Note-Reading For Fiddlers webinar – August 12, 2020

Mike (Frank’s fiddle) asked: In reality, how much fiddling is done from music and how much simply by ear or just having fun? I like the idea of learning to read music and to just pick up some sheet music and play from it, but as a fairly mature (61) novice fiddler, am I going to just divert my time and enthusiasm into something that is just a nice to know? In reality, how much fiddling is done from music and how much simply by ear or just having fun?

• You don’t have to learn note-reading.
• In fact, I suggest that when beginners learn to play without reading.
• But it can help you learn tunes more quickly.
• Tabs don’t give you rhythmic information. Or bowings and expression.
• Also, you’ll find sheet music more often then tabs.
• You can mark up sheet music with a pencil. This can aid your learning.
  • You can bracket difficult parts.
  • You can add slurs and other expression markings.
• Further learning: Reading Sheet Music for Fiddle Tunes: Tips and Strategies

• Lower sounding notes like D0 are placed lower on the staff. Higher sounding notes, like A3, are placed higher on the staff.

Kim H. asked this.

• I recommend you start with the basic finger positions on the D string.
• First learn the note names: D (D0), E (D1), F# (D2), G (D3).
  • Play the The Note Name Game on the D String to make this fun.
• Then learn to read the notes.
• Use the exercises in this lesson: Reading Notes On the D String
• Once you’re comfortable with that, learn the notes in this order:
  • Reading Notes On the A String
  • Reading Notes On The G String
  • Reading Notes On The E string
  • Reading Low Second Finger Notes

John from Texas asked this.

• First off, what is sight-reading? It’s reading and playing written music you’ve never played before.
• Because I’ve been reading for awhile, I’ll sight-read to tunes as a way to determine if it’s a tune I want to learn.
• If you’re new to music notation, then sight-reading a whole tune will be difficult.
  • I recommend listening to recordings to decide which tune you want to try.
  • When it comes time to read a tune, do it in very small steps.
• If I decide to learn it deeply, I work through the tune, part by part.
• So just like all of you learning on FiddleHed, I’ll learn the first quarter really well.
• Here’s the key step: once you memorize a small piece, look away from the music. 
  • If you’re new to reading, you want to memorize just the first few notes once you figure them out.
• Then I loop on it until I can play it in my sleep. I think I actually do play in my sleep when I practice late at night.
• Then I look to see if the first quarter is repeated anywhere.
• Then I learn and memorize the next bit.
• I don’t necessarily memorize the whole tune in one sitting.
  • Some come faster than others.

See these lessons for more on note lengths and reading rhythm:

• Reading Rhythm 1
• Reading Rhythm 2
• Reading Rhythm 3
• Reading Rhythm 4

Steph, on a sailing boat, locked down in Panama asked: How do you go about learning a new song? 

So you’ve got no prior knowledge of it, you heard it a couple of times and thought “that’s nice, I want to learn that”. How do YOU go about recreating it? If there’s sheet music available, do you download it for a look, at least? Or do you go by ear, and try to emulate it as best you can? 

• By ear
  • If no sheet music is available…
  • I listen to a recording, take mental note of the different parts.
  • I’ll work through the tune, part by part. It can be pain-staking.
• Sheet music
  • I’ll look for music online or in books I have.
  • Though I’m pretty good at reading fiddle tunes, if I want to learn it for memory I have to learn in small chunks.
  • Then I use the incremental approach I described earlier.
• A combination of listening and reading
  • I read and listen to different versions.
  • I create a simple version of my own.
    • I try to look for ‘hidden repetition’ and then simplify written music.
  • Once I can play a simple version, I find creative ways to practice it.
  • To me, this is the heart of fiddling. Taking a melody and experimenting with it.

Adrienne, Seattle: How do I count a “cut” in Scottish fiddle tunes? 

I’m looking at the first measure of Pigeon on the Gate and am completely lost. Happy to send the music to you.

• I have not studied Scottish embellishments. 
• Most embellishments are not included in the counting.

Here’s a version of Pigeon on the Gate from a site called folk tune finder. Notice that the turn is not counted.

Folk tune finder

• Find a wide variety of folk tunes and songs here.

The Session

• Find Irish tunes here.

Let me know in a comment if you have a resource you like.

Joe from Los Angeles asked this.

• First off, in most fiddle music you do not need to shift to a higher position. This is a more advanced technique. But it’s necessary for classical music, jazz as well as some bluegrass.
• Notation for higher positions works on the same principle. Notes that are higher on the staff have a higher pitch.
• When shifting is required, the finger position will be indicated (unless it’s extremely advanced music, in which case the player figures this out on her own).
• Here’s an example of a shift that happens in the Bach Double.