Swallowtail Jig – Fiddle Meditation

Beginner Practice Journey

Overview

Welcome to the Swallowtail Jig Fiddle meditation!

We’ll slowly explore the tune using call-and-response, looping and other practice strategies.

The intention is to relax body, breath and mind so you can perform better and Enjoy Practicing.

I won’t offer in-depth teaching on fingering and other details. You’ll find that in this lesson:

I’m glad you’re here. Let’s begin.

Workshop Replay

Let’s practice!

Prepare for the journey

Listen to the song in advance

Here’s the version we’ll do in the workshop:

Here’s a lesson on the tune.

Outline

Centering 🧘

E drone

Close your eyes and just listen to the E drone. Notice your breath, body and thoughts.

Now continue to listen, but hold the instrument without playing.

Good. Now play a single E note (D1).

Allow the body, breath and mind to relax.

Simply be with this music in the present moment.

Don’t worry about perfection.

Allow yourself to enjoy the sound of this one note.

Imagine that the music is not coming from you but through you. Let it be effortless.

You want everything you do to eventually have this quality of effortlessness.

Scale 🪜

Let’s play the scale for, which is E Dorian: D1-2-3-A0-1-2-3-E0 {2x}

Triplets
Long short
Staccato
Other variations

Let’s try 3-note scale, the E Minor Triad: D1-3-A1-E0

Now practice on your own

Chunk 🧩

Let’s slowly chain the notes of our first Chunk.

D3-1-1-A1-D1-1

A Part, First Bar: D3-1-1-A1-D1-1

Loop 🔁

Play this Chunk in a continuous Loop. Let it groove and flow as if it’s a complete melody.

Allow the body and breath to relax.

Modifiers ✨

These actions can be used modify actions in the main sequence.

Close Your Eyes 😌

Sing 🗣️

Singing and humming helps you form a mental model of the music. Allow it to feel good in your body. The ultimate goal is to sing with your instrument.

Visualize 🧠

Practice hearing the music in your head.

Start by playing the Chunk. Then sing or hum it. Then “hear it in your head.” This is called “Audiation.”

Think of this as taking singing to the Jedi-Knight level.

Change Volume 🎚️

Quiet, medium, loud, crescendo (slowly get louder), decrescendo, accents

Add Texture 🧶

Add staccato, tremolo, vibrato, plucking or any other texture.

Repeat 𝄇

We do the same process for other Chunks of the song.

For each Chunk, play single reps to work out technical challenges. Then slowly loop.

Chunks

A Part, First Quarter

Second Chunk: D3-1-1-A1-0-D3
Connect the Chunks: D3-1-1-A1-D1-1 | D3-1-1-A1-0-D3

A Part, Second Quarter

D Major

D Major triad: D0-2-A0-3
D2-0-0-A0-D0-0
A3-2-3-0-D3-2
Connect the Chunks: D2-0-0-A0-D0-0 | A3-2-3-0-D3-2

Use E drone for the remaining chunks of the song.

A Part, Third Quarter: same as A1

A Part, Fourth Quarter: A3-2-3-0-D3-2-3-1-1-1

Center on D1

B Part, First Quarter

D-U D
A1-2-3-E0-1-{bar rest}
U D-U
E0-1-0-A3-1

B Part, Second Quarter

A1-2-3-E0-1
E0-A3-1-3

B Part, Third Quarter

same as B Part, First Quarter

B Part, Fourth Quarter

same as A Part, Fourth Quarter

Save a little time for the last two steps: Thanks & Reflection

Thanks 🙏

When it’s time to end your session we’ll close out with the Centering practice.

Return to a single E note (D1).

Allow the body to relax. Enjoy the sound and feeling of that one note.

As you play, give thanks for music and the other good things in your life.

Reflection 📝

When you’re done, take a moment to reflect on how this went.

Were you able to play with more ease?
Did you enjoy the practice session more?
How could you apply this to practicing other songs and skills?

Take note of this in your practice journal:

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Takeaways

OK! Here are some takeaways for you.

Relax body, breath and mind as you play a single note.

Maintain that relaxed awareness as you practice more complex things.

Do it on your own. Apply this process to any song at any level on any instrument.

Audio & Sheet Music

Audio

75 bpm – Basic Mix

60 bpm – Jam Mix

Sheet Music

Tabs

A part

First quarter: D3-1-1-A1-D1-1-D3-1-1-A1-0-D3

Second quarter: D2-0-0-A0-D0-0-A3-2-3-0-D3-2

Third quarter: D3-1-1-A1-D1-1-D3-1-1-A1-2

Fourth quarter: A3-2-3-0-D3-2-3-1-1-1

B part

First quarter: A1-2-3-E0-1-0-1-0-A3-1

Second quarter: A1-2-3-E0-1-0-A3-1-3

Third quarter: A1-2-3-E0-1-0-1-0-A3-1