can only be applied to the nearest upcoming month at the time of purchase.--- April - August 2024 Tunes April – Breakdown: Leather Britches (Key of G) – April 3, 10, 24 May – Waltz: Waltz for Bridget – May 8, 15, 29 July/August – Tune of Choice: Beaumont Rag – July 10, 31, August 14 -Texas-style fiddle tunes are my heart and soul. With a rich history, driving rhythm, and beautiful longbow technique, they make the fiddle sound perfectly beautiful.The Texas Style Tunes webinar has become one of my absolute favorite classes to teach. Each month we rotate between learning a breakdown, a waltz, or a tune of choice. These are all tunes suitable for fiddle contests. Learn the tune step-by-step, by ear, over the course of two class times. The sheet music and a guitar back-up track are included – but I highly recommend learning the song by ear along with me. After two consecutive classes, you’ll get a week off to solidify, smooth out, and memorize the fiddle tune; In the third class, you’ll perform your rendition, and I’ll offer individual feedback on how to sound your best and how to personalize the tune. -
Your Fiddle School membership includes:
LEARNING MATERIALS
‣ Step-by-Step Skill-Building Lessons
‣ Over 500 Sequential Instructional Videos
‣ Sequential Fiddle Tune Tutorials
DOWNLOADABLE MATERIALS
‣ Play-Along Tracks
‣ Fiddle Tune Sheet Music
‣ Comprehensive Lesson Notes
COMMUNITY
‣ Weekly Online Office Hours with Champion Instructors
‣ Online Fiddler Forum
You've got options! Pay for your membership annually ($35 per month upfront) or monthly ($45 per month over a 1-year contract). Psst: using the code for a free month? Enter it during the checkout stage on the righthand side of the page. Enjoy one free month of membership and cancel at any time within those 30 days for NO CHARGE. -
Swing Improv Workouts with Katie Glassman 1st, 3rd, and 4th Thursdays Time: 4-5:15 PM MT Level: Intermediate/Advanced
This 1-Month Class Pass registers you for all three classes in August. To purchase a full 3-tune, 9-class series at $24 off per month, check out our Swing Improv 3-Month Pass. 3-Month Passes are available for a limited time at the beginning of each quarter, so if you don't see them available, check back soon.
IMPORTANT DEADLINE NOTICE: To make sure you are registered for the month of your choice, please purchase your monthly pass by 11:59 PM MT on the first Wednesday of the month (the night before the first class). If you purchase after this deadline, you will automatically be signed up for the following month. Please be advised that monthly passes have a limit of 1 per order, and can only be applied to the nearest upcoming month at the time of purchase.---FULL 2024 SERIES #1January-March 2024 Tunes:For the best value, purchase a 3-Month Pass to be automatically registered for the following series of classes (9 classes total):PURCHASE A THREE-MONTH PASS2024 Series 2 Schedule:A 3-Month Pass automatically signs you up for the following series of classes (9 classes total):April: Song of the Wanderer – April 4, 18, 25 May: Cold, Cold Heart – May 9, 23, 30 August: I’m an Old Cowhand – August 1, 15, 29 -
Get one of these while supplies last! This outfit comes with The Nightingale Electro-Acoustic fiddle, the Eastman mini-cello case, and an Andreas Eastman One Star Pernambuco bow. The Nightingale's tone is dark, velvety, and rich. The sound is well-balanced with a strong low end. These fiddles are crafted from highly select Carpathian tonewoods and have a solid spruce top and maple back, ribs, neck, and scroll. The Nightingale fiddle has a dark appearance with bright flames on the back. It looks like a fiddle that has lived, and it sure plays like one too. Its hand-applied, antique style, multilayer “spirit varnish” gives it that old look to go with a high-end, even fancy feel that you want every fiddle to have. This fiddle can handle a diverse array of jobs: it will warmly drive a fast breakdown or go big and full for waltzes—plus, it has the resonance and depth that I like for those jazz and Western Swing classics. The Case: Eastman Mini-Cello Series This hard-shell case is gorgeous! Constructed from a foam-injected polycarbonate shell, this case is both durable and lightweight (just 5 pounds, to be exact). It includes high-quality metal latches, a durable protective weatherstrip, and ultra-padded backpack straps for comfort. The detachable pocket on the back holds a laptop or iPad and has dividers for sheet music and notes. There’s also a subway strap for carrying options. Open the case to see your beautiful fiddle, two bows snugly held in place by magnetic holders, rosin compartments, and a shoulder rest holder below. This soft, padded, protective case is elegant and optimal for protection and portability. The Bow: Andreas Eastman One Star The model 90 is from the Andreas Eastman workshop. Following the tradition bowmakers have adhered to for centuries, it has silver mountings. The wood is of exceptional quality, hand-carved to reveal its full tonal and aesthetic potential. This is a very well-balanced bow. -
