Fiddlers amongst the rabble?

[CameronCat]

Wow! Don't know how I missed this thread for two days...

First, BozemanBob, thanks for the initial post and "stay out of my head." I had been considering the bringing up this exact topic but didn't know how to raise the issue amongst the host of pipers. You did it well and succinctly; thanks for that.

I'm still a beginning/lo-level intermediate fiddler. Took it up 4 years ago after wanting to do it for a long time. I've been a contra and trad. square dancer for years--the dances always have live bands, and I realized a long time ago that if it wasn't for the fiddles I probably wouldn't dance. I've gotten much good advice from fiddlers in dance bands!

I don't practice nearly as much as I should, and 30 min at a crack wears me out thoroughly. Cynthia and I have chatted about this (hi, Cyn!) and how easy it is to get discouraged with the infernal instrument.

I've been through 3 teachers and am currently without one, hampering my progress even more. I'm focusing on the old-timey and trad stuff that I enjoy + the campfire and back-porch songs that most people know. Throw in a little Tom Paxton or John Denver and it's all good here.

I share Cynthia's "terror" about playing in front of folks or in groups, although I know I must. In this part of eastern Pennsylvania, almost all of the jams are bluegrass which is not my thing. Nearest Irish jam is about an hour away and that's a haul home late on a Sunday night.

I find it interesting that you're comfortable with jigs and strathspeys but not reels...I'm just the opposite. I can play Saint Anne's Reel and The Wind that Shakes the Barley but jigs elude me completely. I've tried Irish Washerwoman as a practice piece but the jig tempo and wacky bowing just gets me stupid.

Yet I can play waltzes (granted, single groups of three, not doubles...) just fine. I've got Midnight on the Water down pretty well, and a half-arsed version of Ashoken Farewell.

Other stuff I can play (sometimes) "8th of January" (aka Battle of New Orleans), Bonaparte's Retreat, and of course Scotland the Brave ('Gay Gordons' to the dancers...). A couple others, too.

Good to know y'all are out there; nobody likes to suffer alone! <wink>

Hey Cynthia: I finally got the new strings...the wound E cured a lot of problems!

Let's stay in touch!

JT

[BozemanboB]

Hello, CameronCat!

I've been playing two years as of yesterday, and I'm completely obsessed with the fiddle. I'm 38 now, and wish I had started 20 years ago. Part of the reason I enjoy it so much is my instructor - he's as obsessed as I am. We're like soul-mates, if that doesn't sound too creepy. Great guy, and that makes a huge difference.

I love jigs - to me they're easy. So now I know more jigs than anything else. Strathspeys are just wonderful, and always a challenge. I love the snaps, especially across strings!! My hang up with reels is purely mental ... maybe if I pretend they're crooked jigs or straightened strathspeys I can get them down! (I'm going to try The Highlandman Kissed His Mother. It's all 1/8 notes, all the way through, with some fun string crosses in the B-part.)


When I play dances they mostly don't hear my few minor flubs. They're too busy dancing! They've never failed to applaud the fiddlers at the end of a dance, so I must be doing alright. And I'll tell you that having the ability to play music that moves people ... that's what it's all about, isn't it? Pure magic to see people dancing to the music that I am making.

It takes a lot of guts to get up in front of people, but in my experience they're impressed that you've got the gumption to do it and the talent to make it sound easy!


boB