Beginner Fiddle Lessons

Go to Module 1.1

I’m excited for you! ✨ You’re about to learn the essential skills of playing the fiddle. This is where you start if you’re an absolute beginner. 🐣

You’ll learn FUNdamentals like posture, bowing, fingering, and more. Whew! And you’ll practice these new found skills with four tunes that present you with the perfect challenge. 💪🏽

Skills

• How to hold the fiddle and bow
• Right-hand plucking
• Using the bow
• Left-hand fingering
• Ear-training with call-and-response
• Learning tunes in small steps
• Combining bowing and fingering

Tunes

• Bile ’em Cabbage Down
• Mary Had A Little Lamb
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• Fiddle Fiddle Little Star

For now, here’s the main thing you have to remember…

“Play Every Day” is your mantra.

No matter how far you go, consistent daily practice is the single most important thing for you to do.

Go to Module 1.1

Go to Module 1.2

🎻 Get ready for a fun journey 🤩 through this beginner fiddle course module! You’ll sharpen your skills by playing in tune using tools like drones, electronic tuners, and finger tape 🎵 , while also learning to 📖 read fiddle tabs and mastering the Little Lift technique. Engage in 📞 call-and-response exercises and put your 🆕 talents to the test with 4️⃣ entertaining tunes: Freres Jacques, Fais Do Do, When The Saints Go Marching In, and a hoedown version of Mary Had A Little Lamb. Let your fiddle skills flourish 🌸 !

Skills

• Playing better in tune with tools like drones, electronic tuners and finger tape
• How to Read Fiddle Tabs
• Little Lift
• Call-and-response 1.2

Tunes

• Freres Jacques
• Fais Do Do (Cajun waltz)
• When The Saints Go Marching In
• Mary Had A Little Lamb – Hoedown version

The Perfect Challenge

Look for “The Perfect Challenge” or the “Goldilocks Point” between too easy and too hard.

Go to Module 1.2

Go to Module 1.3

I can’t wait for you to start playing on the A string notes 🎵 ! This will enable you to play the D Major scale 🎼 . You’ll also explore simple two-note intervals and adding variation to scales. With 💪 power practice strategies like 📓 music journaling and 📞 call-and-response, you’ll have a  blast practicing your new skills on 4️⃣ catchy tunes: Oh Susannah, Little Liza Jane, Wildwood Flower, and Angeline The Baker (A Major). Let the 🎻 fiddling fun begin!

Skills

• Drone Tuning A String Notes
• D Major Scale
• Simple Intervals
• Adding Variation to Scales
• Music journaling
• Call-and-response 1.3

Tunes

• Oh Susannah
• Little Liza Jane
• Wildwood Flower
• Angeline The Baker (A Major)

Use a music journal

If you take a note about you practice today, you can go further tomorrow. We have an online journal integration called “Your Practice Journal” in the Practice Toolkit at the bottom of lesson pages. Or use your own journal system.

Go to Module 1.3

Go to Module 1.4

Get ready for a thrilling fiddle adventure in Module 1.4 , where you’ll expand your skills to include G string notes and the G Major scale! You’ll discover the art of transposing tunes to G Major, delve further into intervals, and try your hand at staccato bowing, all while engaging in lively call-and-response exercises. 📈 To top it all off, you’ll practice these newfound skills with four fun tunes: Kerry Polka, Shooting Creek, Kerfunken Jig, and Ballydesmond Polka, before reaching your exciting first review point 🏆  Happy fiddling 🎻

Skills

• Drone Tuning G String Notes
• G Major Scale
• Transposing tunes to G Major
• Intervals 2
• Staccato bowing
• Call-and-response 1.4

Tunes

• Kerry Polka
• Shooting Creek – Beginner version
• Kerfunken Jig
• Ballydesmond Polka – Lower Octave
• First Review Point

Go to Module 1.4

Go to Module 1.5

Congrats! You’re now at the “Advanced Beginner Level” 🏆

Now you’ll conquer the E string notes and the A Major scale, while also learning to transpose tunes to A Major and producing a great sound. 🔔 As you explore pentatonic scales and dive deeper into intervals, you’ll enjoy interactive call-and-response exercises and practice your growing skills with four of my favorite tunes: Blackest Crow, Britches Full of Stitches, Cripple Creek, and O’Keefe’s Slide. Let’s get those fiddles singing! 🎻