We have two left in stock. Get one of these while you can! This outfit comes with The Lockwood Electro-Acoustic fiddle, the Eastman mini-cello case, and an Andreas Eastman One Star Pernambuco bow. "When I first plugged in the Lockwood Electro-Acoustic I was completely blown away by the clarity of the pickup. It sounds as natural as can be. I've played on dozens of pickups professionally over the years and have never run across one that fits on the instrument so cleanly and sounds so resonant. I bought the first one that came in -- not only does the instrument sound great acoustically, I know that I can plug it in, jump right on stage, and be happy with my sound!" —Katie Glassman The Lockwood is named after the legendary French jazz violinist, Didier Lockwood (who was also my former teacher!). Crafted from aged European tonewoods, the top is German spruce and the back is a beautifully flamed German maple. The Lockwood fiddle has a lovely classic appearance – you can see the wood grains as soon as you open the case. It looks like a fiddle that has lived, and it sure plays like one too. Its hand-applied, antique style, multilayer “spirit varnish” gives it that old look to go with a high end, even fancy feel that you want every fiddle to have. This fiddle comes with some power: it will be heard at a jam session of any size. But while it can give a lot of volume, the sound remains well-balanced and warm, with a large dynamic range. This fiddle also can handle a diverse array of jobs: it can smoothly drive a fast breakdown or go big and full for waltzes -- and it has the resonance and tonal clarity that I like for those jazz and western swing classics. The Case: Eastman Mini-Cello Series This hard-shell case is gorgeous! Constructed from a foam-injected polycarbonate shell, this case is both durable and lightweight (just 5 pounds, to be exact). It includes high-quality metal latches, a durable protective weatherstrip, and ultra-padded backpack straps for comfort. The detachable pocket on the back holds a laptop or iPad and has dividers for sheet music and notes. There’s also a subway strap for carrying options. Open the case to see your beautiful fiddle, two bows snugly held in place by magnetic holders, rosin compartments, and a shoulder rest holder below. This soft, padded, protective case is elegant and optimal for protection and portability. The Bow: Andreas Eastman One Star The model 90 is from the Andreas Eastman workshop. Following the tradition bowmakers have adhered to for centuries, it has silver mountings. The wood is of exceptional quality, hand-carved to reveal its full tonal and aesthetic potential. This is a very well-balanced bow. -
This outfit comes with The Old Fashioned fiddle, the Eastman 1304 dart-shaped case and a BL60 Pernambuco bow. The Old Fashioned is named for both its dark wood tone – and for the color of a favorite cocktail (which some folks might enjoy with a fiddle tune). The rich color of the instrument gives it a strong visual presence and matches its rich, warm sound. I fell in love with it at first sight -- and even more so as I played fiddle tunes on it. With a select spruce top and highly flamed maple back, ribs, and scroll, the vibrant tonewoods give the fiddle a deep, resonant tone. Its robust sound seems so seasoned that you won’t believe you’re playing a brand new instrument. This is that rare new fiddle that sounds old right out of the box. The fiddle has a fun personality too: it likes fiddle tunes, jazz standards, western swing, country…everything that I like! The Case: Eastman 1304 This dart-shaped case is lightweight, protective, and has a plush, blue interior. Cordura nylon withstands tears, scuffs, and abrasions. Quality hardware and a 3-layer wooden shell ensures years of protection for your fiddle. The case includes a music pocket, two backpack straps, an accessory compartment, two bow spinners, and a shoulder rest compartment. The Bow: Andreas Eastman BL60 This bow features a Pernambuco stick, fully mounted ebony frog with colorful mother-of-pearl slides and Parisian eyes, leather grips with silver or imitation whalebone winding, and unbleached Mongolian horsehair, all made entirely by hand. -
Beginner Fiddler Package! Get one free year of Fiddle School when you purchase a Morningstar Fiddle. A free year of Fiddle School will be automatically applied to your cart. Click here for a video demonstration of the Morningstar Fiddle Outfit & Beginner Package!
This outfit comes with the Morningstar fiddle, the Eastman 1304 case, and a BL20 Pernambuco bow. The Morningstar is named for a favorite Texas-style waltz (and it also happens to be the name of the preschool my mom founded in Denver!). This fiddle provides a remarkable sound, visual beauty, sturdiness, playability, and affordability. It is rare to find a student-grade instrument constructed of such quality spruce and maple tonewoods as the Morningstar; a unique feature of this instrument is that it’s made of Romanian tonewoods. Other features that make this instrument among the finest student models available are the ebony pegs, chinrests, fingerboards, and inlaid purfling. When I play this fiddle, it has that sweet and gentle sound that you want to hear when you’re starting to get comfortable playing the fiddle. The Case: Eastman 1304 Cordura nylon withstands tears, scuffs, and abrasions. Quality hardware and 3-layer wooden shell ensures years of protection for your violin. The case includes a music pocket, two backpack straps, an accessory compartment, two bow spinners, and a shoulder rest compartment. The Bow: Eastman BL20 These entry-level Brazilwood bows allow students on a budget to enjoy the advantages of hand-made quality. Starting with strong, aged Brazilwood sticks, Eastman bowmakers construct bows the old-fashioned way. Ebony frogs fully mounted in nickel silver and mother-of-pearl, leather and imitation whalebone grips, and quality unbleached Mongolian horsehair all contribute to a bow that will assist and reward a beginning player’s efforts. -
Sale!
This hard-shell case is gorgeous! Constructed from a foam injected polycarbonate shell, this case is both durable and lightweight (5 lbs. to be exact). It includes high quality metal latches, a durable protective weatherstrip, and ultra-padded backpack straps for comfort. The detachable pocket on the back holds a laptop or iPad and has dividers for sheet music and notes. There’s also a subway strap for carrying options. Open the case to see the fiddle and two bows snuggly held in place by magnetic holders and rosin compartments and a shoulder rest holder below. This soft, padded, protective case is elegant and optimal for protection and portability. -
Order all three and save!
Includes: • Fiddle School Book 1: New Edition • Fiddle School Book 2: New Edition • Fiddle School Book 3 Get Fiddle School 24 Fiddle Favorites, Volume 1, Fiddle School 24 More Fiddle Favorites Volume 2, and Fiddle School 20 Advanced Fiddle Favorites Volume 3 in this convenient bundle. The books are great for the whole family, including sheet music (melody and chords), lyrics, and harmony parts. These tunes are in sequential order for beginning, intermediate, and advanced fiddlers! -
Fiddle School 24 More Fiddle Favorites Volume 2 is the accompanying book to our Session 2 fiddling program. This book is great for the whole family, it includes sheet music (melody and chords), lyrics, and harmony parts. NEW! Volume 2 will come with play-along tracks. These tunes are in sequential order for the intermediate fiddler. -
Choose your lesson length, make your payment, and schedule your Zoom lesson. Please schedule your lesson upon purchase. -
Fiddle School Book Volume 1 is a must-have for:- Fiddlers
- Jam Sessions
- Anyone wanting to learn to play with other musicians!