Skills

• Drone Tuning E String Notes
• A Major Scale
• Transposing tunes to A Major
• How to Get a Good Sound
• Pentatonic Scales
• Intervals 3
• Call-and-response 1.5

Tunes

• Blackest Crow
• Britches Full of Stitches
• Cripple Creek
• O’Keefe’s Slide

Go to Module 1.5

Go to Module 1.6

Skills

• Slur Two Bowing
• Singing and Playing
• Intervals 4
• Pedal Exercises 1
• Rhythmic Scale Variation
• Transposing Challenge
• Call-and-response 1.6

Tunes

• Bile ’em Cabbage Down – Variation 1
• Joy to the World
• Auld Lang Syne
• Fire On The Mountain

🎻 Get ready to master beginner fiddle Module 1.6! Hone your skills with Slur Two Bowing, 🎤 Singing and Playing, Intervals 4, and more. Practice your 🆕 techniques with 4️⃣ tunes: Bile ’em Cabbage Down – Variation 1, Joy to the World, Auld Lang Syne, and Fire On The Mountain.

Adding variation is the art and practice of fiddling 🎻

Go to Module 1.6

Go to Module 1.7

🌟 Get ready for another great fiddle milestone in Module 1.7! You’ll learn essential skills like Low Second Finger🤌🏽, D and A Dorian Scales 🎶 , Slur Three, and more. Practice your 🆕 techniques with 4️⃣ tunes: Shady Grove, Cluck Old Hen, I’ll Fly Away, and Drunken Sailor, before reaching your exciting Second Review Point 🏆

Skills

• Low Second Finger
• D and A Dorian Scales
• Slur Three
• Pedal Exercises 2
• Fiddling With Rhythmic Patterns
• Call-and-response 1.7

Tunes

• Shady Grove
• Cluck Old Hen
• I’ll Fly Away
• Drunken Sailor
• Second Review Point

Go to Module 1.7

Prepare for an amazing adventure in fiddle Module 1.8! Master skills like C Major and G Major Scale Upper Octave, 🎵 Slur Four, and Intervals with Low and High Second Finger which will open up new vistas for your fiddle career 🎻. Apply your 🆕 techniques with 4️⃣ awesome tunes: Old Joe Clarke, Soldier’s Joy, Road to Lisdonverna, and Girl I Left Behind Me.

Skills

• C Major and G Major Scale Upper Octave
• Slur Four
• Intervals with Low and High Second Finger
• Transposing Tunes to Upper Octave of G Major
• Call-and-response 1.8

Tunes

• Old Joe Clarke – Basic Version
• Soldier’s Joy – Beginner Version
• Road to Lisdonverna
• Girl I Left Behind Me

Strive to improve by 10% each month

You can do it with intentional daily practice.

Go to Module 1.8

Go to Module 1.9

Get ready for Module 1.9: the next chapter in your fiddle career 📖. You’ll learn essential skills like Triads 🔺, Adding Slurs to Tunes, Lifting The Bow, and more. Apply your 🆕 techniques with 4️⃣ tunes: Tobin’s Jig, Swallowtail Jig, Whiskey Before Breakfast, and Fisher’s Hornpipe.

Skills

• Triads
• Adding Slurs to Tunes
• Lifting The Bow
• Slur Two-Separate Two Bowing
• Going From Bowing to Plucking
• Call-and-response 1.9

Tunes

• Tobin’s Jig
• Swallowtail Jig
• Whiskey Before Breakfast
• Fisher’s Hornpipe

Don’t forget the FUNdamentals 🌱

Always have at least one skill that you’re learning or refining. It may seem counterintuitive, but you’ll have more fun if you work on the FUNdamentals. Good sound = happiness!

Go to Module 1.9

Go to Module 1.10

Skills

• G Major Scale in Two Octaves
• Chaining
• Slur Two-Separate Two Bowing in Tunes
• Practice Loops
• How To Remember Fiddle Tunes
• Call-and-response 1.10

Tunes

• Arkansas Traveller
• Old Joe Clarke – Variation 1
• Banshee
• Third Review Point

Learn new skills, refine existing ones

Always have skills and tunes in each column. Don’t let too much pile up in the middle “can do with effort” column. Learn more here.

Go to Module 1.10